If Johann van Graan is to get his hands on some silverware before his time at Munster ends, in all likelihood that road he needs to take goes through Leinster.
The four-in-a-row URC champions have generally had the better of Munster since Van Graan's arrival in 2017, and while the South African's team did come out on top in their last meeting back in April 2021, it was just his second win against the near rivals in 11 attempts.
The Bath-bound coach is heading into his final months in Ireland, but he still has multiple cracks left at Leo Cullen's side.
The first is tomorrow afternoon at Thomond Park, a game that's been rescheduled twice; first due to Leinster's Covid-19 outbreak before Christmas, the second due to Ed Sheeran, a man who's single-handedly wreaking havoc on the Munster sporting calendar.
They'll meet again in the final round of URC regular season in May, while history dictates there's a good chance their paths will cross in the play-offs.
As well as that, there would also be a potential Heineken Champions Cup semi-final between the sides, should they advance through the next two rounds.
While Munster came out on top in their Rainbow Cup fixture last April, the result was ultimately just a consolation prize for what had been a painful loss at the RDS a few weeks earlier in the Pro14 final (below).
Having looked the sharper of the two teams in the weeks preceding, many believed the time had come for Munster to end their 10-year wait for silverware.
However, Van Graan's side barely landed a jab on the hosts that day, Leinster winning the decider 16-6 while playing nowhere near their best.
"Every loss hurts," Van Graan said this week when reminded of the defeat in last year's final.
"Small margins, and we came up short and we had worked so hard to get into that final and not to get the result, sure it does.
"We have developed since then and they have certainly developed. It's a different part of the season, both teams have internationals back, both teams are in pretty similar positions, obviously they are top of the league and we are third so there's so much to do in the URC and then we've got the nice carrot of Europe in the round of 16 over the next two weekends to come.
"So it's all about balance, it's all about integrating with each other then hopefully putting in a performance on Saturday evening."
Meetings between Munster and Leinster have been feast or famine in the last two years. It's 11 months since the sides last faced off in that Rainbow Cup game at the RDS, having played each other five times in the space of eight months before that.
Tomorrow's contest in Limerick will fall short of being sold-out, but it will be the first time since December 2019 that their derby has been played in front of a crowd.
"We've learned through Covid that rugby is not the same without support and we love playing at Thomond Park and it’s always a special occasion, not only for Munster but for Irish rugby when there’s Interpros," Van Graan added.
"So looking forward to that and it just happens to be Leinster before we play the European games and then a big game against Ulster and then Cardiff at Musgrave Park. So a magnificent block of games ahead. We’re pretty well set in both competitions.
"It’s week 41 of our season and we’ve worked 40 weeks to put ourselves in this position not only in the URC, which is shaping up to a great finale in terms of the teams and who’s fighting for potential home semi-finals, home quarter-finals and more to get into that top eight, and then obviously Europe to look forward to in terms of what we’ve produced in December and January to put us into that position.
"That’s what you’re working for, for weeks like this and the next four weeks to come," Van Graan added.
Both coaches will reveal their lineups this afternoon, with Ireland's Six Nations contingent available for selection, bar those who are out injured.
Tadhg Beirne (thigh) and Andew Conway (knee) are doubts but Joey Carbery, Conor Murray, Peter O'Mahony and Dave Kilcoyne are all available, as are Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong among Leinster's list of internationals.
With four games of the regular season left, Munster sit third in the table, eight points back from their opponents who head up the league, but still within reach of a potential home semi-final, should they make it that far.
But with three of those four remaining games being against either Leinster or second place Ulster, it's just as likely for them to slip out of the top four entirely, with both Edinburgh and Glasgow breathing down their necks.
And while Munster have only won one of their last three games, they have looked to play a more expansive game in recent weeks, something Van Graan plans to retain as the season heads into its final third.
"I think with the way we've played in the last five weeks specifically, we're looking to keep some ball in hand.
"Obviously they're [Leinster] exceptional with ball in hand so I think both teams will play positive rugby, both are also the best defensively in Europe, conceding something around 1.4 tries per game.
"And I think the tactical battle, they have kicked a lot in behind us. I take you back to Thomond Park a year ago, that try of theirs that was kicked in behind us.
"Depending on who plays 10, they pepper our back three with high balls so it's getting the balance between the kicking game, attack and defence, and most importantly the breakdown battle.
"I think both teams have got some phenomenal poachers, ball carriers, I think of someone like Josh van der Flier specifically, who has become one of the very best ball carriers in the game, I would say.
"So great challengers on both sides of the ball, from our side I think someone like Gavin Coombes is carrying exceptionally well.
"So many battles to look forward to, I think of the centres, I think of the 9s and 10s, the front rows, the back threes, you can literally go all across the park.
"Very exciting from our side and like I said, it's always great when Leinster play Munster.
"We'll pick our best available team. I'm not going to take a chance with anybody in the squad who is not 100% ready to go because you need 23 fit guys to come up against Leinster.
"So everybody who is fit and available that comes through training will be assessed and we'll pick our best possible team in terms of guys who are fit and available.
"I'm not going to keep guys back in terms of squad management, everybody's available in terms of minutes, it's just how are their bodies and how are they mentally."
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Watch Benetton v Connacht (Saturday 12pm), France v Ireland (Saturday 2.15pm) and Munster v Leinster (Saturday 7pm) live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player (also live on RTÉ Radio 1).
