2021 Pro14 Grand Final
Event2020–21 Pro14
Team 1Leinster
Team1score16
Team 2Munster
Team2score6
Date27 March 2021
StadiumRDS Arena
CityDublin
Man of the match1aJack Conan
RefereeMike Adamson (SRU)
Attendance0[Covid 1]
Previous2020
Next2022

The 2021 Pro14 Grand Final was the final rugby match of the 2020–21 Pro14 season. The 2020–21 season was the seventh with Guinness as the title sponsor and the twelfth with a grand final. Leinster won the match 16–6 to win their fourth successive league title and their eighth overall.[1]

Route to the final

In a change from previous seasons, the 2020–21 Pro14 regular season was shortened to 16 rounds and, forgoing the usual play-offs, the teams finishing in the first place of each conference will advance straight to the final. These changes were made due to the creation of the Rainbow Cup, which will see four South African Super Rugby teams (the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers) join the twelve remaining Pro14 teams in a new tournament.[2]

Irish province Munster became the first team to qualify for the final, after their 20–17 win against Connacht in round 14 gave them an unassailable 12 point lead at the top of conference B with two rounds remaining.[3] Defending champions Leinster secured top spot in conference A with a 38–19 away win against Ulster, advancing to their fourth straight league final.[4]

Pre-match

The match was televised free-to-air by TG4 in the Republic of Ireland. It was also shown on Eir Sport and on Premier Sports in the UK. It was shown on ESPN+ in the United States.[citation needed]

Final

Summary

In the first half, Ross Byrne kicked two penalties to put Leinster into a 6–0 lead after 11 minutes, before Joey Carbery then kicked two penalties for Munster to make the score 6–6 at half-time.[5] The only try of the match came in the 46th minute from Leinster's Jack Conan when he charged for the line after a scrum and got over on the third attempt. Ross Byrne converted the try and added a third penalty in the 69th minute to make the final score 16–6, it was the sixth win in a row for Leinster against Munster. [6]

Details

FB15Hugo Keenan
RW14Jordan Larmour
OC13Rory O'Loughlin
IC12Robbie Henshaw
LW11Dave Kearney
FH10Ross Byrne
SH9Luke McGrath (c)
N88Jack Conan
OF7Josh van der Flier
BF6Rhys Ruddock
RL5Scott Fardy
LL4Devin Toner
TP3Andrew Porter
HK2Rónan Kelleher
LP1Cian Healy
Substitutions:
HK16James Tracy
PR17Ed Byrne
PR18Tadhg Furlong
LK19Ross Molony
LK20Ryan Baird
SH21Jamison Gibson-Park
FH22Johnny Sexton
WG23James Lowe
Coach:
Leo Cullen
FB15Mike Haley
RW14Andrew Conway
OC13Chris Farrell
IC12Damian de Allende
LW11Keith Earls
FH10Joey Carbery
SH9Conor Murray
N88CJ Stander
OF7Peter O'Mahony (c)
BF6Gavin Coombes
RL5Tadhg Beirne
LL4Jean Kleyn
TP3John Ryan
HK2Niall Scannell
LP1James Cronin
Substitutions:
HK16Kevin O'Byrne
PR17Dave Kilcoyne
PR18Stephen Archer
LK19Billy Holland
BR20Jack O'Donoghue
SH21Craig Casey
FH22JJ Hanrahan
CE23Rory Scannell
Coach:
Johann van Graan

Man of the Match:
Jack Conan

Assistant referees:
Chris Busby (IRFU)
Seán Gallagher (IRFU)
Television match official:
Joy Neville (IRFU)

Notes

  1. ^ This game was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.

References

  1. ^ "Leinster 16-6 Munster: Holders secure fourth straight Pro14 title by seeing off Irish rivals". BBC Sport. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. ^ "South African sides to join 'Rainbow Cup' after Pro14 concludes in March". The42. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Munster into final after victory over Connacht". GuinnessPro14. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Ulster 19-38 Leinster: Reigning Pro14 champions book return to final for fourth straight year". BBC Sport. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Leinster 16-6 Munster: as it happened". The 42. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Pro14 final: Leinster 16-6 Munster recap". RTE Sport. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.