Leinster & Munster confirm line ups for PRO14 semi-final
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Although the stadium will be sparsely populated, an electric atmosphere is sure to germinate – nourished by 141 years of blood, sweat, tears and tradition - as the blue and red jerseys take the field in Friday evening’s semi-final clash between Leinster and Munster.
There will be little need to stoke the fire of this match-up with the players expected to leave everything out on the field in honour of perhaps the most revered rivalry in Irish rugby.
The teams have crossed swords twice already this season – Leinster taking the spoils on both occasions.
In Round 9, a tough, 13-6 victory was ground out at Thomond Park in a game which saw only one try and the end of a two-year, 21-match winning streak by Munster at said stadium. It was Leinster’s ninth win from as many outings and the writing was on the wall that they would be the team to beat this season.
More recently, in Round 14, the teams showed little rustiness after the long hiatus, putting each other through the paces in an eagerly contested game which saw Johnny Sexton’s troops come out on top by just two points.
As the blue-clad players smiled and embraced as Craig Casey hoofed the ball into touch to herald the conclusion of the game, Munster’s finest stood with heaving chests and hands-on-hips, muttering curses at a frustrating result.
While Leinster having the benefit of riding a wave of confidence forged by these two previous results going into the semi, history shows that the bitterness of defeat can steel resolve and rouse a killer instinct which can be difficult to contain. Thus, Leinster face an animal on Friday evening that is wounded and potentially very dangerous as it licks its lips in anticipation of revenge.
Team News
Leinster
Leinster boss Leo Cullen has made a number of changes from the team that accounted for Ulster Rugby last week at the same venue with captain Johnny Sexton back to lead the team from number 10.
Jordan Larmour is back in the number 15 jersey with Hugo Keenan on the right wing and James Lowe on the left wing.
Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose will form the centre partnership with Luke McGrath partnering Sexton in the half backs.
In the pack, Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher and Andrew Porter line up in the front row with Devin Toner and Scott Fardy in the second row behind them.
Finally the back row sees Caelan Doris at blindside, with Will Connors at openside and finally Jack Conan at number eight.
Munster
There are three changes to the side that defeated Connacht last week with Stephen Archer, Billy Holland and Jack O’Donoghue coming into the pack.
The backline is unchanged for the third weekend in succession. Shane Daly starts at full-back with Andrew Conway and Keith Earls, who made his 100th PRO14 appearance last weekend, on either flank.
Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell pair up in the centres for the third time. JJ Hanrahan, who was awarded the Guinness PRO14 Golden Boot for the second time this week, is partnered by Conor Murray in the half-backs.
Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell and Archer pack down in the front row. Last week’s Man of the Match Tadhg Beirne and Holland are in the engine room with captain Peter O’Mahony, O’Donoghue and CJ Stander completing the starting XV.
Mike Haley has recently recovered from a calf injury and is in line for his first appearance since the return to rugby.
Line Ups
