GOOD AFTERNOON AND welcome to The42′s live coverage of today’s Pro14 semi-final between Leinster and Munster.
Tá an ghrian ag scoilteadh na gcloch over in Ballsbridge, and we hope you’re enjoying the weather wherever you are, too.
What a day for some union Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Royal wedding? Come off it! It’s all about the Royal Dublin Showgrounds today, and an All-Irish clash between two old rivals for a place in next weekend’s Pro14 final at Lansdowne Road.
Indeed, for one of these two men – Isa Nacewa and Simon Zebo – it will be a final outing in either blue or red.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Who will get one final run-out in provincial colours? Who will face the Scarlets next weekend? We’ll find out very shortly.
Kick-off is at 3:15, and team news is on its way.
19 May 2018
2:40PM
For those asking, today’s game will be shown on both TG4 and Sky Sports Action. TG4′s coverage starts at 2:50, while Sky’s broadcast will kick off at 3.
19 May 2018
2:49PM
Team News
No changes to the Leinster matchday 23 which was named by Leo Cullen yesterday.
Robbie Henshaw will be out ‘for a few weeks’ but has a decent chance of making Ireland’s summer tour to Australia, while Johnny Sexton is likely to feature against the Scarlets next weekend should Leinster see off their old foes on home soil today.
Word from the Leinster camp is that last weekend was “extremely loose”, but Champions Cup celebrations were left in the rear-view from Monday onwards.
Munster supporters, meanwhile, have cut loose upon Paddy Cullen’s in Ballsbridge – their official pre-game meeting point this afternoon.
We’ll have kick-off in 10 minutes (finish up there, now, lads!)
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
19 May 2018
3:15PM
Kick-off
JJ Hanrahan gets us underway at the RDS.
19 May 2018
3:17PM
Leinster 0-0 Munster
1 – Leinster go wide straight from kick-off and James Lowe takes them beyond the 22. A flying Simon Zebo fields a clearance kick and JJ Hanrahan drills one back to the outskirts of Leinster’s 22.
19 May 2018
3:19PM
Leinster 0-0 Munster
2 - Leinster win a penalty after Rhys Ruddock wins their lineout, and Ross Byrne fires them back up to midfield. Munster steal the subsequent lineout: Scannell and Zebo combine as the men in red march back into Leinster territory.
19 May 2018
3:22PM
Leinster 0-0 Munster
5 - a pass from Kleyn goes awry and after Munster scramble backwards to recover possession, Leinster turn them over on the ground with a solid counter-ruck. Byrne clears again, and Zebo collects. Murray returns fire with the boot and despite Munster winning back their own ball, they’re turned over almost immediately by James Ryan.
19 May 2018
3:24PM
TRY LEINSTER! Leinster 5-0 Munster
7 - Leinster cross for the opening score! Incredible work by James Lowe who makes two huge carries before popping a beautiful offload to Jack Conan, who strolls over. Lowe left Simon Zebo on his backside with his second break.
19 May 2018
3:25PM
Leinster 7-0 Munster
8 - Conversion from Carbery is good.
19 May 2018
3:27PM
Leinster 7-0 Munster
9 - James Ryan breaks a tackle and makes a huge carry up to midfield, but isolated, he’s pinged for holding on. Keith Earls with the turnover for the visitors.
19 May 2018
3:28PM
Leinster 7-0 Munster
10 - Break in play as Jack O’Donoghue receives treatment.
10 - Robin Copeland, in what could be his final game before heading west, replaces Jack O’Donoghue who picked up a leg injury after tackling James Ryan from behind.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Munster go wide some 40 yards from Leinster’s line, but Earls’ ambitious pass is correctly ruled forward as it reaches Andrew Conway’s boot.
19 May 2018
3:37PM
Leinster 7-0 Munster
16 - Rory Scannell makes a half-break and takes Munster up to Leinster’s 22. Zebo kicks crossfield to Andrew Conway for little gain, but Munster had the advantage and Hanrahan will chip at goal from a central position – about 25 yards from the sticks.
