Are Joe Schmidt's Leinster on course for a Magners League showdown with Munster?
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Munster and Leinster are setting the scene for a repeat of their historic 2001 Celtic League decider - Tony Ward writes for the Irish Independent.
"Hard to believe it is almost a full decade ago, but it was December 2001 when the inaugural Celtic League final was staged at Lansdowne Road. Over 30,000 fans saw Leinster defeat Munster in an absolute belter of a final.
"In retrospect, it was probably the day rugby became a serious competitor with Gaelic games and soccer in the hearts and minds of Irish sporting folk everywhere on this island.
"Prior to that, we had Munster and Ulster -- the latter successfully in 1999 -- reaching the biggest European stage in the Heineken Cup but once Munster and Leinster fronted up, albeit in the lesser competition, a new point in the game's development had been reached. And the ultimate tribal war was under way.
"Lest Munster need reminding, 14-man Leinster took that final 24-20 having had flanker Eric Miller sent for an early shower (just 25 minutes in) by referee Nigel Whitehouse for a relatively mundane incident involving Anthony Foley."
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