All You Need To Know | Leinster v Munster
It’s the final weekend of regular season action in the United Rugby Championship with a huge amount at stake.
Munster take on Leinster at the Aviva in the final game of the weekend hoping to secure a place in the top four, which would ensure a home quarter-final in a fortnight’s time.
Leinster are six points clear of Munster ahead of the game and have already secured a home quarter-final with the potential for a home semi-final and final.
Find out all you need to know ahead of the game below.
Where?
Aviva Stadium
When?
Saturday, May 21, 7.15pm
Munster News
Did you know?
Leinster (511 points) and Munster (499 points) are the highest point-scorers after 17 rounds of URC action.
Teams
Both sides will be named before noon on Friday.
Preview
Johann van Graan’s men moved up to second in the table thanks to three URC wins in a row including a vital away win over Ulster in Belfast and bonus-point victories over Benetton and Cardiff at Musgrave Park.
Munster are on 56 points and among eight teams who have already secured a place in the quarter-finals.
The top four teams at the end of 18 rounds will have home advantage in the quarter-finals.
Leinster have topped the table with five teams battling it out for the remaining three top-four places that would secure a home quarter-final.
Just three points separate second-placed Munster (56 points) and sixth-placed Vodacom Bulls (53 points) with Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers (56 each) only behind Munster on points difference and Ulster (55) a point further back in fifth place.
Friday night will see Ulster host Cell C Sharks (7.35pm) with the Vodacom Bulls away to Ospreys (8.10pm).
DHL Stormers are away to Scarlets on Saturday evening (5.10pm) with Munster away to Leinster in the final game of the round (7.15pm).
Ospreys and Scarlets have plenty to play for as they bid to top the Welsh shield and earn a place in next season’s Champions Cup. The sides are tied at 44 points apiece heading into the final round.
Should teams finish level in the table, the higher team will be decided by the following criteria:
- Matches won
- Highest points-difference
- Tries scored
- Total points scored
- Try difference
- Fewest number of players suspended
- Fewest yellow cards received
- Coin toss
Munster (+193) have a superior points difference to all of the teams below them (Sharks +148, Stormers +148, Ulster +112, Bulls +123).
Table & Fixtures
URC Round 18 Fixtures
KO in Irish time
Friday, May 20
Benetton v Cardiff, Stadio Monigo, 6pm;
Ulster v Cell C Sharks, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm;
Ospreys v Vodacom Bulls, Swansea.com Stadium, 8.10pm;
Saturday, May 21
Dragons v Emirates Lions, Rodney Parade, 3pm;
Connacht v Zebre Parma, The Sportsground, 5pm;
Scarlets v DHL Stormers, Parc y Scarlets, 5.10pm;
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors, BT Murrayfield, 6.30pm;
Leinster v Munster, Aviva Stadium, 7.15pm;
Broadcast
Live on URC TV (subscribe here), TG4 & Premier Sports.
Officials
Referee: Frank Murphy
Assistant referees: Peter Martin & Oisin Quinn
TMO: Brian MacNeice
Press Pass
Hear from Head Coach Johann van Graan and Thomas Ahern ahead of the game.
URC Quarter-Finals
Weekend of June 4/5
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