2023–24 Munster Rugby season

The 2023–24 Munster Rugby season will be Munster's twenty-third season competing in the United Rugby Championship, alongside which they are also competing in a European competition. It will be Graham Rowntree's second season as head coach.[1]

2023–24 Munster Rugby season
Ground(s)Thomond Park (Capacity: 25,600)[note 1]
Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,008)
ChairmanGerry O'Shea
CEOIan Flanagan
Coach(es)Graham Rowntree
Captain(s)Peter O'Mahony
League(s)United Rugby Championship
← 2022–23 2024–25 →

Events

Former Munster player Mossy Lawler will return to the province to join the coaching team as a skills coach, having spent the previous eight seasons coaching at Connacht.[2] Academy manager Ian Costello will be promoted to the newly created position of head of rugby operations,[3] with Gearóid Prendergast, then-director of rugby at Young Munster, replacing him in the role.[4]

In players news, two players were promoted from the academy to the senior squad: back-three Patrick Campbell[5] and lock/back-row Cian Hurley.[6] Prop John Ryan will return to the province,[7] whilst Alex Nankivell, who was Ryan's teammate at the Chiefs, will also join the province.[8] Former Connacht centre Seán O'Brien will join the province from English club Exeter Chiefs.[9]

Fly-half Ben Healy, who won his first cap for Scotland during the 2023 Six Nations, left the province to join Edinburgh,[10] whilst centre Malakai Fekitoa also left to join Italian club Benetton.[11]

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

Academy squad

Coaches and staff

Senior squad

Position Name Nationality
Head coach Graham Rowntree  England
Attack coach Mike Prendergast  Ireland
Forwards coach Andi Kyriacou  England
Defence coach Denis Leamy  Ireland
Skills coach Mossy Lawler  Ireland
Team manager Niall O'Donovan  Ireland
Head of rugby operations Ian Costello  Ireland
Head of athletic performance Ged McNamara  Ireland
Strength and conditioning coach Adam Sheehan  Ireland
Head of medical Jamie Kearns  Ireland
Lead physiotherapist Damien Mordan  Ireland
Physiotherapist Keith Thornhill  Ireland
Physiotherapist Ray McGinley  Ireland
Lead performance analyst George Murray  Ireland
Performance analyst Paul O'Brien  Ireland

Academy squad

Position Name
Academy and pathway manager Gearóid Prendergast
Elite player development officer Brendan O'Connor
Elite player development officer Tommy O'Donnell
Elite player development officer Greig Oliver
Pathway development coach Matt Brown
Provincial talent coach Mark Butler
Lead academy athletic development coach Danielle Cunningham
Academy performance analyst Elliot Corcoran
Academy physio Shane Malone
Academy performance nutritionist Clare Farrell
Mental skills coach Cathal Sheridan

Players
For a full list of player movements before or during the 2023–24 season, see List of 2023–24 United Rugby Championship transfers.

Senior squad

The below squad reflects the confirmed joiners and leavers for the 2023–24 season. Amendments to the squad will be made as-and-when announcements are confirmed by the province.

Munster Rugby senior squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Back three

(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.[12]

    Academy squad

    Numbers in brackets reflect players stage in the three-year academy cycle as of the 2023–24 season. Conor Phillips' future with the province has not yet been confirmed, nor has the year one intake for this season.

    Munster Rugby academy squad

    Props

    Hookers

    • None at present

    Locks

    Back row

    Scrum-halves

    Fly-halves

    Centres

    Back three

    (c) denotes the team captain, 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.[13]

      Pre-season

      Munster's 2023–24 pre-season fixtures have not yet been confirmed.

      2023–24 United Rugby Championship

      Fixtures for the 2023–24 United Rugby Championship have not yet been confirmed.


      2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup

      Pools and fixtures for the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup have not yet been confirmed.


      2023–24 Munster A/Development season

      Munster A/Development fixtures during the 2023–24 season have not been confirmed yet.

      Player statistics

      Player statistics from the 2023–24 season. Stats from the league and European competitions only are shown. Academy players in italics.

      References
      1. "Graham Rowntree Confirmed As Next Munster Head Coach". Munster Rugby. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
      2. "Lawler to join Munster as skills coach next season in move from Connacht". The42. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
      3. "New Role for Ian Costello". Munster Rugby. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
      4. "Academy and Pathway Manager Appointed". Munster Rugby. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
      5. "Munster tie down Patrick Campbell to new contract and add six underage stars to their academy". The42. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
      6. "Player News | Cian Hurley, Chris Moore & James French". Munster Rugby. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
      7. "John Ryan in picture for World Cup squad with a second return to Munster announced". The42. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
      8. "Munster sign Māori All Blacks and Chiefs centre as Kilcoyne and Archer extend contracts". The42. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
      9. "New Signing Confirmed For Munster Rugby". Munster Rugby. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
      10. "Munster confirm Ben Healy will join Edinburgh at the end of the season". The42. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
      11. "Malakai Fekitoa set to leave Munster for Benetton Rugby". The42. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
      12. "Munster Rugby | 1st Team Squad". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
      13. "Munster Rugby | Academy Squad". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 9 August 2022.

      Notes
      1. Thomond Park's official capacity is 25,600 but can be expanded up to 26,276 with temporary seating.
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