United Rugby Championship: Steven Kitshoff relishing ‘pretty special final’ at home against Munster
Stormers captain and loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff is keen to finish off his stint with the Cape Town-based outfit on a high by leading his team to victory over Munster in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final on May 27.
The 2019 World Cup winner is leaving the Stormers to join URC rivals Ulster but his farewell at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town has been delayed by two weeks since the Stormers beat the Bulls in the quarter-finals.
Other results going the Stormers’ way
Ulster and Leinster’s losses in their respective last eight and semi-final encounters to Connacht and Munster have ensured that John Dobson’s charges have homeground advantage in their final URC matches of the season.
“The stars have aligned for us to have another farewell,” Kitshoff told the Citizen. “But it’s all about the rugby over the next two weeks and getting all our stuff in order and understanding what Munster brings.
“I think the emotion will definitely come in afterwards but for now, it’s about getting the alignment of the team and management all 100 percent focused on the game.
“For us, it was about getting over these two (knockout) hurdles and having a full go at the trophy again and trying to defend it with everything that we’ve got. So it’s pretty special to play a grand final (at home).”
The Springbok front-row preparing himself for a tough battle and expects a tight contest against Munster, who have beaten the Stormers in the teams’ two previous matches in the URC.
Last season, the Irish province sealed a 34-18 win at Thomond Park and they clinched a 26-24 triumph in this season’s league match between the teams in Cape Town.
The latter result was a significant one as it was the Stormers’ first home defeat in 16 months.
“When you get to a final, the margins are quite small, so you have to be spot on with the way you execute,” said Kitshoff.
Small margins could be decisive
“Sometimes the really big occasions get to players, but we have a long time to prep. It is going to be crucial for us to get everything on point, as the game could be decided on small margins, meaning a kick here or there, like the (Munster v Leinster) semi-final at the Aviva was.
“Thinking back to our last Munster game, we had a slow start. We conceded two tries and then fought our way back only to be unable to finish.
“We didn’t use our opportunities to come away with points and the Munster defence was excellent. There were a lot of opportunities that they didn’t take in their game against Leinster.”