Leinster versus Munster is, according to some Irish commentators, one of the biggest provincial rivalries in world rugby,[1] which dates back to 1879, the year of founding of the provincial sides. Games between the two have occurred on an annual basis since the inception of the Irish inter-provincial championship in 1946. Since the beginning of the inter-provincials in 1946, Leinster hold a 62–45 advantage in overall wins, with five draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in the 2001–02 season, Leinster hold a 35–18 advantage in overall wins, with one draw in that time.
The fierce rivalry has grown since the turn of professionalism as both teams battled for domestic and European dominance, and has sometimes become a heated and bitter affair, on and off the pitch.[2] The rivalry is heightened by the fact that Leinster and Munster have been among the stronger provinces in Irish rugby, and among the strongest teams in European competition.[3]
The birth of the modern era rivalry could be attributed to the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2006, when Munster defeated Leinster 30–6 in Lansdowne Road en route to winning their first European Championship. Munster then went on to enjoy a period of success by again winning the European trophy in 2008. A shift in fortunes occurred in 2009 however, when Leinster defeated Munster 25–6 at the same stage of the competition in front of 82,208 spectators at Croke Park, which was a world record attendance for a club game;[4] [5] Leinster went on in 2009 to claim the first of four European titles to Munster's two. The matches between the two teams regularly sells out their stadiums.[6]
In addition to European competition, the two sides regularly face each other in the United Rugby Championship. Leinster and Munster have consistently been among the strongest teams in that tournament, with Leinster reaching twelve finals winning seven, and Munster reaching seven finals winning three. They have finished top two in the Pro14 championship three times — with Leinster defeating Munster 24–20 in 2002,[7] Munster winning 19–9 in the 2011 final and Leinster defeating Munster 16–6 in the 2021 final.[8] [9]
| Details | Played | Won by Leinster | Won by Munster | Drawn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leinster Home | 59 | 38 | 20 | 1 | |
| Munster Home | 53 | 24 | 25 | 4 | |
| Overall | 112 | 62 | 45 | 5 |
Biggest win
Leinster: 32–0 (1958–59)
Munster: 30–6 (2005–06)
Highest scoring match
Leinster 40–45 Munster (85 points, 1996–97)
Lowest scoring match
Munster 0–0 Leinster (0 points, 1953–54)
Most consecutive wins
Leinster: 6 (2018–19 – 2020–21)
Munster: 3 (1989–90 – 1991–92, 1996–97 – 1998–99, 2004–05 – 2005–06)
Highest attendance
82,208 (Heineken Cup semi-final, Croke Park, May 2009)
| Season | Home | Away | Winner | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946/47 | Leinster 15 | Munster 11 | Leinster (1) | |
| 1947/48 | Munster 14 | Leinster 11 | Munster (1) | |
| 1948/49 | Leinster 6 | Munster 0 | Leinster (2) | |
| 1949/50 | Munster 3 | Leinster 3 | Draw (1) | |
| 1950/51 | Leinster 8 | Munster 6 | Leinster (3) | |
| 1951/52 | Munster 9 | Leinster 12 | Leinster (4) | |
