6:16 a.m., March 28, 2021
When it was all over, Ross Byrne casually kicked the ball into the old RDS grandstand to trigger the final whistle of a competition that ended 16-6. There were no Leinster gasps and roars, no crazy celebrations, just a series of knowing nods and congratulatory handshakes.
Leo Cullen’s Blues were deserves Guinness PRO14 Champions again for an unprecedented fourth time on the go and they didn’t have to shout it from the D4 rooftops. Compare this reticent reaction, however, to the contented look of some other job, well done with the pitiful misery of the red shirted opposition.
It is now ten years since Munster last won the right to a trophy. Tony McGahan’s side defeated Leinster in Limerick on the same Saturday in May 2011 when Lionel Messi put in an incredible performance on Wembley grass to leave Manchester United battered and injured in the Champions League soccer final.
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The world was a far more innocent place then, a concern for the safety of cucumbers about the level of health fears that influenced the discourse in Ireland at the time, rather than a pandemic.
Apart from the near-everything mentality, which a decade later behind closed doors at the RDS formed the background for this special finale, there was apparently also the relevant topic of Münster incurable motion sickness on trips to the Irish capital.
???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??# GuinnessPRO14 | @leinsterrugby pic.twitter.com/jxaBwit6Jl
– PRO14 RUGBY (@ PRO14Official) March 27, 2021
Only once in their last 16 trips before this showpiece had Munster failed to beat Dublin and beaten the sickly manner of their bland semi-final surrender last September, a gentle 13-3 defeat that came with the aimless kick of substitute hooker Kevin O. ‘Byrne ended up getting in touch, rather than taking solace and trying, hadn’t exactly inspired that this trip was going to be different anyway.
Granted, Munster checked in with a much stronger XV than it did 29 weeks ago: Mike Haley, Joey Carbery, James Cronin, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn and the fast-maturing Gavin Combes made half a dozen changes to their starting grid.
They also arrived with the wind in the sails over numerous experts causing them to cause a stir, which Leinster boss Cullen didn’t sound too excited about 24 hours earlier when he was doing his pre-game game. Granted, Leinster was attacked by a late-night Ospreys attempt at RDS last week, but that slip up wasn’t an honest reflection of those long-lived champions.
There is a very good reason why Leinster ran with a success rate of 83.1 percent in the four seasons that led to this decision maker (W64 D2 L11) – they bundle their resources intelligently and they have even decided for this decision maker keeping something in reserve and plucking Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong on the bench in an emergency.
Toulon in next Friday’s round of 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup was in the back of their minds while suspicions arose as to whether Münster was really the real deal they were pumped up to. Despite all the alleged progress made in recent months, they were picked up by a sly attempt in the corner of Jordan Larmour in Limerick last January.
Regardless of the one-sidedness of this modern rivalry between Leinster and Münster, the PRO14 showpiece would be an attractive prospect for fans who wallow in the warm glow of Ireland’s six-nation victory against England last weekend.
Here was a competition where 14 of the 19 Leinster and Munster players who helped the Irish seven days earlier were now rivals in the opposing XVs, nine Test stats in the blue corner and five in the red including CJ Stander who has said goodbye to an Irish rugby as he is about to quit and return to South Africa.
Would his exit go hand in hand with a medal from the league winners? About two hours before kick-off, the rules for the final, which may be overtaken, were in the inbox. It was wasted news. Munster may have somehow made it to the interval level at six, but they were a distant second-best on target.
Match highlights from an exciting finale at the RDS between heavyweights @leinsterrugby and @ Munsterrugby ?
Report ?? https://t.co/OwfofdwBnm
# ?? #LEIvMUN
?? #The last chapter
? # GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/IEzecsGKUk
– PRO14 RUGBY (@ PRO14Official) March 27, 2021
Despite the stormy wind that favored Münster in the opening phase, visitors soon had a bloody nose that would have been more bloody than the red wine that Kleyn had spilled had Larmour not had the collection of a passport that would have brought him to the corner after a show kicked up by Ronan Kelleher’s high-turned wheels in the middle.
After two penalties from Byrne in the first twelve minutes, the defending champions were six points ahead, two minutes later Carbery’s consideration was halved after Kleyn devoured Cian Healy with a carry. The breakdown penalty winner Damian de Allende and an injury-related Tadhg Beirne-Carry generated additional energy from Münster.
It was all pierced halfway through by a gentle Ryan blow, however, and we were thrown back into the Leinster sights seen earlier, more Kelleher wheels and another pass that escaped the Larmour in space, seeing the line.
While there were Byrne penalty points in the opening salvo, nothing was harvested here. Stander kept Scott Fardy across the line when he was crossed by Josh van der Flier, he spoiled another attack, and then there was a majestic attempt by Keith Earls to save the attempt after the formidable duo of Hugo Keenan and Robbie Henshaw in the In the middle of a career.
TEAM NEWS:
Leinster and Munster have named their teams for the league decision, and Johnny Sexton has a twist # PRO14 #LEIvMUNhttps://t.co/o0Z2hOIFjx
– RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 26, 2021
It was fascinating how Munster had buried themselves under fire, and instead of being secured under their posts with the scoreboard taking on a confusing complexion, after the third of three quick kicks they miraculously paused on an equal footing – the first of Conor Murray and then two from Carbery – at the finish was deemed good.
Was there an unlikely surprise on the cards? No. In keeping with the threesome theme, Jack Conan hit the line from his third quick blast, creating a lead in the 447th minute that was never lost. Byrne hit the second of two penalty attempts 22 minutes later 16-6 after coming off the field after a short-lived six-tone cameo. Munster lost her bearings when a Murray box kick ironically blew her back.
It summed up how her initial resistance had sadly subsided, her flying game and her crush became too suspicious. It took experimentation and creativity, and never sniffed a pent-up Leinster carried by the steadfast industry like the impeccable Rhys Ruddock.
Familiar, decades-old heartache for Münster, repeated joy for Leinster. No wonder Cullen was talking about those red-eyed experts who completely misread the room under construction.
“While van Grann has now lost five of these last four games (three in the league, two in Europe), Leinster remains the beacon to learn from your mishaps in the semi-finals.”
– Liam Heagney on the @ PRO14Official Leinster vs Munster Fallout ???
– RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) 5th September 2020
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