Smyth on the bench for Leinster A v Munster A

Munster travel to Dublin on Saturday to take on Leinster in what many consider the biggest game in club rugby.

But before the main course kicks off in Croke Park at 5.15pm, there is a mouthwatering starter kicking off at 12pm deep in the heart of the capital.

Old Belvedere is the venue as Leinster ‘A’ take on Munster ‘A’ in the first round of the IRFU Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship.

Head Coach Simon Broughton has named Carlow's Stephen Smyth on the bench for the game, in what will be the young hooker's first appearance for Leinster since the pre-season defeat to Cardiff. 

Smyth impressed in that game at Tallaght Stadium, but he finds himself as fifth-choice hooker at Leinster in a position of truly incredible depth behind Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher and Gus McCarthy - all of whom were named in Andy Farrell's Ireland squad for the Autumn Internationals - as well as John McKee, who will start as captain against Munster 'A.'

The game will be shown live on Leinster Rugby Plus (Access to the stream is available for €10 HERE or a bundle for all three home Leinster ‘A’ games is available for €15).

The next round of fixtures will see Leinster A take on their Connacht counterparts in UCD in January before finishing up against Ulster A in May.

LEINSTER A: Hugo McLaughlin; Joshua Kenny, Connor Fahy, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne; Caspar Gabriel, Oliver Coffey; Alex Usanov, John McKee (C), Andrew Sparrow; Alan Spicer, Billy Corrigan; Diarmuid Mangan, Will Connors, James Culhane.

Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Jerry Cahir, Niall Smyth, Artur Smykovskiy, Charlie Meagher, Tadhg Brophy, Ciarán Mangan, Todd Lawlor, Mahon Ronan, Páidí Farrell.