Interprovincial Face-Off
24th November 2015 By Munster Rugby
Interprovincial rivalry takes centre stage at Thomond Park this weekend as Munster host table-topping Connacht in Round 8 of the competition. With just one place and a single league point separating both sides on the table, we preview what’s sure to be a fiercely contested and entertaining affair.
With almost one third of the season gone, PRO12 fans are already seeing more tries. The 186 scored to date are the most tallied by this stage since the tournament went home and away. In adding to the excitement, results are getting closer with 22 of the games played so far – including four out of six in the last round – ending up with a losing bonus point, the best ever recorded at this stage of the season.
Connacht’s 24-16 victory over Munster in Galway on New Year’s Day was their first victory over their neighbours since 2008 and a strong start across all competitions this season will see them travel the short distance to Limerick brimming with confidence. The westerners’ victory over Benetton Treviso last time out and the loss of Scarlets’ 100% record saw Pat Lam’s men take over the top spot on the PRO12 table, a position they have not held after a full round of games since the start of the 2010/11 season.
Connacht top not only the PRO12 table, but after a disrupted couple of rounds of European rugby, also lead their pool in the EPCR Challenge Cup having completed and won both of their fixtures.
Munster’s only defeat in any tournament this season was 22-25 at Parc y Scarlets in Round 5 of the PRO12 whilst Anthony Foley’s men have won their last 13 home league games since Ospreys visited Thomond Park in September 2014.
In terms of attack and defence, Connacht might join Ulster and Cardiff in sharing the best attacking record of the league so far this season (23 tries), but it’s the Munstermen who possess the better defensive record heading into Saturday’s proceedings – conceding just 11 tries as against 16 for their visitors.
Add to this the increase in physicality and intensity that goes hand in hand with interprovincial clashes and this weekend’s game promises to be one of the season’s most mouth-watering fixtures.
| Head to Head – Recent Guinness PRO12 Meetings |
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| Date | Venue | M | C | Munster scorers | Connacht scorers |
| Sat 22 Dec 12 | Sportsground | 16 | 12 | Ian Keatley(C/3P) Penalty Try(T) | Dan Parks(D/3P) |
| Sat 23 Mar 13 | Irish Independent Park | 22 | 0 | Paul O'Connell(T) Ronan O'Gara(2C/P) Damien Varley(2T) | – |
| Fri 27 Dec 13 | Thomond Park | 22 | 16 | JJ Hanrahan(T/C/5P) | Dave Heffernan(T) Dan Parks(C/3P) |
| Sat 19 Apr 14 | Sportsground | 32 | 23 | Andrew Conway(T) Paddy Butler(T) Denis Hurley(T) Ian Keatley(3C/2P) Gerhard van den Heever(T) | Matt Healy(T) Danie Poolman(T) Eoin McKeon(T) Dan Parks(C) Miah Nikora(2P) |
| Thu 1 Jan 15 | Sportsground | 16 | 24 | Peter O'Mahony(T) Ian Keatley(C/3P) | Kieran Marmion(T) Darragh Leader(2C) Aly Muldowney(T) Miah Nikora(P) Craig Ronaldson(T/C) |
| Sat 28 Mar 15 | Thomond Park | 42 | 20 | Duncan Casey(T) Andrew Smith(T) Keith Earls(T) JJ Hanrahan(3C) Billy Holland(T) Denis Hurley(T) Ian Keatley(3C) Simon Zebo(T) | Jack Carty(2P) Shane O'Leary(T) Miah Nikora(T/2C) |
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 13th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Mark Patton, Jonathan Peak (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)
Munster v Connacht, Guinness PRO12 Round 8, Saturday November 28th at Thomond Park – KO 5.15pm.
Tickets can be purchased online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Thomond Park and Irish Independent Park, or by calling 0818 719 300.
- Adults from €;20
- Families from €;40 (2 adults & 2 kids)
- Juniors from €;7
Three Match Pack
Why not incorporate this game with a Champions Cup fixture and another PRO12 game of your choice (not including Leinster)? Match Packs start from just €;45 and also save you 10% across the cost of all three tickets. Click here to start building yours.
