Leinster and Munster clash in the Guinness PRO14 final at the RDS Arena on Saturday with the hosts going in search of a fourth consecutive title while their visitors chase their first in a decade.
Every final in the competition’s history has featured at least one of these sides but this will be the first meeting between the two in the showpiece since 2011, when Munster came out on top.
Leinster earned their place by finishing seven points clear of Ulster at the summit of Conference A while Munster topped Conference B by 19 points from Connacht.
The victors will become the 20th champions since the competition started life as the Celtic League in 2001, with these sides also having contested the first final. Leinster were the champions on that occasion.
SAT – Leinster v Munster
RDS Arena, Dublin | KO 17:00 | Live on eir Sport, Premier Sports, TG4, Super Sport, pro14.tv.
Leinster went unbeaten on their way to the title last season but have proven themselves to be human this time around after suffering home defeats to Connacht and the Ospreys – the latter in dramatic fashion last weekend.
They have won their last five meetings with Munster and have dashed the hopes of the men from Limerick at the semi-final stage in each of the past three seasons, going on to lift the title on every occasion. Munster’s last win against Leinster came back in December 2018 when they were 26-17 victors at Thomond Park.
Of 161 matches played between the sides in all competitions, Leinster have won 102 to Munster’s 48.
Leinster have appeared in nine of the 11 finals held since the return of the play-offs in the 2009-10 season. The Dubliners are chasing their eighth title overall and were 27-5 victors over Ulster in last year’s final.
Munster, who have been crowned champions on three previous occasions, have finished as runners-up twice since they last lifted the trophy with a 19-9 victory over Leinster in 2011. They came up short against Glasgow Warriors in 2015 before losing to the Scarlets two years later.
