2010–11 Munster Rugby season

The 2010–11 Munster Rugby season was Munster's tenth season competing in the Celtic League alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup for the sixteenth time. They also competed in the European Challenge Cup for the first time after elimination from the Heineken Cup. It was Tony McGahans third season as director of rugby.

2010–11 Munster Rugby season
Ground(s)Thomond Park
Musgrave Park (Capacity: 26,500
8,500)
Coach(es)Tony McGahan (Director of Rugby)[1]
Captain(s)Paul O'Connell
League(s)Celtic League
2010–111st, Champions
1st kit
2nd kit

Summary edit

Munster were drawn in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup alongside the Ospreys, London Irish and RC Toulon. Munster lost 23–17 away to London Irish, before defeating RC Toulon 45–18 at Thomond Park on 16 October 2010.[2][3] Munster defeated Ospreys 22–16, but lost the reverse fixture at Liberty Stadium 19–15.[4][5] In round 5 Munster went to RC Toulon, losing 32–16. As a result of this defeat, Munster failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time in 13 years.[6] [7][8] As one of the top three runners up in the Heineken cup pool stage, Munster entered the quarter-final stage of the Challenge Cup where they defeated Brive 42–37 in France before losing at home 12–20 to Harlequins.[9] [10][11]

In the Magners league Munster finished top of the table with nineteen wins and three defeats after twenty two matches to qualify for the semi-final playoffs where they defeated Ospreys 18–11. They then played in the 2011 Celtic League Grand Final where they defeated Leinster by 19 points to 9 to claim their third league title.[12] [13]

2010-11 Playing Squad edit

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Jerry Flannery Hooker   Ireland
Denis Fogarty Hooker   Ireland
Damien Varley Hooker   Ireland
Stephen Archer Prop   Ireland
Peter Borlase Prop   New Zealand
Tony Buckley Prop   Ireland
John Hayes Prop   Ireland
Marcus Horan Prop   Ireland
Darragh Hurley Prop   Ireland
Wian du Preez Prop   South Africa
Dave Ryan Prop   Ireland
Dave Foley Lock   Ireland
Ian Nagle Lock   Ireland
Donncha O'Callaghan Lock   Ireland
Paul O'Connell (c) Lock   Ireland
Mick O'Driscoll Lock   Ireland
Donnacha Ryan Lock   Ireland
Billy Holland Flanker   Ireland
Tommy O'Donnell Flanker   Ireland
Peter O'Mahony Flanker   Ireland
Alan Quinlan Flanker   Ireland
Niall Ronan Flanker   Ireland
David Wallace Flanker   Ireland
Paddy Butler Number 8   Ireland
James Coughlan Number 8   Ireland
Denis Leamy Number 8   Ireland
Player Position Union
Tomás O'Leary Scrum-half   Ireland
Peter Stringer Scrum-half   Ireland
Duncan Williams Scrum-half   Ireland
Ronan O'Gara Outside-half   Ireland
Paul Warwick Outside-half   Australia
Declan Cusack Outside-half   Ireland
Tom Gleeson Centre   Ireland
Lifeimi Mafi Centre   New Zealand
Barry Murphy Centre   Ireland
Sam Tuitupou Centre   New Zealand
Danny Barnes Wing   Ireland
Keith Earls Wing   Ireland
Ian Dowling Wing   Ireland
Doug Howlett Wing   New Zealand
Johne Murphy Wing   Ireland
Scott Deasy Fullback   Ireland
Denis Hurley Fullback   Ireland
Felix Jones Fullback   Ireland

Coaching and Management team edit

Position Name Nationality
Director of Rugby Tony McGahan   Australia
Team Manager Shaun Payne   South Africa
Forwards Coach Laurie Fisher   Australia
Backs Coach Jason Holland   New Zealand
Technical Advisor Anthony Foley   Ireland
Head of Strength & Conditioning Paul Darbyshire
Strength and Conditioning Coach Tom Comyns   Ireland
Strength and Conditioning Coach Aidan O'Connell   Ireland
Strength & Conditioning Coach Joe Gallanagh   Ireland
Medical Co-ordinator & Head of Physiotherapy Anthony Coole   Ireland
Physiotherapist Neil Tucker   Ireland

