The spark is back in Leinster-Munster rivalry, and both teams are the better for it

THE TIMES THEY are a-changing at both Munster and Leinster. The shifting sands at both provinces has only served to heighten the anticipation ahead of today’s URC derby meeting at Aviva Stadium [KO 6.30pm, Premier Sports/TG4/URC TV].

You don’t have to cast the mind back too far to find a time where this rivalry was a shadow of its former glory. Things had become so stale that Leinster developed the habit of fielding young, experimental teams and still strolling to victory. Remember when Scott Penny, Cormac Foley and Rory O’Loughlin did the damage in a 35-25 win at the Aviva in May 2022? Or when Leinster felt comfortable enough to name Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong and James Lowe on the bench for a 2021 Pro 14 final in which Munster’s scoring was limited to two first-half Joey Carbery points.

The lop-sided nature of the fixture wasn’t good for anybody but Munster’s brilliant URC semi-final win in Dublin last season has put the spark back into the biggest game in Irish rugby. At the time of writing over 48,000 tickets have been sold for this evening’s contest, numbers that would make any Union more than a little envious. It’s safe to assume the sales wouldn’t be quite as high had Munster fallen flat in Dublin last time out.

Leinster used to go into this game talking up Munster’s chances and their respect for their opponents, but this week the conversation has been about revenge. What happened in Dublin last May hurt, and Leinster’s response this time around is to go fully loaded, with Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan the latest returning Ireland stars in a team which contains 15 internationals. Leo Cullen’s side coast through too many of their games over the course of the season so the more Munster can push them in these games, the better.

The general consensus appears to be that it will be back to business as usual for Leinster today but these are interesting times for the province. For the first time in an age, Leinster go into a game against Munster without the voices of Stuart Lancaster and Johnny Sexton driving things during the week. Sexton has been replaced as captain by two men, with Garry Ringrose and James Ryan stepping up as co-captains. Lancaster’s replacement, Jacques Nienaber, knows Munster well but has yet to fully dive into his new role.

James Ryan is Leinster co-captain this season.

His influence won’t become fully evident until later in the year when, as Garry Ringrose put it earlier in the week, Leinster can properly tap into his knowledge of how to “win at the top.”

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Having ended the last two seasons without a trophy Leinster need to find that extra level this season. Setting the record straight against their old foes would be a welcome boost as a Champions Cup opener against La Rochelle looms into view.

Things are very different down the road at Munster, too. This time last year they were still getting to grips with a new way of doing things as Rowntree and his coaching team wiped the slate clean and looked to rewire the squad. Slowly, the pieces came together and Munster turned their season around, winning tough games on the road in South Africa before Jack Crowley rubber-stamped his status as the coming man with his nerveless drop goal to dump Leinster out of the URC.

Today, the province make the trip to Dublin as URC champions but the exciting thing is that it feels like last season might only be the start. Players like Crowley (23), Craig Casey (24), Calvin Nash (26), John Hodnett (24), Gavin Coombes (25) and Shane Daly (26) aren’t exactly new to the scene but still have their best days ahead of them, while rising talents such as Tom Ahern (23), Edwin Edogbo (20) and Alex Kendellen (22) all have the potential to shape much of what Munster do over the next decade.

The emergence of that young group, who already have URC medals in their pockets, looks timely. Keith Earls has already moved on while Conor Murray (34) and Peter O’Mahony (34) will both face big decisions on their futures sooner rather than later.

Tom Ahern makes his first start in the Munster second row.

O’Mahony misses out this weekend through injury but he still hit the headlines in the build-up after confirming his decision to step down as Munster captain. It’s possible that move is to allow him take on the Ireland captaincy but either way, it’s a significant change for Munster. Diarmuid Barron captains Rowntree’s team this weekend but looking at the squad, there’s not one standout candidate to replace O’Mahony full-time, with Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jean Kleyn and Jack O’Donoghue just some of the players who could come into consideration.

A win in Dublin would do Barron’s chances no harm but Munster look up against it, with the losses of O’Mahony and O’Donoghue significant. While Leinster welcome back their big-hitters, Rowntree has shuffled things around. Simon Zebo starts at fullback for the first time since 2018 while Ahern is handed a first start ever at 6, his switch to the backrow allowing World Cup winner Kleyn step in to partner Beirne in the second row.

The stakes aren’t as high they were in May, where the full-time whistle brought Earls to tears on the Aviva Stadium pitch. The now-retired winger knew it was an important moment for the province, regardless of how the final would play out.

The rivalry had been reignited. Both teams are the better for it.

LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (co-captain), Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (co-captain); Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, James Culhane, Ben Murphy, Ciarán Frawley, Scott Penny.

MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (captain), Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.

Referee: Chris Busby [IRFU]