Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus League(s) Pro 12 | Captain(s) Peter O'Mahony | |
Ground(s) Thomond Park (Capacity: 25,600)
Irish Independent Park (Capacity: 9,500) | ||
The 2016–17 Munster Rugby season is Munster's sixteenth season competing in the Pro12, alongside which they will also compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup. It was Anthony Foley's third season as Head Coach and Rassie Erasmus's first season as Director of Rugby.
Contents
Events
In August 2016, Munster started using the new central training base at the University of Limerick campus, thus marking an end to the days of splitting training between Cork and Limerick.
Munster opened their pre-season with a 17-0 victory over Zebre in a pre-season friendly at Waterford Regional Sports Centre on 19 August.
The new Pro12 season was launched on 23 August at the Aviva Stadium. Munster began the new season on 3 September with an away game against Scarlets.
On 26 August, Munster defeated Worcester in their final pre-season friendly at Musgrave Park, scoring seven-tries during the game.
On 16 October 2016, head coach Anthony Foley died suddenly while in Paris with Munster. The team was preparing to face Racing 92 in their opening game of the 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup. The match was postponed as a result of Foley's death.
On 22 October Munster paid tribute to the late Anthony Foley with a 38-17 bonus-point win over Glasgow in the European Champions Cup. A minutes silence was observed before the match during which a special tribute took place in the West Stand with the words "AXEL" spelled out with the number 8 on either side. The Munster Rugby Supporter's Club Choir performed 'There Is An Isle', and soprano Sinead O'Brien joined the Choir to perform 'Stand Up And Fight.
On 10 December, Munster defeated Leicester 38-0 at Thomond Park in their second European Rugby Champions Cup game of the season to go top of the pool with ten points after two games.
Over the Christmas period, Munster defeated Leinster at Thomond Park on 26 December 29-17 to move five points clear of them at the top of the Pro12. They followed up that victory with a 16-9 victory over Connacht on 31 December at the Galway Sportsgrounds.
On 7 January, Munster played the re-arranged game against Racing 92 in Paris and had a bonus point victory by 32-7.
On 14 January, Francis Saili scored the winning try in Munster's 12-14 away win against Glasgow Warriors, a win that secured Munster's place in the quarter-finals of the 2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup. It was the 11th win out of the last 12 matches for Munster.
Senior Playing Squad 2016–17
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
2016–17 European Rugby Champions Cup
Munster will face Racing Metro, Glasgow Warriors and Leicester, in Pool 1, of the 2016-17 Champions Cup. They were seeded in the bottom tier following their sixth placed position in the 2015-16 Pro12.