Munster v Leinster: Hard to escape a jaded feel to this once sparkling rivalry

When the sides meet at the RDS today it will be the fifth time inside just eight months and, while Covid has had plenty to do with that, it is hard to avoid the sense that familiarity has long conspired to breed some contempt among the public.

Johnny Sexton consoles a dejected Tadhg Beirne after the PRO14 final loss to Leinster. Picture: Dan Sheridan

The first Munster-Leinster game of the professional era was played on a bitterly cold day in Limerick, in December of 1995. Leinster’s win left them one game off a first Interprovincial title in 13 years but it was another nine months before Munster crossed their paths again.

How times have changed.