Wallace: Provincial pride still so relevant

As Leinster and Munster prepare to do battle at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, memories of past encounters provide a much-needed reminder of how relevant this fixture is in the Irish rugby landscape.

Munster’s magnificent 30-6 victory at Lansdowne Road in the 2006 Heineken Cup semi-final stands out as a particular highlight to former Red Army flanker David Wallace, who also recalls their defeat at the same stage in Croke Park three years later as being a particularly difficult one to take.

“I suppose 2006 [was a highlight] when we beat Leinster here, and Rog [Ronan O’Gara] scoring that try. That was the icing on the cake for us in that match and obviously to go on and win the competition then. It was a massive game for us and fond memories for us,” Wallace remarked last week.