Hello and welcome along to The42‘s live coverage of this inter-pro derby between Leinster and Ulster.
Sinéad Farrell will be taking you through the live action right throughout the 80 minutes as the reigning champions host Dan McFarland’s side at the RDS.
As always, we want you to get involved in the coverage so simply post a comment below or send a Tweet to @Shin_Farrell.
We’ll have team line-ups for you in the next few minutes as we edge towards the 5.15 kick-off so do stay with us.
Enjoy the game!
Leo Cullen has reshuffled his deck ahead of the final two rounds of European action. Here’s how Leinster are named to line out:
Leinster:
15. Rob Kearney (captain)
14. Adam Byrne
13. Conor O’Brien
12. Noel Reid
11. Barry Daly
10. Ciaran Frawley
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Andrew Porter
4. Ross Molony
5. Mick Kearney
6. Josh Murphy
7. Scott Penny
8. Max Deegan
Replacements:
16. James Tracy
17. Ed Byrne
18. Michael Bent
19. Oisin Dowling
20. Caelan Doris
21. Hugh O’Sullivan
22. Ross Byrne
23. Jimmy O’Brien.
And here is how Ulster have been named to start as Rob Lyttle is set to make a return from injury.
Ulster:
15. Michael Lowry
14. Rob Lyttle
13. Darren Cave
12. James Hume
11. Angus Kernohan
10. Johnny McPhillips
9. Dave Shanahan
1. Kyle McCall
2. Adam McBurney
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Matthew Dalton
5. Alan O’Connor (captain)
6. Greg Jones
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Timoney
Replacements:
16. John Andrew
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Tom O’Toole
19. Caleb Montgomery
20. Clive Ross
21. Jonny Stewart
22. Bruce Houston
23. Peter Nelson
Some pre-match reading for you now.
The42′s Ryan Bailey writes that the most fascinating component to this fixture is the reunion of no fewer than seven members of the Ireland squad that got to the World U20 Championship final two summers ago, although two of the highest-profile graduates from that side — Jacob Stockdale and James Ryan — are not involved for their respective provinces.
You can read more here.
Take note if you were planning on driving to the game at the RDS.
We understand that both teams will line out as named, so now it’s just a case of waiting for kick-off in about 45 minutes.
How do see this one going this evening?
Poll Results:
Some pre-match images before kick-off.
The RDS is looking well.
Pearly white! The Ulster dressing room before the Leinster showdown.
Leinster’s Adam Byrne getting a cup of coffee before the game.
Ulster players taking a walk before the game to get a feel for the pitch.
The Ulster team are looking focused as they arrive at the RDS.
The boys have arrived at the RDS #LEIvULS #SUFTUMLive pic.twitter.com/tiohu0cPZ9
— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) January 5, 2019
Just a little over 15 minutes to go. Let us know if you’re at the RDS for this inter-pro clash.
Who has been the standout player for you. Let us know in the comment section below.
Get in touch!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 5, 2019
Murray - Jack Carty.
Donncha - Coetzee.
Bernard - Farrell.
Who's your standout player of the season been so far for the Irish Provinces? #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/6VI6GUrBeH
We’re almost ready to rock as the two teams make their way onto the pitch.
1 min: Leinster 0 Ulster 0
And we are off in the RDS.
2 min: Leinster 0 Ulster 0
Nice fetch from Rob Kearney in the air from an Ulster box kick and it results in a penalty for the hosts.
4 min: Leinster 0 Ulster 0
Good work from Jamison Gibson-Park to pass the ball out to Byrne but Ulster hold their shape to keep the home side out.
The ball is transferred over to the opposite wing and Leinster patiently work the ball through the hands, looking for an opening.
5 min: Leinster 0 Ulster 0
Kearney makes good ground for Leinster and they’re edging closer to the Ulster try-line. They’ve now gone through 20 phases but they still have possession.
Ulster are under serious pressure.
