URC Final: North v South - All you need to know
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Defending champions DHL Stormers face Munster in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Stormers overcame Connacht at the DHL Stadium before Munster stunned Irish rivals Leinster in Dublin.
Munster, the three-time league winners, halted the Stormers’ 19-game URC winning streak in Cape Town with a 26-24 victory in Round 17 and are seeking to end their 12-year wait for a trophy.
Here is all you need to know about the Grand Final.
DHL Stormers (3) v Munster (5)
When: Saturday May 27
Where: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Time: 18:30 (SA & ITA); 17:30 (UK & IRE)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
AR 1: Mike Adamson (SRU); AR 2: Craig Evans (WRU); TMO: Ben Whitehouse (SRU)
TV: ViaPlay, Premier Sports, URC TV, TG4, SuperSport, FloRugby, Discovery+
Did you know?
:: The Stormers are going for back-to-back triumphs - the only other side to successfully defend the title was Leinster (2013/2014 and 2018-2021).
:: Munster became the first team to beat Stormers in their own backyard since the Emirates Lions won at DHL Stadium in December 2021 when victorious in Round 17.
:: You have to go back to July 2017 for the last time the Stormers suffered a play-off defeat - against the Chiefs at Newlands in the quarter-final of Super Rugby.
:: This is Munster’s ninth appearance in a URC final. They have won three times (2003, 2009 and 2011) but have been defeated in their last three finals (2015, 2017 and 2021).
:: The Munstermen lost their opening four away games in the championship this campaign but are unbeaten on the road since.
:: The two sides have met only twice before, with Munster victorious on both occasions – at Thomond Park in October 2021 and at DHL Stadium last month.
URC record 2022/23: Stormers (W12 D2 L4 = 68 points); Munster (W10 D1 L7 = 55 points)
Form guide: Stormers (WDLWWW); Munster (WLWDWW)
Top try scorer: Stormers (Clayton Blommetjies & Angelo Davids - 6); Munster (Gavin Coombes - 10)
Top points scorer: Stormers (Manie Libbok - 208; Munster (Joey Carbery - 92)
Team news
Springbok forwards Deon Fourie and Marvin Orie return from injury for the DHL Stormers having missed the semi-final win over Connacht.
Steven Kitshoff captains the side for the final time before his departure to URC rivals Ulster.
Conor Murray, Malakai Fekitoa and Calvin Nash all come into the Munster side, having missed the semi-final victory at Leinster, after completing their return-to-play protocols.
Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Keith Earls start on the bench while Jack Crowley, whose late drop goal clinched a place in the Grand Final, moves to fly-half.
Team line-ups
DHL Stormers: Damian Willemse, Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies, Steven Kitshoff (captain), Joseph Dweba, Frans Malherbe, Ruben van Heerden, Marvin Orie, Deon Fourie, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos.
Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ali Vermaak, Neethling Fouche, Ben-Jason Dixon, Willie Engelbrecht, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Wet, Clayton Blommetjies.
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony (captain), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, RG Snyman, Alex Kendelle, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Keith Earls.