19 May 2018
3:38PM
Leinster 7-3 Munster
18 – Hanrahan splits the posts, and up go the flags.
19 May 2018
3:40PM
Leinster 7-3 Munster
To those of you using iOS: apologies for the lack of updates during the first 15 or so minutes. I made an absolute balls of something on the backend. Fixed now. Welcome!
19 May 2018
3:41PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
21 - Ross Byrne lands a penalty from long range to stretch Leinster’s lead after a decent spell of Munster pressure.
19 May 2018
3:45PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
22 - Copeland spills a pass forward and Hanrahan catches it, conceding a penalty for offside in the process.
From the resulting lineout, James Lowe gets loose down the left wing but Sammy Arnold makes an extraordinary tackle around his legs, saving a certain try just five metres from the line! What. A. Tackle! Lowe spills the ball into touch as he hits the deck, and Munster clear their lines.
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
19 May 2018
3:55PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
32 - From a lineout, Munster roll their maul up to midfield before Murray puts boot to ball.
They win it in the air, and Hanrahan attempts to set Zebo away with a deft chip but it’s gathered well by a sliding Luke McGrath.
Referee Stuart Berry brings the action back to the touchline, where Munster have a scrum after Leinster knocked it on during the aforementioned aerial contest.
19 May 2018
3:57PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
34 - Big carries through the phases from Earls, Conway, O’Mahony and Scannell have brought Munster to within five of the Leinster line.
19 May 2018
4:00PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
36 - Yellow card for Jean Kleyn!
Munster chip away at the Leinster line, and CJ Stander – reversing the angle – takes them to within an inch but gets held up.
Referee goes upstairs to see if there was foul play by Kleyn in the lead-up. The South African dove head-first into a clear-out, off his feet, and appeared to clash bonces with Ross Byrne on the ground. Reckless play, at best.
Deserves his 10 in the bin and, frankly, might even deserve worse for that. Lucky boy.
19 May 2018
4:03PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
37 - Huge work by James Cronin who rips possession back from Leinster just outside the blues’ 22, but Rory Scannell fires a pass so forward in its trajectory that it might not land until next Wednesday. Ball seemed to just escape his grasp at the crucial moment as he looked for Earls on the left flank. Unfortunate, and a bit of a let-off for Leinster.
Munster are well in this, now. Entertaining slugfest so far.
19 May 2018
4:05PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
38 - Munster attack from a scrum just outside Leinster’s 22. Zebo, though, is smashed by Garry Ringrose and spills it forward. Leinster scrum.
19 May 2018
4:08PM
Half-time: Leinster 10-3 Munster
The European champions lead through Jack Conan’s try after some superb work by James Lowe, and might have pushed further ahead were it not for Sammy Arnold’s miracle tackle on the explosive Kiwi.
Munster, however – who’ll have Jean Kleyn in the bin for the first few minutes of the second half – are growing into this one, and seem to have weathered the storm.
It’s delicately poised, and we should be in for another cracking 40 minutes after the interval!
19 May 2018
4:19PM
Second Half
40 - Ross Byrne gets us back underway. Ian Keatley is on for JJ Hanrahan at out-half for Munster.
19 May 2018
4:21PM
Leinster 10-3 Munster
41 - A beautiful clearance from Rory Scannell from inside his 22 takes us beyond the Leinster 10m line.
Munster come again from Leinster’s subsequent clearance, and though Conway chips the ball away, Munster turn it over on the ground.
Stander takes them into the Leinster 22.
19 May 2018
4:23PM
TRY MUNSTER! Leinster 10-8 Munster
Superb score by the Munstermen!
They go wide to Zebo, who commits Carbery and Byrne before putting Keith Earls over in the corner.
19 May 2018
4:24PM
Leinster 10-8 Munster
44 - Keatley’s conversion from the touchline goes wide left.
19 May 2018
4:26PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
45 - Keatley is pinged for being ahead of the kicker after Munster cleared from just inside their own 22. He had been warned by referee Berry prior to making the tackle. Byrne knocks it over from 20-odd yards to extend Leinster’s lead to five.
