Stormers vs Munster: Monstrous matchups
In anticipation of the epic Vodacom URC final in Cape Town on Saturday, we unpack five key battles between the defending champions, the DHL Stormers and Munster.
Dan du Plessis vs Malakai Fekitoa
In the battle of the inside centres, Du Plessis, a Vodacom URC Elite XV selection for 2022-23, brings his explosiveness, vision and precision.
The 28-year-old is enjoying arguably his best season for the Stormers, as an injury-free run of games has allowed him to start reaching his potential.
How good has Dan du Plessis been in that 13 jersey over the last few games ???? pic.twitter.com/OMLjod0rNW
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 9, 2023
A former All Black midfield juggernaut, Fekitoa aims to dominate with raw strength and hot-stepping. It’s a clash that promises fireworks in the middle of the park!
This fierce Quarter-Final needed an @AllBlacks to break the ice ????@MunsterRugby‘s Malakai Fekitoa ????@Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise | #GLAvMUN pic.twitter.com/ahswX0ey0c
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) May 6, 2023
ALSO: ‘Confident’ Stormers playing for the fans
Manie Libbok vs Jack Crowley
Libbok, the URC Fans’ Player of the Season, showcased his speed and creativity in a Man of the Match display in the semi-finals.
The mercurial flyhalf finished the inaugural URC campaign as a title winner and the competition’s leading points-scorer, and currently tops the charts with 208 points.
And the crowd goes wild. #STOvCON #iamastormer #dhldelivers @Vodacom #URC #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/yfpUJb1DS5
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) May 13, 2023
Manie Libbok ???? Angelo Davids entertaining the 47,261 crowd ????️????@Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise | #STOvCON | @TheStormers pic.twitter.com/F3M6qyLSHV
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) May 13, 2023
Crowley matches him for tactical nous, and showed his BMT with a drop goal to help beat Leinster in Dublin. Both playmakers will vie for control, delivering a spicy duel of wits.
This is the moment when Jack Crowley wrote himself into the @Vodacom #URC history books… ✍️????#UnitedWeRise | #LEIvMUN | @MunsterRugby pic.twitter.com/jxqrvX5g87
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) May 13, 2023
Deon Fourie vs Peter O’Mahony
Fourie is a steel beam reinforcing the Stormers breakdown, and his relentless poaching and commitment to disrupting momentum make him an invaluable asset in the defending champions’ quest for victory.
Having missed the semi-final win against Connacht with a hamstring injury, the robust openside flanker returns with renewed vigour, and strives to cap off another spectacular campaign with a Man of the Match performance in a final.
5️⃣5️⃣ SECONDS ????????????
The @THESTORMERS pick up where the @SharksRugby left off as @Deonf scores the opening try in the opening minute ????#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/WTZeKsOOiP
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 1, 2023
O’Mahony, Munster’s talismanic captain, exudes physicality and tenacity and while not an out-and-out fetcher, is a similar nuisance around the ruck. Expect the tussle of the two old warhorses to be enthralling!
PLUS: RG to provide ‘bomb-squad’ impact for Munster
Marvin Orie vs Jean Kleyn
Orie, a towering presence, is the technician in the Stormers’ lineout and adds a hard edge in defence.
No challenge is too daunting for the heavy-duty lock, and he, too, is back from a spell on the sidelines looking to ignite the engine room.
Yet, South African-born Kleyn seeks to exploit his former team with unsung grit and determination, and an intense skirmish awaits as these two second-row titans vie for set-piece supremacy.
Joseph Dweba vs Diarmuid Barron
Backed by the Stormers coaches and teammates, the fiery Dweba will look to live up to his bold claims from a now-infamous post-match team celebration.
The front-row powerhouse relishes pitting himself against top-tier opponents as part of a formidable pack that features world-class props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe.
What a debut for @JosephDweba2 ????
5️⃣9️⃣ Mins
1️⃣ Try
7️⃣ Tackles
4️⃣ Carriers@Vodacom #URC | @TheStormers pic.twitter.com/PVkf12c5PM
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) October 4, 2022
Barron, though, helped end the Stormers’ unbeaten run in Cape Town with two tries in a round 17 victory for Munster. These hookers’ hunger for success will fuel an epic battle in the heart of the scrum.
Straight from the training ground ????@MunsterRugby‘s Diarmuid Barron goes over the line after some pure power from the forward pack! ????#BKTURC #URC | #STOvMUN pic.twitter.com/9ugMK08X4K
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) April 15, 2023
Photo: Twitter/@Munsterrugby, @DHLAfrica & Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix, Harry Murphy/Getty Images
