The stage is set for another supercharged interprovincial derby as both Leinster and Munster look to improve their GUINNESS PRO12 play-off prospects at the home of Irish Rugby.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 2
LEINSTER (2nd) v MUNSTER (4th), Aviva Stadium, 5.30pm (live TG4/Sky Sports 3 HD)
Team News: With over 40,000 tickets sold, there are plenty of tickets still available – starting from €;20 – from www.leinsterrugby.ie/tickets or on match day from the ticket office based in the Ballsbridge Hotel.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made nine changes and two positional switches to the side that started last weekend against Connacht.
With Zane Kirchner coming in at full-back, captain Isa Nacewa moves to the right wing with Dave Kearney also coming back in on the left wing, winning his 98th cap for Leinster.
It is the same centre combination of Ben Te’o and Garry Ringrose, but there are two new half-backs in Eoin Reddan, who lines up against his former team, and Jonathan Sexton who returns for his first GUINNESS PRO12 game since facing the Ospreys in January.
There are five changes to the pack with two of these in the front row as Jack McGrath and Sean Cronin start alongside Tadhg Furlong. Like Reddan, Cronin starts against his native province for whom he played on two occasions before joining Connacht.
Devin Toner comes in to partner Hayden Triggs in the second row, while in the back row Rhys Ruddock is again selected but moves from number 8 to blindside flanker. Jordi Murphy comes in at openside to win his 75th Leinster cap, while Jamie Heaslip completes the pack from the back of the scrum.
Meanwhile, Munster boss Anthony Foley has made five changes to the team that defeated Zebre for the PRO12 round 19 encounter with Leinster in Dublin.
CJ Stander resumes the role of captain for the first time since returning from international duty. The return of James Cronin and Stander are the only two changes to the Munster pack.
Cronin will start alongside Niall Scannell and Stephen Archer in the front row with recent Ireland debutant Stander coming in to join Dave O’Callaghan and Tommy O’Donnell in the back row. Donnacha Ryan and Billy Holland are retained in the second row.
The three changes across the back-line see Conor Murray, Francis Saili and Andrew Conway all return to the province’s starting line-up.
Murray partners Johnny Holland at half-back, with Saili overcoming a bang to the shoulder sustained in training last week to resume his centre partnership with Rory Scannell.
Consequently, Keith Earls makes a positional switch to the left wing and joins Conway and full-back Simon Zebo in the back-three. Zebo is drawing ever closer to the 100-cap milestone for the province and will make his 99th appearance this weekend.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Isa Nacewa (capt), Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Hayden Triggs, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Josh van der Flier, Luke McGrath, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Johnny Holland, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland, Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander (capt).
Replacements: Mike Sherry, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Robin Copeland, Jack O’Donoghue, Tomas O’Leary, Ian Keatley, Darren Sweetnam.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Mark Patton (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 2/5; Draw: 18/1; Munster to win: 21/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Rhys Ruddock (Leinster) – “I think it was always going to be a tough task going away to Connacht. The lesson learned was when we’re in a position to win it in the second half we have to move on it and take our chances.
“Munster seem to be playing good rugby the last number of weeks. They’ll be confident coming to play us in our own backyard. These games are the biggest games of all for both teams.
“There are four games in the regular season left and then, depending on how results go, the play-off games. I think every game is a ‘must win’ going into the end of the season, so we’re certainly approaching it as a ‘must win’.”
CJ Stander (Munster) – “From team-mates to rivals and for me it will be the first time experiencing that, so it will be interesting. These are the games that the team lives for, playing Leinster in an interprovincial at the Aviva.
“I remember when I arrived here four years ago, that was the clash that was talked about from the beginning of the season. It’s a great battle and everyone is really excited about it.
“Afterwards it will be nice to chat with some of the Leinster lads because you make friends when you are in Irish camp, but before then both camps have a job to do. They are hoping maintain a home semi-final spot with the Scarlets hot on their heels, and for us, we’re trying to secure Champions Cup and play-off qualification. If we slip up this week it makes things a lot harder for us.
“It won’t get any easier after that when we head to Connacht. I watched Connacht and Leinster last weekend and both sides played a great game. It was one of the best and most competitive games I’ve seen all season and it’s great to see our interpros performing on that level.
“Leinster were still without a couple of players who will be back in the mix this weekend and that fact that they are playing in the Aviva will give them another lift.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 78; Tries: Isa Nacewa 7; Munster – Points: Ian Keatley 124; Tries: Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry, CJ Stander 4 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, April 13, 2013 – Munster 16 Leinster 22, Thomond Park
Sunday, October 5, 2013 – Munster 19 Leinster 15, Thomond Park
Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Munster 22 Leinster 18, Aviva Stadium
Saturday, October 4, 2014 – Leinster 23 Munster 34, Aviva Stadium
Friday, December 26, 2014 – Munster 28 Leinster 13, Thomond Park
Sunday, December 27, 2015 – Munster 7 Leinster 24, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster have slipped to successive defeats in Glasgow and at Connacht and have not scored a try in the GUINNESS PRO12 for 224 minutes
– The Leinstermen have played 14 previous PRO12 matches at the Aviva Stadium, their only defeat being in their most recent encounter with Munster in October 2014
– Munster’s only defeat in their last four rounds of PRO12 play came on a visit to Cardiff Blues on March 18
– Munster are one of only four sides who have won five away games in the PRO12 this season
– Leinster beat Munster 24-7 when the two rivals clashed at Thomond Park on December 27 and have not achieved a PRO12 season’s double over them since the 2012/13 season
– The two since have met on seven previous occasions at the Aviva Stadium in the PRO12 with Leinster taking the first six, including the 2001/02 final. Munster won 34-23 in round 5 last year
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