Leinster and Munster clash at Aviva Stadium this Saturday in the Guinness PRO14 in the latest meeting between the two Interprovincial rivals.
As well as bagging rights being at stake, the two sides will be looking to secure a crucial PRO14 win with both provinces second in their respective conferences on 19 points.
Ahead of the game this weekend, take a look back over the last five meetings between the two sides at Aviva Stadium below.
Ticket sales for Leinster v Munster have passed the 45,000 mark. Get your tickets and join the roar at the Aviva this Saturday.
Leinster 25 Munster 14 (8th October 2016)
Leinster claimed what was a convincing victory in the end over Munster the last time the two sides met at Aviva Stadium.
It wasn’t plain-sailing by any means, however, as Munster took a 6-7 lead in the 26th-minute thanks to Peter O’Mahony’s converted try.
Less than 10 minutes later Isa Nacewa went over in the corner for Leinster’s first try of the game to give the province an 11-7 lead at the break.
It took 14 second half minutes for Munster’s resistance to break, and once it did Leinster began to pull away.
Nacewa scored his second try of the game, converted by Sexton, to make it 18-7, with Jamison Gibson-Park capitalising on a defensive mix up after Robbie Henshaw kicked into space behind the Munster line to score a try on his Aviva debut.
Munster scored a consolation try with six minutes to go through Jaco Taute, though neither would claim a bonus point before the 80-minutes were up.
Leinster scorers: I. Nacewa (2 tries and 1 conversion), J. Gibson Park (1 try), J. Sexton (1 conversion and 2 penalties)
Munster scorers: P. O’Mahony (1 try), J. Taute (1 try), T. Bleyendaal (2 conversions)
Leinster
15. Rob Kearney (Noel Reid, 75); 14. Rory O’Loughlin, 13. Garry Ringrose,
12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Isa Nacewa CAPTAIN; 10. Johnny Sexton (Joey Carbery, 68), 9. Luke McGrath (Jamison Gibson Park, 63); 1. Cian Healy (Jack McGrath, 49), 2. Sean Cronin (James Tracy, 52), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Mike Ross, 63); 4. Devin Toner, 5. Ian Nagle (Ross Molony, 52); 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Jordi Murphy (Dan Leavy, 60), 8. Jamie Heaslip
Munster
15. Simon Zebo; 14. Darren Sweetnam, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Ronan O’Mahony; 10. Tyler Bleyendaal, 9. Conor Murray; 1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. John Ryan; 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Billy Holland; 6. Peter O’Mahony CAPTAIN, 7. Tommy O’Donnell, 8. CJ Stander.
Leinster 16 Munster 13 (2nd April 2016)
In a game short on try-scoring opportunities, most of the excitement was packed into a breathless final five minutes as Leinster came out on top thanks to 16 points from Johnny Sexton and a late 14-man stand on our own try-line.
It was a game of two out-halves as Sexton and his Munster counterpart Johnny Holland scored all of the 29 points.
Sexton went over in the 36th-minute and converted his try for a 10-6 Leinster lead at the break.
However, Holland scored the contest’s second try just after half-time to swing the game in Munster’s favour.
Two more penalties from Sexton put Leinster back in the lead, but in the end this one all came down to a frenetic finish with Munster camped on Leinster’s line.
Munster could have settled for a draw and taken a straightforward penalty, but why settle for two points when four are on offer – and the small matter of victory over your greatest rival in their own backyard?
With Cian Healy in the sin bin Leinster defended ferociously with 14 men until finally Jamie Heaslip put a tackle in on Mike Sherry and Ben Te’o followed up to force the knock-on. The relief and the roar were huge.
Leinster scorers: J. Sexton (1 try, 1 conversion and 3 penalties)
Munster scorers: J. Holland (1 try, 1 conversion and 2 penalties)
Leinster
15. Zane Kirchner (Jack McGrath, 78); 14. Isa Nacewa CAPTAIN, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Ben Te’o, 11. Dave Kearney (Fergus McFadden, 68); 10. Jonathan Sexton (Ian Madigan, 76), 9. Eoin Reddan (Luke McGrath, 68); 1. Jack McGrath (Cian Healy, 68), 2. Sean Cronin (Richardt Strauss, 50), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Mike Ross, 63); 4. Devin Toner, 5. Hayden Triggs (Ross Molony, 63); 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Jordi Murphy (Josh van der Flier, 50), 8. Jamie Heaslip.
Munster
15. Simon Zebo; 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Francis Saili, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Keith Earls; 10. Johnny Holland, 9. Conor Murray; 1. James Cronin, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. Stephen Archer; 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Billy Holland; 6. Dave O’Callaghan, 7. Tommy O’Donnell, 8. CJ Stander CAPTAIN.
Leinster 23 Munster 34 (4th October 2014)
There was a double injury blow for Leinster in the build up to the October 2014 meeting with Munster at the Aviva as Cian Healy and Seán O’Brien were both ruled out for extended periods before the game.
However, the southern province were good value for their win on the day, with three first half tries from James Cronin, Robin Copeland and Ian Keatley’s intercept, combined with three penalties, giving them a commanding 9-28 half-time lead.
The second half saw four yellow cards shown to Munster players as Leinster began to mount a comeback with a try from Darragh Fanning and a penalty try awarded in the space of seven minutes, either side of another Keatley penalty.
Coming into the closing stages Leinster were within eight points of Munster, but a JJ Hanrahan penalty four minutes from the end closed out the game, ending a 13-match winning streak in the PRO12 for Leinster at the Lansdowne Road venue.
