Munster welcome derby rivals Leinster to a sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday evening looking to give further evidence the province has stepped off the rollercoaster they had been riding for what seemed an eternity. The current Munster squad looks deeper in strength and better equipped than its predecessor of 11 seasons ago to do so but the gulf in quality to Leinster has arguably got broader in that same period. “We'll be able to answer that question a bit more accurately after the weekend,” the former Chiefs boss said. Tadhg Beirne returns to captain Munster from blindside flanker as Jack O’Donoghue switches to the openside. Replacements: John McKee, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne.

Source: Irish Examiner December 27, 2025 17:25 UTC