The wait is over. After 12 long years, Munster are champions again, and it's hard to think of a title harder earned.From Cape Town to Durban, from Glasgow to Dublin, and back to Cape Town again, the province have dug out one of the most unlikely championship wins.After all the near misses and should haves and could haves, their fourth BKT United Rugby Championship title is the one they were never meant to win, and that will only make the victory sweeter.Graham Rowntree’s side did it the hard way; from their five defeats in seven games to start the season, to their unstoppable run to this title, which has seen them play away from Thomond Park since the end of March.Even in this game, they needed to play every minute of the 80 to dethrone the defending champions.On Friday, the Munster boss said they never do things the easy way, and those words rang true this evening.
Hodnett’s try, five minutes from time, was the decisive score, while Jack Crowley’s conversion from the touchline summed up a starring performance from the out-half.Crowley was one of the leaders in the victory, closely followed by Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Shane Daly, with the four players combining for a wonderful display of kicking and pressure, which the Stormers never truly dealt with.The defending champions had got off to a flier with a Manie Libbok try on five minutes, but by half-time Munter were unlucky to be just 12-7 ahead, as Diarmuid Barron and Nash scored tries in a dominant first-half performance.When the Stormers hit back in the second half to go 14-13 in front, the Munster bodies appeared to be tiring, and just as it did in their semi-final win against Leinster, it looked like their chance would pass.But this team have showed in recent