The Irish derby clash between Leinster and Munster is the standout fixture of round four of the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The rivals clash at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon - over 50,000 tickets had been sold by Friday afternoon - before their internationals depart for Ireland camp ahead of the November window.
Connacht, off the back of a disappointing visit to Cardiff, host the Bulls in Galway on Friday night, while Ulster are in South Africa for the start of a double-header against Sharks and Lions.
Find out all you need to know here.
TV
Connacht v Bulls (Friday, 7.45pm) and Leinster v Munster (Saturday, 5.15pm) are both live on TG4 and Premier Sports.
Sharks v Ulster is on Premier Sports, and all games are on URC.tv
RADIO
Live commentary of Leinster v Munster on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
ONLINE
We'll have a live blog for Leinster v Munster, and live score updates, reports and reaction from across the league.
WEATHER
It will be partly cloudy with a gentle breeze in Galway, temperatures around 13C. Dublin is set for light rain and a moderate breeze on Saturday afternoon in about 14C.
Durban expects temperatures around 24C with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze.
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Stuart Lancaster's Connacht have won one and lost one so far, with their round-two clash against Scarlets postponed.
They laboured against Cardiff last time out but scored with the last play of the game to come away with a bonus point in a 14-8 defeat.
The Westerners have won only one of their last seven fixtures against South African opponents: 36-30 over Sharks in Galway in September 2024.
However, they welcome back Ireland internationals and Lions Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham.
The Bulls started their campaign with two victories, including the 39-31 win over Leinster, but fell to a 28-7 defeat to Ulster last weekend.
The two sides have met on four previous occasions, with the Bulls’ only defeat being 34-7 in Galway in October 2021.
Connacht: Mack Hansen; Chay Mullins, Byron Ralson, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton; Josh Ioane, Caolin Blade; Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Darragh Murray, David O'Connor; Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (capt), Sean Jansen.
Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Seán O’Brien, Matthew Devine, Sean Naughton, Cathal Forde.
Bulls: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Sebastian de Klerk; Keagan Johannes, Paul de Wet; Alu Tshakweni, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw; Cobus Wiese, Reinhardt Ludwig (capt); Nama Xaba, JJ Theron, Jeandre Rudolph.
Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Francois Klopper, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Mpilo Gumede, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs.
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Having sat out the round-two action, Ulster arrive in South Africa off the back of a superb victory over the Bulls in Belfast last weekend.
They have taken a 30-man squad to face the Sharks and Lions, with Iain Henderson, Nick Timoney, Stuart McCloskey and Jacob Stockdale set to join the Ireland squad after the first game.
Cormac Izuchukwu hasn’t travelled after suffering a foot injury last weekend.
Sharks are without a win so far although they did draw 17-17 at Dragons in round two and all three games so far have been on the road.
John Plumtree’s side’s only loss in their last ten URC matches at Kings Park was 10-7 to Leinster in March.
The teams have met four times before, with each gaining two victories. Ulster’s only previous win in Durban was 31-24 in February 2023.
Sharks: Edwill van der Merwe; Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Siya Masuku, Grant Williams; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch; Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie; Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka (capt), Phepsi Buthelezi.
Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Simphiwe Matanzima, Ruan Dreyer, Bathobele Hlekani, Emmanuel Tshituka, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am.
Ulster: Michael Lowry; Werner Kok, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Sam Crean, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson; Iain Henderson (capt), Harry Sheridan; David McCann, Nick Timoney, Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Tom O'Toole, Joe Hopes, Sean Reffell, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Jude Postlethwaite.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Leinster and Munster square off in Croke Park in the match of the round with the visitors unbeaten so far.
Leo Cullen's side lost both their games in South Africa before bouncing back with a routine win over Sharks last weekend.
The hosts have won all five previous matches they have played in all competitions at Croke Park and have not lost to an Irish province since Ulster won in Belfast in May 2024.
Munster have lost the last four clashes between the teams.
The sides have met on 172 occasions previously, with Leinster winning 111, Munster 50, and 11 draws.
The big team news is that Ireland out-halves Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast will go head-to-head for the first time.
Leinster: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose; Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Paddy McCarthy, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; RG Snyman, James Ryan; Alex Soroka, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ciarán Frawley.
Munster: Shane Daly; Andrew Smith, Tom Farrell, Dan Kelly, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Tadhg Beirne (capt), Jack O'Donoghue, Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Foxe, Jean Kleyn, Gavin Coombes, Paddy Patterson, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Nankivell.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
FULL LIST OF FIXTURES, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
