Leinster rally to beat Munster in Aviva URC derby
Leinster recovered from an early deficit to secure a bonus-point win over Munster at the Aviva Stadium in a United Rugby Championship derby on 24 October 2026.
Munster surged into a 13-0 lead through a try from Shane Daly and eight points from 20-year-old fly-half Charlie O'Shea, before Leinster mounted a second-half comeback. Jamison Gibson-Park, returning to action, provided three try assists as Leinster shifted the momentum in the latter stages.
Munster opened the scoring after James Ryan conceded a penalty for a high tackle, which O'Shea converted, and then constructed the match's first try when O'Shea, Sean O'Brien and Craig Casey combined to put Daly over. O'Shea extended the visitors' advantage with a wind-assisted penalty from just inside his own half following a turnover forced by Alex Nankivell.
Leinster reduced the deficit before half-time when, from a scrum five metres out, Gibson-Park supplied an accurate pass to right wing Tommy O'Brien who finished in the corner. The game featured other pre-match and in-game subplots, including hooker Dan Sheehan being deployed at number eight and Munster's first outing since only two of their players were named in the latest Ireland squad.
Early in the second half a Munster penalty was overturned after a late tackle by Kieran Brookes, and Leinster then mounted sustained pressure that ended with Ryan Baird forcing his way over the line following a spell of dominance and with Alex Nankivell sin-binned for repeated infringements. Joey Carbery converted to bring Leinster to within a point.
With Nankivell off the field, Leinster capitalised on a missed Munster line-out; Gibson-Park set up Charlie Tector to give the hosts their first lead with 16 minutes remaining. After a lengthy stoppage for a serious injury to Daly, Gibson-Park created a late attacking chance that Jamie Osborne converted eight minutes from time to secure the bonus point, and Ben O'Connor crossed in the final minute to earn Munster a losing bonus.
Leinster named Hugo Keenan; Tommy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O'Brien; Joey Carbery, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Dan Sheehan (capt). Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Conor O'Tighearnaigh, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Caspar Gabriel, Charlie Tector.
Munster named Ben O'Connor; Shay McCarthy, Sean O'Brien, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Charlie O'Shea, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Marnus Van der Merwe, Kieran Brookes, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Jack O'Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Max Clein, Mark Donnelly, Michael Ala'alatoa, Sean Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ben O'Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Gordon Wood.
Leinster travel to Connacht on Friday (19:45 GMT) in their next URC fixture, while Munster return to Thomond Park to face the Sharks on Saturday (17:30).