Jean Kleyn is back on for Munster, while Cian Healy has replaced Jack McGrath for the European champions.
48 - A probing kick through by Ringrose is gathered by Zebo, but Ringrose makes the tackle with support after a fantastic kick-chase and Munster are penalised for holding on.
Byrne puts it into touch on the Munster five-metre line, but despite Leinster winning their lineout, Munster win the scrum from the ensuing maul. A lot of roaring and back-slapping for that one after Leinster were doing the same moments prior.
19 May 2018
4:34PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
52 - Gerbrandt Grobler – another set to depart Munster this summer – comes on for Billy Holland.
Leinster win a penalty from a Munster scrum between the visitors’ 10 and 22.
Byrne points to the posts, but misses a fairly straightforward kick to the left – not unlike Hanrahan’s miss earlier.
19 May 2018
4:38PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
55 - Munster go close through Zebo, who chips beyond the Leinster rearguard into their 22, but doesn’t quite get the bounce he needed as Carbery regathers about seven yards from his own line.
Munster are subsequently pinged on the ground.
Dave Kilcoyne on for Munster, Andrew Porter on for Leinster.
19 May 2018
4:43PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
60 - Leinster beginning to turn the screw in the scrum, and their new front row (James Tracy is on as well) demolishes Munster at midfield to win another penalty. Carbery points to the posts from near halfway.
His kick leaves a lot to be desired, and doesn’t come within an ass’s roar of the posts. Munster clear to midfield, and Peter O’Mahony steals the lineout! Murray, however, box-kicks before Munster get it back from Leinster’s own clearance.
Munster go wide left through Earls and then Arnold, who chips infield to no avail.
19 May 2018
4:47PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
63 - Ringrose almost burst clear in Munster’s half but is stopped well by Keatley, who hangs on by his fingernails. James Lowe spills forward after a tackle by Simon Zebo who, as it stands, has just over 15 minutes remaining in Munster red.
But this one remains in the balance.
19 May 2018
4:49PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
66 - Stander strips Ringrose just outside Leinster’s 22 and Conway chips down the right flank. James Lowe retreats to collect, and shrugs Conway off before booting clear to midfield.
19 May 2018
4:52PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
68 - Huge carry by Zebo who blows through two tacklers as Munster attempt to build something in Leinster’s half.
Cian Healy concedes a penalty as he intervenes upon Murray at the breakdown from an offside position.
After a long deliberation, it’s Conor Murray who kicks to touch. And what a job he does! Munster ball, five yards out. On comes Sweetnam for Arnold.
19 May 2018
4:54PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
70 - Niall Scannell’s lineout is almost stolen but Murray recovers possession. Munster chip away at the Leinster defence but James Tracy makes a monumental intervention and Munster are blown up for failing to release on the ground. That’s a massive moment in this game.
19 May 2018
4:58PM
Leinster 13-8 Munster
72 -Mix-up from Fardy and James Lowe sees the former pass directly into touch. Munster lineout near halfway. They win it, and Murray hangs one up but it’s gathered easily by Lowe.
Zebo attempts to go from deep from the resulting kick but makes a horrendous pass under pressure from Rory O’Loughlin which travels forward and into touch. Leinster scrum just outside Munster’s 22.
19 May 2018
5:01PM
Leinster 16-8 Munster
76 - Leinster again win a penalty in the scrum – another unbelievable shove by their front row – and Carbery all but kills this one off from just outside the 22, right of the posts.
The gap is eight, and it’s difficult to see a way back for Munster at this juncture. Three minutes to go.
19 May 2018
5:04PM
Leinster 16-8 Munster
78 - Munster bashing at the Leinster line and win a penalty. Murray goes quickly and Grobler makes a play for the base of the posts. Referee goes upstairs: ‘Try or no try’ the question.
19 May 2018
5:05PM
Try Munster! Leinster 16-15 Munster
Gerbrandt Grobler touches down at the base of the post. Conversion good. Leinster lead by a single point with a minute remaining at the RDS.
