Denis Leamy looking forward to renewing Stormers rivalry at Thomond Park

Munster defence coach Denis Leamy says the BKT United Rugby Championship is in a better place than ever thanks to the addition of the four South African sides in recent seasons.

The defending champions prepare to welcome the Stormers to Thomond Park this Saturday, in a repeat of last season's final.

Munster caused a huge upset when they handed John Dobson's side a rare defeat in Cape Town last April, and repeated the trick a month later when they defeated the reigning champions in the final.

The URC is now in the third season of its current guise, with the Stormers, Bulls, Lions and Sharks having joined up in 2021.

Their arrival has caused a shake-up in the balance of power in the league, with Leinster's dominance ended by the Bulls and Stormers in 2021, while the Stormers made it back to the final a year later.

Munster's title win in May saw them end a 12-year wait for silverware, with a homecoming in front of more than 10,000 people at Thomond Park.

And Leamy, who won two Champions Cup titles with the province in 2006 and '08, says their URC title ranks "right up there", given the quality of the competition.

"I think as a competition it is really brilliant," the Munster defence coach said, ahead of Saturday's rematch with the Stormers.

"I believe that trophy, having to go to places like South Africa, beating a really good Leinster team and going to Glasgow to play a phenomenal, physically challenging team like Glasgow, to get ourselves into position in the season itself... I think it ranks right up there, I really do think it was a win of huge value to the province.

"I really feel that the competition brings a lot of kudos with it."

After Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman all returned to action in recent weeks,