Leinster's Ross Molony relishing St Stephen's Day Munster clash

Molony has won four and lost two in Thomond Park and that head-to-head only improves from his perspective when the Dublin meetings are poured into the pot

RELISH: Ross Molony of Leinster after his side's victory in the Heineken Champions Cup Pool A Round 2 match between Leinster and Gloucester at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Tradition and reality aren’t always on the same page. Munster’s hosting of Leinster in the wake of the Christmas Day excesses seems something of a staple to us now but it’s not the sort of festive fixture that is bolted onto the season like a Michael Bublé number or an Alka Seltzer.

The four provinces have been having each other round at the year’s end for some time now. It’s going on 20 years since the league blazers cottoned on to it as a good thing but the first decade or so usually saw Leinster paired with Ulster and Munster with Connacht before the penny really dropped.