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

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

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
1 Ireland Leinster 35
8 South Africa Sharks 5
1 Ireland Leinster 15
5 Ireland Munster 16
4 Scotland Glasgow Warriors 5
5 Ireland Munster 14
5 Ireland Munster 19
3 South Africa Stormers 14
2 Ireland Ulster 10
7 Ireland Connacht 15
7 Ireland Connacht 25
3 South Africa Stormers 43
3 South Africa Stormers 33
6 South Africa 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 South Africa14–19Ireland 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)
FB15South Africa Damian Willemse
RW14South Africa Angelo Davids
OC13South Africa Ruhan Nel
IC12South Africa Dan du Plessis
LW11South Africa Leolin Zas
FH10South Africa Manie Libbok
SH9South Africa Herschel Jantjies
N88South Africa Evan Roos
OF7South Africa Hacjivah Dayimani
BF6South Africa Deon Fourie
RL5South Africa Marvin Orie
LL4South Africa Ruben van Heerden
TP3South Africa Frans Malherbe
HK2South Africa Joseph Dweba
LP1South Africa Steven Kitshoff (c)
Substitutions:
HK16South Africa JJ Kotze
PR17South Africa Ali Vermaak
PR18South Africa Neethling Fouché
LK19South Africa Ben-Jason Dixon
FL20South Africa Willie Engelbrecht
FL21South Africa Marcel Theunissen
SH22South Africa Paul de Wet
FB23South Africa Clayton Blommetjies
Coach:
South Africa John Dobson
FB15Ireland Mike Haley
RW14Ireland Calvin Nash
OC13Ireland Antoine Frisch
IC12Tonga Malakai Fekitoa
LW11Ireland Shane Daly
FH10Ireland Jack Crowley
SH9Ireland Conor Murray
N88Ireland Gavin Coombes
OF7Ireland John Hodnett
BF6Ireland Peter O'Mahony (c)
RL5Ireland Tadhg Beirne
LL4South Africa Jean Kleyn
TP3Ireland Stephen Archer
HK2Ireland Diarmuid Barron
LP1Ireland Jeremy Loughman
Substitutions:
HK16Ireland Niall Scannell
PR17Ireland Josh Wycherley
PR18Ireland Roman Salanoa
LK19South Africa RG Snyman
BR20Ireland Alex Kendellen
SH21Ireland Craig Casey
FH22Scotland Ben Healy
UB23Ireland Keith Earls
Coach:
England Graham Rowntree

Man of the Match:
Ireland 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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