Bemand hails Ireland momentum after win over USApublished at 18:44 British Summer Time 12 October
18:44 BST 12 October
Ireland coach Scott Bemand says the "wheels are moving in the right direction" for women's rugby in the country after his team concluded their WXV1 campaign in Vancouver with a hard-earned 26-14 win over USA.
The Irish trailed 14-7 at half-time but punished three final-quarter USA yellow cards by scoring two late tries to clinch victory.
Ireland shocked New Zealand in their opening game in the tournament and - while they lost their second contest against the highly-rated hosts - Friday's victory concluded a successful trip for Bemand's side.
"People in Ireland are starting to talk about it and that's not just from the women's game community," said the Ireland coach.
Half-time - Leinster 26-5 Munsterpublished at 18:38 British Summer Time 12 October
18:38 BST 12 October
The referee blows for half-time after a breathless first half.
Leinster completely over-ran Munster in the opening 15 minutes as Ireland internationals James Lowe, Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan all touched down.
Munster rallied and had a score from Calvin Nash controversially chalked off after it was adjudged that Alex Nankivell's pass for the score had gone forward.
Sean O'Brien eventually crossed to reward the away side for their endeavours but RG Snyman's try on the stroke of half-time has wrested control of the contest very much back in Leinster's favour.
Try - Leinster 26-5 Munsterpublished at 18:33 British Summer Time 12 October
18:33 BST 12 October
RG Snyman (try) - 40 minutes
Leinster go on the attack again and Munster are penalised.
With the clock ticking down towards half-time they take a tap and go and after they go through the phases former Munster second row RG Snyman barges over for Leinster's bonus-point try, taking a couple of defenders with him.
Clinical from Leinster in the Munster 22 as they move 21 ahead.
Ciaran Frawley fails to contribute the additional two points on this occasion.
Try - Leinster 21-5 Munsterpublished at 18:28 British Summer Time 12 October
18:28 BST 12 October
Sean O'Brien (try) - 34 minutes
Munster finally get on the scoreboard as Sean O'Brien darts over to score after Jean Kleyn won a lineout and distributed to Gavin Coombes, who executed an inside pass to O'Brien.
A well worked move from Munster, and a deserved score given their dominance of the past 20 minutes.
Jack Crowley fails to land the conversion - a bad miss from the fly-half who has now missed two out of two from the tee.
Postpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 12 October
18:21 BST 12 October
Leinster 21-0 Munster
Munster were reeling and defensively all over the place in the first 15 minutes but they have recovered their composure and have battled their way back, although still have nothing to show for their enterprising play with 10 minutes to go until half-time.
Disallowed trypublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 12 October
18:17 BST 12 October
Leinster 21-0 Munster
Munster eventually get across the Leinster line but referee Chris Busby rules that centre Alex Nankivell's pass to wing Calvin Nash was forward so the try is disallowed.
Replays show that that was touch and go. A borderline call by the match officials, and potentially a very significant one as the visitors are denied a chance to get themselves back into this game.
Converted try - Leinster 21-0 Munsterpublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 12 October
18:05 BST 12 October
Hugo Keenan (try), Ciaran Frawley (conv), 15 minutes
Leinster are rampant at Croke Park! A ferocious onslaught from Leo Cullen's side.
This time it's Hugo Keenan who crosses after the ball goes quickly through the hands and the full-back cuts through the Munster defence and dives over.
We haven't reached the end of the first quarter of this match and Leinster are already three quarters of the way towards securing a bonus point.
Frawley converts again to put 21 points between the sides.
Countdown to kick-off...published at 17:42 British Summer Time 12 October
17:42 BST 12 October
Leinster v Munster (17:45 BST)
The stands are filling up and the atmosphere is building at Croke Park as the countdown continues to kick-off in this much anticipated Irish derby between two of the heavyweights of European club rugby.
What a buzz...let's hope the game lives up to all the pre-match expectations. I have a feeling it might.
Croke crowd a record for URCpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 12 October
17:38 BST 12 October
Leinster v Munster (17:45 BST)
This evening's sold-out crowd of 82,000 at Croke Park represents a record attendance for the United Rugby Championship.
The figure is comfortably ahead of the previous record of 68,262, which the four Welsh regions shared in a 'Judgement Day' double-header in April 2016 and also nearly 20,000 ahead of any standalone game in the history of the league.
Croke Park is the headquarters of gaelic games in Ireland but new ground was broken when Ireland's rugby team played their home matches at Croke Park from 2007 until 2010 while their Lansdowne Road home was redeveloped into the Aviva Stadium.
Leinster also faced Munster in the Champions Cup semi-final in 2009, the former winning 25-8, and Leinster also hosted Northampton at a sold-out Croke Park in the Champions Cup semi-final in May.
Team newspublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 12 October
17:35 BST 12 October
Leinster v Munster (17:45 BST)
James Ryan returns to the Leinster side to partner former Munster player RG Snyman in the second row for Saturday's sold-out interprovincial United Rugby Championship game at Croke Park (17:45 BST).
