2023–24 Munster Rugby season

{{Infobox rugby team

| teamname = 2023–24 Munster Rugby season

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| ground = Thomond Park (Capacity: 25,600)Thomond Park's official capacity is 25,600 but can be expanded up to 26,276 with temporary seating.
Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,800)

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| president = Michael Carroll{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/domestic_news/michael-carroll-elected-munster-rugby-president/|title=Michael Carroll Elected Munster Rugby President|date=9 June 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=12 June 2023}}

| ceo = Ian Flanagan

| chairman = Gerry O'Shea

| rugby director =

| coach = Graham Rowntree

| captain = Peter O'Mahony

| appearances =

| top scorer =

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| league = United Rugby Championship

| season = 2023–24 United Rugby Championship

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| prevseason = 2022–23

| nextseason = 2024–25

}}

The 2023–24 Munster Rugby season is Munster's twenty-third season competing in the United Rugby Championship, alongside which they are also competing in the European Rugby Champions Cup. It is Graham Rowntree's second season as head coach.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2022/04/12/graham-rowntree-confirmed-as-next-munster-head-coach/|title=Graham Rowntree Confirmed As Next Munster Head Coach|date=12 April 2022|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=12 April 2022}} Munster went into the season as the defending league champions, having defeated the Stormers in the final of the previous season.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-41149351.html|title=Magical Munster see off Stormers to win URC title and end trophy drought|date=27 May 2023|work=Irish Examiner|access-date=27 May 2023}}

Events

Former Munster player Mossy Lawler returned to the province to join the coaching team as a skills coach, having spent the previous eight seasons coaching at Connacht.{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/mossy-lawler-munster-5965232-Jan2023/|title=Lawler to join Munster as skills coach next season in move from Connacht|date=10 January 2023|work=The42|access-date=24 March 2023}} Academy manager Ian Costello was promoted to the newly created position of head of rugby operations,{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/01/26/new-role-for-ian-costello/|title=New Role for Ian Costello|date=26 January 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=29 April 2023}} with Gearóid Prendergast, then-director of rugby at Young Munster, replacing him in the role.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/04/28/academy-and-pathway-manager-appointed/|title=Academy and Pathway Manager Appointed|date=28 April 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=29 April 2023}} Lead performance analyst George Murray continues on in his role as technical coach after taking up the role in June 2022.

In players news, two players were promoted from the academy to the senior squad: back-three Patrick Campbell{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/munster-rugby-9-5798390-Jun2022/|title=Munster tie down Patrick Campbell to new contract and add six underage stars to their academy|date=23 June 2022|work=The42|access-date=24 March 2023}} and lock/back-row Cian Hurley.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/03/15/player-news-cian-hurley-chris-moore-james-french/|title=Player News {{!}} Cian Hurley, Chris Moore & James French|date=15 March 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=15 March 2023}} Prop John Ryan returned to the province,{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/john-ryan-2-5983822-Jan2023/|title=John Ryan in picture for World Cup squad with a second return to Munster announced|date=31 January 2023|work=The42|access-date=24 March 2023}} whilst Alex Nankivell, who was Ryan's teammate at the Chiefs, also joined the province.{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/alex-nankivell-stephen-archer-dave-kilcoyne-5997401-Feb2023/|title=Munster sign Māori All Blacks and Chiefs centre as Kilcoyne and Archer extend contracts|date=16 February 2023|work=The42|access-date=24 March 2023}} Former Connacht centre Seán O'Brien joined the province from English club Exeter Chiefs.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/04/18/new-signing-confirmed-for-munster-rugby/|title=New Signing Confirmed For Munster Rugby|date=18 April 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=18 April 2023}} Five players joined year one of the Munster academy ahead of the season: prop George Hadden, back-row Brian Gleeson, fly-half Dylan Hicks and back-three players Shay McCarthy and Ben O'Connor.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/06/07/munster-rugby-confirm-greencore-academy-squad-for-2023-24/|title=Munster Rugby Confirm Greencore Academy Squad For 2023/24|date=7 June 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=7 June 2023}}

