With Ireland’s strong finish to the Six Nations quickly parked, Leinster and Munster gun for Guinness PRO14 glory in a final pairing that brings back memories of the sides’ titanic 2011 clash.
GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL: Saturday, March 27
LEINSTER (1st, Con A) v MUNSTER (1st, Con B), the RDS, 5pm (live eir Sport 1./TG4/Premier Sports 1/SuperSport Rugby/DAZN/ESPN+/www.pro14.tv)
Team News: Long-serving second row Devin Toner will become Leinster’s most-capped player of all-time when they host Munster in today’s Guinness PRO14 decider.
Toner will run out at the RDS for his 262nd appearance for the province, beating Gordon D’Arcy’s previous record which has stood since 2015.
Only four players are retained from the team that lost 24-19 to the Ospreys last weekend – Rory O’Loughlin and Dave Kearney in the back-line, and Toner and Scott Fardy, who reverts to the lock position.
Luke McGrath will captain Leinster for the first time in a final, leading a back-line that has Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour and Robbie Henshaw straight back in from Ireland duty.
Returning at full-back, Keenan played every minute of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign. Dave Kearney, who has scored 10 tries in all competitions for Leinster this season, completes the back-three.
O’Loughlin reverts to midfield where he partners the in-form Henshaw, while Ross Byrne gets the nod at out-half with Ireland captain Jonathan Sexton backing him up from the bench.
The defending champions’ starting pack is made up of Toner, Fardy, Rhys Ruddock and five players who helped Ireland to a memorable victory over England last Saturday.
Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher and Andrew Porter combine together in the front row, and Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan are also back in blue at openside flanker and number 8 respectively.
Sexton spearheads a strong set of replacements, including Jamison Gibson-Park, who is set to win his 100th Leinster cap, and James Lowe who is poised to reach the half-century mark.
Head coach Leo Cullen commented: “Such a brilliant fixture, isn’t it? For lots of different reasons. It should be a great challenge, Munster are a team that we know well.
“We know that they know our guys very, very well and I think one of the players said this week it’s strange when we’ve spent the last eight weeks together as best friends and now they’ll come bashing out against each other, after battling together for the past two months.
“You can see different glimpses of Munster and how they’re evolving their game as well, the coaches, so it’s just important that we understand all the different threats.
“There’s all the traditional threats – but there are some more recent ones as well. Joey (Carbery) is another good Blackrock man and it’s good to see him come back in as well from them. So big, big game for him as well.”
On the subject of his record-breaking lock, the Leinster boss added: “Dev’s a great character, very, very popular amongst the group. In many ways he’s your classic gentle giant.
“I remember first watching him play for the Irish schoolboys against Wales in Donnybrook and he’s definitely a standout individual, you don’t forget him when you see him.
“To see how he’s progressed from those early days and what he’s achieved in the game is incredible really. His durability is what stands out in terms of becoming the record caps holder, overtaking Darce, and what he’s achieved with Ireland as well.
“It’s been amazing and it means a huge amount to Dev and his family, in terms of hitting this milestone and all the things he’s done in a Leinster jersey. Hopefully he’ll have a big day tomorrow because it’s a huge game.”
Meanwhile, six players who were involved in Ireland’s Six Nations win over England last week are part of the Munster squad for their PRO14 final trip to Dublin.
As Munster chase their first league title since 2011, their starting XV is boosted by the presence of Keith Earls, Conor Murray, Tadhg Beirne, captain Peter O’Mahony and the retiring CJ Stander.
Fellow international Dave Kilcoyne, who was withdrawn during the first half of the England game, has completed the return-to-play protocols to feature on the bench.
Fresh from scoring a memorable 34th international try, Earls rejoins Mike Haley and Andrew Conway in the back-three, with Chris Farrell and Damian de Allende pairing up in the centre.
The fit-again Joey Carbery links up at half-back with Murray for the first time this season. Carbery is looking to continue the form he produced against the Scarlets a fortnight ago.
Along with Haley and Carbery, the other four changes to the Munster side that lost 13-3 to Leinster in last season’s PRO14 semi-final are across the pack.
James Cronin and John Ryan pack down with hooker Niall Scannell in the front row, while Beirne returns from international duty to reunite with Jean Kleyn at lock.
Skibbereen youngster Gavin Coombes, who has scored eight tries in this season’s PRO14, earns his place at blindside flanker, with O’Mahony and Stander back in red to complete a strong back row.
Head coach Johann van Graan remarked: “We said we need to get better in all areas, that’s what you look for in a season, and I believe we have. Now it’s about producing on a day that matters most, that’s in a final.
“We’re coming up against possibly the best team in Europe, certainly in the PRO14 over the last few seasons, and they’re playing at their home ground. We’re under no illusions we’ll have to be at our best to beat them.
“It’s a great challenge in front of us, we believe we’ve improved through the season and that will be put to the test on Saturday afternoon.
“Finals are strange things. It’s about the team that handles the pressure the most. So we’ll go in with our basic plan and execute that as well as we can and then adapt on the day, whether that’s to the opponents, the weather, the referee or the scoreboard.