TRY! Leinster 5 Ulster 0 - Sean Cronin
7 mins: Leinster 7 Ulster 0
Well that was an inevitable result to that sequence of play as Cronin bundles over to give Leinster an early lead. They went through over 20 phases of play but they kept their composure to get the score.
Ciaran Frawley steps up to take the conversion and splits the posts with ease. It’s a great start for the reigning champions at the RDS.
10 mins: Leinster 7 Ulster 0
Ulster go on the attack now looking to respond after conceding that early try but Adam McBurney fumbles the ball forward and they cough up a scrum to Leinster.
They need to get those passes right if they want to stay in this game.
13 mins: Leinster 7 Ulster 0
Leinster come charging forward again. They’re transferring the ball with some really crisp passing.
TRY! Leinster 12 Ulster 0 – Sean Cronin
16 mins: Leinster 14 Ulster 0
What about that from Sean Cronin to get his second try of the evening? He showed superb power to get over the whitewash once again and Frawley adds the extras to really put the hosts in the ascendancy.
Ulster could be in real trouble here.
17 mins: Leinster 14 Ulster 0
Michael Lowry makes way for Ulster after taking a knock. Peter Nelson comes on in his place.
TRY! Leinster 14 Ulster 7 - Adam McBurney
TRY! Leinster 19 Ulster 7 – Conor O’Brien
This is turning into a try-fest as Conor O’Brien powers over just moments after Adam McBurney touched down for Ulster at the other end to cut the deficit in half.
Johnny McPhillips kicked the conversion for Ulster but Frawley misses his one at the other end.
23 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
What an explosive few minutes! Ulster thought they were back to within touching distance of the hosts after that McBurney try but Leinster came storming up the pitch from the next play with O’Brien carrying the ball well to sprint through and put his side 12 points clear at the halfway point of the first half.
Here’s the first of the Cronin tries!
06: TRY Leinster!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 5, 2019
Sean Cronin powers over to give Leinster an early lead.
LIVE now on eir sport 1! #LEIvULS #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/QTlj9KtfYa
27 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Ulster looking a little more comfortable in possession. They get pushed out over the line but we’re going back for a penalty which gives McPhillips a chance to put some points on the board.
29 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
He connects well with the ball but the kick just drags wide and Leinster get a chance to reset.
Meanwhile, Lowry has failed a HIA meaning Nelson will be staying on as we head towards the final 10 minutes of the first half.
30 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Ulster get another penalty and opt to kick for touch but they cough up possession from the lineout and Cronin attempts a kick and go.
He gains a bit of ground but Ulster regain the ball and work their way up the field again. They get up as far as the Leinster ’22 before the referee awards them a penalty.
36 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Leinster find touch inside Ulster’s half of the pitch and Shanahan clears the danger with a box kick and they force Adam Byrne.
But they get their lineout wrong and Leinster win possession back.
37 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Kearney gathers the ball and dances around a few Ulster players but the visitors intercept the ball from a pass out of the ruck to ease the pressure once more.
We’re into the final few minutes of the first half at the RDS.
Here’s the Conor O’Brien try from earlier in the first half!
20: TRY @leinsterrugby!
— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 5, 2019
What a response straight from the kick-off. Sensational from Conor O'Brien. #LEIvULS #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/cd3LZab99m
39 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Good maul work from Leinster and they’re working through the phases once again. We could have another try on the cards before half-time.
40 mins: Leinster 19 Ulster 7
Leinster have a penalty as the clock goes red but they want to go for the big score and Frawley kicks for the corner.
TRY! Leinster 26 Ulster 7 - Andrew Porter
HT: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Bonus point secured! Similar to their first try of the game, that Porter score was coming. Frawley elected to kick for the corner when the penalty was awarded at the death and the Leinster maul powered its way through.
Ulster managed to hold them up momentarily but Porter managed to burrow over for tha all-important bonus-point try before the half-time break followed by another Frawley conversion.
Some highlights from that enjoyable first half
Sean Cronin try 1.0
Sean Cronin try 2.0
Adam McBurney squeezes over
Conor O’Brien powering through for Leinster’s third try
Bit of handbags
The teams are back out on the pitch for the second half!
