I don't want to be negative but I have a feeling this will be one for the purists. Very challenging conditions in the wind and rain.

Connacht do get a penalty and ping it deep into the Munster half.

When Munster announced their team they had 15 senior players listed as injured. Before the game kicked off Eoghan Clarke and Fineen Wycherley also pulled out.

Oli Jager makes that 18 players! You could make a handy team out of their injured players.

Another man is down and this time it is Oli Jager. Again, it does not look good. Poor Munster are running out of players. John Ryan is on.

Image source, Inpho

Cathal Forde is off injured and on comes Jack Carty.

Forde has been once of Connacht's best players this season and today was a huge opportunity to push towards that Six Nations squad.

Massive blow!

Big Cian Prendergast charges down the middle of the pitch but Munster get back and claw down the flanker.

Superb break but it comes to nothing.

Connacht try a rumble from a maul but Munster pinch the ball back. It feels like one of those days which is all about doing the basics well.

Gavin Coombes initially looked to have done everything right as he charged down Caolin Blade's box kick but as he went to ground the ball his knee is out of the field.

Coombes had enough time to dive on it but choose to do a fancy knee slide which was clearly the wrong call.

Munster don't care about the poor conditions as they punt the ball into the corner from a penalty. No drop balls yet which is impressive.

Just like the Boxing Day clash between Munster and Leinster it is very, very wet.

No tries that day so hopefully none of that today.

Image source, Getty Images

Rugby in Ireland is under way for 2024. A classic to kick the year off?

Searching for a first win since 18 November, Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins makes six changes from the defeat by Ulster with Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Joe Joyce, Jarrad Butler, JJ Hanrahan and Cathal Forde all recalled.

Forde comes in to partner in-form Irish international Bundee Aki in midfield. With captain Jack Carty on the bench, Caolin Blade skippers the side from scrum-half.

Munster have been forced into a couple of late changes with Eoghan Clarke and Fineen Wycherley being ruled out. Scott Buckley and Jack O'Donoghue come into the starting side and Gavin Coombes switches to the second row.

Chris Moore and Brian Gleeson are the late additions to the bench. Tadhg Beirne returns to captain the URC champions but fellow Ireland internationals Craig Casey and Jack Crowley are unavailable in accordance with IRFU player management guidelines.

Connacht: Mack Hansen; Byron Ralston, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton; JJ Hanrahan, Caolin Blade (capt); Peter Dooley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Darragh Murray, Joe Joyce; Cian Prendergast, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Jarrad Butler

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Denis Buckley, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Oisín Dowling, Michael McDonald, Jack Carty, Conor Oliver.

Munster: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Tony Butler, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Scott Buckley, Oli Jager; Gavin Coombes, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Jack O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Chris Moore, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Sean O'Brien, Shay McCarthy.

Image source, Getty Images

Happy new year! Yes, 2024 is only a few hours old and we already have a cracking double-bill of rugby to enjoy in the shape of two interprovincial United Rugby Championship fixtures.

With Andy Farrell set to name his Six Nations squad this month, today offers players on his radar the chance to thrust themselves into the reckoning for Ireland's bid for back-to-back Grand Slams.

First up is Connacht v Munster at the Sportsground. It was a disappointing end to 2023 for both provinces, with Connacht losing five in a row and Munster without a win in their last three.

Munster lost to Leinster on Boxing Day while Connacht have had 10 days to stew on a narrow defeat by Ulster in Belfast on 22 December.

Speaking of, Ulster travel to Leinster in the second hit of today's one-two punch.

Both sides are in fine form but wins in Dublin are rare for Ulster - can they ring in the new year with a bang this evening?

We hope you can stick around for both games - and remember, you can listen to Leinster v Ulster from 17:03 by clicking the icon at the top of this page!