Rivals seek edge ahead of ‘Munster v Ireland’ Pro12 clash

"Rob Penney stirring it a little bit" was how Jonno Gibbs attempted to deflect the outgoing Munster coach's view that come Saturday night his charges face "the Six Nations champions".

With Gibbs also departing these shores this summer, for Clermont Auvergne, we offered him a platform yesterday to increase the temperature of already bubbling pre-derby tensions. “They don’t need any more fuel do they?”

That 15 Leinster players were in the Ireland squad that captured the title in Paris, to just three Munster men, should provide plenty of motivation ahead of another huge rugby occasion.

Fire you up
"It's in the nature of being a competitor isn't it?" was Rob Kearney's viewpoint.

“If you don’t use something like that to fire you up and use it as an advantage there is probably something wrong with you. I’ve no doubt they will use that but there is no doubt there is things we need to prove as well. There was such a strong Leinster contingent there. We now have to show why.”

As Kearney surfed with the obvious theme of the week, Gibbs swam against the tide.

“I actually don’t think that is really relevant now,” Leinster’s assistant coach protested.

“The Six Nations is over and the story really is two teams in front of a sell-out crowd, two points apart on the table with not many games left and they happen to be biggest rivals. I think that’s the story.”

Fine. But doesn’t that reflect that there’s so little between the teams?

Looking at the opposing forward packs in isolation, Leinster had eight selected in France – with Jordi Murphy the only unused player – while Munster had just Peter O'Mahony and Paul O'Connell.

Gulf
It begged the question of Gibbs: Is there that much of a gulf between these packs? "Not really. Munster have lost three games I think this year. We have been going okay."

Munster have lost three times in the Pro 12 and so have Leinster, who have also drawn a match but have extras from try-scoring and losing bonus points, while both were beaten once before topping their European pools.

An early Leinster stumble was the 19-15 defeat at Thomond Park on October 5th.

“As the fifth round loss down there sort of reflects, you really need to be right on top of things. They are very aggressive. The way they get behind the ball, physically commit to things, that’s where we need to make sure we are ready to go on Saturday.”

Any head-to-head could be plucked out, but considering Devin Toner’s Ireland game time is second only to Jamie Heaslip’s, despite Donnacha Ryan’s return to fitness and reports of devastating form in Carton House, the second row battle looks particularly captivating.

“Devin has taken his opportunity and really excelled,” Gibbs said. “I think he is incredibly lucky to play alongside Paul and just feed off the way he approaches the game at second row. It’s a massive benefit for Dev to work alongside him.

“It will be interesting because now they turnaround this week and try and smash each other.

“Dev acquitted himself really well, which is a real positive because I thought Dan Tuohy played well when he got his chance, Donnacha Ryan is going to come back in fit now and you got [Mike McCarthy] here doing great stuff, so I think that is a huge positive for Ireland moving forward.”

It's safe to assume Kearney will parachute straight back into the number 15 jersey. That leaves an unenviable conversation between Matt O'Connor and either Zane Kirchner, Dave Kearney, Fergus McFadden or Luke Fitzgerald, because there isn't room for one of them on the Leinster bench.

Crazy
It should also be noted that Darragh Fanning is the incumbent right winger.

“It’s crazy,” said Kearney. “The back row is going to be the same.”

Dominic Ryan, Shane Jennings, Jordi Murphy and Kevin McLaughlin all featured in the 27-0 defeat of Zebre last Friday, but on recent form Rhys Ruddock and Jamie Heaslip demand inclusion.

“Someone of genuine international class is going to miss out on the provincial team. That’s going to be tough to take for someone, but again it comes back to the overall strength of the group, the togetherness and putting the team before yourself. That has to be key.”

But there’s never a need to unearth motivation for this game, is there?

“No, never.”