Sat 7th October 2pm Leinster v Munster (Aviva Stadium)

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Rewatched the match today. Sadly this fixture delivered on the billing of being a shadow of the former intensity it used to provide. Munster are extremely poor, not worthy of the "bitter rival" tag any more, we've won 14 of the last 20, and of the 6 defeats there are some really, really soft ones. The loss in the Aviva with our academy second string still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

We were in complete control for 75 minutes, only threat was Munsters few consecutive lineouts on our 5 metre line, but even then we defended them very comfortably, I think that was their only visit to our 22 other than two soft tries against the run of play, the types of tries you concede in a training match.

We have several levels to go up and a host of massive players to come back, but it disappoints me that we never seem to put them to the sword and do just enough to get the win. In reality with a bit more accuracy and tempo we could have humiliated them, but I suppose why show the playbook and empty the tank when you don't have to.

Munster are in dire straights, heavily relient on signings with the hope of filling the swiss cheese holes in their squad. Shaggy summed it up, Munster will always do enough to be competitive to the tail end of the season, but way off the pace of the top teams in the league and Europe.

Having said that, at the quarter mark, the Pro14 play-off teams are wrapped up. One spot up for grabs in pool A, but already it's just teams jostling for which order they finish for the play-offs. Not sure separating the league into two is a good idea, it just highlights the lack of competitiveness in the league beyond a handful of the better sides.

Looking forward to Europe and getting some big names back into the squad, Heaslip, O'Brien, Ryan, Ringrose, Kearney, Nacewa and James Lowe to come in. The extra firepower in the backline is needed.

Lineout looked much better, fair play to Tracy. I think it was a whole unit issue though and I'll be interested to see how Cronin gets on if he starts next time out.

RIP this fixture though, a shadow of what it once was.

Your banging on about reliance on outside players is tiresome and misguided. Change the record.

Minster scored 3 tries not 2.

Munster finished higher than you in every competition last year. So rather better than you and shaggys opinion.

Last year.