RG Snyman: The One That Got Away - Munster's Pain Is Leinster's Gain
RG Snyman: The One That Got Away - Munster's Pain Is Leinster's Gain
RG Snyman shines for Leinster, leaving Munster fans lamenting what might have been. Discover how the towering lock transformed the game at Aviva Stadium.
Saturday night at the Aviva Stadium offered a stark reminder of what might have been for Munster fans.
The towering figure of RG Snyman, now donning Leinster blue, emerged as the game-changer in a clash that highlighted both his immense talent and the lingering regret of Johann van Graan’s Munster era.
For Munster, Snyman is the proverbial "one that got away," a player whose potential never was fully realized in red due to injury, but he now seems destined for greatness elsewhere.
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Leinster’s second-row powerhouse came off the bench just four minutes into the second half and instantly turned the tide.
Seven minutes later, Snyman delivered a moment of brilliance, bulldozing into contact near the line and somehow stretching a colossal arm over a pile of bodies to score a sensational try.
That effort sealed Leinster’s bonus-point victory, and by the time Bath’s Ben Obano saw red nine minutes later, the game was all but over.
Leinster cruised to another dominant win, leaving its opponents to reflect on what might have been.
"You all know how highly I rate him," said van Graan, who coached Snyman both at school level and during their ill-fated spell together at Munster. "He’s phenomenal. I believe he’s one of the best players in the world. His size, his skill, his poaching—he makes something out of nothing. Tonight, he was on fire."
It’s little consolation for Munster fans to hear their former head coach speak so glowingly of a player whose time at the province was defined by cruel misfortune.
Snyman’s debut in August 2020 ended after just seven minutes when he tore his ACL.
A year later, in only his fourth game back, he re-ruptured the same knee ligament.
His third comeback, in March 2023, coincided with Munster’s URC triumph, but the fourth season at the province was overshadowed by his departure announcement in December 2023.
Over four seasons, Snyman managed just 20 appearances, averaging 41 minutes per game - a painful statistic for a player once heralded as a transformative signing.
For van Graan, who left Munster in 2022 without silverware, the sight of Snyman flourishing elsewhere stings.
"People are only starting to see how good he really is now," van Graan said. "Fair play to Leinster for getting him. He’ll make a massive difference for them this season."
And Leinster, already the benchmark in European rugby, has reinforced its squad with the likes of Snyman, Jordie Barrett and Mohamed Slimani.
"In my view, Leinster’s pipeline is the best in world rugby," van Graan added. "What they’ve done with their school systems feeding into their academy is incredible. They’re a phenomenal team, unbeaten in the URC, and they’ve every chance of winning it again."
While Bath competed valiantly for 60 minutes, the red card for Obano marked the end of their resistance.
"It’s tough on Beno," said Bath’s head coach. "We’ll stand by him, but it’s very hard to contain Leinster when you’re down to 14 men."
As Snyman thrives in Leinster colors, Munster fans are left to wonder what might have been had injuries not robbed them of a player with world-class potential. For now, it’s Leinster reaping the rewards of a man who could be the missing piece in their quest for more silverware.
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