History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Munster

File:Leinster30Munster0.jpg

The largest winning margin in the professional era of the fixture, achieved in October 2009

Leinster versus Munster is one of the largest Provincial rivalries in world rugby, which dates back to 1879, the year of founding of the provinces, although games between the two have only occurred on an annual basis since the inception of the Irish inter-provincial championship in 1946. Since the beginning of the inter-pros in 1946, Leinster hold a 45-41 advantage in overall wins, with five draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in the 2001-02 season, Leinster hold an 18-14 advantage in overall wins, with one draw in that time.

The fierce rivalry has grown exponentially since the turn of professionalism as both teams battled for domestic and European dominance, and has sometimes become a heated and bitter affair, on and off the pitch.

The birth of the modern era rivalry could be attributed to the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2006, when Munster defeated Leinster 30 - 6 in Lansdowne Road en route to winning their first European Championship. Munster then went on to enjoy a period of success by again winning the European trophy in 2008. A shift in fortunes occurred in 2009 however, when Leinster defeated Munster 25 - 6 at the same stage of the competition in front of 82,208 spectators at Croke Park, which was a world record attendance for a club game, before going on to claim the first of three European titles in a four-year period.

Overall Summary of Games Since 1946

Details	Played	Won by Leinster	Won by Munster	Drawn
Leinster Home	46	27	18	1
Munster Home	45	18	23	4
Overall	91	45	41	5

Statistics

Biggest wins

Leinster: 32-0 (1958/59), 30-0 (2009/10)

Munster: 6-30 (2005/06), 33-9 (2005/06)

Highest scoring match

Leinster 40 - Munster 45 (85 points, 1996/97)

Lowest scoring match

Munster 0 - Leinster 0 (0 points, 1953/54)

Most consecutive wins

Leinster: 5 (2008/09 - 2010/11) 4 (1983/84 - 1986/87) 4 (2011/12 - 2012/13)

Munster: 3 (1989/90 - 1991/92) 3 (1996/97 - 1998/99) 3 (2004/05 - 2005/06)

Highest attendance

82,208 (HC semi-final, Croke Park, May 2009)

List of Honours

Leinster:

• European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Winners: 3 (2009, 2011, 2012)
• European Rugby Challenge Cup
  • Winners: 1 (2013)
• Pro12
  • Winners: 4 (2002, 2008, 2013, 2014)
  • Runners-up: 4 (2006, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• British & Irish Cup
  • Winners: 2 (2013, 2014)
• Irish Inter-Provincial Championship
  • Winners: 22 (1949, 1950*, 1955*, 1957*, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965*, 1972, 1973*, 1976*, 1978*, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983*, 1984, 1994*, 1996, 1998*, 2002)

Munster:

• European Rugby Champions Cup
  • Winners: 2 (2006, 2008)
  • Runners Up: 2 (2000, 2002)
• Pro12
  • Winners: 3 (2003, 2009, 2011)
  • Runners Up: 2 (2002, 2005)
• Celtic Cup:
  • Winners: 1 (2005)
• British and Irish Cup
  • Winners: 1 (2012)
  • Runners Up: 1 (2010)
• Irish Inter-Provincial Championship:
  • Winners: 22

Results

• 1946/47 Leinster 15 Munster 11
• 1947/48 Munster 14 Leinster 11
• 1948/49 Leinster 6 Munster 0
• 1949/50 Munster 3 Leinster 3
• 1950/51 Leinster 8 Munster 6
• 1951/52 Munster 9 Leinster 12
• 1952/53 Leinster 0 Munster 3
• 1953/54 Munster 0 Leinster 0
• 1954/55 Leinster 8 Munster 9
• 1955/56 Munster 9 Leinster 12
• 1956/57 Leinster 19 Munster 9
• 1957/58 Munster 19 Leinster 12
• 1958/59 Leinster 32 Munster 0
• 1959/60 Munster 18 Leinster 14
• 1960/61 Leinster 14 Munster 9
• 1961/62 Munster 3 Leinster 6
• 1962/63 Leinster 6 Munster 14
• 1963/64 Munster 6 Leinster 10
• 1964/65 Leinster 14 Munster 3
• 1965/66 Munster 6 Leinster 3
• 1966/67 Leinster 5 Munster 9
• 1967/68 Munster 5 Leinster 8
• 1968/69 Leinster 8 Munster 12
• 1969/70 Munster 6 Leinster 12
• 1970/71 Leinster 10 Munster 0
• 1971/72 Munster 0 Leinster 9
• 1972/73 Leinster 9 Munster 17
• 1973/74 Munster 13 Leinster 3
• 1974/75 Leinster 9 Munster 6
• 1975/76 Munster 9 Leinster 0
• 1976/77 Leinster 12 Munster 6
• 1977/78 Munster 15 Leinster 10
• 1978/79 Leinster 3 Munster 12
• 1979/80 Munster 3 Leinster 4
• 1980/81 Leinster 18 Munster 9
• 1981/82 Munster 15 Leinster 15
• 1982/83 Leinster 6 Munster 9
• 1983/84 Munster 13 Leinster 22
• 1984/85 Leinster 15 Munster 9
• 1985/86 Munster 6 Leinster 15
• 1986/87 Leinster 15 Munster 3
• 1987/88 Munster 10 Leinster 3
• 1988/89 Leinster 23 Munster 12
• 1989/90 Munster 10 Leinster 3
• 1990/91 Leinster 12 Munster 27
• 1991/92 Munster 20 Leinster 3
• 1992/93 Leinster 21 Munster 20
• 1993/94 Munster 21 Leinster 19
• 1994/95 Leinster 14 Munster 36
• 1995/96 Munster 15 Leinster 19
• 1996/97 Leinster 40 Munster 45
• 1997/98 Munster 15 Leinster 12
• 1998/99 Leinster 10 Munster 25; Munster 18 Leinster 24
• 1999/00 Leinster 13 Munster 30; Munster 31 Leinster 20
• 2000/01 Leinster 16 Munster 16; Munster 26 Leinster 20
• 2001/02 Leinster 24 Munster 20 (CL Final); Munster 6 Leinster 6
• 2002/03 no matches
• 2003/04 Leinster 8 Munster 15; Munster 24 Leinster 13
• 2004/05 Leinster 17 Munster 15; Munster 19 Leinster 13; Leinster 17 Munster 23 (CC SF)
• 2005/06 Munster 33 Leinster 9; Leinster 35 Munster 23; Leinster 6 Munster 30 (HEC SF)
• 2006/07 Leinster 27 Munster 20; Munster 25 Leinster 11
• 2007/08 Munster 3 Leinster 10; Leinster 21 Munster 12
• 2008/09 Leinster 0 Munster 18; Munster 22 Leinster 5; Munster 6 Leinster 25 (HEC SF)
• 2009/10 Leinster 30 Munster 0; Munster 15 Leinster 16; Leinster 16 Munster 6 (ML SF)
• 2010/11 Leinster 13 Munster 9; Munster 24 Leinster 23; Munster 19 Leinster 9 (ML Final)
• 2011/12 Leinster 24 Munster 19; Munster 9 Leinster 18
• 2012/13 Leinster 30 Munster 21; Munster 16 Leinster 22
• 2013/14 Munster 19 Leinster 15; Leinster 22 Munster 18
• 2014/15 Leinster 23 Munster 34; Munster 28 Leinster 13
• 2015/16 Munster 7 Leinster 24; Leinster 16 Munster 13