United Rugby Championship predictions and tips: Leinster primed to edge another derby win

Where to watch 

Cardiff v Dragons
BBC Two Wales & Viaplay Sports 1, 3pm

Scarlets v Ospreys
S4C & Viaplay Sports 1, 5.15pm

Munster v Leinster
RTE2 & Viaplay Sports 1, 7.35pm

Best bet

Leinster to beat Munster by one to 12 points
1pt 13-10 bet365

United Rugby Championship predictions

The huge inter-pro derby between Munster and Leinster headlines a day of three local showdowns in the United Rugby Championship, and as ever it looks set to be a close-fought affair.

Leinster took the spoils when the teams met in Dublin a month ago, winning 21-16 at the Aviva Stadium to make in 18 wins in the last 22 meetings.

The league leaders won both home and away in the 2022-23 regular season - by 14 points at home and by a single point on the road - but Munster had the last laugh with a single-point victory of their own in the playoff semi-final before going on to lift the trophy.

Nine of the last 11 league meetings between the Irish provinces have been settled by no more than ten points and there is unlikely to be much between the teams again.

Munster will have a fierce Thomond Park crowd behind them but are without Ireland internationals Tadhg Beirne and Conor Murray because of rest protocols.

Leinster themselves line up with only seven of the players who started the home fixture in November, with Harry Byrne starting at fly-half. But their pack is strong and that could the visitors the edge.

It's derby day in Wales too and the Dragons are tasked with trying to end a 17-match losing run against Cardiff, which includes a 16-9 reverse at home in October. Cardiff are nine-point favourites while Scarlets are narrowly favoured at home to Ospreys.

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