LEINSTER V MUNSTER – AN AVIVA STADIUM HISTORY

Since the Aviva Stadium was officially opened in 2010, Leinster and Munster have gone toe-to-toe 14 times.

Leinster have won eleven and lost three to their southern rivals. But, the most recent renewal last May ended with Munster claiming the garlands in the BKT United Rugby Championship Semi-Final.

2 October 2010 – Leinster 13-9 Munster
It was appropriate that the greatest provincial rivals of the 21st century should be the first professionals to play at the shiny, new stadium.

By this time, Munster’s domination in the 2000s had given way to the beginning of Leinster’s climb to European supremacy.

At the time, the knives were being sharpened for relatively unknown new head coach Joe Schmidt as Leinster had lost three of their first four matches. Imagine that!

4 November 2011 – Leinster 24-19 Munster
This was back when there was still considerable debate over the battle between Leinster’s backs and Munster’s forwards.

In the middle of it, the enduring love-hate relationship endured by Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara ensured no end of spice.

It was matches like this that forged Sexton’s steely reputation, the Ireland out-half rattling off seven penalties to shake off Munster.

6 October 2012 – Leinster 30-21 Munster
The fire and brimstone approach to this disagreement was fuelled by Leinster’s third European Cup triumph in four seasons.

They had surpassed Munster’s glorious two in three (2006 and 2008) which had previously placed the Reds on a provincial pedestal.

It was Brian O’Driscoll’s try-scoring intervention in the 53rd minute that created a gap too wide to be overturned.

29 March 2014 – Leinster 22-18 Munster
It was rare to witness an open-ended match in which the tries flowed freely.

It simply meant too much to too many on both sides of the divide as Ian Keatley outpointed Ian Madigan six penalties to five.

It was that man O’Driscoll who was the difference again, breaking a 12-all deadlock with a smart finish from a Shane Jennings’ offload.

4 October 2014 – Leinster 23-34 Munster
The attraction of the national stadium as a venue needed Munster to show they could win there.

Driven on by talismanic captain Paul O’Connell, they delivered three tries from James Cronin, Robin Copeland and Ian Keatley.

The Southern men showed typical resilience in holding out, despite four yellow cards, all in the second-half.

2 April 2016 – Leinster 16-13 Munster
Sexton provided all 16 points in pushing Leinster to a victory which lifted them to the top of the PRO12 League.

In fact, an unusual statistic, both out-halfs Sexton and Johnny Holland accounted for all the points, including a try each.

It all came down to the final play where Jamie Heaslip hammered into Mike Sherry and Ben Te’o thumping tackle forced a knock-on.

8 October 2016 – Leinster 25-14 Munster
Much of the pre-match chat centred around the chance for Ireland hopefuls to make a statement for selection ahead of two November internationals against New Zealand.

Ironically, it all came down to the impact of two Kiwis as tries by Isa Nacewa and Jamison Gibson-Park pushed Leinster clear.

7 October 2017 – Leinster 23-17 Munster
Sexton’s 13 points enabled the eclipse of Felipe Contepomi’s Leinster record haul (1,225), taking the total to 1,234.

Rory O’Loughlin’s brace of tries in the first-half was the foundation for a comfortable win which lacked the drama usually associated with the fixture.

6 October 2018 – Leinster 30-22 Munster
This time, it was Ross Byrne’s 13 points that guided Leinster home, a 69th-minute penalty being decisive.

The six-try thriller was further evidence of the game-changing gusto which James Lowe – the wing notched two tries – regularly brings for club and country.

22 August 2020 – Leinster 27-25 Munster
A moment’s silence was embraced to honour all those lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, six months after the previous League match had been played.

Another lovely Lowe try gave Leinster the 11-point advantage needed to survive a late Munster onslaught.

4 September 2020 – PRO14 Semi-Final: Leinster 13-3 Munster
Just two weeks later, Leinster moved into their ninth PRO14 League Final in eleven years in search of a third title in a row.

Munster could do no better than a 5th-minute penalty from JJ Hanrahan as Leinster gradually ground them down, Ronan Kelleher putting down for the only try of the game.

21 May 2022 – Leinster 35-25 Munster
The final United Rugby Championship round of the season took place in between Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup Semi-Final defeat of Toulouse and final loss to La Rochelle.

Still, it was instructive to witness Leinster’s second-string selection come through in style with tries by Scott Penny, Cormac Foley and Rory O’Loughlin.

22 October 2022 – Leinster 27-13 Munster
Leo Cullen’s charges made it six wins from six in the United Rugby Championship with a convincing bonus-point display.

The fingerprints of Sexton were all over the cutting edge that produced tries for Penny, Dan Sheehan, Luke McGrath and Rob Russell.

13 May 2023 – BKT URC Semi-Final: Leinster 15-16 Munster
The prospect of the Heineken Champions Cup Final seven days later prompted Cullen to put his faith in many of those who had taken Leinster to the URC Semi-Final.

It looked like paying dividends until they were edged out by Jack Crowley’s late drop goal in a stunning reversal of all-known form.