Munster supporters were hopeful that RG Snyman would remain inconspicuous, if not completely blameless, during the game on Saturday at Croke Park. Under such conditions, they could afford some leniency or generosity concerning his choice to depart from Limerick for Dublin and join their fiercest regional competitors during the summer. Nonetheless, this was predominantly outlining that Munster had to come out victorious in this United Rugby Championship (URC) round-four contest. Explicitly mentioned or not, Snyman acting against his former team was in no way acceptable. Despite this, he did leave a significant impression during his 49-minute playtime.
Diving into Snyman’s history reveals the South African double World Cup champion endured a strenuous four years at Munster with multiple injuries including two torn ACLs and shoulder/chest surgery, keeping him off the field for most of his tenure in the province. However, last season hinted at his extraordinary talent, particularly when he scored three tries in a series of five games.
Munster had to make a tough choice between retaining Jean Kleyn or Snyman and chose the former, a decision that shocked Leinster who were quick to offer Snyman a solution. It was no surprise, considering his extensive skills. The players and supporters of Munster were well aware of Snyman’s abilities, which made their worst fear – him becoming a recurring nightmare during matches.
Snyman was well aware of the imminent “displeasure” from the audience at Croke Park, especially if he was located anywhere near the sea of Munster supporters. He received a verbal attack as the teams prepared before the match. “I anticipated that,” he admitted. “We selected a quite unfortunate corner for our warm-up; I sensed all the Munster fans were seated there.”
Without making any fuss, he acknowledged, “I could sense it during the warm-up, nevertheless, it’s always a friendly rivalry.” The decision was rightly theirs as well. Whenever a player flip-flops between opponents, their personal charm gets overshadowed by their jersey’s colour during the 80 minute match, and for some, even afterwards.
Snyman might’ve wished for a noteworthy beginning; however, it unfolded quite differently when he was penalised right from the kickoff for unintentionally causing Mike Haley to land roughly, following an air leap by the Munster fullback to get the ball.
Positive participation from the South African player emerged just three minutes into the game, marked by his single-handed lineout catch and efficient handover to Jamison Gibson-Park – a smooth sail. Soon, he made another excellent move before Leinster began swooping Munster’s ball, targeting the airborne red Barron, Diarmuid.
Upon substituting Niall Scannell momentarily, the replacement hooker, on his initial action, tossed to a lineout only to be intercepted by James Ryan. On the contrary, the blue Barron, Lee, fared better.
Trying to free his hands to offload amidst Jeremy Loughman’s tackle, Snyman’s forearm accidentally collided with the opponent’s face – a typical incidence in rugby. Despite the ball falling, the officials didn’t classify it as a knock-on, a judgement that further aggravated Munster, especially considering Leinster scored a try in the subsequent chain of play.
Snyman was instrumental in building up to the try of Caelan Doris, launching Ryan into the Dublin air with a couple of lineout throws, and tackling Jack O’Donoghue and Gavin Coombes, with a tally of nine tackles throughout the game. O’Donoghue did manage to give a taste of his own medicine by knocking the ball out of Snyman’s grip at a lineout soon after.
Although some Munster players managed to put significant shoulder into the South African, he exhibited his strength by legally clearing out Tom Farrell, leaving him wincing.
In a turn of events shocking for the Munster supporters, Snyman managed to break through attempted tackles by Stephen Archer, Craig Casey, and Scannell, securing Leinster’s fourth and bonus-point try. He confessed, “Crossing the finish line felt great; I had someone latching on,” though he didn’t particularly need the extra push.
The level of his contribution subsided after the interval, passing awkwardly to Hugo Keenan, causing him to slow down abruptly. He was outmanoeuvred by Munster centre Alex Nankivell, although his defence was solid when it came to retaliating against Calvin Nash and Kleyn.
After 49 minutes of play, he was substituted for Ryan Baird, receiving a varied audience response. Reflecting on the atmosphere, he noticed it was quite unique and struggled to put into words; “the reception when I left the pitch was something special to witness.”
Even if Ryan was superior in terms of the day’s overall performance among Leinster secondrows, any keen observer would admit that as Snyman reaches his full capacity, his already noticeable impact will only grow.
Former team-mate and Munster fullback Haley had perhaps the most balanced response to Snyman that evening. The so-called “salute” he gave Snyman, complete with a smirk as they came forward to shake hands post-match, hit the perfect note and both players shared a laugh.