Preview: Stacked Leinster out for 'revenge' against defending champions Munster

Last season's semi-final was either a lucky one-off or a big change in the dynamic between Leinster and Munster.

The Reds capitalised on a gamble by Leo Cullen and edged it on the day, or the 16-15 success was a statement win, a bloody nose and a promise that’s there plenty more where that came from.

They can deny it all they like but there was insurmountable evidence that the famous rivalry, to that point, was not what it once was.

The record shows that the animosity that characterised the meetings between the sides from the start of the professional had faded, Munster barely able to land a punch in their last three knock-out meetings prior to May.

Leinster were 12-point favourites before the teams were named yesterday and that handicap has been pushed out to 15 after the match-day squads were known.

You can see the reasoning.

Leinster's starting XV is every man an Ireland international and the caps tally is 600. They welcome back Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan for the match.

Today's visitors, meanwhile, missing Peter O’Mahony and Jack O'Donoghue through injury, start with 129 caps, five of which belong to ex-Ireland player Jean Kleyn and seven of which belong to World Cup winner Jean Kleyn of the Springboks.

Tighthead Stephen Archer starts and becomes Munster’s most-capped player of all-time with 269.

You get the sense that revenge is on someone’s mind.

All the talk is about how Leinster will be feeling after last season’s semi-final loss, which was a first defeat in four games against Munster.

It was a tie in which Cullen decided to rest some of his frontliners, who were held back for the Champions Cup final a week later.

When the Blues went 17-0 after 11 minutes against Ronan O’Gara’s defending champions it appeared to be a