In the upcoming United Rugby Championship derby between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park on Dec. 26, both teams face player absences but maintain strong starting lineups. 

Munster Rugby, missing Tadhg Beirne and Conor Murray, aims to rebound from a 32-24 loss to Exeter. 

Leinster Rugby, on the other hand, will be without James Ryan and Caelan Doris, but does welcome back scrum-half Luke McGrath from injury, while Garry Ringrose captains the team. 

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Munster's changes include Oli Jager getting a first start at tight-head prop, where Dave Kilcoyne will join him at loose-head. 

Young second-row Edwin Edogbo will get a chance to test himself against Irish international Joe McCarthy, while veteran Simon Zebo joins the backline at fullback, with Shane Daly shifting on the left wing. 

Despite Beirne and Murray's unavailability, Munster head coach Graham Rowntree remains optimistic of his team’s chances. 

“I am confident. Do you know why? I trust the group,” Rowntree told the Irish Examiner. “We did some very good things in Exeter. Sixty-three minutes we were still ahead, having scored four tries, and then what happened, happened. 

“We’ve had a look at that and had a look at the composure, but we still scored four tries; we still scored 12 tries in the last three games. We’re doing a lot of good things, and we’ll need those good things in our next game.”

The last encounter between the teams on Nov. 25 saw Leinster secure a 21-16 victory at the Aviva Stadium, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch in the URC. 

Rugby fans from North America and U.S. Territories can follow the action live and exclusively on FloRugby.

Munster Vs. Leinster Lineups

Munster: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Oli Jager; Edwin Edogbo, Gavin Coombes; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Jack O'Donoghue. 

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Seán O'Brien. 

Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (capt), Ciarán Frawley, Rob Russell; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Ala'alatoa; Ross Molony, Joe McCarthy; Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Jack Conan. 

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Ed Byrne, Thomas Clarkson, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Luke McGrath, Liam Turner, Will Connors.

URC Fixtures In Round 8

• Glasgow Warriors 22, Edinburgh 10
• Ulster Rugby 20, Connacht 19
• Benetton 31, Zebre Parma 24
• DHL Stormers 26, Vodacom Bulls 20
• Cardiff Rugby vs. Dragons, Dec. 26
• Scarlets vs. Ospreys, Dec. 26 
• Hollywoodbets Sharks vs, Emirates Lions, Jan. 6 

How To Watch United Rugby Championship Matches

The URC will stream all of its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States and Canada. FloRugby and FloSports also are home to: 

• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Top 14
• Super Rugby
• And more.

FloRugby also features match archives and match replays. 

What Is The URC Season Schedule?

Here is the weekly schedule: 

• Week 1: Oct. 21-22
• Week 2: Oct. 28-29
• Week 3: Nov. 3-5
• Week 4: Nov. 10-12
• Week 5: Nov. 17-18
• Week 6: Nov. 24-25
• Week 7: Dec. 1-2
• Week 8: Dec. 22-Jan. 6
• Week 9: Dec. 30-Jan. 27
• Week 10: Feb. 16-18
• Week 11: March 1-2
• Week 12: March 22-23
• Week 13: March 29-30
• Week 14: April 19-20
• Week 15: April 26-27
• Week: 16: May 10-11
• Week 17: May 17-18
• Week 18: May 31-June 1

When Are The 2024 United Rugby Championship Quarterfinals?

The URC quarterfinals are June 7-8. Currently, there are three games scheduled for June 8 and one on June 7. 

Times are to be announced. 

When Are The 2024 United Rugby Championship Semifinals?

The URC Semifinals are June 15.

Times are to be announced. 

When Is The United Rugby Championship Grand Final?

The URC Final is scheduled for June 22. 

Who Won The United Rugby Championship In 2023?

Munster beat the DHL Stormers 19-14 on May 27 in South Africa to win its third URC final overall and first since 2011. 

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Munster Vs. Leinster Live Updates

Min 1: Leinster fly-half Harry Byrne gets proceedings underway with a stiff breeze at his back.

Min 1: Munster backrow Jack O'Donoghue takes the first ball into a ruck, but his captain, Diarmuid Barron, gets penalized for sealing off. Byrne goes for posts and gets the visitors off to a perfect start, MUN 0 - LEI 3.

Min 5: The first scrum of the fixture is a Leinster feed; there is no budging for either side, and Byrne feels the full force of the wind as he kicks long only to see the ball dribble out the back of the in-goal area, so it'll be a Munster scrum.

Min 6: Penalty! Andrew Porter gets the better of Oli Jager, so it's another Leinster penalty on the halfway line.

Min 6: Leinster goes for the corner, but Munster disrupts the ball and forces a Leinster knock-on, so it'll be a third scrum in two minutes. 

Min 6: Substitution! Munster captain Barron goes off following a knock he picked up in the first scrum.

Leinster's line speed has been suffocating thus far; the Dubliners have taken like a duck to water in utilizing new senior coach Jacques Nienaber's renowned rush defense system.

Min 11: Penalty! Jager gets one back! Munster wins a crucial scrum penalty, and Jack Crowley clears the lines into a heavy breeze.

