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Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby – Preview, Teams & Prediction

JoeNa Connacht — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:04:34 +0000

Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby – Preview, Teams & Prediction

Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Date: Saturday, 18 October 2025 Kick-off: 5:15pm Live on: TG4 & Premier Sports 1

Match Preview

Leinster Rugby return to Croke Park for a blockbuster Round 4 clash in the BKT United Rugby Championship, welcoming rivals Munster Rugby in front of what’s expected to be a near-capacity crowd. Leo Cullen’s side began their campaign with a convincing 31–5 win over the Sharks at the Aviva Stadium last weekend and now look to extend their perfect record at Croke Park, where they’ve won all five previous fixtures across all competitions. Jack Conan captains the side on his first appearance of the season, as four British & Irish Lions return to the starting XV. RG Snyman partners James Ryan in the second row, while Jamison Gibson-Park makes his seasonal bow alongside Sam Prendergast. Tommy O’Brien earns his 50th Leinster cap and James Lowe continues on the wing. Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose reunite in midfield for the first time in 2025/26. Munster, meanwhile, have enjoyed a superb start to the season with three wins from three and 14 of a possible 15 points. Graham Rowntree’s men make 10 changes from last week’s win over Edinburgh, but the return of Tadhg Beirne as captain is a massive boost. Dan Kelly, Shane Daly, and Jack Crowley all start in a reshuffled backline, while Edwin Edogbo returns to the second row after a long injury absence.

Form & Head-to-Head

Leinster have won all five matches ever played at Croke Park.
They have not lost to an Irish province since Ulster’s victory in May 2024.
Munster are unbeaten in their last six URC games since losing to Cardiff in April.
Leinster have won their last four meetings with Munster since the 2024 URC semi-final at Aviva Stadium.
Overall record: Leinster 111 wins – Munster 50 – Draws 11 (172 matches).

Leinster Rugby Team News

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets): 15. Jamie Osborne (66) 14. Tommy O’Brien (49) 13. Garry Ringrose (139) 12. Robbie Henshaw (107) 11. James Lowe (93) 10. Sam Prendergast (36) 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (157) 1. Paddy McCarthy (9) 2. Rónan Kelleher (80) 3. Tadhg Furlong (155) 4. RG Snyman (22) 5. James Ryan (97) 6. Alex Soroka (19) 7. Josh van der Flier (159) 8. Jack Conan (166) CAPTAIN Replacements: 16. Dan Sheehan (73), 17. Andrew Porter (140), 18. Thomas Clarkson (61), 19. Brian Deeny (39), 20. Max Deegan (139), 21. Scott Penny (90), 22. Fintan Gunne (19), 23. Ciarán Frawley (106)

Munster Rugby Team News

Munster Rugby: 15. Shane Daly 14. Andrew Smith 13. Tom Farrell 12. Dan Kelly 11. Thaakir Abrahams 10. Jack Crowley 9. Ethan Coughlan 1. Michael Milne 2. Diarmuid Barron 3. John Ryan 4. Edwin Edogbo 5. Fineen Wycherley 6. Tadhg Beirne (C) 7. Jack O’Donoghue 8. Brian Gleeson Replacements: 16. Lee Barron, 17. Jeremy Loughman, 18. Ronan Foxe, 19. Jean Kleyn, 20. Gavin Coombes, 21. Paddy Patterson, 22. JJ Hanrahan, 23. Alex Nankivell Unavailable: Oli Jager (HIA), Mike Haley (HIA), Calvin Nash (shoulder), Tom Ahern (HIA), Craig Casey (hamstring), Niall Scannell (hand), Alex Kendellen (ankle), Conor Bartley (hamstring).

