MUNSTER FORWARDS COACH Alex Codling said their 31-14 win over Leinster in Croke Park in October will have no bearing on Saturday’s latest clash between the arch rivals at Thomond Park.
Codling confirmed all their Irish internationals will be available as they bid to complete a double over Leinster in the league for the first time in 11 seasons.
Captain Tadhg Beirne and scrumhalf Craig Casey sat out the bonus point 26-10 win away to Ospreys in Bridgend on Saturday evening, but they are poised to return and Munster also look set to be boosted by the availability of hooker Diarmuid Barron and centre Dan Kelly after injury.
There is a doubt about experienced hooker Niall Scannell who went off in that win in the Brewery Field 10 minutes from the break with a neck injury. He and Munster are waiting on a scan to determine the injury.
Munster have not defeated Leinster in Thomond Park since Joey Carbery kicked 14 points and Keith Earls and Chris Cloete got tries in a 26-10 Christmas win in 2018.
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From the starting 15 that night, only Mike Haley, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley and Beirne remain on Munster books.
Their most recent win over Leinster, when Brian Gleeson, Tom Farrell and Ethan Coughlan touched down in addition to a penalty try, has Munster fans hoping for an overdue double against Leo Cullen’s men at a sold out Thomond.
But Codling and Munster have been playing down the hype ahead of one of the biggest derby games in the global rugby calendar.
“I think it was a great day but ultimately it was a long time ago,” said Codling about the October Croke Park win. “I don’t think it’s going to have a massive bearing on the game this weekend. I mean they’ve had five wins since and four of those have been bonus point wins and they scored over 30 points.
“So we’ve got massive respect for them as a team both in terms of the quality they have and what they’ve done.
But for us it’s another game. There’s no more or less points on offer but obviously the outside noise and expectation we also understand for the fans and everyone else it is a massive occasion and one obviously we’re all looking forward to.
“I think there’s obviously the personal element probably more in this game than most of the other ones just because ultimately when you play these inter-pros you are just playing against people you know very well.
“So I think naturally there’s a bit more of an edge because you’re playing against people that you’ve either played with or against many times over the year. That in itself brings that extra bit of edge but in terms of whether it’s Ospreys away or Leinster in an inter-pro, ultimately the points on offer are the same. So for us it is just another game,” said Codling.
He said Leinster won’t lack incentive coming to Limerick and won’t be influenced by the October result.
“They certainly won’t have any fears coming down to us,” he added. “They’ve won a lot of times at Thomond Park so as I say for us it’s just reflecting on the Ospreys game. We’ve got a short week this week with Christmas.
“It’s important we reflect on some of the really good stuff and bits we need to focus on and the staff and the players will have a little break and then we’re back in obviously on St Stephen’s Day preparing for the game on Saturday.”
Munster confirm all of their Ireland internationals available to face Leinster on Saturday
MUNSTER FORWARDS COACH Alex Codling said their 31-14 win over Leinster in Croke Park in October will have no bearing on Saturday’s latest clash between the arch rivals at Thomond Park.
Codling confirmed all their Irish internationals will be available as they bid to complete a double over Leinster in the league for the first time in 11 seasons.
Captain Tadhg Beirne and scrumhalf Craig Casey sat out the bonus point 26-10 win away to Ospreys in Bridgend on Saturday evening, but they are poised to return and Munster also look set to be boosted by the availability of hooker Diarmuid Barron and centre Dan Kelly after injury.
There is a doubt about experienced hooker Niall Scannell who went off in that win in the Brewery Field 10 minutes from the break with a neck injury. He and Munster are waiting on a scan to determine the injury.
Munster have not defeated Leinster in Thomond Park since Joey Carbery kicked 14 points and Keith Earls and Chris Cloete got tries in a 26-10 Christmas win in 2018.
From the starting 15 that night, only Mike Haley, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley and Beirne remain on Munster books.
Their most recent win over Leinster, when Brian Gleeson, Tom Farrell and Ethan Coughlan touched down in addition to a penalty try, has Munster fans hoping for an overdue double against Leo Cullen’s men at a sold out Thomond.
But Codling and Munster have been playing down the hype ahead of one of the biggest derby games in the global rugby calendar.
“I think it was a great day but ultimately it was a long time ago,” said Codling about the October Croke Park win. “I don’t think it’s going to have a massive bearing on the game this weekend. I mean they’ve had five wins since and four of those have been bonus point wins and they scored over 30 points.
“So we’ve got massive respect for them as a team both in terms of the quality they have and what they’ve done.
But for us it’s another game. There’s no more or less points on offer but obviously the outside noise and expectation we also understand for the fans and everyone else it is a massive occasion and one obviously we’re all looking forward to.
“I think there’s obviously the personal element probably more in this game than most of the other ones just because ultimately when you play these inter-pros you are just playing against people you know very well.
“So I think naturally there’s a bit more of an edge because you’re playing against people that you’ve either played with or against many times over the year. That in itself brings that extra bit of edge but in terms of whether it’s Ospreys away or Leinster in an inter-pro, ultimately the points on offer are the same. So for us it is just another game,” said Codling.
He said Leinster won’t lack incentive coming to Limerick and won’t be influenced by the October result.
“They certainly won’t have any fears coming down to us,” he added. “They’ve won a lot of times at Thomond Park so as I say for us it’s just reflecting on the Ospreys game. We’ve got a short week this week with Christmas.
“It’s important we reflect on some of the really good stuff and bits we need to focus on and the staff and the players will have a little break and then we’re back in obviously on St Stephen’s Day preparing for the game on Saturday.”
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