Munster’ success against the odds in the United Rugby Championship at the weekend was hailed for its character and the resilience showed after weeks on the road.
Munster earned their first Vodacom United Rugby Championship title since 2011 in front of a record crowd of over 56 300 fans as they scored a late try to deny hosts, the DHL Stormers, their second successive title at home, thanks to a narrow 19-14 victory in an intense Grand Final in Cape Town on Saturday night.
A packed Stade Maki, an intimidating crowd and a fired-up home team await the Springbok Women in Antananarivo on Sunday, when they conclude their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup tournament against Madagascar.
The DHL Stormers will channel all their energy into Saturday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship decider with the hope of winning back-to-back titles when they host Irish giants, Munster, in the Grand Final in Cape Town.
It’s bigger than a Springbok Test match. It’s easily the biggest in the history of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. In fact, only the mega pop band U2 has managed bigger. There’s no doubt that this weekend’s Grand Final between the DHL Stormers and Munster has shattered records on all fronts.
Irish club Munster arrived in South Africa on Tuesday with a familiar face whose return to rugby could be a boost for his country at the World Cup later in the year.
It was during the Captain’s Practice ahead of their Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final against Connacht that DHL Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok turned around to see a fan walking across the field towards him.
All it takes is a few moments with Rugby World Cup-winning coach Jake White to fully appreciate the value of Vodacom Bulls star Johan Goosen and the reason he has been rated as the most accurate place-kicker in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season.
The DHL Stormers will have an opportunity to defend their Vodacom United Rugby Championship title after securing their second successive home final following their victory against Connacht in Cape Town and Munster’s surprise win over Leinster in Dublin in the semi-finals this weekend.
The DHL Stormers will have one goal in mind when they meet Connacht in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship semi-final in Cape Town on Saturday – to deliver a top-class performance that will secure them a place in the Grand Final in two weeks’ time and a shot at defending the title they won last season.