IT”S the big one. Munster versus Leinster in any code is big, but the meeting of the province’s two rugby teams is quickly becoming one of the biggest fixtures in Irish sport.
The ‘Fever at the Aviva, 2’ (no prizes for guessing what province the genius who thought that up was from) will see the current Heineken cup champions Leinster take on the Celtic League champions Munster at 8pm this Friday night.
As if the game needed anymore hype, the clash comes just one week ahead of the Heineken Cup itself. Munster of course are at home on Saturday November 12th against Northampton.
Other than the well documented cases, Munster coach Tony McGahan will be dealing from a full deck when he sits down to select his side. Tomas O’Leary and Peter O’Mahony will be in consideration despite coming off against Aironi. David Wallace, Felix Jones, Mike Sherry, Peter Borlase & Troy Smith are the others who remain unavailable through injury.
Next Friday’s game will be just the second of Munster’s season for many of the players including Paul O’Connell. Speaking after the Aironi game, the former Lions captain commented that he enjoyed the game.
“Our scrum was excellent against Aironi. On nights like that a strong scrum is of massive importance. All things considered I think it was a good performance. We really need to start building relationships with each other again, and getting used to playing with each other. So we really need to get to know each other quickly. To get all the guys off the bench and finish the game in their half pummeling them was good for us.”
Ahead of this weekend’s game, O’Connell is hoping to that his charges can hit the ground running.
“Its probably the highest level you can go in Europe at the moment. Leinster, with their record, with the playing squad they have, It’s going to be a massive step up for us and again the following week against Northampton.
So it’s really good preparation for us but we really need to learn fast and hit the ground running next weekend.”
Also speaking ahead of this weekend’s game was Munster forwards and defence coach Anthony Foley. Axel feels that this game will be tight and it will be won by which ever team manages to take it’s opportunities.
“We are going into a three week window and this game is going to be a big clash and an interesting occasion. Both sides will be a little bit rusty as this will be their first time playing together since last May. We feel that if we get in the right areas of the pitch there will be some opportunities for us. We know that they are the European champions and that they have a fantastic defence. If you go back to basics, this is an away game on the Rabodirect Pro 12. Away games are hard to win. This game will be very tight”
The fact that Munster have been caught in the number of Heineken Cup wins (2) by Leinster is a sign of how far Leinster have come. Foley admits that it is hard to take for the fans and that the banter might be there, but those stats do not enter the players minds at all.
“It’s not even a thought in a players head. It doesn’t help with your carries or your tackles. We understand their strengths and we respect them as a group of players and management. It is going to be a tough evening up there”
So where will it be won?
“Use of ball. It’s a case of not being happy with gaining possession, it’s what you do when you get that possession. We saw from the Edinburgh game that we had more ball and more attacking play, yet we lost. We will come down to the use of the ball we have to fight hard to win”
The game itself, (televised on TG4) will see the majority of the Ireland World Cup coming together. The winning and the losing of the game could come down to the tight five’s ability to dominate and win ball for the backrows to be unleashed. The clash of O’Brien, Heaslip and co. versus Leamy, Coughlan and co. will be key. The battle at 10 is going to be epic once more. The clash of Earls and Fitzgerald, D’Arcy and O’Driscoll versus Chambers and Barnes will be another sub plot to a potentially fascinating tie. Let’s all hope, Mr Pascal Gauzere, the French referee will not be the main point of conversation after the game.
Finally. to whet the appetite, here is some tale of the tape ahead of the big clash.
Leinster’s only defeat in their last six RaboDirect PRO12 matches was 19-23 at home to Glasgow Warriors on 17 September. Leinster have won their last nine matches in all competitions at Aviva Stadium/Lansdowne Road since Munster beat them there, in the 2006 European Cup semi-final. Munster’s two game losing run ended with their 18-6 defeat of Aironi on Friday. The Munstermen’s only previous win at this venue in this tournament was when they beat Ulster 15-9 in the semi-final on 8 December 2001. Munster have won their last six encounters with fellow Irish provinces. Munster won two of the three meetings with Leinster last season including the final at Thomond Park on 28 May. Munster’s only win on Leinster soil since 2006 was at the RDS in September 2008.
Munster News…..
Just three changes in personnel from the Aironi game, in Munster’s starting XV for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Leinster tomorrow night (8pm).
And keeping it to a minimum, just one of those changes comes in the backs, where there’s a straight swop – Lifeimi Mafi for Danny Barnes – experience probably the deciding factor in what had to be a close call.
In the pack, it’s as you were in the front-row, Damien Varley propped by the South African pairing of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha.
In the second row not surprisingly, Paul O’Connell has his usual sidekick Donncha O’Callaghan back alongside with O’Connell’s partner from last weekend, Donnacha Ryan, retained in the side but on the blindside flank.
Experience again probably decided the number 7 and 8 positions, Niall Ronan brought in on the openside at the expense of Peter O’Mahony and Denis Leamy ousting James Coughlan for the number 8 jersey, both O’Mahony and Coughlan named on the bench.
Speaking of the immediate challenge ahead Tony McGahan said. “ I don’t think there are many greater challenges in European rugby than playing the Heineken champions, the number one ranked side in a sell out at the national stadium, a venue they’ve had wonderful success at.
“So what a perfect way to get back into the RaboDirect but also for the upcoming Heineken Cup, it’s a perfect platform to certainly give us a great indication of where we are.”
Munster. J Murphy; D Howlett, W Chambers, L Mafi, K Earls; R O’Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell capt; D Ryan, N Ronan, D Leamy. Replacements. D Fogarty, M Horan, J Hayes, P O’Mahony, J Coughlan, T O’Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.
(Not considered because of injury: D Wallace, J Flannery, F Jones, M Sherry, Darragh Hurley, Dave O’Callaghan, T Smith, P Borlase).
Leinster News
The Leinster team to face Munster in Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 encounter in the Aviva Stadium (KO: 8pm) has been named.
Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which includes 13 Ireland internationals for the visit of Munster including Wexford centre Gordon D’Arcy who is one of five players in total – including the back-row trio of Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien as well as prop Cian Healy – to make their seasonal debuts for the province after their involvement in the Rugby World Cup.
Isaac Boss again partners Jonathan Sexton at half back, with D’Arcy linking up with Fergus McFadden at centre, with Isa Nacewa returning to the wing after being rested last week.
Up front, Healy joins Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross in the front row with skipper Cullen starting at second row alongside Devin Toner. Brian O’Driscoll, after further testing, has been given an extra week to recover from the ‘stinger’ he suffered during the World Cup.
The likes of Sean Cronin, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan and Rhys Ruddock are included on the Leinster replacements bench for the game which is already set to be played in front of over 46,000 supporters and counting, making it the third largest attendance in league history.
Last year’s record attendance was 50,645 against Munster in the Aviva Stadium (2nd October 2010) and the previous record crowd of 48,000 attended ‘The Last Stand’ against Ulster in Lansdowne Road (31st December 2006).
Tickets are still on sale from www.leinsterrugby.ie, the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), Spar (Donnybrook) as well as Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.
*Please note that due to essential ongoing maintenance work at Lansdowne Road DART station, the station will not be in use for supporters on Friday. Supporters are asked to alight from either Grand Canal Dock (those travelling from the north of the city) or Sydney Parade (those travelling from the south of the city) stations. The DART will not operate between Grand Canal Dock – Sydney Parade – Grand Canal Dock.
LEINSTER:
15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Gordon D’Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss
1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O’Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Sean Cronin
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O’Malley