40 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
And Ciaran Frawley starts us off in the second half.
44 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Peter Nelson competes well in the air against Adam Byrne to stop him catching a box kick cleanly and Dave Shanahan will put in for the Ulster scrum.
48 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Barry Daly collects the high ball and Jamison Gibson-Park launches the ball back down where Kearney knocks the ball on and we have another Ulster scrum.
They pass out well before Greg Jones makes a nice line break.
50 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Frawley looks to have scored a try but the referee is going to the TMO to see if the ball was knocked on by Scott Penny who made exceptional ground to get up to that position.
No Try! Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Brilliant move from Leinster and Penny but the TMO rules that he lost control of the ball before Frawley scooped it up to race through.
Ulster start up the play again with a scrum.
52 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
55 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Byrne bursts up along the wing to set up a try-scoring move. Some nice inter-play follows between Gibson-Park and Noel Reid before an Ulster hand interferes and Leinster will get the scrum.
57 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Leinster go at Ulster again but Conor O’Brien fumbles the ball while trying to feed it out to Gibson-Park.
He’s running some impressive lines this evening but that final touch was just lacking that time.
60 mins: Leinster 26 Ulster 7
Scrum awarded to Leinster after another burst of relentless pressure that started from Frawley kicking to the corner.
Gibson-Park puts in for the scrum and another penalty is given to them after trying to initiate the maul.
TRY! Leinster 31 Ulster 7 - Jamison Gibson-Park
64 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
Leinster’s persistence reaps rewards once again.
They were determined not to let another sequence of play go by without another try and after getting the maul up and running from the scrum, it was Gibson-Park who picked up the ball and lunged over.
Another Frawley conversion follows and Leo Cullen’s side are cruising now.
70 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
That’s a fifth try for Leinster as we head into the final 10 minutes of this inter-pro clash.
Nelson drops a high ball but it falls backwards and Ulster can try and build another attack, but it’s all Leinster at this stage of the game.
71 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
Jonny Stewart comes in to replace Dave Shanahan at scrum-half for Ulster.
74 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
O’Brien’s speed is unleashed again out wide and he took some stopping by the Ulster cover. Brilliant deceptive play from Byrne as well to slip out behind the line and get on the end of a pass to feed the ball out to O’Brien.
They carry on through and earn a penalty.
79 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
Frawley finds touch from a Leinster penalty as they go looking for a sixth try to wrap up the evening at the RDS.
Meanwhile, Conor O’Brien is named the man-of-the-match.
80 mins: Leinster 33 Ulster 7
Max Deegan lands over the try-line but we’re going back for a scrum as the clock goes red.
FT: Leinster 40 Ulster 7
Leinster 40 Ulster 7
A penalty-try tops off a comprehensive win for Leinster on home soil in the last of their inter-pro fixtures.
Ulster tried to keep pace with Leo Cullen’s side after that McBurney but their pace and power was simply too much for the visitors, posting six tries and collecting that bonus-point.
Some stand-out performers for Leinster including Ciaran Frawley and man-of-the-match Conor O’Brien.
Man of the match Conor O’Brien speaking after the game.
"We were really fired up coming into this game"
— eir Sport (@eirSport) January 5, 2019
MOTM Conor O'Brien spoke to @MazzieReilly after an impressive performance at the RDS. #GuinnessPRO14 #LEIvULS pic.twitter.com/xtMj9ZwZpQ
The story of the second half
Ulster’s Angus Kernohan with Barry Daly of Ulster
Kyle McCall makes way with a leg injury
Surrounded! Ulster players swarm around Adam Byrne
Try number five for Leinster! Gibson-Park diving over
The MOTM
Well that’s all from me folks. Switch over to our other inter-pro Liveblog where Cian Roche will be taking you through the clash between Connacht and Munster at the Sportsground
Before you go, have a read of Ryan Bailey’s match report from the RDS here.
Gavan Casey, Murray Kinsella and Andy Dunne preview the weekend’s action:
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