“We’re going to embrace and enjoy it – it’s the first time in four years that Munster have been in a final so really looking forward to it.”
This is the first Leinster-Munster final meeting in 10 years. The Munstermen secured the Championship crown back in 2011 thanks to a 19-9 victory at Thomond Park.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Rory O’Loughlin, Robbie Henshaw, Dave Kearney; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, Ryan Baird, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jonathan Sexton, James Lowe.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Gavin Coombes, Peter O’Mahony (capt), CJ Stander.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Jack O’Donoghue, Craig Casey, JJ Hanrahan, Rory Scannell.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher, Chris Busby (both Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Jordan Larmour (Leinster) –
We were joking about that to each other, how weird it is to be going from good mates and living with each other the last eight weeks to then going out and trying to kick lumps out of each other.
“But we’re pretty used to it at this stage. I’m probably a little bit disappointed I didn’t get more game-time (in the Six Nations). You want to be playing in those big games, I think everyone does.
“You want to be starting, you want to be involved. Still it was a great eight weeks, a great learning experience for us as a team.
“We’ve played Munster a good few times in the last year and look, they’re a top quality team, their attack is getting better and better and having Joey (Carbery) coming back in, he’s a world class player.
“They’re a big, physical team, they’re throwing the ball around a bit more and their kicking game is very good so it will be a tough challenge but one we’re looking forward to.”
Tadhg Beirne (Munster) –
In terms of flicking a switch on the day of a final, it is a final at the end of the day. We have not won silverware here (at Munster) for 10 years.
“There’s not going to be a problem flicking a switch. Everyone in here is incredibly competitive and everyone wants to win, so that is definitely not going to be a problem.
“There are all different kinds of motivations there for different people, but everyone knows you don’t get too many opportunities to play in a final.
“I would love nothing more than to be able to help Billy (Holland) and CJ (Stander) walk away in their final year with a trophy and some silverware.
“That is something we would all love for them to be able to say that they won the PRO14 in their last year here, so that does not change the goal or anything, but it certainly gives us motivation too.”
Top Scorers – 2020/21 Guinness PRO14: Leinster – Points: Harry Byrne 91; Tries: Scott Penny 9; Munster – Points: JJ Hanrahan 85; Tries: Gavin Coombes 8
2020/21 TEAM FORM: Leinster – Played 16, Won 14, Lost 2; W 35-5 v Dragons (home), W 37-25 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 63-8 v Zebre (home), W 32-19 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 26-7 v Ospreys (away), W 50-10 v Edinburgh (home), W 40-5 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 35-24 v Connacht (home), W 24-12 v Ulster (home), W 13-10 v Munster (away), W 52-25 v Scarlets (away), W 35-29 v Dragons (away), W 40-21 v Glasgow Warriors (home), W 38-19 v Ulster (away), W 48-31 v Zebre (away), L 24-19 v Ospreys (home)
Munster – Played 16, Won 14, Lost 2; W 30-27 v Scarlets (away), W 25-23 v Edinburgh (home), W 38-27 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 28-16 v Dragons (away), W 38-22 v Ospreys (home), W 27-13 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 52-3 v Zebre (home), L 15-10 v Munster (away), W 16-10 v Connacht (away), L 13-10 v Leinster (home), W 18-16 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 22-10 v Edinburgh (away), W 20-11 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 20-17 v Connacht (home), W 28-10 v Scarlets (home), W 31-17 v Benetton Rugby (home)
RECENT CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS:
Saturday, December 29, 2018 – Munster 26 Leinster 17, Thomond Park
Saturday, May 18, 2019 – Semi-Final: Leinster 24 Munster 9, the RDS
Saturday, December 28, 2019 – Munster 6 Leinster 13, Thomond Park
Saturday, August 22, 2020 – Leinster 27 Munster 25, Aviva Stadium
Friday, September 4, 2020 – Semi-Final: Leinster 13 Munster 3, Aviva Stadium
Saturday, January 23, 2021 – Munster 10 Leinster 13, Thomond Park
MATCH FACTS:
– This is Leinster’s eleventh Guinness PRO14 final, winning six and losing four, while they are going for a fourth successive Championship title
– Leinster lost just two matches during the regular season campaign, both at the RDS to Connacht in round 10 and the Ospreys in round 16
– This is Leinster’s fifth PRO14 final at the RDS where their record is won two and lost two
– Munster have played in five previous Guinness PRO14 finals, winning two and losing three, but this is their first appearance in the league decider since 2017
– Munster’s two defeats during the regular season were both against fellow provinces, Ulster and Leinster, in January
– Overall, these arch rivals have met on 161 previous occasions with Leinster having the edge by 102 wins to Munster’s 48, with 11 games drawn
– Munster’s only victory in their last ten fixtures against Leinster was 26-17 at Thomond Park in December 2018, while their only success at the RDS was 18-0 in September 2008
– The two have met in two previous PRO14 finals, Leinster winning 24-20 at Lansdowne Road in 2001 and Munster taking the title, 19-9, in Limerick in 2011