Leinster v Munster predictions and rugby union tips: Back Leinster to make a flying start

Where to watch Leinster v Munster

Viaplay Sports 1, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Leinster -4 on first-half handicap
2pts 5-6 Paddy Power

Leinster v Munster preview 

Munster ended the URC regular season with a pair of battling performances in South Africa and took that fight into last weekend's impressive quarter-final success at Glasgow. But they will surely need to step up another gear when they face runaway favourites Leinster in Dublin for a place in the final.

It's a third consecutive outing at the Aviva Stadium for Leinster, who saw off the Sharks 35-3 in the quarter-final last weekend and overcame Toulouse 41-22 in the European Champions Cup semi-final the week before.

They have looked simply unstoppable this season after the shock of last year's trophyless campaign and are warm favourites for a domestic and European double.

Traditionally this has been a close-fought fixture but it has swung more towards Leinster in the last two campaigns and they are ten-point favourites for this encounter.

Through five seasons from 2015-16 to 2020-21, backing Leinster to win by one to 12 points would have brought 11 winners in 16 meetings. But since then Leinster have won all four clashes, three of them by a double-figure margin, winning the two Dublin matches by ten points last season and 14 this term.

Leinster have the distraction of a European final against La Rochelle next week but not only do they have the squad depth to cope, even without injured fly-half Johnny Sexton, they may well be even more keyed up in attack as they build to that showdown.

Defending European champions La Rochelle showed their trademark power up front in their semi-final win over Exeter but if there is one side with the pace and flair out wide to counter that it is Leinster, and this is a chance to fine-tune that side of their game.

Leinster scored three tries in the first half-hour against Toulouse and the Sharks, and they are worth backing for another speedy start.

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