A red-hot start for Leinster was more than often for them to overcome Munster, securing a bonus point en route to a 26-12 win.
There was a record-breaking crowd at Croke Park – with over 80,000 in attendance shattering the previous URC record.
With so many watching on in the stands, Leinster put the pedal to the medal from the off and got the scoreboard moving by the sixth minute.
Hugo Keenan celebrates after scoring Leinster’s third try against Munster. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
A big carry from Tadhg Furlong brought the blue side deep into red territory, with Jamie Osborne then helping it along to Jamison Gibson-Park, who finished it off with a looped ball to James Lowe in the corner – a move seen time and time again both in the blue and green jersey.
The hosts had doubled their advantage by the 11th minute. James Ryan picked a lineout down in his own half and provided the platform for the Blues to work their way down the right flank, ultimately ending with Josh van der Flier powering forward and allowing Caelan Doris to score off the base of the post.
The onslaught then continued, with Leinster cutting through the Munster defence with complete ease.
After a busy summer at the Olympics, Hugo Keenan was on hand for try number three to make it 21-nil.
A capacity crowd took to Croke Park for Leinster’s win over Munster. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
You couldn’t blame the visitors for being shell shocked by that opening flurry – it took until midway through the half for them to really respond and start making this game look like a contest.
Munster thought they had gotten their first try of the day after a looped ball from Alex Nankivell to Calvin Nash, but the referee blew the whistle just as he leapt down to confirm the try.
Their wait for a score finally ended just a few minutes before the half-time break; having been spoiled right by the Leinster line time and again in the 15 minutes prior.
From a lineout, Gavin Coombes lifted a no-look ball for Sean O’Brien to breeze over the whitewash for the try. Crowley’s missed conversion left it as a 16-point gap.
Seán O’Brien of Munster is tackled by Ciarán Frawley of Leinster’s during the URC match between Leinster and Munster at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Just as it seemed the visitors were well back in the game, salt was rubbed in their wound by a former player. Who else other than RG Snyman – fresh from swapping red for blue over the summer – to secure a bonus point right at half-time?
The Springboks star did not hold back either when it came to celebrating his try. Neither did the crowd early in the second half when he was replaced – plenty of Munster boos could be heard over the Leinster cheers.
After both sides began to empty their benches; a sudden Munster line break changed the momentum. Nankivell burst forward to the line as Munster got numbers forward but Leinster’s rapid defence blitzed the red bodies; snuffing out the danger.
James Lowe of Leinster celebrates after scoring his side’s first try during the URC match between Leinster and Munster at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
A monster penalty won by Osborne after a penalty restart ensured an end to any of Munster’s momentum.
Despite the aggressive Leinster defence being determined to not even leave scraps for their opposition, the backline finally wobbled as the clock ticked into the final 15 minutes.
Munster secured themselves a chink of light when replacement Conor Murray kept the ball moving before Coombes pulled out a Gaelic football-quality kick to put Mike Haley in to score.
For all Leinster’s relative comfort and dominance in the second period, they failed to add any more points to their tally. Ross Byrne and Ciaran Frawley’s pair of late missed penalties only underscored the matter.
Not that it was much of an issue for last season’s Champions Cup finalists, as the vast majority of the second half was played inside the Munster half.
They had done enough in that first half, making certain of yet another win over their old rivals.
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