United Rugby Championship: Five takeaways from Stormers v Munster

Following Munster’s 26-24 win over the Stormers, Planet Rugby unpacks five takeaways from the clash in Cape Town on Saturday.

An outstanding spectacle at Cape Town Stadium, a game played at a furious pace with incredible physicality and a hint of desperation from both sides as the two teams went hammer and tong at one another.

The strength, skill and pace that the game was played at was a joy to watch, while the tempers boiling over and the see-saw pack battle throughout was a brilliant advert for the competition.

There was a big shot or clearout in almost every phase of play in the first half as the two sides traded blow for blow, with the Stormers landing the final punch to level the scores at 12 apiece at the break.

While the game’s tempo did understandably drop in the second half, it was still an unreal contest.

Little separated the sides throughout the game, and the two-point difference in the final score was a fair result.

Almost every phase of the game was contested as if the match was on the line, but the one area where Munster exploited the Stormers was in the mauls.

Diarmuid Barron crossed the whitewash twice for the Irish province in the first half, and on the other side of it, they stalled the hosts’ maul twice near their try-line. Gavin Coombes and RG Snyman were key men in their success, the latter opening the route for Barron’s second try while Coombes came up with an unbelievable turnover on his own line.

???? Munster lead thanks to two Diarmuid Barron tries. #URC #STOvMUN pic.twitter.com/paKEOOg6U6

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) April 15, 2023

Peter O’Mahony also played a crucial role, applying pressure with his contesting. He picked off a poor throw from Joseph Dweba in his own 22 and didn’t give the hosts easy access to the ball from the set-piece. The Irish international was outstanding all game, getting stuck into the nitty-gritty of the clash and producing in big moments, whether it was a turnover at the breakdown or landing a big hit.

19-year-old winger Suleiman Hartzenberg has enjoyed a stellar rookie season for the Cape-based side, but he still has some shortcomings in his game that need ironing out. One of those is his decision-making on defence. In the second half, Munster looked to isolate him and force him into making a poor decision. The first time they did it, Seabelo Senatla bailed his fellow speedster out, but the second time, Hartzenberg wasn’t as lucky as Shane Daly sped down his wing and finished off the try out wide.

???? Fantastic finish from Munster wing Shane Daly. #URC #STOvMUN pic.twitter.com/CDRR1gcuW1

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) April 15, 2023

Springboks fans finally got to see Snyman back in action on South African grass at the start of the month, and in his second game, the lock did not disappoint. He made a thumping hit in the game’s first action, from which Munster won a penalty. The large South African claimed the resulting lineout as the Munster rolling maul produced the opening score.

That set the tone for a lively performance from the 28-year-old, who continuously improves with every minute of match time he gets.

His work in the lineout and mauls was superb, while he also showed off his softer skills with some stellar offloads.

He left the pitch for an HIA in the 65th minute after a dynamic and well-rounded performance in all the crucial facets of a lock’s game. 

It would be remiss not to mention his second-row partner, Jean Kleyn, who had a spectacular game against his former side. While Snyman had several flashy moments for Munster, Kleyn was his opposite. The cliche that he did all the ‘donkey work’ rings true for the 29-year-old. He was often in the perfect position to clean up a loose ball, plough into a ruck and make the shots on the big Stormers’ forwards. He also made a brilliant last-ditch tackle on Manie Libbok to stop the fly-half from sprinting through a gap.

Damian Willemse has shone in the number 12 jersey for the Stormers when he lined up in the jumper for the Capetonians this season and last.

However, Dan du Plessis has made that shirt his own this term, and his combination with Ruhan Nel continues to impress and improve.

There was no better example of their growing understanding of one another’s game than Nel’s try just before half-time. Du Plessis took the ball hard to the line, perfectly sold the pass out the back to Libbok in the boot, and played Nel flat, who crashed over the line.

Du Plessis made the break and occupied three Munster players, creating the space for Nel to race over and secure the losing bonus point for the side.

Coming up against the excellent Munster pairing of Malakai Fekitoa and Antoine Frisch, the Stormers combo produced a statement performance.

Willemse also had another solid game at full-back as the Stormers’ backline re-settles in time for the season’s closing stages.

In a game that meant so much to the final standings of the regular season, this was always going to be played with a knockout intensity.

The early knockings of the game only reinforced the two side’s attitude towards the game.

Munster were underdogs heading into the fixture, and they battled for every small win throughout the game, culminating in the first away victory at Cape Town Stadium since December 2021.

Coombes forcing his way over the from just a metre out after two carriers were stopped just short highlights how close it was.

While John Dobson will be disappointed that his side’s 19-game home unbeaten run came to an end, there were so many positives to take from the match. Evan Roos produced a strong shift on his return from injury while BJ Dixon and Willie Engelbrecht stepped up to the mark again, the latter impressing in Deon Fourie’s absence. The hosts also didn’t have a lack of chances; they just needed to capitalise on them better, while Libbok had an uncharacteristic performance from the tee missing out on 13 points.

As for Munster, it’s a massive win over the defending champions and a far cry from the side that started the season so poorly. They are now guaranteed a place in the play-offs and head to Durban next week, where they could secure a home quarter-final, a brilliant turnaround and proof that Graham Rowntree is getting things right.

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