Dan du Plessis of Stormers gets his pass away to Ruhan Nel of Stormers during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 match between Stormers and Munster held at Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on 15 April 2023 Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
Stormers host URC final in Cape Town after last-gasp Munster drop-goal
Munster won an arm-wrestle of an all-Irish URC semi-final to book their place in the championship match and ensure the Stormers will host the showpiece.
Dan du Plessis of Stormers gets his pass away to Ruhan Nel of Stormers during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 match between Stormers and Munster held at Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on 15 April 2023 Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
Munster won an arm-wrestle of an all-Irish URC semi-final to book their place in the championship match and ensure the Stormers will host the showpiece for the second year in a row.
Leinster have been a force all season long and a trip to Dublin was a very real and imposing prospect.
Stormers to host URC final in Cape Town
Munster however, have enjoyed stellar late season form and got some good results in South Africa on their recent trip.
ALSO READ: Stormers clinch another URC final with thrilling win over Connacht
It was a late drop-goal from Jack Crowley that secured Munster the upset victory.
Leinster have now lost by a single point in the first two URC semi-final rounds but will have to pick themselves up for a European Champions Cup final next week.
ALSO READ: The most popular sports video games
The United Rugby Championship final will take place at the DHL Stadium on 27 May 2023 with kick-off at 18:30.
Huge crowds have flocked to the venue for the last two matches and the exciting prospect of another Grand Final in Cape Town means that a sell-out is just about guaranteed.
Munster have had to win twice on the road to reach the match having vanquished Glasgow Warriors in the last eight at Scotstoun.
An Irish battle
The two Irish sides went to war and the first half was a stop-start affair due to string of injuries.
Munster turned down shots at goal on multiple occassions only to come up short.
Things didn’t look great when Leinster hit the front just before the break with a try by South African second row Jason Jenkins.
Tadhg Beirne got a crucial try early in the second half however, when Joe MCarthy powered over, Leinster looked on for the win.
With time winding down however, Crowley took his chances with a dropgoal that came off and gave Munster a slender lead.
Munster held on to stun their rivals and head back to South Africa.
