Leinster Avenge Croke Park Defeat

Leinster avenged their Croke Park defeat with a gritty 13–8 Interpro win over Munster at a sold-out Thomond Park, in a low-scoring but fiercely physical derby defined by defence.

Josh van der Flier’s first-half try from a dominant maul gave Leinster a 7–0 lead at the break. The arm-wrestle continued after half-time as Harry Byrne and Jack Crowley exchanged penalties, Leinster stretching clear at 13–3 midway through the second half.

Munster finally found momentum in the final quarter and were rewarded when Dan Kelly crossed after sustained pressure, but Crowley’s missed conversion left them chasing a try rather than a draw. Despite repeated late entries into the Leinster 22, the home side could not break down a relentless defence, with the visitors repelling every attack to close out the match.

Leinster again showed resilience rather than attacking fluency, but the champions earned a valuable win through discipline and physicality. Munster claimed a losing bonus point and plenty of encouragement from their intensity and breakdown work, though they will rue missed opportunities and costly errors.

Ultimately, Leinster’s defensive steel and control in key moments proved decisive in a classic, hard-edged Interpro contest.