2023 United Rugby Championship final

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]

2023 United Rugby Championship Final
Event2022–23 United Rugby Championship
Stormers Munster
14 19
Date27 May 2023
VenueDHL Stadium, Cape Town
Man of the MatchJohn Hodnett (Munster)
RefereeAndrea Piardi
Attendance56,344[1]
WeatherDry

Route to the final
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
1 Leinster 35
8 Sharks 5
1 Leinster 15
5 Munster 16
4 Glasgow Warriors 5
5 Munster 14
5 Munster 19
3 Stormers 14
2 Ulster 10
7 Connacht 15
7 Connacht 25
3 Stormers 43
3 Stormers 33
6 Bulls 21

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
27 May 2023
18:30 SAST / 17:30 IST
Stormers 14–19 Munster
Try: Libbok 5' c
Fourie 49' c
Con: Libbok (2/2) 6', 50'		Try: Barron 9' m
Nash 28' c
Hodnett 74' c
Con: Crowley (2/3) 30', 76'
DHL Stadium
Attendance: 56,344
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
FB15 Damian Willemse
RW14 Angelo Davids
OC13 Ruhan Nel
IC12 Dan du Plessis
LW11 Leolin Zas
FH10 Manie Libbok
SH9 Herschel Jantjies
N88 Evan Roos
OF7 Hacjivah Dayimani
BF6 Deon Fourie
RL5 Marvin Orie
LL4 Ruben van Heerden
TP3 Frans Malherbe
HK2 Joseph Dweba
LP1 Steven Kitshoff (c)
Substitutions:
HK16 JJ Kotze
PR17 Ali Vermaak
PR18 Neethling Fouché
LK19 Ben-Jason Dixon
FL20 Willie Engelbrecht
FL21 Marcel Theunissen
SH22 Paul de Wet
FB23 Clayton Blommetjies
Coach:
John Dobson
FB15 Mike Haley
RW14 Calvin Nash
OC13 Antoine Frisch
IC12 Malakai Fekitoa
LW11 Shane Daly
FH10 Jack Crowley
SH9 Conor Murray
N88 Gavin Coombes
OF7 John Hodnett
BF6 Peter O'Mahony (c)
RL5 Tadhg Beirne
LL4 Jean Kleyn
TP3 Stephen Archer
HK2 Diarmuid Barron
LP1 Jeremy Loughman
Substitutions:
HK16 Niall Scannell
PR17 Josh Wycherley
PR18 Roman Salanoa
LK19 RG Snyman
BR20 Alex Kendellen
SH21 Craig Casey
FH22 Ben Healy
UB23 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)

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