Happy Christmas, one and all, and welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Leinster’s URC interpro at home to Connacht at the Aviva Stadium.

Gavan Casey with you here — hope you’re having a great one so far! I’ll bring you live updates of all the major incidents from the game if you’re out and about and can’t make it to a TV/Lansdowne Road.

Kick-off is at 5:30pm, and the game is on both RTÉ and Premier Sports if you’re rushing home to tune in.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Leinster have included five academy players in their starting XV for this one.

Leo Cullen has shuffled the deck, with Alex Soroka making his first appearance of the season at blindside. In all, 13 changes for Leinster but it’s still a strong-looking 23 for the hosts.

That said, do Connacht have a chance here — on paper, anyway? Pete Wilkins has recalled three big guns in Finlay Bealham, Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen. Josh Ioane returns at out-half.

This is about the strongest side Connacht could possibly name, and it could make it a very enjoyable game indeed.

LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Aitzol Arenzana-King, Charlie Tector, Jordie Barrett, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; Diarmuid Mangan, RG Snyman; Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).

Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Cian Healy, Brian Deeny, Ryan Baird, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Max Deegan.

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

CONNACHT: Piers O’Conor; Mack Hansen, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shane Jennings; Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Josh Murphy, Darragh Murray; Cian Prendergast (capt), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Sean Jansen, Caolin Blade, Santiago Cordero, Conor Oliver. 

Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU).

1′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: ‘Joker and the Thief’ by Wolfmother comes to an end, as does the lights show at the Aviva, and we’re ready to go.

Chris Busby sounds his whistle and Josh Ioane gets the action underway in Dublin!

2′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Connacht win a penalty on halfway for hands in the ruck, I think. Ioane boots them up to the Leinster 22′.

First attacking platform for Connacht and they go off the top of the lineout but Shane Jennings knocks on off second phase. Small bit of a disconnect between Jennings and Cian Prendergast, there.

Leinster scrum just inside their own 22′.

4′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Connacht guilty of sheering off on the left-hand side of the scrum and Leinster win a penalty. Ross Byrne launches them up towards halfway with the line-kick.

6′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Leinster win their second scrum penalty as Denis Buckley loses his bind on the far side of Busby.

Byrne moves Leinster to the Connacht 5′, where Gus McCarthy will throw in.

First big chance of the game here!

7′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Buckley pinged again, this time for side entry.

Leinster’s maul is sacked, illegally, and Busby brings it back for the pen.

Interestingly, Leinster opt for the scrum on the Connacht 5′ rather than kick it back into touch.

10′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Jack Conan peels off the back of the scrum and Leinster are banging on the door but good defensive set by Connacht so far.

Leinster ball on the Connacht 5′, still — until Bundee Aki holds up RG Snyman in a choke tackle! Turnover for Connacht, and they actually win a penalty instead of a scrum as Leinster go off their feet after that Aki-enforced maul.

14′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Another Leinster lineout about eight metres from the Connacht line after a high tackle by Ioane. Chance again for the hosts.

They roll the maul to within three and win another penalty advantage.

Eventually, Leinster go wide and Piers O’Connor smashes Jimmy O’Brien behind the gainline!

Busby marches things back to the penalty mark and Byrne pokes Leinster back to the touchline.

16′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Leinster knock on in the lineout and Connacht will look to exit from a scrum.

They’ve been under pressure in the scrum so far but lock this one out and eventually clear beyond the 22′ through Cathal Forde’s left boot.

Good kick into the breeze by the centre.

17′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Some nice phase attack from Leinster and as they rumble towards the Connacht 5′ once more, Shane Jennings gets over the ball and wins a sensational poach.

Connacht win a penalty on the next phase.

They’re hanging in there. Absorbing a lot of pressure and bending, but not breaking.

18′ – LEIN 0-0 CON: Replay showing Jordie Barrett was very fortunate to get away with a clear-out on Aki a few moments ago. Clear contact to Aki’s head. Not a particularly violent hit but should have been a pen.

Anyway, Connacht make inroads towards halfway but this time it’s Ross Byrne who wins the turnover and a Leinster penalty.

Back they go, deep into the Connacht half.

20′ - AHHHH THAT’S A PEACH! ANDREW OSBORNE!

Lovely strike play by Leinster off the lineout. Beautiful disguised pass by Byrne. Charlie Tector befuddles the Connacht midfield with a decoy run and Andrew Osborne turns the corner, under the sticks.

Super finish by Osborne and a gimme conversion by Byrne for 7-0!

23′ – LEIN 7-0 CON: Sloppy ball presentation by Connacht on their own 10′ and Leinster win another penalty.

Ross Byrne drives it towards the corner. Leinster about eight metres out again. But Connacht steal the lineout!