Players in edit

Players out edit

2010–11 Celtic League edit

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Pts
1   Munster 22 19 0 3 496 327 +169 44 22 5 2 83
2   Leinster 22 15 1 6 495 336 +159 50 25 5 3 70
3   Ulster 22 15 1 6 480 418 +62 44 35 3 2 67
4   Ospreys 22 12 1 9 553 418 +135 56 29 6 7 63
5   Scarlets 22 12 1 9 503 453 +50 49 43 5 7 62
6   Cardiff Blues 22 13 1 8 479 392 +87 37 33 3 3 60
7   Newport Gwent Dragons 22 10 1 11 444 462 −18 47 49 3 4 49
8   Edinburgh 22 9 0 13 421 460 −39 39 44 2 5 43
9   Connacht 22 7 1 14 394 459 −65 32 44 3 6 39
10   Benetton Treviso 22 9 0 13 374 502 −128 29 58 0 2 38
11   Glasgow Warriors 22 6 1 15 401 543 −142 33 48 1 6 33
12   Aironi 22 1 0 21 247 517 −270 21 52 0 8 12
Correct as of 7 May 2011

Playoffs edit

Semi-final edit

14 May 2011
18:30
Munster  18 – 11  Ospreys
Try: Barnes (2) 32' m, 57' c
Con: O'Gara (1/2)
Pen: O'Gara (2/4) 14', 49'
ReportTry: Fussell 78' m
Pen: Biggar (2/2) 38', 55'
Thomond Park
Referee: Nigel Owens

Grand Final edit

28 May 2011
17:05
Munster  19 – 9  Leinster
Try: Howlett 12' c
Earls 66' m
Penalty try 79' c
Con: O'Gara (2/3)
ReportPen: Sexton (3/4) 29', 46', 60'
Thomond Park
Attendance: 26,100
Referee: Nigel Owens

2010-11 Heineken Cup edit

Pool 3 edit

Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff TB LB Pts
  Toulon (6) 6 4 0 2 13 13 0 143 134 +9 1 0 17
  Munster [7] 6 3 0 3 17 9 +8 143 122 +21 2 2 16
  Ospreys 6 3 0 3 7 11 −4 117 113 +4 0 2 14
  London Irish 6 2 0 4 9 13 −4 107 141 −34 0 1 9
9 October 2010
17:45
London Irish  23 – 17  Munster
Try: Ojo 41' m
Con: Lamb (0/1)
Pen: Lamb (4/4) 8', 11', 20', 37'
D. Armitage (1/2) 73'
Drop: Lamb 33'
ReportTry: Tuitupou 80' m
Con: O'Gara (0/1)
Pen: O'Gara (4/5) 5', 39', 55', 69'
Madejski Stadium, Reading
Attendance: 20,188
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

16 October 2010
15:30
Munster  45 – 18  Toulon
Try: Leamy 9' c
Buckley 20' c
Howlett (2) 36' c, 62' c
O'Driscoll 59' c
Coughlan 79' c
Con: O'Gara (6/6)
Pen: O'Gara (1/2) 47'
ReportTry: Genevois 1' c
van Niekerk 75' m
Con: Contepomi (1/1)
Wilkinson (0/1)
Pen: Contepomi (1/3) 30'
Drop: Wilkinson 49'
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

12 December 2010
13:00
Munster  22 - 16  Ospreys
Try: Howlett 10' m
Wallace 58' c
Murphy 63' c
Con: O'Gara (2/3)
Pen: O'Gara (1/3) 40'
ReportTry: Bowe 42' c
Con: Biggar (1/1)
Pen: Biggar (3/5) 1', 12', 67'
Thomond Park
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

18 December 2010
15:30
Ospreys  19 - 15  Munster
Try: Phillips 25' c
Con: Biggar (1/1)
Pen: Biggar (4) 17', 36', 55', 68'
ReportTry: Buckley 23' c
Earls 58' m
Con: O'Gara (1/2)
Pen: O'Gara 5'
Liberty Stadium
Attendance: 12,189
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