19 May 2018
5:08PM
Leinster 16-15 Munster
80 - Munster go from their own five and Simon Zebo makes a massive break up to halfway! O’Mahony takes it up to the Leinster 10! Then Kilcoyne, AND LEINSTER WIN A PENALTY ON THE GROUND!!!
19 May 2018
5:10PM
Full-time: Leinster 16-15 Munster
Despite an uproarious late attack from Munster, who cut loose through Zebo from their own five-metre line, Leinster regroup and eventually put the squeeze on Munster to win a penalty on the floor. That’s the game, and what a game!
Leinster will face the Scarlets in the Pro14 final!
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Thanks for joining our live coverage of today’s Pro14 semi-final. Stay tuned to The42 for analysis and reaction from what was a bit of a barnburner at the RDS.
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As it happened: Leinster v Munster, Pro14 semi-final
GOOD AFTERNOON AND welcome to The42′s live coverage of today’s Pro14 semi-final between Leinster and Munster.
Tá an ghrian ag scoilteadh na gcloch over in Ballsbridge, and we hope you’re enjoying the weather wherever you are, too.
Royal wedding? Come off it! It’s all about the Royal Dublin Showgrounds today, and an All-Irish clash between two old rivals for a place in next weekend’s Pro14 final at Lansdowne Road.
Even this lad knows the scéal:
We’re all in the same boat, Har.
Indeed, for one of these two men – Isa Nacewa and Simon Zebo – it will be a final outing in either blue or red.
Who will get one final run-out in provincial colours? Who will face the Scarlets next weekend? We’ll find out very shortly.
Kick-off is at 3:15, and team news is on its way.
For those asking, today’s game will be shown on both TG4 and Sky Sports Action. TG4′s coverage starts at 2:50, while Sky’s broadcast will kick off at 3.
No changes to the Leinster matchday 23 which was named by Leo Cullen yesterday.
Robbie Henshaw will be out ‘for a few weeks’ but has a decent chance of making Ireland’s summer tour to Australia, while Johnny Sexton is likely to feature against the Scarlets next weekend should Leinster see off their old foes on home soil today.
Munster have arrived at the RDS and it seems they too will line out as planned.
No idea who won, but sure look…
Word from the Leinster camp is that last weekend was “extremely loose”, but Champions Cup celebrations were left in the rear-view from Monday onwards.
Munster supporters, meanwhile, have cut loose upon Paddy Cullen’s in Ballsbridge – their official pre-game meeting point this afternoon.
We’ll have kick-off in 10 minutes (finish up there, now, lads!)
JJ Hanrahan gets us underway at the RDS.
1 – Leinster go wide straight from kick-off and James Lowe takes them beyond the 22. A flying Simon Zebo fields a clearance kick and JJ Hanrahan drills one back to the outskirts of Leinster’s 22.
2 - Leinster win a penalty after Rhys Ruddock wins their lineout, and Ross Byrne fires them back up to midfield. Munster steal the subsequent lineout: Scannell and Zebo combine as the men in red march back into Leinster territory.
5 - a pass from Kleyn goes awry and after Munster scramble backwards to recover possession, Leinster turn them over on the ground with a solid counter-ruck. Byrne clears again, and Zebo collects. Murray returns fire with the boot and despite Munster winning back their own ball, they’re turned over almost immediately by James Ryan.
7 - Leinster cross for the opening score! Incredible work by James Lowe who makes two huge carries before popping a beautiful offload to Jack Conan, who strolls over. Lowe left Simon Zebo on his backside with his second break.
8 - Conversion from Carbery is good.
9 - James Ryan breaks a tackle and makes a huge carry up to midfield, but isolated, he’s pinged for holding on. Keith Earls with the turnover for the visitors.
10 - Break in play as Jack O’Donoghue receives treatment.
10 - Robin Copeland, in what could be his final game before heading west, replaces Jack O’Donoghue who picked up a leg injury after tackling James Ryan from behind.
Munster go wide some 40 yards from Leinster’s line, but Earls’ ambitious pass is correctly ruled forward as it reaches Andrew Conway’s boot.
