Captain O'Mahony hails Munster's 'class' after epic final triumph

Veteran points to province's road warrior mentality as Graham Rowntree pays tribute to his side's fighting spirit after 19-14 URC Grand Final victory 

RED REVIVAL: Munster’s Gavin Coombes and Alex Kendellen celebrate after the game. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Peter O'Mahony hailed the heart and fight of his Munster team as the province ended 12 long years of hurt to claim a heroic URC Championship in Cape Town. 

The Munster captain was an observer on the sidelines for the dramatic conclusion to Saturday's Grand Final having been forced off with a first-half head injury. However, after watching back row partner John Hodnett barge over late on for the deciding score in a quite gripping contest O'Mahony hailed Munster's never-say-die spirit.

"We've had a fair few trips away from home now including three weeks over here and they've all stood to us big time," he said of a campaign that has seen Munster round into superb form at just the right time. "They've accumulated to this and again we went behind and I think we stuck to our guns. We spoke about it last night, we spoke about instances where we'd be struggling and concede tries but we won't get bogged down on it, we'll get back in to the next moment. You saw that in the last five minutes there — class."

Head coach Graham Rowntree toasted a major piece of silverware in his first season at the helm and paid tribute to the character of his players who battled back in a see-saw encounter against the powerful hosts at Cape Town Stadium.

"Oh, we had to [show fight]. What a this Stormers team is, we had to be good tonight," said Rowntree. "We played well first half, I was disappointed to get a good try disallowed from a maul. That would have made the context of the second half better for us.

"But we stuck in there, we came through, in a game like that we showed good fight. I'm immensely proud of my lads, immensely proud."

Rowntree's side saw off Leinster in Dublin in an equally gripping semi-final and have made gruelling trips to South Africa at the business end of the season too. The character these challenges built up in his side were key to victory, the Englishman insisted. 

"We've been to some tough places recently, on the road, showing character, so we're used to it," he added. "And that momentum, I told the lads before the game, the momentum that gives us, going away on the road, winning games. It's exactly what you need to win a game like this."