GUINNESS PRO12 Preview: Leinster v Munster

There is a huge amount of interest and intrigue surrounding Saturday’s GUINNESS PRO12 derby between Leinster and Munster, as both provinces look to lay down a marker ahead of the Champions Cup kick-off.

GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, October 8

LEINSTER (3rd) v MUNSTER (2nd), Aviva Stadium, 2.05pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD/TG4)?

Team News: Leinster v Munster ticket sales have gone over the 39,000 mark, with tickets still on sale from www.leinsterrugby.ie/tickets and with a Ticketmaster van positioned on Lansdowne Road on match day from 11am.

There are 11 changes in total to the Leinster team that accounted for Cardiff Blues last Saturday, with a number of internationals coming back into the fold and a first start in Leinster colours for Westmeath native Robbie Henshaw. 

Rob Kearney comes back from a knee injury sustained in the round 2 game against Glasgow Warriors to take his place at full-back. Leo Cullen has stationed Rory O’Loughlin on the right wing for his first home start with captain Isa Nacewa on the left.

Garry Ringrose returns to don the number 13 jersey having missed the trip to Cardiff, and Henshaw makes his debut beside him at inside centre. The 23-year-old, who joined Leinster in the summer, has 22 caps for Ireland and is returning from a shoulder injury picked up during June’s summer tour to South Africa. 

Luke McGrath comes back into the starting line-up at scrum half, with Jonathan Sexton outside him after his man-of-the-match performance in the Welsh capital last weekend.

In the pack, there is a new front row with Ireland internationals Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong packing down together. Devin Toner is partnered in the second row by Cork native and former Munster player Ian Nagle who makes his first home appearance for Leinster. 

Rhys Ruddock starts at blindside flanker with Jordi Murphy at openside, while number 8 Jamie Heaslip will make his 221st appearance for Leinster. He will equal Cullen’s 221 in moving into joint-second place on the all-time appearance table. Gordon D’Arcy is still the province’s most-capped player with 261 appearances.

Meanwhile, as one of five changes for the trip to the capital, Peter O’Mahony returns to the Munster team and resumes his role as captain.

Showing no ill-effects from his return to competitive action last weekend, flanker O’Mahony is one of three personnel changes to the pack with Niall Scannell and John Ryan both returning to the front row.

Two positional switches in the pack see Donnacha Ryan move to number 4, partnered by Billy Holland who reverts to the second row.

In the backs, Rory Scannell has successfully rehabbed the neck injury he sustained against Cardiff Blues in round 2. He start alongside Keith Earls in the centre for the first time this season. The final change sees Ronan O’Mahony start on the left wing.

Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Dan Leavy, Jamison Gibson Park, Joey Carbery, Noel Reid.

MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony (capt), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Robin Copeland, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Jaco Taute.

Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Gaffikin, Richard Kerr (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 2/5; Draw: 16/1; Munster to win: 21/10

Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “I know it’s a really big game but Rory has trained well, looked sharp and played plenty on the wing before for the ‘A’ team. Ferg (McFadden) has done a bit of damage to his quad so he’s going to be out for a period, and Dave Kearney is injured as well so it’s just to have a look at Rory. He’s a good player and he’s acquitted himself really well so far. We will see how he goes.

“Robbie has looked sharp, it’s a big game to come into but he’s trained well over the last couple of weeks. It’s funny to see a list and zero (caps) beside his name because he’s been around over the course of pre-season and training-wise. It’s hard to believe he hasn’t actually played yet but I’m looking forward to see him in action.

“It’s another PRO12 game of the 22, but there’s always a little bit more to it. There’s so much at stake with these games, provincial rivals, the sense of tradition over the years with the game, the rivalry that’s there with supporters and what’s coming up.

“All the players want to play well for what’s coming up in the immediate which is two big European games but then after that there’s the situation where Ireland are playing the All Blacks twice so there’s so much at stake in this game. It’s definitely a step up in what we’ve done so far.”

Simon Zebo (Munster) – “Confidence is high that we’ve got the momentum we wanted going into the Leinster game. It’s going to be a bigger and harder task but we are very excited. I can’t wait for it, I’ll be champing at the bit to get out there and hopefully show some of the things we showed against Zebre.

“Leinster have got a lot of internationals in their side, a lot of good young players coming through as well who are pushing their senior players hard so they’ve got a lot of strength in depth. They have started the PRO12 well so I think it’s two good teams coming together.

“Obviously, we’ve got a big rivalry and we’ve got a big history together. We’ve just got to focus on ourselves and make sure our preparation is right and control what we can control. I’m sure we’ll be okay.

“As long as I’ve got the injuries behind me which is the main thing. I’m feeling fresh, I’m feeling fast and that’s all good so confidence is high, and when I’m confident and on my game I’m pretty confident that I can be effective for any team I play for.”

Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 27; Tries: Josh van der Flier 3; Munster – Points: Tyler Bleyendaal 36; Tries: Conor Murray 3

2016/17 TEAM FORM: Leinster – Played 5, Won 4, Lost 1, 18 Points; W 20-8 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 33-25 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 33-20 v Edinburgh (away), W 31-19 v Ospreys (home), W 16-13 v Cardiff Blues (away); Munster – Played 5, Won 4, Lost 1, 19 Points; W 23-13 v Scarlets (away), L 24-23 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 20-16 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 28-14 v Edinburgh (home), W 49-5 v Zebre (home)

RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:

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
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – Leinster 16 Munster 13, Aviva Stadium

MATCH FACTS:

– Leinster’s only defeat in the opening five rounds of the GUINNESS PRO12 was 33-25 against Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on September 10

– The Leinstermen’s lone reversal at the Aviva Stadium in the PRO12 was against Munster in October 2014

– Munster have lost just one of their last seven PRO12 fixtures and that by a single point in 47 against Cardiff Blues in Cork on September 9

– Munster’s only win in their last five encounters with Irish provinces was 9-7 over Ulster in Belfast on January 2

– Leinster achieved a season’s double over Munster in 2015/16 to reverse the two Munster successes the previous season

– The last seven meetings between the two old foes at the headquarters of Irish Rugby have resulted in six Leinster wins and one by Munster