Leinster-Munster to smash Welsh held URC attendance record
History will be made at Croke Park on Saturday when the BKT URC showdown between Leinster Rugby and Munster Rugby is played out in front of a new record league attendance.
The provincial derby clash in Dublin is heading for an 80,000-plus sell out.
That would be an echo of the last time the Irish arch rivals met in Croke Park when they set what was then a world record attendance for a club fixture with 82,208 watching their 2009 European Cup semi-final.
This weekend’s huge gate will comfortably surpass the previous league best of 68,262 for the Judgement Day Welsh double header at the Principality Stadium back in 2016.
The highest figure for an individual match was 56,344 for the 2023 BKT URC final in Cape Town where Munster beat the DHL Stormers.
As for a regular season fixture, the previous best was the 50,026 who attended the meeting between Vodacom Bulls and the Stormers at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld in March of this year.
The addition of the top four South African sides has seen a number of bumper crowds, with 50,388 watching this year’s grand final between the Vodacom Bulls and Glasgow Warriors at Loftus, while 47,261 watched the DHL Stormers defeat Connacht Rugby in the 2023 semi-final in Cape Town.
You have also had crowds of 44,106, 41,205, 39,925 and 37,246 for South African derbies over the last year or so.
But now a new benchmark is about to be set by Saturday’s all-Irish affair.
Looking ahead to what will be a huge occasion, Leinster forwards coach Robyn McBryde said:
“The nature of this one focuses the mind straight away, with more than 75,000 tickets sold already.
“The internationals are now back. It’s a big one on Saturday. Croke Park is a great stage.”
The former Wales hooker added:
“My experience is the form book goes out of the window in derbies. It’s all about winning on the day. You are not there to play pretty stuff. There is possibly a little bit more blood and thunder around the approach and we know there is plenty of blood of thunder about Munster. You can turn your season around just by having a great win over your local rivals. The nature of Munster and the threats they pose, that focuses the mind. It’s one we look forward to, but you’ve got 15 proud Munstermen in opposition, so we are going to have to be at our best.”
Giving his thoughts, Munster head coach Graham Rowntree said:
“You don't get the rivalry between Munster and Leinster until you are stuck in the middle of it. For over 75,000 people to want to attend a club game that isn't even a play-off just shows how incredible that competition is between us and Leinster.
"There is an intense, but respectful rivalry there and they are a great team. Our recent history against Leinster would have shown how class these games have been and certainly, from what I am seeing and hearing from the group, I am expecting a huge performance on Saturday."
Previous Highest League Attendances
68,262 - Judgement Day (April 2016)
62,338 - Judgement Day (April 2018)
60,642 - Judgement Day (April 2017)
56,344 - DHL Stormers v Munster Rugby (Final, May 2023)
52,762 - Judgement Day (April 2015)
51,297 - Judgement Day (April 2019)
50,388 - Vodacom Bulls v Glasgow Warriors (Final, June 2024)
50,026 - Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers (March, 2024)
47,261 - DHL Stormers v Connacht Rugby (Semi-final, May 2023)
47,125 - Glasgow Warriors v Leinster (Final, May 2019)
46,092 - Leinster Rugby v Scarlets (Final, May 2018)
44,558 - Munster Rugby v Scarlets (Final, May 2017)
44,106 - DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls (Quarter-final, May 2023)
41,205 - Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers (Feb 2023)
41,139 - Judgement Day (April 2023)
39,925 - DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls (Dec 2023)
37,904 - Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors (Jan 2024)
37,246 - DHL Stormers v Hollywoodbets Sharks (Jan 2024)
36,174 - Judgement Day (March 2013)
Latest Comments
The next guy is probably on that list. The "too young" guys are all 23+, which is 2 years older than dc was when he got an ab start. Being that young did him no harm. He scored 20 against wales on debut. But dc was also a freak player and a few years into the good super rugby, when SA was involved, so not such a step up. A tough northern tour is not their time. Hopefully next year's super rugby will see one of them put their hand up.
Go to commentsBunting is delusional. The job is clearly too big for him. The Black Ferns have shown none to negative, "growth", as a team. Individuals may have progressed, true, but the team is a mess. They have been fully professional since 2022 but play like amateurs. We are back to 2021 NH tour vibes (onfield that is).
The granting of an historical 4 year full contract to Kennedy Tukuafu remains Bunting's most puzzling decision. At 26, she had offered little of the on-field quality deserving of such status. Her relegation v FRA was imminent imo & Bunting gets kudos for this decision. I would've tossed her completely, myself. In all tests this tour, she has been ineffective & doesn’t seem to have a point of difference (required of a loosie). Jackaling, high tackle rate, clean, carry, ???
Another puzzling selection is Bunting continuing to use our best 6 Alana Bremner 178cm & 77kg at lock in place of our best lock, Chelsea Bremner, 181cm & 88kg. Maia Roos at 179cm & 80kg needs a big body at her side. Neither she nor Alana are power locks.
Going forward I'd reshuffle the back 5 as follows:
4 Roos 5 Chelsea 6 Alana 7 Sae 8 Mikaele-Tuu with Olsen Baker bench impact. Alana is an option to cover lock, if required. I'd also be tempted to use a 6/2 split depending on the opposition.
One issue I have with this selection is that the same core backline that leaked a million tries from set play v ENG is taking the field. Sure, FRA got thrashed by CAN, but it's still FRA, quite capable of stepping up & blasting us. What will be different? Backfield comms? Midfield reads? ?? Scary stuff.
Go to comments