16 - Rory Scannell makes a half-break and takes Munster up to Leinster’s 22. Zebo kicks crossfield to Andrew Conway for little gain, but Munster had the advantage and Hanrahan will chip at goal from a central position – about 25 yards from the sticks.
18 – Hanrahan splits the posts, and up go the flags.
To those of you using iOS: apologies for the lack of updates during the first 15 or so minutes. I made an absolute balls of something on the backend. Fixed now. Welcome!
21 - Ross Byrne lands a penalty from long range to stretch Leinster’s lead after a decent spell of Munster pressure.
22 - Copeland spills a pass forward and Hanrahan catches it, conceding a penalty for offside in the process.
From the resulting lineout, James Lowe gets loose down the left wing but Sammy Arnold makes an extraordinary tackle around his legs, saving a certain try just five metres from the line! What. A. Tackle! Lowe spills the ball into touch as he hits the deck, and Munster clear their lines.
Jack Conan crosses for, and celebrates, his try.
27 - Unbelievable passage of play by Munster who burst from their own 22 with Murray before Conway and Zebo take them deep into Leinster territory.
They win the penalty, but Hanrahan is off target on this occasion. Poor miss.
That tackle from Sammy Arnold. Unbelievable.
32 - From a lineout, Munster roll their maul up to midfield before Murray puts boot to ball.
They win it in the air, and Hanrahan attempts to set Zebo away with a deft chip but it’s gathered well by a sliding Luke McGrath.
Referee Stuart Berry brings the action back to the touchline, where Munster have a scrum after Leinster knocked it on during the aforementioned aerial contest.
34 - Big carries through the phases from Earls, Conway, O’Mahony and Scannell have brought Munster to within five of the Leinster line.
36 - Yellow card for Jean Kleyn!
Munster chip away at the Leinster line, and CJ Stander – reversing the angle – takes them to within an inch but gets held up.
Referee goes upstairs to see if there was foul play by Kleyn in the lead-up. The South African dove head-first into a clear-out, off his feet, and appeared to clash bonces with Ross Byrne on the ground. Reckless play, at best.
Deserves his 10 in the bin and, frankly, might even deserve worse for that. Lucky boy.
37 - Huge work by James Cronin who rips possession back from Leinster just outside the blues’ 22, but Rory Scannell fires a pass so forward in its trajectory that it might not land until next Wednesday. Ball seemed to just escape his grasp at the crucial moment as he looked for Earls on the left flank. Unfortunate, and a bit of a let-off for Leinster.
Munster are well in this, now. Entertaining slugfest so far.
38 - Munster attack from a scrum just outside Leinster’s 22. Zebo, though, is smashed by Garry Ringrose and spills it forward. Leinster scrum.
The European champions lead through Jack Conan’s try after some superb work by James Lowe, and might have pushed further ahead were it not for Sammy Arnold’s miracle tackle on the explosive Kiwi.
Munster, however – who’ll have Jean Kleyn in the bin for the first few minutes of the second half – are growing into this one, and seem to have weathered the storm.
It’s delicately poised, and we should be in for another cracking 40 minutes after the interval!
40 - Ross Byrne gets us back underway. Ian Keatley is on for JJ Hanrahan at out-half for Munster.
41 - A beautiful clearance from Rory Scannell from inside his 22 takes us beyond the Leinster 10m line.
Munster come again from Leinster’s subsequent clearance, and though Conway chips the ball away, Munster turn it over on the ground.
Stander takes them into the Leinster 22.
Superb score by the Munstermen!
They go wide to Zebo, who commits Carbery and Byrne before putting Keith Earls over in the corner.
44 - Keatley’s conversion from the touchline goes wide left.
45 - Keatley is pinged for being ahead of the kicker after Munster cleared from just inside their own 22. He had been warned by referee Berry prior to making the tackle. Byrne knocks it over from 20-odd yards to extend Leinster’s lead to five.
Jean Kleyn is back on for Munster, while Cian Healy has replaced Jack McGrath for the European champions.
Keith Earls dots down for the visitors.