| 1952/53 | Leinster 0 | Munster 3 | Munster (2) | |
| 1953/54 | Munster 0 | Leinster 0 | Draw (2) | Lowest scoring game in history of fixture |
| 1954/55 | Leinster 8 | Munster 9 | Munster (3) | |
| 1955/56 | Munster 9 | Leinster 12 | Leinster (5) | |
| 1956/57 | Leinster 19 | Munster 9 | Leinster (6) | |
| 1957/58 | Munster 19 | Leinster 12 | Munster (4) | |
| 1958/59 | Leinster 32 | Munster 0 | Leinster (7) | Largest winning margin in history of fixture |
| 1959/60 | Munster 18 | Leinster 14 | Munster (5) | |
| 1960/61 | Leinster 14 | Munster 9 | Leinster (8) | |
| 1961/62 | Munster 3 | Leinster 6 | Leinster (9) | |
| 1962/63 | Leinster 6 | Munster 14 | Munster (6) | |
| 1963/64 | Munster 6 | Leinster 10 | Leinster (10) | |
| 1964/65 | Leinster 14 | Munster 3 | Leinster (11) | |
| 1965/66 | Munster 6 | Leinster 3 | Munster (7) | |
| 1966/67 | Leinster 5 | Munster 9 | Munster (8) | |
| 1967/68 | Munster 5 | Leinster 8 | Leinster (12) | |
| 1968/69 | Leinster 8 | Munster 12 | Munster (9) | |
| 1969/70 | Munster 6 | Leinster 12 | Leinster (13) | |
| 1970/71 | Leinster 10 | Munster 0 | Leinster (14) | |
| 1971/72 | Munster 0 | Leinster 9 | Leinster (15) | |
| 1972/73 | Leinster 9 | Munster 17 | Munster (10) | |
| 1973/74 | Munster 13 | Leinster 3 | Munster (11) | |
| 1974/75 | Leinster 9 | Munster 6 | Leinster (16) | |
| 1975/76 | Munster 9 | Leinster 0 | Munster (12) | |
| 1976/77 | Leinster 12 | Munster 6 | Leinster (17) | |
| 1977/78 | Munster 15 | Leinster 10 | Munster (13) | |
| 1978/79 | Leinster 3 | Munster 12 | Munster (14) | |
| 1979/80 | Munster 3 | Leinster 4 | Leinster (18) | |
| 1980/81 | Leinster 18 | Munster 9 | Leinster (19) | |
| 1981/82 | Munster 15 | Leinster 15 | Draw (3) | |
| 1982/83 | Leinster 6 | Munster 9 | Munster (15) | |
| 1983/84 | Munster 13 | Leinster 22 | Leinster (20) | |
| 1984/85 | Leinster 15 | Munster 9 | Leinster (21) | |
| 1985/86 | Munster 6 | Leinster 15 | Leinster (22) | |
| 1986/87 | Leinster 15 | Munster 3 | Leinster (23) | |
| 1987/88 | Munster 10 | Leinster 3 | Munster (16) | |
| 1988/89 | Leinster 23 | Munster 12 | Leinster (24) | |
| 1989/90 | Munster 10 | Leinster 3 | Munster (17) | |
| 1990/91 | Leinster 12 | Munster 27 | Munster (18) | |
| 1991/92 | Munster 20 | Leinster 3 | Munster (19) | |
| 1992/93 | Leinster 21 | Munster 20 | Leinster (25) | |
| 1993/94 | Munster 21 | Leinster 19 | Munster (20) | |
| 1994/95 | Leinster 14 | Munster 36 | Munster (21) | |
| 1995/96 | Munster 15 | Leinster 19 | Leinster (26) | |
| 1996/97 | Leinster 40 | Munster 45 | Munster (22) | Highest scoring match in history of fixture |
| 1997/98 | Munster 15 | Leinster 12 | Munster (23) | |
| 1998/99 | Leinster 10 | Munster 25 | Munster (24) | |
| 1998/99 | Munster 18 | Leinster 24 | Leinster (27) | |
| 1999/00 | Leinster 13 | Munster 30 | Munster (25) | |
| 1999/00 | Munster 31 | Leinster 20 | Munster (26) | |
| 2000/01 | Leinster 16 | Munster 16 | Draw (4) | |
| 2000/01 | Munster 26 | Leinster 20 | Munster (27) | |
| 2001/02 | Leinster 24 | Munster 20 | Leinster (28) | League Final |
| 2001/02 | Munster 6 | Leinster 6 | Draw (5) | |
| 2002/03 | N/A | N/A | N/A | No Fixture |
| 2003/04 | Leinster 8 | Munster 15 | Munster (28) | |