Prediction & Analysis

The inclusion of six Lions in Leinster’s matchday squad underlines their intent to dominate the early URC rounds. RG Snyman’s adds intrigue, but Munster’s heavy rotation and inexperienced bench could be exposed at Croke Park’s wide spaces. Munster’s pack will need a huge shift from Beirne and Edogbo to counter Furlong, Ryan and van der Flier’s physicality. Jack Crowley’s kicking game will be vital, but Leinster’s depth and home record make them strong favourites. Prediction: Leinster by 12 points. Handicap: Leinster -14 (unchanged since opening line).

Match Officials

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
Assistant Referees: Peter Martin (IRFU), Jonny Erskine (IRFU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

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Munster Rugby Transfer News – RG Snyman extends contract

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 18:25:26 +0000

Munster Rugby Transfer News – Lock RG Snyman, props Stephen Archer, Roman Salanoa, Liam O’Connor, and hooker Scott Buckley have all committed their futures to the province.

World Cup-winning Springbok RG Snyman has signed a two-year deal that will see him remain with the province until at least June 2024. Despite enduring a difficult time with injuries since arriving at the province in the summer of 2020, the 26-year-old is well settled at his Limerick base.

An out-and-out leader, he is highly regarded across the squad and already in four short appearances he has managed to display his athleticism and skill set, including a first try scored against the Stormers in Thomond Park.

The province’s most-capped prop Stephen Archer has penned a one-year contract extension. The 33-year-old is the most recent player to reach 200 caps in 2019, joining an illustrious group of 11 players to reach the milestone.

The tighthead prop has now featured in 235 games and has been a vital member of the squad since his debut against Edinburgh at Murrayfield in October 2009. His name is rarely omitted from a team sheet showing great durability, strength, consistency of form and technique in a specialist position.

Loosehead prop Liam O’Connor has signed a one-year contract extension having made 32 Munster appearances since his 2016 debut in a Champions Cup clash against Stade Francais.

A product of Dolphin and CBC, the former Ireland U20s international plays his AIL rugby with Cork Constitution and graduated from the Academy to the senior squad in 2018.

Tighthead prop Roman Salanoa has signed on for three more years at Munster after one try in eight appearances for the province to date.

A former USA U20 international, the Hawaiian is a Shannon RFC clubman and joined the Leinster Academy in 2018 before making the move to Munster in the summer of 2020.

Hooker Scott Buckley follows Alex Kendellen in becoming the second Greencore Munster Rugby Academy player to be promoted to the senior squad ahead of next season, signing a two-year deal.

A product of Kinsale RFC and CBC, Buckley plays his AIL rugby with UCC and was a try-scoring Player of the Match on his Munster debut in the Champions Cup win over Wasps last month.

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Munster lock RG Snyman suffers second ruptured ACL in two seasons

JoeNa Connacht — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 13:15:43 +0000

Munster lock RG Snyman has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in as many seasons since joining the Irish province for the 2020/21 season from Honda Heat.

Snyman left the field at Parc y Scarlets nine minutes after coming on as a substitute with an injury that has been confirmed to be another ACL rupture.

The 26-year-old made his fourth appearance for the Stags at the weekend and his third in as many games after returning from his first ACL injury.

The South African lasted only seven minutes on his debut for the club before suffering an injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season.

He has played for only 54 minutes in the famous red shirt and will spend a lengthy period on the sidelines before he can pass the hour mark.

Snyman scored his first try for Munster last week against the DHL Stormers at Thomond Park in front of fans.

The World Cup-winning Springbok will meet with the specialist next to discuss surgery and management.

Commenting on the injury blow, Munster Rugby Head Coach Johann van Graan said: “We are all hugely disappointed for RG.

“After doing everything that was asked of him and working so hard to get back into great shape everyone feels for him right now.

“While this is a setback, we know RG is young and resilient given everything he has gone through in the last year so there is a strong sense of perspective here.

“We have seen what other world-class players have done in this position before and they have come back to reach the successful heights of their careers and I would expect no different for someone of RG’s class and standing.”

RG commented on the news on his Instagram story, stating “Here I go again #Round2Fight.”

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