Munster v Leinster at Thomond Park could define the early direction of Clayton McMillan’s reign
TWO TRIBES: Team captains Josh van der Flier of Leinster, left, and Tadhg Beirne of Munster during the United Rugby Championship match between Leinster and Munster at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Munster welcome derby rivals Leinster to a sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday evening looking to give further evidence the province has stepped off the rollercoaster they had been riding for what seemed an eternity.
The first knockings of the 2025-26 season under the guidance of new head coach Clayton McMillan have felt like an oasis of calm following the turbulence which had preceded it. Back-to-back defeats as November turned into December offered a reminder of the journey still needing to be negotiated but there has been enough, not least in the URC round four victory at Leinster in Croke Park last October 18, to suggest that the bumps which lie ahead will be less dramatic than in previous seasons.
That 31-14 victory over the defending champions in Dublin 10 weeks ago gave Munster supporters hope and no small amount of belief that under McMillan there are the foundations on which to build a return to the elite levels of URC and European club rugby.
Leinster, of course, remain in that top tier and even though the latest campaign to date has not shown them at their best as they work their way through the impact of having a record 14 players on British & Irish Lions duty until August, they are still the yardstick by which the other three Irish provinces must be judged.
This Christmas fixture could show us just how much Munster have managed to close the gap as McMillan continues to “raise the floor not the bar” within his squad. Which makes this an intriguing match-up in Limerick as the New Zealander attempts to become the first head coach to secure a home and away league double over the boys in blue since the late Anthony Foley achieved the feat in his maiden season at the helm in 2014-15.
The current Munster squad looks deeper in strength and better equipped than its predecessor of 11 seasons ago to do so but the gulf in quality to Leinster has arguably got broader in that same period. McMillan this week pointed to the recent home and away interprovincial A games between the respective second strings, both high-scoring draws, to underline that point but he also described this URC round eight fixture as the proper litmus test on which to judge Munster’s status against their higher-achieving neighbours.
“We'll be able to answer that question a bit more accurately after the weekend,” the former Chiefs boss said. “That'll be a litmus test. But the ‘A’ game, there's been two high-scoring draws when they've played each other, which shows that that level is competitive.
“Obviously we got over the line the last time in Croke Park and we’ve got to do it all over again this week… The consistency of performance might give a different answer.”
Consistency of selection undoubtedly helps that aim and while McMillan has sacrificed that over the first months of his stewardship in favour of building experience through his squad, his matchday 23 to greet old foes at Thomond Park has the appearance of being close to his strongest outfit yet.
Tadhg Beirne returns to captain Munster from blindside flanker as Jack O’Donoghue switches to the openside. Scrum-half Craig Casey, prop Michael Milne, hooker Lee Barron, and locks Edwin Edogbo and Tom Ahern also come into the starting team having missed last Saturday’s bonus-point win at Ospreys, as does wing Thaakir Abrahams prompting a move to full-back for Shane Daly.
The rise and rise of AIL graduate Conor Bartley is halted temporarily after two strong bench appearances for the 30-year-old as the Young Munster tighthead prop makes way on the bench for John Ryan’s potential 250th Munster appearance while hooker Diarmuid Barron (head) and centre Dan Kelly (calf) both return from injury as replacements on a bench of six forwards and two backs.
Leo Cullen’s Leinster will travel down the M7 looking to avenge their 31-14 Croke Park loss and there are 11 changes from the side which overcame Ulster at Aviva Stadium last Friday night, offering a timely reminder of the strength still at his disposal.
Ireland and club captain Caelan Doris returns to lead the side from No. 8 in an all-new back row also featuring flankers Max Deegan and Josh van der Flier while loosehead prop Andrew Porter is back in the Leinster starting 15 for the first time since October having recovered from an arm injury. Porter’s front-row partners will be Ronan Kelleher at hooker and tighthead Thomas Clarkson.
James Ryan retains his position in the second row following his 100th Leinster appearance last weekend and will renew a partnership with Ireland and Lions team-mate Joe McCarthy, Tommy O’Brien returns on the right wing, as does Robbie Henshaw at inside centre while Harry Byrne replaces Sam Prendergast at fly-half and Jamison Gibson-Park comes back in at scrum-half.
Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, Michael Ala’alatoa; Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern; Tadhg Beirne (C), Jack O’Donoghue, Gavin Coombes.
Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Paddy Patterson, Dan Kelly, John Hodnett
Ciarán Frawley; Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (C).
John McKee, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne.
Peter Martin (IRFU)
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