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'They are a phenomenal rugby team... but that is not good enough for us to lose in a final'

(Photo by PA)

Johann van Graan has hailed repeat PRO14 champions Leinster as a phenomenal rugby team but he added that it is never good enough for a trophy-starved Munster to lose a final. Creatively limited at the RDS, Munster lost out 16-6 in the latest Guinness final, a defeat that continues their decade-long stretch without silverware.

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Having somehow managed to keep their line intact in the opening half and making it to the break level at six-all, Munster’s scrum cracked early in the second half and there was no way back after they conceded the final’s only try to Jack Conan on 47 minutes.

“They are an excellent rugby team and they scored one try, we scrambled really well and we currently can’t get past them,” admitted van Grann in the aftermath of what was the 16th defeat for Munster in their last 17 away matches versus Leinster in Dublin. 

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      “No team can currently get past them. That is not good enough for us to lose in a final. We came here to win and we believed that we could but fair play to them, they have won four PRO14s in a row. 

      “They are very good, they are exceptionally good. If you have got 15 players I think it was (13 in fact) in this 23 that played against England last week, their depth if you just look at that bench they are a phenomenal rugby team. You have to give it to them. They are currently the best by a mile.

      “From a pressure point of view they kept us pinned just outside of our 22 and they won two big battles, they won the battle in the air and they won the battle at the scrum and we just couldn’t get access to their 22. In terms of playing, we didn’t get a chance to because we got pinned.”

      Adding to the disappointment of this latest Munster setback is they could now potentially be without skipper Peter O’Mahony for next Saturday’s round of 16 Heineken Champions Cup match at home to Toulouse. “He is struggling a bit. He has got a deep cut to his leg. We will know a bit more later but it didn’t look good.”

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      https://twitter.com/PRO14Official/status/1375903544713314306

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      J
      JG 31 minutes ago
      Springboks' No.1 status in world rankings coming under increased threat

      Well said RugCs. These rankings never have and never will be of any significance to the Springboks. Our team plays to win for its country and its people. How many times do Rassie and Siya need to repeat that before it sinks in. Speak to Razor Robertson and I suspect he will tell you the same thing. Our countries will not allow their rugby success to be measured by an illogical, mathematically complicated concoction of a ranking system, dreamt up by some disgruntled and status-starved Northern Hemisphere lackeys of World Rugby in an attempt to score themselves some desperate international recognition as being the “best of world rugby”. What absolute hogwash!!

      As with any of the other major team sports that compete for World Cup glory, a nation’s success is measured by its ability to win the “holy grail” of the sport - the World Cup!!!

      Between them, the world's undisputed best two teams, South Africa and New Zealand hold 7 of the 10 World Cup Champions titles won thus far in Rugby's history. Until such time as any other nation surpasses that, you can bring along as many ranking systems as you like - you will NOT change that status quo.

      AND here’s the irony. These two true champion rugby nations, neither of whom have the highest regard for World Rugby's “plastic ranking system” - quite coincidentally happen to be the top two teams on that very ranking table. Now, isn’t that hilarious.

      17 Go to comments
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