RUGBY/ MAGNERS LEAGUE:LEINSTER AND Munster will meet in a Magners League semi-final at the RDS on Saturday night (8pm), the third time that the two Irish provinces have clashed this season in the tournament.
The other semi-final will see the Glasgow Warriors travel to the Liberty Stadium to take on the Ospreys on Friday (7.05pm).
The provinces achieved their goal of making the penultimate stage of the competition in contrasting fashion, Leinster coming from behind to poach what at one stage would have seemed an unlikely 37-28 victory against Edinburgh at the RDS in a thrilling finale, while a Munster side, shorn of several first-team players, secured the point they needed with a 13-12 defeat to the Blues in Cardiff.
It sets up a mouth-watering, all-Ireland clash next weekend as the defending champions travel to Dublin to try to beat their hosts at the third time of asking this season. Leinster have won both previous Magners matches, 30-0 at the RDS in October and more recently 16-15 at Thomond Park.
Munster started the Cardiff game without Paul O’Connell, Doug Howlett, Keith Earls, John Hayes, Jerry Flannery and Mick O’Driscoll, while Alan Quinlan, James Coughlan, Tomás O’Leary and Paul Warwick began on the bench before being introduced.
O’Connell and Earls remain the most serious doubts.
Coach Tony McGahan confirmed that there were no new injury problems and that he was hopeful of having a few players back for the Leinster match.
“We are in a difficult place at this time with injuries. We lost three or four players going into this game, (but) we hope to have a few players back for what promises to be a great game.
“Our first priority was to win the game, but at 13-12 we got the bonus point we needed. I am delighted for the players. We weren’t too worried about who we were going to play. We were just focused on what we were doing.
“It’s a fantastic advertisement for the competition that it is gone to the last day and the last 10 minutes to decide who plays who in the semi-finals.
“We’re defending a trophy and so it was always our goal to get into the last four; now we have to go on from here.
“It comes down to one-off matches from here on in and both Leinster and ourselves will want to ensure we reach the final two weeks later.
“There was a feeling of priority put on the HC, but this is also an important tournament for us.
“It’s always a tight clash between Munster and Leinster; they won by a point the last time we played and we are eager to go up there and get the result that means we can continue in this competition.
“Leinster have been the most consistent side this season, finishing on top.”
His Leinster counterpart, Michael Cheika, has one or two concerns, notably captain Leo Cullen.
He explained in response to an inquiry about the secondrow’s shoulder: “It didn’t look great. He will need a scan as he has had some shoulder problems in the past.”
Shane Jennings, who missed the game because of a leg problem, is expected to be available, as is Gordon D’Arcy, who came off early yesterday.
Cheika admitted: “He (D’Arcy) is a stubborn lad, to be honest. I was trying to get him off for a while there,” before addressing the coming game against Munster.
“This is finals footie we are looking at now. We didn’t have a good day with the scrums in Toulouse but I’m always confident of our ability.
“It was not the same opponents but they are not a bad scrum either. The front five looked to take charge out there and that’s what you need in finals. These are the guys we will look to lead next week and hopefully the week after.
“I wouldn’t have blamed people for thinking we were dead out there on a couple of occasions.”
Munster will get 25 per cent of the tickets for Saturday’s match out of the 18,500 capacity.
Semi-final draw
Ospreys v Glasgow, Liberty Stadium, Friday, 7.05pm.
Leinster v Munster, RDS, Saturday, 8.0pm.
