BKT United Rugby Championship final: DHL Stormers v Munster (Saturday, 5.30pm, live on TG4 & Viaplay Sports 1)
Former South Africa centre and Munster player Jean de Villiers - who had two stints at Stormers either side of his own year at Thomond Park in 2009 – thinks there is every possibility Munster could complete their season turnaround in style against the Stormers today to end their 12-year wait for a trophy.
Graham Rowntree’s side will take on the Stormers in Cape Town in the United Rugby Championship Final, marching to the decider after impressive away wins against both Glasgow Warriors and Leinster in the knockout stages.
The prospect of a URC final was not necessarily part of Munster’s plan at the start of the season, with the Irish side winning just two of their opening seven league games. Munster’s recent sparkling away form has been crucial in their extraordinary run to the final including ending the Stormers’ unbeaten run at home in round 17.
With the defending champion Stormers going into the game as favourites, De Villiers admits to feeling mixed emotions as his former teams go head-to-head.
“I’ve never gone into a game the way that I feel this time around where I think it’s a win-win for me. Even though I spent most of my career playing for the Stormers, the (2009-10) season I had with Munster was one that I rate very high in terms of my career. I really do have a passion for Munster.
"They have actually been the form team for me, towards the end of the URC.”
The World Cup winner also points out the obvious credentials of the hosts, captained by loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff, who will be keen to finish with his time with the South African side on a high before leaving to join URC rivals Ulster.
“It’s no accident they are in the final again. When the pressure comes on, they (the Stormers) don’t go into their shell. They stick with what has worked for them.”
The former centre notes that Munster must be cautious to not let emotion on the day get to them, given the long wait for a trophy and sell-out 55,000 strong attendance with a strong contingent of travelling fans.
"There will be emotion in all of this and sometimes you can be caught in the emotion. You haven’t been able to get it over the line and then you start thinking about that and, 'why them...why didn’t it happen for me?" De Villiers explained.
"Unfortunately, emotion doesn’t win you anything. it’s about the execution on the day, that’s the important thing.
“The one element is the preparation and being able to analyse the opposition and the way you’ve been playing and then formulating a game plan but even more important is the execution on the day. You need to be at your best - if you do that then you’ve got a massive shot to be able to win it.”
De Villiers believes that the difficult start to the season helped to galvanize Graham Rowntree’s squad, having had to battle back to claim big wins and develop a squad culture set by the more experienced players in the squad.
"That's the beauty of rugby and team sports - when you go through losses like that and a losing streak, it either splits the team and each guy goes in his own direction, or it actually unites the squad.
"And from a manager or head coach point of view, you need to have the ability for the latter to be realised and obviously Graham had the ability to bring the team together and to make them believe in themselves to get to where they are today.
"Maybe that was just the turning point that they needed, they went so low and they just decided, 'well, now there is no turning back from here or there's no going any lower'.
"For the experienced guys like Pete (O'Mahony) who is Munster through and through, it's about showing their passion, showing what it really means more than the results on a Saturday, it's what it means and what it takes to be a Munster man.
"Pete actually made his debut the year I was there and even back then, the guys were saying that this is someone who is really going to make it in the Munster set-up. As an individual, he fulfilled that role and lived up to expectations.
"Then those youngsters who now enter this environment without fear, they start learning that culture as well and they become more powerful.
"The fact that they have done it before here in South Africa will give them massive, massive confidence going into this game.”
Munster will be bolstered by the return Conor Murray, RG Snyman, Calvin Nash and Malakai Fekitoa who had all been missing in the semi-final against Leinster. In addition, De Villiers points out their recent run of form away from home could be the added momentum the Irish side need to get over the line.
“They have been on a run where I think from a mental point of view, they are in a place where they must feel extremely strong and extremely positive.
"And that is worth gold. If you’re going into a final, away from home, but you have proven in the last couple of weeks that you can do it. The fact that they have all of those players back is great. It just sets us up for a fantastic final.”
