Late try breaks long trophy drought for Munster

Flanker John Hodnett scored a try four minutes from time to secure Munster a deserved 19-14 win over the DHL Stormers at a packed DHL Stadium in a tense and close Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) final that secured them their first silverware in 12 years.

It looked like the hosts had fought back from being significantly second best in the first half to put themselves in a position to retain the trophy they won by beating the Vodacom Bulls last year.

The Stormers were leading 14-12 and had come close on a couple of occasions of making the game safe, but on one of the rare Munster incursions into the Stormers half, Manie Libbok - who had an erratic game - had a low trajectory kick charged down and Munster got hold of the ball just outside the Stormers’ 22.

The Irish team were always quite outstanding at retaining possession, so that was trouble for the Stormers right there, and with the Stormers defenders suddenly looking out on their feet, the space was created out wide on the left for Hodnett to go over in the left hand corner.

Refusal to die

Munster did well to come back and win the game when it appeared the momentum had gone completely against them, so it was unsurprising that their coach Graham Rowntree and experienced forward Tadhg Beirne, who ended the game as captain due to an injury to Peter O’Mahony, both paid tribute to their team’s refusal to die when the odds were stacked against them.

“It was incredible. We had a scrum on the halfway line and I said to the guys we will get a chance and when it comes, we must take it,” Irish international Beirne said.

“Gavin [Coombes] made an unbelievable blockdown and then John [Hodnett] did superbly to go over for the try. We showed unbelievable fight to stop the Stormers around one of their biggest assets.”

Rowntree was understandably full of smiles and spoke of his emotion at the final whistle.

“The big message here is the ability we showed to stick in the game when it started to go against us,” he said.

“It was a real feeling of elation, it was very emotional. It was a huge moment for the club, for the players and the fans. A very special moment and from a very special group. Peter [O’Mahoney] has been one of those waiting for a long time and I am immensely proud of him and the playing group, as well as the red army of fans that followed us here. There was an army of fans waiting for us outside when we arrived here."

Big momentum swings

“We are very proud of what we have done. We have done it tough. This was our sixth game away from home in a row. To come and do this, the performances that we have put in without being completely perfect, showed through at the end there.”

Rowntree admitted that he was disappointed that his team weren’t a lot further than five points up (12-7) at half-time.

“I thought we were very good. We set out to blunt their threats with our phase attack, we tried to make them work a lot, and I was really disappointed we didn’t go in 19 points up. We had to keep the ball, which was a challenge on a pitch like that. We were up against a great team led by a really great coach and it was going to take a big game from us.

“It was a case of sticking in the game. It didn’t go all our own way. There were big momentum swings. But what we learnt is the ability under pressure away from home to stick in there and recover. We have become very battle hardened and that showed tonight," he said.