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
2002–03	1st (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]

Thomond Park

23 August 2002

Connacht	40–33	Munster
	Report[2]

Galway Sportsgrounds

19 March 2003

Munster	36–19	Borders
	Report[3]

Thomond Park

4 April 2003

Munster	43–5	Connacht
	Report[4]

Thomond Park

2002–03 Celtic League

Pool A Table

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Try bonus	Losing bonus	Pts
1	Munster	7	6	0	1	227	129	+98	25	12	4	0	28
2	Edinburgh	7	6	0	1	231	145	+86	24	13	2	1	27
3	Ulster	7	5	0	2	173	111	+62	15	9	1	1	22
4	Neath	7	4	0	3	153	121	+32	15	12	1	1	18
5	Llanelli	7	3	0	4	191	168	+23	23	16	3	2	17
6	Swansea	7	3	0	4	177	212	−35	18	22	3	1	16
7	Ebbw Vale	7	1	0	6	140	226	−86	16	27	1	0	5
8	Caerphilly	7	0	0	7	144	324	−180	17	42	2	1	3
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]

Stradey Park

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

Pool 2

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Pts
Perpignan	6	4	0	2	23	16	7	176	156	20	8
Munster	6	4	0	2	27	14	13	206	107	99	8
Gloucester	6	4	0	2	31	14	17	241	140	101	8
Arix Viadana	6	0	0	6	15	52	−37	128	348	−220	0

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.

External links

• 2002–03 Munster Rugby season official site