| 2003/04 | Munster 24 | Leinster 13 | Munster (29) | |
| 2004/05 | Leinster 17 | Munster 15 | Leinster (29) | |
| 2004/05 | Munster 19 | Leinster 13 | Munster (30) | |
| 2004/05 | Leinster 17 | Munster 23 | Munster (31) | Celtic Cup Semi-Final |
| 2005/06 | Munster 33 | Leinster 9 | Munster (32) | |
| 2005/06 | Leinster 35 | Munster 23 | Leinster (30) | |
| 2005/06 | Leinster 6 | Munster 30 | Munster (33) | European Cup Semi-Final |
| 2006/07 | Leinster 27 | Munster 20 | Leinster (31) | |
| 2006/07 | Munster 25 | Leinster 11 | Munster (34) | |
| 2007/08 | Munster 3 | Leinster 10 | Leinster (32) | |
| 2007/08 | Leinster 21 | Munster 12 | Leinster (33) | |
| 2008/09 | Leinster 0 | Munster 18 | Munster (35) | |
| 2008/09 | Munster 22 | Leinster 5 | Munster (36) | |
| 2008/09 | Munster 6 | Leinster 25 | Leinster (34) | European Cup Semi-Final |
| 2009/10 | Leinster 30 | Munster 0 | Leinster (35) | Largest winning margin in professional era |
| 2009/10 | Munster 15 | Leinster 16 | Leinster (36) | |
| 2009/10 | Leinster 16 | Munster 6 | Leinster (37) | League Semi-Final |
| 2010/11 | Leinster 13 | Munster 9 | Leinster (38) | |
| 2010/11 | Munster 24 | Leinster 23 | Munster (37) | |
| 2010/11 | Munster 19 | Leinster 9 | Munster (38) | League Final |
| 2011/12 | Leinster 24 | Munster 19 | Leinster (39) | |
| 2011/12 | Munster 9 | Leinster 18 | Leinster (40) | |
| 2012/13 | Leinster 30 | Munster 21 | Leinster (41) | |
| 2012/13 | Munster 16 | Leinster 22 | Leinster (42) | |
| 2013/14 | Munster 19 | Leinster 15 | Munster (39) | |
| 2013/14 | Leinster 22 | Munster 18 | Leinster (43) | |
| 2014/15 | Leinster 23 | Munster 34 | Munster (40) | |
| 2014/15 | Munster 28 | Leinster 13 | Munster (41) | |
| 2015/16 | Munster 7 | Leinster 24 | Leinster (44) | |
| 2015/16 | Leinster 16 | Munster 13 | Leinster (45) | |
| 2016/17 | Leinster 25 | Munster 14 | Leinster (46) | |
| 2016/17 | Munster 29 | Leinster 17 | Munster (42) | |
| 2017/18 | Leinster 23 | Munster 17 | Leinster (47) | |
| 2017/18 | Munster 24 | Leinster 34 | Leinster (48) | |
| 2017/18 | Leinster 16 | Munster 15 | Leinster (49) | League Semi-Final |
| 2018/19 | Leinster 30 | Munster 22 | Leinster (50) | |
| 2018/19 | Munster 26 | Leinster 17 | Munster (43) | |
| 2018/19 | Leinster 24 | Munster 9 | Leinster (51) | League Semi-Final |
| 2019/20 | Munster 6 | Leinster 13 | Leinster (52) | |
| 2019/20 | Leinster 27 | Munster 25 | Leinster (53) | |
| 2019/20 | Leinster 13 | Munster 3 | Leinster (54) | League Semi-Final |
| 2020/21 | Munster 10 | Leinster 13 | Leinster (55) | |
| 2020/21 | Leinster 16 | Munster 6 | Leinster (56) | League Final Most consecutive wins in history of fixture |
| 2020/21 | Leinster 3 | Munster 27 | Munster (44) | Rainbow Cup fixture |
| 2021/22 | Munster 19 | Leinster 34 | Leinster (57) | [10] |
| 2021/22 | Leinster 35 | Munster 25 | Leinster (58) | [11] |
| 2022/23 | Leinster 27 | Munster 13 | Leinster (59) | [12] |
| 2022/23 | Munster 19 | Leinster 20 | Leinster (60) | [13] |
| 2022/23 | Leinster 15 | Munster 16 | Munster (45) | League Semi-final fixture[14] |
| 2023/24 | Leinster 21 | Munster 16 | Leinster (61) | [15] |
| 2023/24 | Munster 3 | Leinster 9 | Leinster (62) | [16] |