The 2023–24 Munster Rugby season is Munster's twenty-third season competing in the United Rugby Championship, alongside which they are also competing in the European Rugby Champions Cup. It is Graham Rowntree's second season as head coach. Munster went into the season as the defending league champions, having defeated the Stormers in the final of the previous season.
Events Former Munster player Mossy Lawler returned to the province to join the coaching team as a skills coach, having spent the previous eight seasons coaching at Connacht. Academy manager Ian Costello was promoted to the newly created position of head of rugby operations, with Gearóid Prendergast, then-director of rugby at Young Munster, replacing him in the role. Lead performance analyst George Murray continues on in his role as technical coach after taking up the role in June 2022.
In players news, two players were promoted from the academy to the senior squad: back-three Patrick Campbell and lock/back-row Cian Hurley. Prop John Ryan returned to the province, whilst Alex Nankivell, who was Ryan's teammate at the Chiefs, also joined the province. Former Connacht centre Seán O'Brien joined the province from English club Exeter Chiefs. Five players joined year one of the Munster academy ahead of the season: prop George Hadden, back-row Brian Gleeson, fly-half Dylan Hicks and back-three players Shay McCarthy and Ben O'Connor.
Fly-half Ben Healy, who won his first cap for Scotland during the 2023 Six Nations, left the province to join Edinburgh, whilst centre Malakai Fekitoa also left to join Italian club Benetton. Lock Paddy Kelly and prop Liam O'Connor were forced to retire upon the conclusion of the previous season due to respective brain and neck injuries, centre Oli Morris and academy back-three Conor Phillips were released by the province, and lock Eoin O'Connor joined English club Exeter Chiefs Club legend Keith Earls, who was contracted until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, confirmed his retirement upon Ireland's exit from the tournament, bringing to an end his 16-year Munster career.
The format for the European Rugby Champions Cup changed for the 2023–24 season, with the two pool-format used during the COVID-19 pandemic dispensed with in favour of four pools of six clubs each, with each pool containing two teams from the United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and Premiership Rugby. The four highest-ranked teams in each pool progress to the knockout stage. Munster were in tier one for the pool draw by virtue of being 2022–23 URC champions, and were drawn in pool 3, where they will face English clubs Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints, and French clubs Bayonne and Toulon.
In a world first, Munster will host Super Rugby champions the Crusaders in a so-called Clash of Champions on 3 February 2024, a match that will see former Munster head coach Rob Penney return to the province after he was appointed as Crusaders new head coach ahead of 2024.
Greig Oliver, an elite player development officer with Munster's academy since 2011, died in a paragliding accident in Cape Town, South Africa, on 3 July 2023, where he and his wife were following their son Jack, who is in Munster's academy, with the Ireland under-20s team at the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship.
Munster began their pre-season fixtures with a 33–12 home defeat against Leinster at Musgrave Park on 8 September and a 24–19 away win against Connacht at the Sportsground on 22 September, before defeating famous invitational touring side the Barbarians 47–35 at Thomond Park on 30 September; this match was the first time the sides' respective men's team faced each other.
Player movements Below are the players who joined and left the Munster senior and academy squads ahead of the 2023–24 season. Italics indicates players that transferred during the 2023–24 season.
