2002–03 Munster Rugby season

The 2002–03 Munster Rugby season was Munster's second season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Declan Kidney's fifth and final season in his first spell as head coach of the province.

2002–03 Munster Rugby season
Ground(s)Thomond Park (Capacity: 13,200)
Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,300)
Coach(es)Declan Kidney
Captain(s)Jim Williams
League(s)Celtic League
2002–031st (Pool A), Champions
← 2001–02 2003–04 →

2002–03 squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
James Blaney Hooker Ireland
John Fogarty Hooker Ireland
Frankie Sheahan Hooker Ireland
Martin Cahill Prop Ireland
John Hayes Prop Ireland
Marcus Horan Prop Ireland
Simon Kerr Prop Australia
Rob Laffan Prop Ireland
Warren O'Kelly Prop Ireland
Mick Galwey Lock Ireland
Trevor Hogan Lock Ireland
Donncha O'Callaghan Lock Ireland
Paul O'Connell Lock Ireland
Mick O'Driscoll Lock Ireland
Anthony Foley Back row Ireland
Eddie Halvey Back row Ireland
Denis Leamy Back row Ireland
Peter Malone Back row Ireland
Colm McMahon Back row Ireland
Alan Quinlan Back row Ireland
David Wallace Back row Ireland
Jim Williams (c) Back row Australia
Player Position Union
Dominic Malone Scrum-half England
Frank Murphy Scrum-half Ireland
Mike Prendergast Scrum-half Ireland
Peter Stringer Scrum-half Ireland
Ronan O'Gara Fly-half Ireland
Jeremy Staunton Fly-half Ireland
Rob Henderson Centre Ireland
Jason Holland Centre Ireland
Killian Keane Centre Ireland
Conor Mahony Centre Ireland
Mike Mullins Centre Ireland
Anthony Horgan Wing Ireland
Clinton Huppert Wing New Zealand
John Kelly Wing Ireland
Mossy Lawler Wing Ireland
John O'Neill Wing Ireland
Dominic Crotty Fullback Ireland
Christian Cullen Fullback New Zealand

Friendlies
13 August 2002
Munster 31–10 Bristol Shoguns
Report[1]
23 August 2002
Connacht 40–33 Munster
Report[2]
19 March 2003
Munster 36–19 Borders
Report[3]
4 April 2003
Munster 43–5 Connacht
Report[4]

2002–03 Celtic League
Main article: 2002–03 Celtic League

Pool A Table
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Pts
1 Munster 7601227129+9825124028
2 Edinburgh 7601231145+8624132127
3 Ulster 7502173111+621591122
4 Neath 7403153121+3215121118
5 Llanelli 7304191168+2323163217
6 Swansea 7304177212−3518223116
7 Ebbw Vale 7106140226−861627105
8 Caerphilly 7007144324−1801742213

Under the standard bonus point system, points are awarded as follows:

  • 4 points for a win
  • 2 points for a draw
  • 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries (or more) (Try bonus)
    •
  • 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer) (Losing bonus)
Green background (rows 1 to 4) qualify for the knock-out stage.
Source: RaboDirect PRO12
31 August 2002
19:05
Llanelli 13–20 Munster
Report[5]
6 September 2002
19:35
Munster 48–23 Ebbw Vale
Report[6]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 3,500
13 September 2002
17:30
Edinburgh 21–28 Munster
Report[7]
Meadowbank
Attendance: 4,500
20 September 2002
19:35
Munster 38–27 Swansea
Report[8]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 8,000
27 September 2002
19:35
Ulster 26–17 Munster
Report[9]
Ravenhill
Attendance: 6,000
5 October 2002
17:30
Neath 19–35 Munster
Report[10]
The Gnoll
Attendance: 4,000
25 October 2002
19:30
Munster 41–0 Caerphilly
Report[11]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 2,532

Quarter-final
29 November 2002
19:35
Munster 33–3 Connacht
Report[12]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 8,000

Semi-final
3 January 2003
19:35
Munster 42–10 Ulster
Report[13]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 12,000

Final
1 February 2003
14:45
Munster 37–17 Neath
Report[14]
Millennium Stadium
Attendance: 30,076
Referee: Chris White

2002–03 Heineken Cup
Main article: 2002–03 Heineken Cup

Pool 2
Team P W D L Tries for Tries against Try diff Points for Points against Points diff Pts
Perpignan 640223167176156208
Munster 6402271413206107998
Gloucester 64023114172411401018
Arix Viadana 60061552−37128348−2200
12 October 2002
15:00
Gloucester 35–16 Munster
Report[15]
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,200
Referee: Joel Dume
19 October 2002
15:00
Munster 30–21 Perpignan
Report[16]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 9,000
6 December 2002
27:00
Munster 64–0 Viadana
Report[17]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 6,500
14 December 2002
18:00
Viadana 36–8 Munster
Report[18]
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
Attendance: 2,000
11 January 2003
14:30
Perpignan 23–8 Munster
Report[19]
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 8,000
18 January 2003
14:45
Munster 33–6 Gloucester
Report[20]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 14,000

Quarter-final
13 April 2003
16:00
Leicester Tigers 7–20 Munster
Report[21]
Welford Road
Attendance: 17,500
Referee: Nigel Williams

Semi-final
26 April 2003
14:00
Toulouse 13–12 Munster
Report[22]
Stadium de Toulouse
Attendance: 36,400

References
  1. "Munster Triumphant Over Bristol Shoguns". Munster Rugby. 13 August 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  2. "Munster 33 Connacht 40". Munster Rugby. 23 August 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  3. "Six Try Victory For Munster". Munster Rugby. 20 March 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  4. "Munster Overpower Connacht at Thomond Park". Munster Rugby. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  5. "Munster Conquer The Scarlets at Stradey". Munster Rugby. 31 August 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  6. "Munster 48 Ebbw Vale 23". Munster Rugby. 6 September 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  7. "Munster 28 – Edinburgh 21". Munster Rugby. 13 September 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  8. "Munster Remain Unbeaten In Celtic League". Munster Rugby. 20 September 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  9. "Munster Suffer Defeat at Ravenhill". Munster Rugby. 27 September 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  10. "Munster Ensure Place in Celtic League QTR Final". Munster Rugby. 5 October 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  11. "Forceful Munster defeat Caerphilly". Munster Rugby. 25 October 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  12. "Munster Outplay Connacht in Musgrave Park". Munster Rugby. 29 November 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  13. "Munster Trounce Ulster Knights". Munster Rugby. 3 January 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  14. "Victory! – Munster Crowned Celtic League Champions!". Munster Rugby. 1 February 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  15. "Gloucester Overpower Munster at Kingsholm". Munster Rugby. 14 October 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  16. "Munster Prevail at Thomond Park". Munster Rugby. 19 October 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  17. "Munster Destroy Viadana in Musgrave". Munster Rugby. 6 December 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  18. "Another Nine Tries For Munster". Munster Rugby. 14 December 2002. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  19. "Munster lose in France". Munster Rugby. 11 January 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. "Munster Crush Gloucester at Thomond Park". Munster Rugby. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  21. "Munster Thrash Leicester at Welford Road". Munster Rugby. 13 April 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  22. "Munster Beaten in France". Munster Rugby. 26 April 2003. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.