Fly-half Ben Healy, who won his first cap for Scotland during the 2023 Six Nations, left the province to join Edinburgh,{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/ben-healy-edinburgh-rugby-mike-blair-5960725-Jan2023/|title=Munster confirm Ben Healy will join Edinburgh at the end of the season|date=4 January 2023|work=The42|access-date=4 January 2023}} whilst centre Malakai Fekitoa also left to join Italian club Benetton.{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/malakai-fekitoa-3-6014804-Mar2023/|title=Malakai Fekitoa set to leave Munster for Benetton Rugby|date=9 March 2023|work=The42|access-date=10 March 2023}} Lock Paddy Kelly and prop Liam O'Connor were forced to retire upon the conclusion of the previous season due to respective brain and neck injuries, centre Oli Morris and academy back-three Conor Phillips were released by the province,{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/05/23/munster-rugby-departing-players-confirmed-2/|title=Munster Rugby Departing Players Confirmed|date=23 May 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=23 May 2023}} and lock Eoin O'Connor joined English club Exeter Chiefs{{cite news|url=https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/oconnor-signs-for-the-chiefs|title=O'Connor signs for the Chiefs|date=19 July 2023|work=Exeter Chiefs|access-date=19 July 2023}} Club legend Keith Earls, who was contracted until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, confirmed his retirement upon Ireland's exit from the tournament, bringing to an end his 16-year Munster career.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup/2023/1014/1410945-keith-earls-retires-following-world-cup-exit/|title=Keith Earls retires following World Cup exit|date=14 October 2023|work=RTÉ Sport|access-date=15 October 2023}}

The format for the European Rugby Champions Cup changed for the 2023–24 season, with the two pool-format used during the COVID-19 pandemic dispensed with in favour of four pools of six clubs each, with each pool containing two teams from the United Rugby Championship, Top 14 and Premiership Rugby. The four highest-ranked teams in each pool progress to the knockout stage.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-41167267.html|title=Top seeds Munster rewarded with favourable draw as Champions Cup pools revealed|date=21 June 2023|work=Irish Examiner|access-date=21 June 2023}} Munster were in tier one for the pool draw by virtue of being 2022–23 URC champions, and were drawn in pool 3, where they will face English clubs Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints, and French clubs Bayonne and Toulon.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/06/21/munster-learn-champions-cup-opponents/|title=Munster Learn Champions Cup Opponents|date=21 June 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=21 June 2023}}

In a world first, Munster will host Super Rugby champions the Crusaders in a so-called Clash of Champions on 3 February 2024, a match that will see former Munster head coach Rob Penney return to the province after he was appointed as Crusaders new head coach ahead of 2024.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/06/29/a-world-first-for-munster-rugby-and-crusaders/|title=A World First For Munster Rugby And Crusaders|date=29 June 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=29 June 2023}}

Greig Oliver, an elite player development officer with Munster's academy since 2011, died in a paragliding accident in Cape Town, South Africa, on 3 July 2023, where he and his wife were following their son Jack, who is in Munster's academy, with the Ireland under-20s team at the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/07/03/greig-oliver-rest-in-peace/|title=Greig Oliver, Rest In Peace|date=3 July 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=3 July 2023}}

Munster began their pre-season fixtures with a 33–12 home defeat against Leinster at Musgrave Park on 8 September{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/report_nostats/report-munster-lose-out-to-leinster-in-pre-season-opener/|title=Report {{!}} Munster Lose Out To Leinster In Pre-Season Opener|date=8 September 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=9 September 2023}} and a 24–19 away win against Connacht at the Sportsground on 22 September,{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/report_nostats/report-munster-win-against-connacht/|title=Report {{!}} Munster Win Against Connacht|date=22 September 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=23 September 2023}} before defeating famous invitational touring side the Barbarians 47–35 at Thomond Park on 30 September;{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/report/report-munster-beat-barbarians-in-try-fest/|title=Report {{!}} Munster Beat Barbarians In Try-Fest|date=30 September 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=30 September 2023}} this match was the first time the sides' respective men's team faced each other.{{cite news|url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/05/22/munster-v-barbarians-double-header-at-thomond-park/|title=Munster v Barbarians Double-Header At Thomond Park|date=22 May 2023|work=Munster Rugby|access-date=22 May 2023}}

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=

Players in

{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Patrick Campbell promoted from Academy
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} John Ryan from {{flagicon|NZL}} Chiefs
{{flagicon|NZL}} Alex Nankivell from {{flagicon|NZL}} Chiefs
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Cian Hurley promoted from Academy
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Seán O'Brien from {{flagicon|ENG}} Exeter Chiefs

Players out

{{flagicon|SCO}} Ben Healy to {{flagicon|SCO}} Edinburgh
{{flagicon|TON}} Malakai Fekitoa to {{flagicon|ITA}} Benetton
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Paddy Kelly retired
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Liam O'Connor retired
{{flagicon|ENG}} Oli Morris released
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Eoin O'Connor to {{flagicon|ENG}} Exeter Chiefs
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Keith Earls retired

=Academy squad=

Players in

{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Brian Gleeson
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} George Hadden
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Dylan Hicks
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Shay McCarthy
{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ben O'Connor

Players out

{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Conor Phillips released

Coaches and staff

Senior squad

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

class="wikitable"

Position

! Name

! Nationality

Head coach

| Graham Rowntree

| {{flag|England|rugby union|name=England}}

Attack coach

| Mike Prendergast