FOLLOWING the long period of dominance by Ulster, Munster broke the sequence two years ago and last season Leinster ended a long barren spell to regain the Interprovincial Championship, a series sponsored by Guinness.
The championship winners this season are likely to be Leinster or Munster.
The second series of matches go ahead this afternoon and such were the results last week when Munster defeated Connacht and Leinster beat Ulster, that the outcome of the Leinster v Munster tie at Donnybrook this afternoon
(2.30) will, if the match is conclusive, leave the winners as favourites to capture the title.
Meanwhile, Ulster and Connacht meet at Ravenhill with the incentive for both to get something tangible from the series.
When Leinster and Munster met two years ago at Donnybrook, Munster's 36-14 win was the most comprehensive victory ever attained on Leinster soil. Last season Leinster went to Thomond Park and exacted revenge by winning 19-15 and then went on to do the grand slam.
But a lot has changed in the last few months, most notably the departure to England of so many players from both provinces. Gone, we hope temporarily, are the days when the interprovincial series saw provinces field at full strength. Now with very few exceptions the provinces have to rely on the home based players.
Despite the departures the desire to win the title is no less acute and so the commitment will be total today. With all four provinces having played last week there should be some improvement, especially as so many players were playing in the series for the first time.
Yet it is indicative of the changing scene that the Munster team this afternoon includes only five players who played in the corresponding match last season. The only survivor in the pack is Mick Galwey. Centre Brian Walsh, full back Dominic Crotty, wing Sean McCahill and scrum half Stephen McIvor remain among the backs. McCahill played in the centre last year and Crotty on the wing.
Leinster in contrast have five in the pack who did so well in Thomond park 12 months ago. They are prop Henry Hurley, the second row pair Steve Jameson and Neil Francis and back row players Chris Pim and Stephen Rooney. Centre Kurt McQuilkin and scrum half Alain Rolland were also in the team.
If the Leinster pack can do as well today as they did last season then it could be the prelude to victory. Not many packs manage to shove Munster over their own line and get a try. That happened last season. "A lot of things went wrong for us last year," said Munster manager Colm Tucker "and Leinster deserved to win. But I am confident that our pack will play much better. I think we have the depth in the side to win the match but it is likely to be very close." It is perhaps worth remembering, too, that Munster missed seven kicks at goal last season.
Despite the fact that Leinster have five forwards from last year's engagement, the Munster pack is still one of vast experience containing as it does no fewer than five internationals and an "A" international in Len Dinneen. The Munster back row is an all international combination of Anthony Foley, Ben Cronin and Eddie Halvey. They have an important role to play.
There is enough scoring power in both back lines to turn good possession to account. Both scrum halves Alain Rolland (Leinster) and Stephen McIvor are perceptive enough to use it shrewdly. Both outside halves are at the outset of their interprovincial careers. It should be a vibrant contest with little in it at the end.
Leinster must start with much greater urgency and conviction than they showed in the match last week. They will go into the match as slight favourites, but may be hard pressed to justify the rating. Munster have won on two of their last three visits to Dublin, they might manage another win today but not if they miss penalty chances as they did last season. The match will be refereed by Graham Hughes, of England, and his interpretations could be important.
The background against which Connacht travel to Ravenhill is, to say the least, intimidating. It is 3 years since Connacht last beat Ulster - that time in Galway. In the interim the best result they attained was a 10-10 draw in 1991. Connacht's last win at Ravenhill was in 1960.
They make today's journey with the hope that they can get a good result. This match brings Warren Gatland and Tony Russ, the coaches of Connacht and Ulster respectively into opposition.
Gatland has had little time to work with the Connacht side but last week's match will have been revealing for him and will probably have helped Connacht. Their concession to the 17 points defeat by Munster was two changes with Shane Leahy coming into the second row for Mick O'Neill and Nigel Carolan in the centre for the injured Nicky Barry. But Ray Ward's withdrawal has meant an alteration at prop and the advent to the side of Mick Finlay
Despite the deficiencies exposed last week by Leinster. Ulster have made just one alteration Alan Robinson in the second row for Charlie Simpson. The Ulster pack did reasonably well in the first half last week and they will be looking to sustain that over 80 minutes.
Connacht will be hoping that second row pair Leahy and Graham Heaslip will be able to give them an advantage in the line out over Gary Longwell and Robinson. But the Ulster pack looks that bit stronger even if the tight five is not a unit of immense power. But the Ulster back row of Stuart Duncan, Stephen McKinty and Denis McBride is an experienced one and they could exert an influence.
The Connacht halfback pairing of Conor McGuinness and Eric Elwood represents a good combination perhaps more accomplished than Ulster's duo of Stephen Bell and Stuart Laing, Ulster look stronger across the three-quarter line and appear to have greater depth in their side and it should assert itself in the form of a win but perhaps only by a slim margin.
