Back row strength may swing it for Leinster

THE media and the marketing departments will try to hype this one up, but for every player who has ever been involved in it this game sells itself.

The Munster versus Leinster rivalry is now as big if not bigger than anything on offer in either England or France as these sides have won four of the last six Heineken Cups between them. While neither side has been at their best this season, understandable given how many players from both teams were in New Zealand, it will provide an indicator about each team’s season ahead.

Munster’s failure to make the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup for the first time was mainly put down to having a weak set piece and lacking the direct ball carrier in the centre that Trevor Halstead offered.

I expected to see a big name signing at 12 over the summer, which would have meant that Munster could have varied their game plan when needed. Maybe Will Chambers will become that player and he has looked comfortable so far. But, given he was only a squad player at the Queensland Reds, that may be a big ask.

Munster have been playing a very attractive brand of rugby but haven’t been converting as many chances as they should and at times their attack can be a little lateral and easy to defend against.

BJ Botha is a quality scrummager and his signing should ensure they can win their own scrum ball in the big games. BJ’s battle with Cian Healy will be of particular interest tonight and will be a further test of Healy’s development in the scrum.

FOR Munster to win they must re-examine how they beat Leinster in the last year’s league final. They need to keep the game tight and try and get in amongst the Leinster team at every breakdown.

This will be difficult to achieve because Leinster have a definite advantage in the back row. And Leinster know this.

By starting with the same six, seven and eight that played the second half of the Heineken Cup final they have made a statement of intent. It has a real balance to it with Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip able to play loose while Jennings does the dog work.

Jennings provides more physicality than Niall Ronan and it’s a big ask for Donnacha Ryan, who I see as a lock, to play six rather than a back row who can play lock. It’s even more so when he goes up against European Player of the Year O’Brien.

With Quinlan retired and Wallace injured tonight is one of the first times in a long time you could expect Leinster to have the edge in the back row.

The battle at half-back will also be crucial with the latest instalment of the O’Gara versus Sexton battle sure to be of interest.

However, the battle of the scrum-halves will have a greater influence on proceedings and Isaac Boss has to prove a point against Conor Murray, who limited his game time in New Zealand.

Boss is at his best when he is running at fringe defenders and with Healy, Richardt Strauss, Heaslip and O’Brien on his shoulder gaps will open for him to make key line breaks.

Home advantage in this fixture is always huge and with a French referee in charge you can expect that to be even more important.

For me, Leinster have too much strength in the back row and on the bench and that could be the difference.