Johne Murphy believes the Leinster-Munster rivalry is healthier than it's been for a long time, thanks to the his former province's BKT United Rugby Championship last season.
The sides are set to meet this Saturday at the Aviva Stadium just over six months on from Munster's dramatic URC semi-final win against their old rivals, when Jack Crowley's late drop-goal inflicted the first of what would be two painful defeats for Leinster in the space of a week, with Leo Cullen's side also losing in dramatic fashion to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup final.
It was a game that brought an end to Leinster's dominance in the fixture; Munster's only previous win in 11 games against Leinster had been in the Rainbow Cup in 2021, while Leinster had won their four previous meetings in knockout rugby dating back to 2011.
Saturday's Round 6 meeting is set to be close to a full house at the Aviva, with ticket sales passing the 45,000 mark on Tuesday and Murphy says it's a sign of a healthy rivalry.
"People are really eager, I thought there was going to be a bit of World Cup hangover, but people are really keen to get back into it," he said on the RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"The World Cup experience has driven everyone's appetite, but this game in particular is one that Munster want.
"They don’t want the semi-final last year to be a flash-in-the-pan win. They want to go up, they want to perform, and get that win.
"I think that’s the big thing and I’d say a lot of Munster supporters in particular were probably annoyed about what was said for a few years, that the rivalry wasn’t what it is."
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Given the numbers of Irish fans who travelled to the World Cup, the costs involved, and the nature of Ireland's disappointing exit at the hands of New Zealand, there would have been fears that the provinces could have seen a hangover in the early stages of the league around attendances.
Those fears haven't come to pass, with Munster and Leinster in particular drawing in a combined 30,000 supporters for last weekend's games against the Stormers and Scarlets, respectively.
"The crowds have actually been good across the four provinces. I've been down in the Sportsground a couple of times and it’s been excellent, I was in Thomond Park last week and Leinster got 15 or 16,000 into the RDS," Bernard Jackman said.
"To sell out the Aviva this weekend would be brilliant, and it’s sign of a couple of different things.
"There’s an appetite to see our current stars and future stars in the flesh and with Munster winning that semi-final last year and winning silverware, the Munster fans feel they’re right back in the mix with Leinster again, which is what you want.
"I know there are a couple of injuries, but you’re going to get two full-strength teams playing. I can’t wait for it."
While Munster come into the game as defending champions, they will travel to Dublin as underdogs.
Graham Rowntree's side are likely to be without both Peter O'Mahony and Jack O'Donoghue due to injury, while Leinster are set to be close to full strength after bringing the majority of their internationals back for last week's hammering of the Scarlets.
And Jackman expects Cullen's side to be too strong this time around.
"They got caught last year in the semi-final - and fair play to Munster - but generally early-season Leinster are very hard to stick with," said the former Leinster and Ireland hooker.
"They have that home advantage, they have more internationals, and I think they should expect to win that game and get a bonus-point.
"That's the level they tend to be at in the last four or five years in the early season. It doesn't look like this season will be any different.
"The challenge for Leinster is to have a game that can win trophies at the end of the season, and I think if they weren't dominant this weekend, it would be a bit of a worry.
"I think they still have the best squad in the competition, and in a league game you would expect them to win. It’s the knockout stuff that’s the problem for Leinster."
And while Murphy agreed with Jackman that Leinster should have too much international quality on the night, he expects the rivalry to be at its bitter best.
"Leinster are still the best team on form over the last number of years," the former Munster wing added.
"Unfortunately, they don't have any silverware from last year, but I think week-in and week-out they are the best team in the country. You can’t disagree with that statement, that’s the reality of it.
"The rivalry did take a dip for a couple of years, but I think this game is, even since I came home in 2010, it’s the one you look for in the fixture list at the start of the year.
"It’s certainly, in my opinion, the hardest and biggest rivalry or derby I’ve ever played in.
"There were ones in England with Leicester and Wasps and Bath, and all those historic fixtures, but that night we played in the Aviva when I came home first, I’d never experienced violence like that in my life.
"It was unbelievable. It’s back up to that."
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Watch live coverage of the Vodacom Bulls v Connacht in the BKT United Rugby Championship on Saturday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
Follow a live blog of Leinster v Munster on Saturday from 6.30pm on on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