Good read by Darragh Murray. Reprieve for Connacht.

24′ – LEIN 7-0 CON: Excellent jackal penalty win by Shamus Hurley-Langton inside his own territory.

Connacht struggling for field position and possession. Here’s a chance to get something going from inside the Leinster half.

25′ – LEIN 7-0 CON: After Mack Hansen’s first touch of the game, Gus McCarthy wins the poach. Excellent by the young Ireland hooker but just not good enough ball protection by Connacht at all.

They’re shooting themselves in the foot here.

26′ – LEIN 7-0 CON: Luke McGrath snipes down the blindside and gets absolutely creamed late by Shane Jennings as he chips ahead.

Chris Busby checking upstairs. This is going to be another penalty and a yellow card for Jennings, I reckon.

27′ – LEIN 7-0 CON: Jennings gets 10 minutes behind bars and Leinster get another chance to extend their lead as Byrne boots them to the left-hand corner.

28′ - TRYYYYY FOR CHARLIE TECTOR!

Powerful finish by the out-half-turned-centre, who’s playing 13 today — but that’s fairly shambolic defending by Aki and Forde!

Jordie Barrett slightly commits Aki before pitching the ball to Tector, who waltzes through the gap to score.

Easy conversion again for Ross Byrne. All too easy for Leinster, that one. The hosts have doubled their lead!

31′ – LEIN 14-0 CON: Connacht’s first venture into the Leinster 22′ ends when Alex Soroka rips one from the hands of Dave Heffernan.

All ends with Max Deegan earning a 50-22′, much to the enjoyment of the home crowd!

Meanwhile, Josh Ioane has gone off — I presume for a HIA, but he looks shook. Believe it was Jordie Barrett who lit him up with a tackle.

Leinster, by the way, have lost that lineout, undoing Deegan’s hard work. That particular set-piece remains an issue for the hosts this week.

33′ – LEIN 14-0 CON: Another lost Leinster lineout.

Deegan, by the way, has gone off for a HIA. Ryan Baird on for Leinster.

35′ – LEIN 14-0 CON: With some help from Aitzol King, Soroka lights up Cathal Forde — an absolute rib-tickler. He’s had an impressive outing so far at blindside on what’s his first appearance of the season.

36′ – LEIN 14-0 CON:I forgot to mention it at the time as well but Jack Conan went off injured earlier. Really feel for him there — he’s had no luck recently.

Josh Ioane has failed his HIA, by the way. Santi Cordero is on. Bit of a reshuffle in the Connacht backline with Forde in at 10 at the moment.

40′ – LEIN 14-0 CON: Soroka wins a penalty on the floor. Superb by him again.

Leinster win their lineout this time but Connacht return the favour, Shamus Hurley-Langton with his second poach!

That’ll take us to the half.

Leinster take a healthy lead into the break, albeit their lineout has prohibited them again.

Connacht, playing into a stiff enough wind, haven’t been able to get much going in the way of attack. Error-strewn performance by them. Some diligent defence for sure but Tector’s try was a cheap one to concede at the same time.

Interesting 40 minutes to come: a Connacht score will really heat this one up. If Leinster score next, you can probably put the phone away!

Catch ye in 15 minutes.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

41′ – LEIN 14-0 CON: Ross Byrne gets us back in action.

Finlay Bealham is stripped by Gus McCarthy just outside his own 22′ and Leinster now have a pen advantage for offside.

That’s an absolute killer for Connacht. Leinster with a chance for an easy three here to stretch their lead to three scores.

43′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Connacht’s 10th penalty conceded — nine of them coming in the first half — is chipped over by Ross Byrne, who is having a fine game.

Long way back now for Connacht, even with the wind.

44′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Connacht win a penalty inside the Leinster 22′ as Scott Penny is pinged for going off his feet.

It’s a tricky angle on the right-hand side so Connacht go to the line.

Big chance here for the visitors — aaand they’ve lost the lineout. A very inopportune time to get it wrong for the first time today!

47′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Hansen is getting on the ball a lot more and he wins a penalty on halfway as Gus McCarthy rips the ball from him — but the tackle had been made; Hansen’s knee was on the ground.

48′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Connacht win a penalty advantage off their maul inside the Leinster 22′.

Play stops as handbags between Josh Murphy and RG Snyman result in about 15 men being dragged to the ground.

Snyman was unhappy having gotten a clip of Murphy’s elbow in that previous maul.

Interpros! ‘Hon!

48′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Connacht roll their maul a full eight metres to within inches of the Leinster line — but it’s sacked legally, short of the chalk, and Leinster win the scrum. Their forwards erupt. Brilliant defence by the home side!

