Top of the table clash

On Sunday evening, inter-provincial rivalries will be revived once again as the biggest domestic game of the season takes place in the RDS. Munster and Leinster will go head-to-head in the capital, with the added carrot of topping the Magners League being offered as a further incentive.

There's been no love lost between these two sides over the past three seasons and this weekend's encounter should be no different. The prospect of the current Magners League Champions facing off against the reigning Heineken Cup Champions is certainly a thrilling prospect and with the Autumn Internationals looming large on the horizon, many feel this game will act as an unofficial final trial.

Sell out

The game has already sold-out, with almost 19,000 tickets being snapped up well in advance of kick-off. Following last season's double over Munster for Michael Cheika's side, the team from down south will be eager to inflict a 'mild' dose of revenge.

For almost ten years these games have been billed as the Munster forwards against the Leinster backs, with the former providing the bulk of the international pack and the latter supplying the equivalent backline.

However, this season's encounter will offer a great deal more. Tony McGahan's side are in free-scoring mode and they currently top the try-scoring charts in this season's league campaign. The Kiwi trio of Doug Howlett, Rua Tipoki and Lifeimi Mafi have been perfectly complemented by the local talents of Keith Earls and Ian Dowling.

This quintet has played a large hand in propelling the Munster backs into the limelight over the course of the last month. Leinster on the other hand now possess a mean-edge up-front. Curreánt internationals such as Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings, Bernard Jackman and Leo Cullen have now been joined by recent arrivals CJ Van Der Linde and Rocky Elsom. Sunday's encounter is guaranteed to be explosive.

A tight game

With two of the finest sides in Europe on display, the outcome will hinge on the slightest of margins. An injury to newly recruited out-half Isa Nacewa will force Michael Cheika into a reshuffle in his backline. Irish-born Jonathan Sexton should now line out at number ten, with the mercurial Felipe Contepomi providing cover at number twelve.