Leinster scorers: D. Fanning (1 try), Penalty try, I. Madigan (2 conversions and 3 penalties)
Munster scorers: J. Cronin (1 try), R. Copeland (1 try), I. Keatley (1 try, 2 conversions and 4 penalties), JJ Hanrahan (1 penalty)
Leinster
15. Ian Madigan; 14. Fergus McFadden (Mick McGrath, 14), 13. Brendan Macken (Rob Kearney, 47), 12. Gordon D’Arcy, 11. Darragh Fanning; 10. Jimmy Gopperth, 9. Eoin Reddan (Isaac Boss, 45; Reddan, 53-61); 1. Michael Bent, 2. Sean Cronin (Bryan Byrne, 64), 3. Mike Ross (Tadhg Furlong, 44; Ed Byrne, 49); 4. Devin Toner, 5. Mike McCarthy (Kane Douglas, 49); 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Dominic Ryan (Jack Conan, 74), 8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN
Munster
15. Felix Jones CAPTAIN; 14. A Conway, 13. A Smith, 12. D Hurley, 11. S Zebo; 10. Ian Keatley, 9. Conor Murray; 1. James Cronin, 2. Duncan Casey, 3. Stephen Archer; 4. Dave Foley, 5. Paul O’Connell; 6. CJ Stander, 7. Tommy O’Donnell, 8. Robin Copeland.
Leinster 22 Munster 18 (29th March 2014)
Fittingly, on his final Lansdowne Road appearance, Brian O’Driscoll was the difference between the two sides when Leinster defeated Munster towards the end of the 2013/14 season – which would end with a second successive PRO12 title.
A sold out Aviva Stadium witnessed O’Driscoll’s second half effort, but the try by no means signalled the end of the contest – far from it.
Munster led 6-12 at the half, with Ian Madigan and Ian Keatley exchanging kicks at goal.
Madigan drew the sides level in the second half before O’Driscoll’s converted effort made it 19-12 in Leinster’s favour.
Keatley kicked another two penalties to make it 19-18 with three minutes to go, but it was Madigan who got the final score of the contest with a 79th-minute penalty making sure of a 22-18 victory on O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen’s final appearances at Lansdowne Road.
Leinster scorers: B. O’Driscoll (1 try), I. Madigan (1 conversion and 5 penalties)
Munster scorers: I. Keatley (6 penalties)
Leinster
15. Rob Kearney; 14. Fergus McFadden, 13. Brian O’Driscoll (Zane Kirchner, 67), 12. Gordon D’Arcy, 11. Luke Fitzgerald; 10. Ian Madigan, 9. Eoin Reddan; 1. Michael Bent, 2. Richardt Strauss (Sean Cronin, 65), 3. Mike Ross (Jack O’Connell, 77); 4. Mike McCarthy (Leo Cullen, 65), 5. Devin Toner; 6. Kevin McLaughlin (Jordi Murphy, 68), 7. Shane Jennings, 8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN.
Munster
15. Felix Jones; 14. Keith Earls, 13. Casey Laulala, 12. Denis Hurley, 11. Simon Zebo; 10. Ian Keatley, 9. Conor Murray; 1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Damien Varley CAPTAIN, 3. BJ Botha; 4. Dave Foley, 5. Paul O’Connell; 6. CJ Stander, 7. Tommy O’Donnell, 8. James Coughlan.
Leinster 30 Munster 21 (6th October 2012)
This one started with a bang at Aviva Stadium as Richardt Strauss and Peter O’Mahony went over for a try each inside the opening six minutes.
A pair of penalties from Ronan O’Gara either side of a Johnny Sexton effort gave Munster a 10-11 lead after 15 minutes, but it was Leinster who would cross the whietwash next, Ian Madigan going over, with Sexton’s conversion making it 17-11.
Sexton and O’Gara once again exchanged penalties before the break to make it 20-14 at half-time.
The sides continued to keep pace with each other as a Leinster try from O’Driscoll was followed by one from Conor Murray, but Munster couldn’t find another score to move them within bonus point territory.
Leinster scorers: R. Strauss (1 try), I. Madigan (1 try), B. O’Driscoll (1 try), J. Sexton (3 conversions and 3 penalties)
Munster scorers: P. O’Mahony (1 try), C. Murray (1 try), I. Keatley (1 conversion), R. O’Gara (3 penalties)
Leinster
15. Ian Madigan; 14. Andrew Conway (John Cooney, 65), 13. Brian O’Driscoll (Noel Reid, 64), 12. Fergus McFadden, 11. Isa Nacewa (Fionn Carr, 52); 10. Jonathan Sexton,
9. Eoin Reddan; 1. Heinke van der Merwe, 2. Richardt Strauss (Sean Cronin, 57), 3. Mike Ross (Jamie Hagan, 65); 4. Damian Browne (Tom Denton, 72), 5. Devin Toner;
6: Kevin McLaughlin (Jordi Murphy, 12), 7. Shane Jennings, 8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN.
Munster
15. Denis Hurley; 14. Doug Howlett CAPTAIN, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Casey Laulala, 11. Simon Zebo; 10. Ronan O’Gara, 9. Conor Murray; 1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Mike Sherry, 3. BJ Botha; 4. Donncha O’Callaghan, 5. Dave Ryan; 6. Dave O’Callaghan, 7. Sean Dougall, 8. Peter O’Mahony.
Leinster face Munster at Aviva Stadium once again this Saturday (KO 2pm). Get your tickets and join the roar with over 45,000 supporters.