Ryan's inclusion is one of three changes from the team which started last weekend's 35-5 win over Benetton in Italy.
Liam Turner is selected on the wing, replacing the injured Jimmy O'Brien, and hooker Lee Barron comes in at hooker.
Munster make four personnel changes and one positional switch after securing a bonus-point win over Ospreys last week.
Fit-again centre Alex Nankivell returns from a shoulder injury after missing his side's last two games.
Sean O'Brien starts on the wing after returning from Emerging Ireland's tour to South Africa.
Prop Stephen Archer makes his first start of the season in place of injured tight-head Oli Jager, with Gavin Coombes returning to the starting XV at number eight and Jack O'Donoghue moving to blindside flanker in the absence of the injured Peter O'Mahony.
Mike Haley is fit to start at full-back while Tom Ahern is named among the replacements after recovering from an ankle injury suffered against Ulster in June.
Three academy players are included among the Munster replacements - prop Kieran Ryan, flanker Ruadhán Quinn and winger Shay McCarthy.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Lee Barron, Tadhg Furlong; RG Snyman, James Ryan; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.
MooreLowry 70', substituted for Lowry at 70 minutes
Number12,
PostlethwaiteCarson 32', substituted for Carson at 32 minutes
Number11,
Stockdale
Number10,
MorganDoak 58', substituted for Doak at 58 minutes
Number9,
Cooney
Number1,
WarwickReid 66', substituted for Reid at 66 minutes
Number2,
AndrewMcCormick 53', substituted for McCormick at 53 minutes
Number3,
O'TooleBarrett 70', substituted for Barrett at 70 minutes
Number4,
HendersonO'Connor 14', substituted for O'Connor at 14 minutes
Number5,
Treadwell
Number6,
McCann
Number7,
ReffellRea 60', substituted for Rea at 60 minutes
Number8,
Timoney
Substitutes
home team, Ulster
Number16,
McCormick
Number17,
Reid
Number18,
Barrett
Number19,
O'Connor
Number20,
Rea
Number21,
Doak
Number22,
Carson
Number23,
Lowry
away team, Connacht
Starting lineup
Number15,
CorderoForde 68', substituted for Forde at 68 minutes
Number14,
Hansen
Number13,
O'Conor
Number12,
Aki
Number11,
Bolton
Number10,
Ioane
Number9,
MurphyBlade 60', substituted for Blade at 60 minutes
Number1,
BuckleyDooley 56', substituted for Dooley at 56 minutes
Number2,
HeffernanTierney-Martin 56', substituted for Tierney-Martin at 56 minutes
Number3,
BealhamLasisi 12', substituted for Lasisi at 12 minutesBealham 18', substituted for Bealham at 18 minutesLasisi 66', substituted for Lasisi at 66 minutes
Number4,
JoyceDowling 60', substituted for Dowling at 60 minutes
Number5,
Murphy71', Red card at 71 minutes
Number6,
Prendergast
Number7,
O'BrienOliver 62', substituted for Oliver at 62 minutes
Number8,
BoyleO'Connor 60', substituted for O'Connor at 60 minutes
MooreLowry 70', substituted for Lowry at 70 minutes
Number12,
PostlethwaiteCarson 32', substituted for Carson at 32 minutes
Number11,
Stockdale
Number10,
MorganDoak 58', substituted for Doak at 58 minutes
Number9,
Cooney
Number1,
WarwickReid 66', substituted for Reid at 66 minutes
Number2,
AndrewMcCormick 53', substituted for McCormick at 53 minutes
Number3,
O'TooleBarrett 70', substituted for Barrett at 70 minutes
Number4,
HendersonO'Connor 14', substituted for O'Connor at 14 minutes
Number5,
Treadwell
Number6,
McCann
Number7,
ReffellRea 60', substituted for Rea at 60 minutes
Number8,
Timoney
Substitutes
Number16,
McCormick
Number17,
Reid
Number18,
Barrett
Number19,
O'Connor
Number20,
Rea
Number21,
Doak
Number22,
Carson
Number23,
Lowry
away team, Connacht
Starting lineup
Number15,
CorderoForde 68', substituted for Forde at 68 minutes
Number14,
Hansen
Number13,
O'Conor
Number12,
Aki
Number11,
Bolton
Number10,
Ioane
Number9,
MurphyBlade 60', substituted for Blade at 60 minutes
Number1,
BuckleyDooley 56', substituted for Dooley at 56 minutes
Number2,
HeffernanTierney-Martin 56', substituted for Tierney-Martin at 56 minutes
Number3,
BealhamLasisi 12', substituted for Lasisi at 12 minutesBealham 18', substituted for Bealham at 18 minutesLasisi 66', substituted for Lasisi at 66 minutes
Number4,
JoyceDowling 60', substituted for Dowling at 60 minutes
Number5,
Murphy71', Red card at 71 minutes
Number6,
Prendergast
Number7,
O'BrienOliver 62', substituted for Oliver at 62 minutes
Number8,
BoyleO'Connor 60', substituted for O'Connor at 60 minutes