# 1996–97 Munster Rugby season

The 1996–97 Munster Rugby season was Munster's second season as a professional team, during which they competed in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship and Heineken Cup.

## 1996–97 squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
| Player | Position | Union |
| Terry Kingston | Hooker | Ireland |
| Frankie Sheahan | Hooker | Ireland |
| Peter Clohessy | Prop | Ireland |
| John Fitzgerald | Prop | Ireland |
| Noel Healy | Prop | Ireland |
| Paul McCarthy | Prop | Ireland |
| Ian Murray | Prop | Ireland |
| Len Dineen | Lock | Ireland |
| Gabriel Fulcher | Lock | Ireland |
| Mick Galwey (c) | Lock | Ireland |
| Daragh Kirby | Lock | Ireland |
| David Corkery | Back row | Ireland |
| Ben Cronin | Back row | Ireland |
| Declan Edwards | Back row | Ireland |
| Anthony Foley | Back row | Ireland |
| Eddie Halvey | Back row | Ireland |
| Ultan O'Callaghan | Back row | Ireland |
| Alan Quinlan | Back row | Ireland |
| Liam Toland | Back row | Ireland |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Stephen McIvor | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| David O'Mahony | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Brian O'Meara | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Aidan O'Halloran | Fly-half | Ireland |
| Killian Keane | Centre | Ireland |
| Sean McCahill | Centre | Ireland |
| Mike Lynch | Centre | Ireland |
| Brian Walsh | Centre | Ireland |
| Brian Begley | Wing | Ireland |
| John Lacey | Wing | Ireland |
| Richard Wallace | Wing | Ireland |
| Dominic Crotty | Fullback | Ireland |
| Pat Murray | Fullback | Ireland |

## 1996–97 IRFU Interprovincial Championship

| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | BP | Pts | Status |
| Munster | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 92 | - | 12 | Champions; qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Leinster | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 92 | - | 4 | Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Ulster | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 81 | 89 | - | 4 | Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Connacht | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 77 | 90 | - | 4 | |
* 21 September 1996
| Munster | 45–28 | Connacht |
| Try: Lacey (2) Foley McCahill Walsh Con: O'Halloran (4) Pen: O'Halloran (3) Drop: O'Halloran | Report | Try: A. Reddan Devine (2) Con: Elwood (2) Pen: Elwood (3) |
* Temple Hill Referee: A. Watson
* 28 September 1996
| Leinster | 40–45 | Munster |
| Try: Coleman Ridge McQuilkin Francis Hickie Con: Governey (3) Pen: Governey (3) | Report | Try: Galwey (2) Halvey Con: Begley Lynch (2) Pen: Begley (8) Lynch (2) Drop: Keane |
* Donnybrook Referee: Graham Hughes
* 5 October 1996
| Munster | 27–24 | Ulster |
| Try: Dineen, Galwey Con: Begley Pen: Begley (3) Drop: McIvor, Keene | Report | Try: Duncan Coulter Con: Laing Pen: Laing (4) |
* Thomond Park Referee: A. Lewis

## 1996–97 Heineken Cup
### Pool 4

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Toulouse | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 157 | 142 | 15 | 6 |
| Cardiff | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 135 | 97 | 38 | 6 |
| London Wasps | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 156 | 115 | 41 | 4 |
| Munster | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 22 | –11 | 109 | 135 | –26 | 4 |
| Milan | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 15 | –9 | 73 | 141 | –68 | 0 |
* 12 October 1996 15:00
| Munster | 23–5 | Milan |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 1,500 Referee: David Davies
* 16 October 1996 19:15
| Cardiff | 43–18 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 4,000 Referee: John Bacigalupo
* 19 October 1996 15:00
| Munster | 49–22 | London Wasps |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Didier Mene
* 2 November 1996 19:00
| Toulouse | 60–19 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Les Sept Deniers Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Tony Spreadbury

## Friendlies

* 9 November 1996
| Munster | 25–35 | Samoa XV |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Referee: Chris White
* 26 November 1996
| Munster | 19–55 | Australia XV |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Referee: Robert Davies