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 under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

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

Friendlies
13 August 2002
Munster Ireland31–10England Bristol Shoguns
Report[1]
Thomond Park
23 August 2002
Connacht Ireland40–33Ireland Munster
Report[2]
Galway Sportsgrounds
19 March 2003
Munster Ireland36–19Scotland Borders
Report[3]
Thomond Park
4 April 2003
Munster Ireland43–5Ireland Connacht
Report[4]
Thomond Park

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
1Ireland Munster 7601227129+9825124028
2Scotland Edinburgh 7601231145+8624132127
3Ireland Ulster 7502173111+621591122
4Wales Neath 7403153121+3215121118
5Wales Llanelli 7304191168+2323163217
6Wales Swansea 7304177212−3518223116
7Wales Ebbw Vale 7106140226−861627105
8Wales 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 Wales13–20Ireland Munster
Report[5]
Stradey Park
6 September 2002
19:35
Munster Ireland48–23Wales Ebbw Vale
Report[6]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 3,500
13 September 2002
17:30
Edinburgh Scotland21–28Ireland Munster
Report[7]
Meadowbank
Attendance: 4,500
20 September 2002
19:35
Munster Ireland38–27Wales Swansea
Report[8]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 8,000
27 September 2002
19:35
Ulster Ireland26–17Ireland Munster
Try: Doak (2)
Con: Doak (2)
Pen: Doak (2)		Report[9]Try: Lawler
Pen: Staunton (2)
Drop: Staunton, Holland
Ravenhill
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: P. Adams
5 October 2002
17:30
Neath Wales19–35Ireland Munster
Report[10]
The Gnoll
Attendance: 4,000
25 October 2002
19:30
Munster Ireland41–0Wales Caerphilly
Report[11]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 2,532

Quarter-final
29 November 2002
19:35
Munster Ireland33–3Ireland Connacht
Report[12]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 8,000

Semi-final
3 January 2003
19:35
Munster Ireland42–10Ireland Ulster
Try: Hayes, Quinlan, Kelly, Mullins, Galwey
Con: O'Gara (3), Keane
Pen: O'Gara (3)		Report[13]Try: Humphreys
Con: Humphreys
Pen: Humphreys
Thomond Park
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: H. Watkins

Final
1 February 2003
14:45
Munster Ireland37–17Wales 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
France Perpignan 640223167176156208
Ireland Munster 6402271413206107998
England Gloucester 64023114172411401018
Italy Arix Viadana 60061552−37128348−2200
12 October 2002
15:00
Gloucester England35–16Ireland Munster
Report[15]
Kingsholm
Attendance: 11,200
Referee: Joel Dume
19 October 2002
15:00
Munster Ireland30–21France Perpignan
Report[16]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 9,000
6 December 2002
27:00
Munster Ireland64–0Italy Viadana
Report[17]
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 6,500
14 December 2002
18:00
Viadana Italy36–8Ireland Munster
Report[18]
Stadio Luigi Zaffanella
Attendance: 2,000
11 January 2003
14:30
Perpignan France23–8Ireland Munster
Report[19]
Stade Aimé Giral
Attendance: 8,000
18 January 2003
14:45
Munster Ireland33–6England Gloucester
Report[20]
Thomond Park
Attendance: 14,000

Quarter-final
13 April 2003
16:00
Leicester Tigers England7–20Ireland Munster
Report[21]
Welford Road
Attendance: 17,500
Referee: Nigel Williams

Semi-final
26 April 2003
14:00
Toulouse France13–12Ireland 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.
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