United Rugby Championship: Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, St Stephen’s Day, 7.35pm (Live on RTÉ 2, Premier Sports, URC.TV)
As a match it rarely requires additional hype or hoopla, the sight of a red or blue jersey is a mutual accelerant in firing or stoking the rivalry.
The game is sold out, Graham Rowntree and Leo Cullen’s respective team selections contain points of interest while Munster supporters will be legitimately expectant rather than hopeful, as they should be, on evidence of recent clashes.
Munster are the reigning URC kingpins, beating Leinster in last season’s semi-final and less than a month ago in the Aviva Stadium raced into a 10-0 lead before pushing their hosts all the way in a narrow, 21-16 defeat.
Craig Casey put the game in context from a player’s perspective when the Munster scrumhalf ventured: “It is a huge occasion, always has been, always will be; Stephen’s Day in Thomond Park is special. You always know that Leinster are coming down the road to try and get a scalp. It’s a huge occasion for us.
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“There is major belief in the group in what we are doing, we have shown in that game [URC semi-final] we can beat Leinster, we have the bottle. They are always tight games. They are a world class side [with] world class players. You have to back your game, keep going to the 80th, 82nd minute because that is what it takes to beat Leinster.”
The teams enter the match off contrasting fortunes in Europe, Munster careless and inaccurate in a 17-17 draw at home to Bayonne and then, having produced some brilliant attacking rugby against the Exeter Chiefs to score four tries, allowed the performance to unravel horribly in the final quarter as they were picked apart on foot of basic mistakes and a capricious bounce.
Rowntree has made four changes and a positional switch from the trip to Sandy Park, Simon Zebo, who caused Leinster problems the last day before limping off, returns at fullback with Shane Daly moving to the left wing.
The remainder of the backline remains intact, which amongst other considerations rightly reflects the collective and individual excellence of their performance against Exeter, Casey’s hustling delivery, Jack Crowley’s nuanced kicking, running and passing game and the high-calibre work of Alex Nankivell and Antoine Frisch in midfield. Calvin Nash and Daly have been consistently good across multiple roles.
There are three changes in the pack, Dave Kilcoyne is named at loosehead, Oli Jager makes his first start on the other side of the scrum, while the promising Edwin Edogbo returns after injury. Gavin Coombes has not only been robust – he’s played in all 10-matches this season – but he’s been dynamically hard working and effective, especially in his more recent role in the secondrow.
Injuries to backs have to some degree informed the composition of the Leinster backline with frontliners Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, captain Garry Ringrose flying solo in that capacity, and Jamison Gibson-Park, back up from the win over the Sale Sharks, so too Ciarán Frawley but in a differently numbered jersey.
Harry Byrne returns at outhalf for the first time since picking up a head injury in the Champions Cup away win to La Rochelle. Frawley moved into outhalf for the remainder of the game and kicked three penalties. He had a mixed outing against Sale, hamstrung a little by the team’s fitful first half display, but also his rustiness in the 10 jersey; there is no substitute for match minutes in that capacity.
Frawley and Harry Byrne have their advocates in who should be first choice at outhalf in the absence of the injured Ross Byrne to make it a three-cornered debate. Cullen has been unequivocal, Harry Byrne starts at outhalf when fit, with Frawley riding shotgun on this occasion at inside centre.
There is an Ireland context in identifying Johnny Sexton’s successor. Crowley is in the box seat but matches of this ilk help to refine the selection process. Andrew Porter is the only player retained from the starting pack against Sale but there’s enviable depth to Leinster’s forward options that make for some interesting head-to-heads.
Munster captain Diarmuid Barron against Ronan Kelleher, a couple of tyros in Joe McCarthy and Edogbo and Scott Penny against the in-form, John Hodnett, offer a brief illustration. Leinster have opted for six forwards on the bench and it’s nice to see scrumhalf Luke McGrath back again having sustained a knee injury in the first game of the season.
Despite winning their two European matches and eight on the bounce in all competitions since an opening day loss to the Glasgow Warriors, Leinster’s fluency in attack has come in fits and starts as opposed to being sustained. It’s a carry-over into Tuesday’s game.
Cullen said of last month’s meeting between the sides: “It was a real, full-blooded game, two teams having a proper crack. We maybe weren’t that accurate, it’s something we just need to get better at. We’ve had a fair bit of change, if you think of guys coming back from the World Cup and with Jacques [Nienaber]) coming in. We’re still finding our way a little bit as well.
“We’d like to be able to start the game probably a little better than we did at the weekend. I say the weekend, the weekend just gone, but also that game in the Aviva, where they cut us open at the start and they get in for a try early, so we’re chasing the game. Again, very similar to the game at the weekend.”
Cullen explained that Leinster “were on a slightly different path now in terms of how we’re playing and coaching as well,” since the game in the Aviva Stadium. He cited the crowd, the atmosphere and two highly motivated teams as further positives before alighting on the practical benefit of a win on Tuesday. It will open a little daylight in the league table between the teams.
“We’re sort of now at the halfway point where we’re back into two derby games and two Champions Cup games. What happens at the end of that, the Six Nations squad gets picked and that’s why there’s all these other little subplots and a hell of a lot at stake for players individually.”
“National coaches watch them with great interest. Everyone wants to be able to put their hand up and play well, but it has to be within the team. Definitely a great challenge for both teams.”
Munster: S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S Daly; J Crowley, C Casey; D Kilcoyne, D Barron (capt), O Jager; E Edogbo, G Coombes; T Ahern, J Hodnett, J O’Donoghue. Replacements: E Clarke, J Loughman, S Archer, B Gleeson, A Kendellen, P Patterson, T Butler, Seán O’Brien.
Leinster: H Keenan; J Larmour, G Ringrose (capt), C Frawley, R Russell; H Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, M Ala’alatoa; R Molony, J McCarthy; M Deegan, S Penny, J Conan. Replacements: D Sheehan, E Byrne, T Clarkson, J Jenkins, R Baird, L McGrath, L Turner, W Connors.
Referee: A Brace (Ireland).
