Leinster look to ring in New Year with same old story

EUROPEAN champions Leinster travel west tomorrow for what, on paper, looks likely to be a New Year ramble at the Galway Sportsground.

This annual interprovincial fixture has traditionally gone the way of the Dubliners and there is nothing to suggest otherwise when they run out on to a sold-out Sportsground.

Leinster arrive on back of a 42-13 win over Ulster; Connacht lost 24-9 to Munster. The Heineken Cup holders are in confident form, leading the RaboDirect Pro 12 with nine wins, and having racked up 12 wins on the trot since they lost to Glasgow in September.