It's been a slow burner so far but the start of the inter-pro clashes heats the season up in the Guinness Pro14.
Leinster vs Munster at the Aviva Stadium is the big draw with both sides sitting second in their respective conferences and their key players returning with the European Champions Cup campaigns just around the corner.
Former Ireland captain Keith Wood and Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley joined us as always on a Thursday and Keith was impressed by Munster's showing against Cardiff Blues in a 39-16 win.
"I thought Munster first half was solid, not spectacular, and they just absolutely ramped up the game in the second half," he said, adding that there is a two-tier feel to the Pro14 with Leinster, Scarlets, Munster and Glasgow ahead of the pack.
"Munster scored some great tries and JJ Hanrahan, I have to say, for me he looks to have shed a bit of weight. He looked incredibly well balanced but I was interested in two things that really stuck out for me.
Munster's JJ Hanrahan celebrates his second try ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
"He seemed to be at an awful lot of the breakdowns after he came on. He ran really, really good support lines, positive lines. And I think Rory Scannell is the most-underrated player we have at the moment. His little offload for the try for JJ's first try was just deft and beautiful and we'd be extolling the virtues if it was an All Black and this is a fairly unflashy centre who ran a really, good, hard line."
Keith also touched on Tyler Bleyendaal's form for Munster and how the absence of Conor Murray can reduce out-halves' impacts.
"Bleyendaal I think suffers outside Duncan Williams and hasn't played as well outside him and doesn't seem to play with that level of confidence," he said.
"I wouldn't be writing him off just yet. I think he's got skills and capabilities that would keep him No 1 but he needs to be playing with Conor Murray because he just doesn't get the ball where he wants it."
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