Senior squad
Players in Patrick Campbell promoted from Academy John Ryan from Chiefs Alex Nankivell from Chiefs Cian Hurley promoted from Academy Seán O'Brien from Exeter Chiefs
Players out Ben Healy to Edinburgh Malakai Fekitoa to Benetton Paddy Kelly retired Liam O'Connor retired Oli Morris released Eoin O'Connor to Exeter Chiefs Keith Earls retired
Academy squad
Players in Brian Gleeson George Hadden Dylan Hicks Shay McCarthy Ben O'Connor
Players out Conor Phillips released
Coaches and staff Senior squad Position Name Nationality Head coach Graham Rowntree Attack coach Mike Prendergast Forwards coach Andi Kyriacou Defence coach Denis Leamy Lead performance analyst and technical coach George Murray Skills coach Mossy Lawler Team manager Niall O'Donovan Head of rugby operations Ian Costello Head of athletic performance Ged McNamara Strength and conditioning coach Adam Sheehan Head of medical Jamie Kearns Lead physiotherapist Damien Mordan Physiotherapist Keith Thornhill Physiotherapist Ray McGinley Performance analyst Paul O'Brien
Academy squad Position Name Academy and pathway manager Gearóid Prendergast Elite player development officer Brendan O'Connor Elite player development officer Tommy O'Donnell Pathway development coach Matt Brown Lead academy athletic development coach Danielle Cunningham Academy and pathway performance analyst Brandon Shanahan
Players
Senior squad
Munster Rugby senior squadProps Stephen Archer Dave Kilcoyne Keynan Knox* Jeremy Loughman John Ryan Roman Salanoa Josh Wycherley
Hookers Diarmuid Barron Scott Buckley Chris Moore* Niall Scannell
Locks Thomas Ahern Tadhg Beirne Cian Hurley Jean KleynKleyn changed his World Rugby-recognised international affiliation to South Africa in June 2023. RG Snyman Fineen WycherleyBack row Gavin Coombes Jack Daly John Hodnett Alex Kendellen Jack O'Donoghue Peter O'Mahony (c) Jack O'Sullivan
Scrum-halves Craig Casey Neil Cronin Conor Murray Paddy Patterson
Fly-halves Joey Carbery Jack CrowleyCentres Antoine Frisch Alex Nankivell Seán O'Brien Rory Scannell
Back three Andrew Conway Patrick Campbell Liam Coombes Shane Daly Mike Haley Calvin Nash Simon Zebo (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. ST denotes a short-term signing. L denotes a player on loan at the club. Players and their allocated positions from the Munster Rugby website.
Academy squad
Munster Rugby academy squadProps Mark Donnelly (3) George Hadden (1) Darragh McSweeney (2) Kieran Ryan (2)
Hookers None at present
Locks Edwin Edogbo (3) Evan O'Connell (2)Back row Brian Gleeson (1) Daniel Okeke (3) Ruadhán Quinn (2)
Scrum-halves Ethan Coughlan (3) Jack Oliver (2)
Fly-halves Tony Butler (3) Dylan Hicks (1)Centres Fionn Gibbons (2)
Back three Shay McCarthy (1) Ben O'Connor (1) Bold denotes internationally capped players, number in brackets indicates players stage in the three-year academy cycle. * denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality. Players and their allocated positions from the Munster Rugby website.
Pre-season and friendlies
2023–24 United Rugby Championship
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Quarter-final
Semi-final
2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup
Munster were in tier one for the pool draw of the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup by virtue of being 2022–23 URC champions, and were drawn in pool C, where they will face English clubs Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints, and French clubs Bayonne and Toulon.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Last 16
Player statistics Player statistics from the 2023–24 season. Stats from competitive fixtures only are shown. Academy players in italics. Pos Player Apps Starts Sub Mins Tries Cons Pens Drops Points Yel Red PR Stephen Archer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Mark Donnelly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR George Hadden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Dave Kilcoyne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Keynan Knox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Jeremy Loughman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Darragh McSweeney 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR John Ryan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Kieran Ryan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Roman Salanoa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR Josh Wycherley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HK Diarmuid Barron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HK Scott Buckley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HK Chris Moore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HK Niall Scannell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Thomas Ahern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Tadhg Beirne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Edwin Edogbo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Cian Hurley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Jean Kleyn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Evan O'Connell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK RG Snyman 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 LK Fineen Wycherley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Gavin Coombes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Jack Daly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Brian Gleeson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR John Hodnett 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Alex Kendellen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Jack O'Donoghue 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Daniel Okeke 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Peter O'Mahony 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Jack O'Sullivan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BR Ruadhán Quinn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Craig Casey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Ethan Coughlan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Neil Cronin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Conor Murray 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Jack Oliver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SH Paddy Patterson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FH Tony Butler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FH Joey Carbery 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FH Jack Crowley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 FH Dylan Hicks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CE Antoine Frisch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CE Fionn Gibbons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CE Alex Nankivell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CE Seán O'Brien 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CE Rory Scannell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Patrick Campbell 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Andrew Conway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Liam Coombes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Shane Daly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Keith Earls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Mike Haley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Shay McCarthy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Calvin Nash 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Ben O'Connor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B3 Simon Zebo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
References
Notes
External links Official Munster website URC Munster EPCR Munster