A MUCH anticipated ‘dream’ URC Final between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park on Saturday next has failed to materialise after both sides were surprisingly knocked out at the semi-final stage by Glasgow Warriors and Vodacom Bulls.
The Scottish and South African sides will now face off in Pretoria, South Africa.
The shock loss by Graham Rowntree’s Munster put to bed the dream of a Munster-Leinster derby on home soil, and inflict a serious dent on the 2023/24 financial accounts of Munster Rugby, while the local economy will also take a hit next weekend.
In their 17-10 win at Thomond Park, visitors Glasgow Warriors boxed clever after losing two players to the sin bin and making the most of limited scoring opportunities to stun holders Munster, who were previously unbeaten in 10 matches in the competition.
It was an outing in which centre Antoine Frisch scored the only try for Munster (which following the conversion by Jack Crowley left the score 10-14) , who finished with 14 players after Alex Nankivell was red-carded in the closing stages.
Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Simon Zebo; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne, captain; Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, RG Snyman, Oli Jager, Gavin Coombes, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, John Ryan, Alex Kendellen.
