Leinster vs Munster | Guinness PRO14 Final 2021

FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER
That was until Munster came calling in
2017.
With Erasmus heading in the opposite
direction to become director of rugby
and then head coach of the Springboks
– going on to lift the World Cup trophy
in 2019 – Van Graan was chosen as the
man to fill his boots at Thomond Park.
The frustration with which Coetzee had
fielded questions about Van Graan’s
future ahead of his departure from the
South Africa fold spoke volumes of
the regard in which he was held in his
homeland.
Munster had reached the PRO12 final in
their final season under Erasmus, losing
to Wayne Pivac’s Scarlets at the Aviva
Stadium – their second runner-up finish
in three seasons.
Fans in Limerick would have hoped
to see their side kick on from those
near misses but Munster continued
to fill the role of nearly men in Van
Graan’s first few seasons at the helm
and – discouragingly given their final
opponents this time around – Leinster
have been a consistent thorn in his side.
Since Van Graan - contracted until 2022
- took charge, Munster have reached
three PRO14 semi-finals and lost all
of them to Leinster, with two of those
matches played at the RDS and the
third at the Aviva.
Munster have also reached the last four
of the European Rugby Champions
Cup twice under Van Graan, losing to
Racing 92 and Saracens, but Saturday
represents their first final appearance
under the 41-year-old’s leadership,
coming at the end of a campaign in
which they have won all but two PRO14
matches, matching Leinster’s record but
finishing with seven fewer points.
One of those defeats came at home to
Leinster in January and Cullen’s men
will be odds-on favourites to prevail on
home soil in the final.
But Van Graan’s rise to the Munster
top job has shown the province to
be unafraid of a gamble and, should
they pull off an upset at the RDS on
Saturday, there will be little question
over whether their coaching bet has
paid off.
“
SATURDAY
REPRESENTS
THEIR FIRST
FINAL
APPEARANCE
UNDER THE
41-YEAR-OLD’S
LEADERSHIP,
COMING AT
THE END OF
A CAMPAIGN
IN WHICH
THEY HAVE
WON ALL BUT
TWO PRO14
MATCHES
27|03|21 RDS ARENA | DUBLIN 47