51′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: RG Snyman pinged for an infringement on Darragh Murray in the lineout and Connacht go to the line once more.

Leinster swapping out their full front row and Jamison Gibson-Park also on for Luke McGrath.

51′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Another penalty against Leinster inside their own 22′, this one at the maul. Connacht go to the line but it’s an awful kick by Forde on the wrong side for a lefty.

Still, a chance!

52′ – LEIN 17-0 CON: Connacht take it to within five. Another penalty. Lee Barron, just on the field, is sin-binned. That was coming.

Connacht will tap and go!

53′ - TRRRYYYYY FOR CONNACHT! AND IT’S ÓISÍN DOWLING STRAIGHT OFF THE BENCH!

Almost a comically quick impact by Dowling, who burrows over from inches out. Excellent clean-out by Cian Prendergast to open the gap.

Connacht finally get some reward, albeit Forde’s conversion from the left is a wonky one and sails wide.

Back to a two-score game, here, at the Aviva. Game on?

57′ – LEIN 17-5 CON: Massive carry up the middle by Hurley-Langton and Connacht work the blindside, but the same man is eventually tipped into touch.

Approaching the final quarter, the next score again feels pivotal. Connacht gaining a foothold.

59′ – LEIN 17-5 CON: Hansen puts a beauty of a chip down the right. It trickles inches beyond the goal-line and Ross Byrne pokes it dead about a millisecond before the onrushing Piers O’Connor can steal a try from under his nose!

That was seriously close. Positive phase attack by Connacht again.

61′ – WHAT A SCORE BY CONNACHT! THEY’RE RIGHT BACK IN THIS! SHANE JENNINGS!

Superb attack down the left-hand track — Hansen heavily involved again — and Aki bursts 25 metres into Leinster territory.

Connacht recycle the ball quickly and with 14-man Leinster narrowed, they swing it to the openside. Cian Prendergast, in acres, passes out to Jennings who walks it in — and takes it under the posts for good measure.

Easy conversion for Forde. We’ve got a five-point game at the Aviva!

63′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Leinster win a pen on halfway for a tackle by Jack Aungier on Michael Milne which slipped high.

Chance for the hosts to seize back some control here and steady the pulses.

64′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Leinster, back to 15, win the lineout as Barron finds Diarmuid Mangan.

Leinster take it to within inches of the Connacht line! But they’re pinged for a neck roll by Andrew Osborne! What an escape for Connacht!

67′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Leinster win another penalty on halfway for hands in the ruck. Byrne brings them to within a few metres of the Connacht 22′.

Leinster try a beautiful set play with the short lineout: Barron to Snyman, Snyman back to Barron, and Barron around his back to Gibson-Park down the blind.

Gibson-Park is just about in touch, however, and Connacht win back possession.

71′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: UNBELIEVABLE TRY-SAVING TACKLE BY CIAN PRENDERGAST!

Leinster work it blind again and Lee Barron is over — but Prendergast somehow holds him up over the line. Outrageous technique and strength by the Connacht skipper.

From the goal-line drop-out, Connacht win a choke tackle and earn a scrum up towards halfway. Massive cheers from the men in green.

We could be in for a sensational finish here, folks!

75′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Excellent Connacht attack is snuffed out by Leinster as Mack Hansen’s chip through is gathered inside the blue 22′.

But replacement Harry Byrne, into the wind, doesn’t get much on his exit kick and Connacht will have the put-in to the lineout.

75′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: RG SNYMAN STEALS THE LINEOUT! WHAT A TAKE BY THE BIG MAN!

76′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Penalty Connacht and a yellow card for Jimmy O’Brien, who takes Hansen out in the air.

Connacht lineout on the Leinster 22′ once more — and this time they win it.

77′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Some brilliant Connacht attack but a galling knock-on by Darragh Murray, who was given a bit of an awkward pass. The home fans erupt!

Scrum Leinster inside their own 22′.

79′ – LEIN 17-12 CON: Away go Leinster, into the Connacht 22′ through Charlie Tector!

AND THEY WIN THE PENALTY! Game ball, because this is a three-pointer which will stretch their lead to eight with only seconds left.

80′ – LEIN 20-12 CON: Leinster seal it through the boot of Ross Byrne.

Jeez, that’s gutting for Connacht that they’re probably going to leave here without even a losing bonus point. They’ve been excellent in the second half.

There will be a restart.

The restart doesn’t go 10, Leinster gather it, and that’ll be that.

Leinster go eight from eight in the URC. Connacht played their part in a pulsating second half but they leave with nothing. Them’s the breaks.

Thanks very much for joining us for live updates. Keep an eye on The 42 for Ciarán Kennedy’s report and reaction from the Aviva!

That’s it from me. Have a great Christmas, all! Catch you next week.