xslt: apply-templates in reverse order

say i have this given xml file

<root>
    <node>x</node>
    <node>y</node>
    <node>a</node>
</root>

and i want the following to be displayed

ayx

using something similar to

<xsl:template match="/">
    <xsl:apply-templates select="root/node"/>
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="node">
    <xsl:value-of select="."/>
</xsl:template>

From stackoverflow Pierre Spring

• you can do this, using xsl:sort. it is important to set the data-type="number" because else, the position will be sorted as a string, end therefor, the 10th node would ge considered before the 2nd one.

  <xsl:template match="/">
      <xsl:apply-templates select="root/node">
          <xsl:sort 
              select="position()" 
              order="descending" 
              data-type="number"/>
      </xsl:aplly-templates>
  </xsl:template>
  <xsl:template match="node">
      <xsl:value-of select="."/>
  </xsl:template>
  

  From Pierre Spring

• Easy!

  <xsl:template match="/">
      <xsl:apply-templates select="root/node">
          <xsl:sort select="position()" data-type="number" order="descending"/>
      </xsl:apply-templates>
  </xsl:template>
  
  <xsl:template match="node">
      <xsl:value-of select="."/>
  </xsl:template>
  

  aku : Just curious, how is that differ from caillou's solution?

  samjudson : It's not - he posted his while I was typing mine. Why he answered his own question is another question...

  aku : Yep, it's happening all the time with me too. After I submit my answer, I'm facing with tons of similar answers :)

  Pierre Spring : i answered to my own question, because, after finding the answer to my problem, i thought that i could use stackoverflow as a repository for the thing i just learned ... makes any sense? i think answering to my own question makes sense in that regard... no?

  Jason Z : I agree with caillou. Jeff has stated on the podcasts that this is an acceptable use of the site.
  From samjudson