Match Preview: Leinster v Munster

A 50,000-plus crowd is expected at the Aviva Stadium for this much-anticipated meeting between arch rivals who know each other so well.

There will be a host of Ireland World Cup squad members on duty in Dublin. One of those, Munster prop Jeremy Loughman, sums up the significance of the fixture.

"It has a special feel, the week. You can feel coming in that everyone's on edge, it's a bit different,” he said.

"Everyone's at each other, making sure we're all perfect, we're really pushing ourselves. They are the weeks you really look forward to, the big weeks, the big crowds. It will be a full house and the atmosphere will be class.

"It's massively exciting, it will be a proper rivalry match. They're special games and the ones you want to play in, especially when you grow up watching them. To be involved in them is class.

“It will be fast paced and extremely physical. They'll definitely be coming for us, but we'll be looking forward to it.”

Ireland duo Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan make their first appearances of the season for Leinster, while the newly retired Johnny Sexton will be introduced to the packed crowd before the game.

For Munster, Jean Kleyn returns for his first outing since winning the World Cup with South Africa, while prop Stephen Archer becomes the province’s most-capped player of all-time as he makes his 269th appearance.

Leinster v Munster

Aviva Stadium, Dublin – KO 18.30 IRE & UK / 19.30 ITA / 20.30 SA

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 35th league game)

AR 1: Peter Martin (IRFU) AR 2: Keane Davison (IRFU)

TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)

Live on: TG4, Viaplay, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (CAPT), Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (CAPT), 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 (CAPT), 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