Min 14: Leinster's defense has been its biggest weapon thus far; big Joe McCarthy distracts Craig Casey, while Andrew Porter goes over the ball and wins the penalty. Byrne will go for posts.

Min 15: PENALTY! Byrne! - MUN 0 - LEI 6

Min 16: Munster wins a penalty, as Leinster is penalized for going off its feet at the ruck, worrying signs as Simon Zebo stays down. The fullback has been brilliant for Munster thus far but took a knock at that ruck.

Min 17: A superb kick from Crowley to touch, he is not happy with the assistant referee bringing the line-out back to the 22m line.... 

Min 18: That is more like it from Munster! Alex Nankivell bursts through the Leinster defense, and Craig Casey oh so nearly gets away, only to have a foot in touch.

Min 19: Worrying for Munster, as Dave Kilcoyne leaves and Jeremy Loughman comes in, as the team's horrible injury run continues.

Min 21: Referee Andrew Brace calls the two captains in to try and get the teams to cool down, as proceedings are starting to bubble over.

Simon Zebo is looking to be back to his best, a try-saving tackle followed by a cheeky smile! It's great to see the Munster veteran back on the pitch and enjoying his rugby.

Min 29: Leinster gets one back, having lost the last scrum. This time they power over Munster, only to lose the subsequent line-out.

Min 30: YELLOW CARD! Craig Casey is sent to the sin bin for a tip tackle on Jordan Larmour. Munster will see out the half a man down.

Halftime Report

As has been the case with this rivalry over the years, the margins are razor thin at Thomond Park, as Leinster holds on to a 6-0 lead. 

Playing with the wind behind their backs for the first half and enjoying the bulk of the territorial advantage, Leinster will be slightly disappointed with that half. 

Conversely, Munster sustained a significant amount of pressure and came close to buckling at times. Yet, despite a raft of injuries and a yellow card to Craig Casey, they have managed to stay in the fight and will back themselves with the wind at their back. 

Perhaps the most interesting of individual battle thus far has come in the pack, with Jager and Porter squaring off in the scrums, while secondrows Edwin Edogbo and Joe McCarthy have had a heavyweight wrestling contest. 

Defensively, both sides have been superb, with Leinster's line speed noticeably different than in previous seasons. 

For Munser, its bend-but-don't-break approach has worked a treat so far. 

You can’t help but love Simon Zebo!

He is playing a blinder in brutal conditions so far.#MUNvLEI #BKTURC pic.twitter.com/FBi6fscycD

— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) December 26, 2023

Min 40: Zombie by the Cranberries blasts over the speakers at Thomond Park, as the two sides emerge to a magical atmosphere for the second half of this fascinating contest.

Min 41: Munster comes out like a freight train, immediately putting Leinster under pressure, and is rewarded with a penalty, as Porter is pinged for not rolling away. Crowley goes for the corner, and Casey is back in the park.

Min 49: Munster is squeezing Leinster here, but the Dubliners are holding fast in defense and turning the ball over at crucial moments. Once again, worrying scenes for Munster, as the injury curse seems to have struck again, with Edogbo twisting his knee.

Min 50: Edogbo is off; the uber-talented 21-year-old second-row twisted his knee badly. Hopefully, it is nothing too serious, and he will be back soon.

Min 51: PENALTY! Munster is on the board, as Crowley recovers from his early miss to sneak this one in. His team is back within three points. MUN 3 - LEI 6.

Min 58: Penalty to Leinster here. McCarthy is having a huge game and wins the penalty for the visitors. Harry Byrne goes for posts.

Min 58: Byrne misses the penalty, as the ball bounces off the right-hand upright.

Min 59: Crowley goes long, and in the most unusual of circumstances, Hugo Keenan knocks on for what feels like the first time in years.

Min 63: Penalty again to Leinster, as they survive a strong Munster attack and put the pressure right back on their hosts. Youngster Brian Gleeson gets caught on the ground for Munster, but he is let off the hook as Byrne misses once again.

Min 65: Luke McGrath knocks on, as he tries to break around the ruck. Munster substitute Jager, has been rock solid this evening. On comes Munster's most capped player of all time, Stephen Archer, to head straight into a scrum.

Min 66: Munster gets off lightly there, as Leinster wheels the scrum around, only to knock the ball forward and reset the scrum. Leinster makes a backrow change, as Will Connors comes on for Scott Penny.

Min 67: Penalty! Munster earns a penalty just inside the Leinster half, and Gavin Coombes locks onto the ball to turn it over. Crowley goes for the corner, as Munster goes in search of the match's first try.

Min 68: Leinster defends the line-out brilliantly, as Ryan Baird gets up to disrupt the throw.

Min 69: Munster substitute - Alex Kendellen comes on for John Hodnett in the backrow.

Min 75: Penalty to Leinster at the scrum! Byrne goes for the corner, having missed his last two shots at goal.

Min 77: Penalty right in front for Leinster, as Munster gets penalized for being offsides. Leinster takes a scrum to run down the clock and close this one out.

Min 78: Penalty once again to Leinster, which is running down the clock masterfully, much to Munster's frustration. Harry Byrne will go for goal here, and the match will be over.