Jean de Villiers urges Munster to keep emotions in check

His one-season spell with Munster in 2009-10 ended with twin semi-final defeats, to Biarritz in a European semi-final, and to Leinster in the Magners League

EMOTIONS: Former Munster player Jean de Villiers has urged the province to keep their emotions in check if they are to end their 12-year trophy wait on Saturday. Pic: David Rogers/Getty Images

As a long-suffering Stormers player, Jean de Villiers knows all too well the pain of long service and no silverware with his hometown province but he has urged Munster to keep their emotions in check if they are to end their 12-year trophy wait on Saturday.

The former South Africa centre who won a World Cup with the Springboks in 2007 did not enjoy the same experiences with the Cape Town-based Stormers, having lost Super Rugby semi-finals in 2011 and 2012. His one-season spell with Munster in 2009-10 came after the Irish province had hit the Heineken Cup heights and much like many in Graham Rowntree’s current squad in recent years, his campaign ended with twin semi-final defeats, to Biarritz in a European semi-final, and to Leinster in the Magners League.