2023 United Rugby Championship final explained

2023 United Rugby Championship Final
Event:2022–23 United Rugby Championship
Team1:Stormers
Team1score:14
Team2:Munster
Team2score:19
Date:27 May 2023
Stadium:DHL Stadium
City:Cape Town
Man Of The Match1a:John Hodnett (Munster)
Referee:Andrea Piardi
Attendance:56,344[1]
Weather:Dry
Previous:2022
Next:2024

The 2023 United Rugby Championship final was the final match of the 2022–23 United Rugby Championship season. The final was between defending champions the Stormers and Munster with Munster winning 19–14.[2] [3] [4]

Route to the final

Munster had an up-and-down season, at one point being fourteenth in the table after losing five of their seven opening rounds of the season, but a strong finish to the season, including an away win against the Stormers and an away draw against the Sharks, saw Munster qualify for the knockout stage of the competition and finish fifth overall. The province defeated Glasgow Warriors 14–5 away from home in the quarter-finals, before defeating Leinster 16–15, also away from home, in the semi-finals.[5]

The Stormers, the defending champions after they won the first United Rugby Championship in 2021–22, by contrast enjoyed a strong season, finishing third overall and defeating South African rivals the Bulls 33–21 in their quarter-final[6] and Connacht 43–25 in the semi-finals to advance to a home final for a second season in a row.[7]

Pre-match

The match was televised live by SuperSport in South Africa, by TG4 in Ireland, and by Viaplay Sports and the United Kingdom.[8] All tickets for the final were sold within three hours of going on sale.[9]

Details

FB 15 Damian Willemse
RW 14 Angelo Davids
OC 13 Ruhan Nel
IC 12 Dan du Plessis
LW 11 Leolin Zas
FH 10 Manie Libbok
SH 9 Herschel Jantjies
N8 8 Evan Roos
OF 7 Hacjivah Dayimani
BF 6 Deon Fourie
RL 5 Marvin Orie
LL 4 Ruben van Heerden
TP 3 Frans Malherbe
HK 2 Joseph Dweba
LP 1 Steven Kitshoff (c)
Substitutions:
HK 16 JJ Kotze
PR 17 Ali Vermaak
PR 18 Neethling Fouché
LK 19 Ben-Jason Dixon
FL 20 Willie Engelbrecht
FL 21 Marcel Theunissen
SH 22 Paul de Wet
FB 23 Clayton Blommetjies
Coach:
John Dobson
FB 15 Mike Haley
RW 14 Calvin Nash
OC 13 Antoine Frisch
IC 12 Malakai Fekitoa
LW 11 Shane Daly
FH 10 Jack Crowley
SH 9 Conor Murray
N8 8 Gavin Coombes
OF 7 John Hodnett
BF 6 Peter O'Mahony (c)
RL 5 Tadhg Beirne
LL 4 Jean Kleyn
TP 3 Stephen Archer
HK 2 Diarmuid Barron
LP 1 Jeremy Loughman
Substitutions:
HK 16 Niall Scannell
PR 17 Josh Wycherley
PR 18 Roman Salanoa
LK 19 RG Snyman
BR 20 Alex Kendellen
SH 21 Craig Casey
FH 22 Ben Healy
UB 23 Keith Earls
Coach:
Graham Rowntree
Man of the Match:
John Hodnett

Assistant referees:
Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Craig Evans (Wales)
Television match official:
Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-05-27 . DHL Stormers just short in Vodacom URC Grand Final . 2023-05-27 . The Stormers.
  2. Web site: Stormers 14-19 Munster: Irish province claim URC title vs Stormers in Cape Town for first silverware since 2011. 27 May 2023. Sky Sports. 31 May 2023.
  3. Web site: United Rugby Championship Grand Final: Stormers 14-19 Munster - Late converted try seals win for Irish province. 27 May 2023. BBC Sport. 31 May 2023.
  4. Web site: Munster beat Stormers to end 12-year wait for URC title. 27 May 2023. RTE Sport. 1 June 2023.
  5. News: Munster's Road To The URC Final. 18 May 2023. Munster Rugby. 20 May 2023.
  6. News: DHL Stormers book home semifinal at DHL Stadium. 6 May 2023. The Stormers. 20 May 2023.
  7. News: Stormers flair overcomes Connacht grit in thrilling URC semi-final. 13 May 2023. Irish Examiner. 20 May 2023.
  8. News: URC Grand Final Fixture Details. 15 May 2023. Munster Rugby. 20 May 2023.
  9. News: URC Grand Final Sold-Out. 18 May 2023. Munster Rugby. 20 May 2023.