48 - A probing kick through by Ringrose is gathered by Zebo, but Ringrose makes the tackle with support after a fantastic kick-chase and Munster are penalised for holding on.
Byrne puts it into touch on the Munster five-metre line, but despite Leinster winning their lineout, Munster win the scrum from the ensuing maul. A lot of roaring and back-slapping for that one after Leinster were doing the same moments prior.
52 - Gerbrandt Grobler – another set to depart Munster this summer – comes on for Billy Holland.
Leinster win a penalty from a Munster scrum between the visitors’ 10 and 22.
Byrne points to the posts, but misses a fairly straightforward kick to the left – not unlike Hanrahan’s miss earlier.
55 - Munster go close through Zebo, who chips beyond the Leinster rearguard into their 22, but doesn’t quite get the bounce he needed as Carbery regathers about seven yards from his own line.
Munster are subsequently pinged on the ground.
Dave Kilcoyne on for Munster, Andrew Porter on for Leinster.
60 - Leinster beginning to turn the screw in the scrum, and their new front row (James Tracy is on as well) demolishes Munster at midfield to win another penalty. Carbery points to the posts from near halfway.
His kick leaves a lot to be desired, and doesn’t come within an ass’s roar of the posts. Munster clear to midfield, and Peter O’Mahony steals the lineout! Murray, however, box-kicks before Munster get it back from Leinster’s own clearance.
Munster go wide left through Earls and then Arnold, who chips infield to no avail.
63 - Ringrose almost burst clear in Munster’s half but is stopped well by Keatley, who hangs on by his fingernails. James Lowe spills forward after a tackle by Simon Zebo who, as it stands, has just over 15 minutes remaining in Munster red.
But this one remains in the balance.
66 - Stander strips Ringrose just outside Leinster’s 22 and Conway chips down the right flank. James Lowe retreats to collect, and shrugs Conway off before booting clear to midfield.
68 - Huge carry by Zebo who blows through two tacklers as Munster attempt to build something in Leinster’s half.
Cian Healy concedes a penalty as he intervenes upon Murray at the breakdown from an offside position.
After a long deliberation, it’s Conor Murray who kicks to touch. And what a job he does! Munster ball, five yards out. On comes Sweetnam for Arnold.
70 - Niall Scannell’s lineout is almost stolen but Murray recovers possession. Munster chip away at the Leinster defence but James Tracy makes a monumental intervention and Munster are blown up for failing to release on the ground. That’s a massive moment in this game.
72 -Mix-up from Fardy and James Lowe sees the former pass directly into touch. Munster lineout near halfway. They win it, and Murray hangs one up but it’s gathered easily by Lowe.
Zebo attempts to go from deep from the resulting kick but makes a horrendous pass under pressure from Rory O’Loughlin which travels forward and into touch. Leinster scrum just outside Munster’s 22.
76 - Leinster again win a penalty in the scrum – another unbelievable shove by their front row – and Carbery all but kills this one off from just outside the 22, right of the posts.
The gap is eight, and it’s difficult to see a way back for Munster at this juncture. Three minutes to go.
78 - Munster bashing at the Leinster line and win a penalty. Murray goes quickly and Grobler makes a play for the base of the posts. Referee goes upstairs: ‘Try or no try’ the question.
Gerbrandt Grobler touches down at the base of the post. Conversion good. Leinster lead by a single point with a minute remaining at the RDS.
80 - Munster go from their own five and Simon Zebo makes a massive break up to halfway! O’Mahony takes it up to the Leinster 10! Then Kilcoyne, AND LEINSTER WIN A PENALTY ON THE GROUND!!!
Despite an uproarious late attack from Munster, who cut loose through Zebo from their own five-metre line, Leinster regroup and eventually put the squeeze on Munster to win a penalty on the floor. That’s the game, and what a game!
Leinster will face the Scarlets in the Pro14 final!
The final act:
Thanks for joining our live coverage of today’s Pro14 semi-final. Stay tuned to The42 for analysis and reaction from what was a bit of a barnburner at the RDS.
‘Til next week!
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Leinster lovely day for it Munster pro14