16 January 2011
16:00
Toulon  32 - 16  Munster
Try: Loamanu 22' c
Sackey 37' c
Con: Wilkinson (2/2)
Pen: Wilkinson (6/8) 8', 14', 16', 34', 41', 59'
ReportTry: Wallace 76' c
Con: O'Gara (1/1)
Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 2', 25', 40'
Stade Félix Mayol
Attendance: 13,900
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

22 January 2011
15:30
Munster  28 – 14  London Irish
Try: Varley 46' c
Ronan 70' c
Earls 73' c
Hurley 79' c
Con: O'Gara (4/4)
ReportTry: Mapusua 58' c
Tagicakibau 67' c
Con: Bowden (1/1)
Lamb (1/1)
Thomond Park
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)

2010-11 Amlin Challenge Cup edit

Quarter-final edit

9 April 2011
14.00
Brive  37 - 42  Munster
Try: Uys 17' c
Estebanez 20' c
Palisson 70' c
Perry 80' c
Con: Belie (4/4) 17',20',80',70'
Pen: Belie 10',36',45'
ReportTry: Howlett (2) 1' c, 22' c
Earls (2) 4' c, 46' c
Stringer 50' c
Con: O'Gara (4/5)
Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 53', 66', 68'
Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde
Attendance: 8,500
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

Semi-final edit

30 April 2011
13:00
Munster  12 – 20  Harlequins
Try: Jones 40' c
Howlett 78' m
Con: O'Gara (1/2)
ReportTry: Robson 9' c
Care 34' c
Con: Evans (1/1)
Care (1/1)
Pen: Clegg (2/2) 49', 59'
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 24,907
Referee: Romain Poite (France)

References edit

  1. ^ Munster appoint McGahan as coach Archived 14 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine RTÉ Sport, 18 June 2008
  2. ^ "As It Happened: London Irish 23-17 Munster". RTÉ Sport. 9 October 2001. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Munster 45-18 Toulon". BBC Sport. 15 October 2001. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Munster 22-16 Ospreys". BBC Sport. 12 December 2001. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Ospreys 19-15 Munster". BBC Sport. 18 December 2001. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  6. ^ Farrelly, Hugh (17 January 2011). "Munster's epic ends as tragedy". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Munster fail to reach Heineken Cup last eight with defeat at Toulon". The Guardian. London. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Munster bid au revoir to an era". The Irish Times. 17 January 2011. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Brive 37-42 Munster". BBC Sport. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  10. ^ "Quins silence Thomond Park". ESPN. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  11. ^ "Munster 12-20 Harlequins". BBC Sport. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  12. ^ "Magners League 2010/11 Final Table". ESPN. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  13. ^ "Munster power to Magners title". ESPN. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  14. ^ Murphy for Munster Archived 26 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Munster Rugby, 1 February 2010
  15. ^ Eight Bedford Blues players sign on for second Championship campaign Archived 7 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine Heaven's Game, 5 May 2010
  16. ^ Murphy, Fiona (7 May 2010). "Munster Rugby : News : Earls Ruled Out". Munsterrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  17. ^ Du Preez Returning to Munster Archived 28 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine Munster Rugby, 25 May 2010
  18. ^ Munster agrees on Borlase deal SkySports, 10 June 2010
  19. ^ "Rugby Union News | Grant signs in Japan, JDV for WP". Planet Rugby. 9 June 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  20. ^ "Newcastle sign fly-half Manning". BBC News. 3 June 2010.
  21. ^ "Rugby Union Tournaments | Top 14 | Hernandez heading to Racing". Planet Rugby. 12 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  22. ^ Farrelly, Hugh (17 April 2010). "Connacht to steal show from Reds' fringe cast - Rugby, Sport". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  23. ^ Geraghty, Pat (16 July 2010). "Munster Rugby : News : Grace Bound for Exeter". Munsterrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.

External links edit