Munster End 12 Year Drought with First URC Title

Munster won their first major trophy for 12 years by landing the Vodacom / BKT United Rugby Championship finishing off a season that looked in danger of disappointment, but took off two weeks ago when beating Leinster at the Aviva Stadium to secure this Final place and was crowned on Saturday.

It was Munster’s fifth successive away game in the competition as they turned around their fortunes following final defeats in 2015, 2017 and 2021.

It was also the first title that Peter O’Mahony had won in the red of Munster and a fitting farewell to Keith Earls who was playing his last game for the province.

Flanker John Hodnett’s try five minutes from time – converted from the touchline by fly-half Jack Crowley – denied the Stormers back-to-back URC crowns.

“We needed to show huge character. What a team this Stormers team is. We had to be good and we played well in the first half,” said Munster Head Coach Graham Rowntree.

“We stuck in there, we showed good fight and I am immensely proud of the players. We’ve been to some tough places on the road recently and showed character.

“The momentum that gave us, going away from home, winning games, it’s exactly what you need to win a game like this one and we did it.”

“We performed well in the first half, and we probably should have been a couple more scores up, but credit the Stormers – their defence was excellent,” added O’Mahony

“We showed incredible resilience and skills to score a well-worked try with five minutes to go. It was a tough surface and tough conditions with a wet ball.

“We went behind but we stuck to our guns. We got back into it and the last five minutes were class.”