# 2010–11 Munster Rugby season

The 2010–11 Munster Rugby season was Munster's tenth season competing in the Celtic League alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup for the sixteenth time. They also competed in the European Challenge Cup for the first time after elimination from the Heineken Cup. It was Tony McGahans third season as director of rugby.

## Summary

Munster were drawn in Pool 3 of the Heineken Cup alongside the Ospreys, London Irish and RC Toulon. Munster lost 23–17 away to London Irish, before defeating RC Toulon 45–18 at Thomond Park on 16 October 2010. Munster defeated Ospreys 22–16, but lost the reverse fixture at Liberty Stadium 19–15. In round 5 Munster went to RC Toulon, losing 32–16. As a result of this defeat, Munster failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup for the first time in 13 years. As one of the top three runners up in the Heineken cup pool stage, Munster entered the quarter-final stage of the Challenge Cup where they defeated Brive 42–37 in France before losing at home 12–20 to Harlequins.
In the Magners league Munster finished top of the table with nineteen wins and three defeats after twenty two matches to qualify for the semi-final playoffs where they defeated Ospreys 18–11. They then played in the 2011 Celtic League Grand Final where they defeated Leinster by 19 points to 9 to claim their third league title.

## 2010-11 Playing Squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
| Player | Position | Union |
| Jerry Flannery | Hooker | Ireland |
| Denis Fogarty | Hooker | Ireland |
| Damien Varley | Hooker | Ireland |
| Stephen Archer | Prop | Ireland |
| Peter Borlase | Prop | New Zealand |
| Tony Buckley | Prop | Ireland |
| John Hayes | Prop | Ireland |
| Marcus Horan | Prop | Ireland |
| Darragh Hurley | Prop | Ireland |
| Wian du Preez | Prop | South Africa |
| Dave Ryan | Prop | Ireland |
| Dave Foley | Lock | Ireland |
| Ian Nagle | Lock | Ireland |
| Donncha O'Callaghan | Lock | Ireland |
| Paul O'Connell (c) | Lock | Ireland |
| Mick O'Driscoll | Lock | Ireland |
| Donnacha Ryan | Lock | Ireland |
| Billy Holland | Flanker | Ireland |
| Tommy O'Donnell | Flanker | Ireland |
| Peter O'Mahony | Flanker | Ireland |
| Alan Quinlan | Flanker | Ireland |
| Niall Ronan | Flanker | Ireland |
| David Wallace | Flanker | Ireland |
| Paddy Butler | Number 8 | Ireland |
| James Coughlan | Number 8 | Ireland |
| Denis Leamy | Number 8 | Ireland |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Tomás O'Leary | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Peter Stringer | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Duncan Williams | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Ronan O'Gara | Outside-half | Ireland |
| Paul Warwick | Outside-half | Australia |
| Declan Cusack | Outside-half | Ireland |
| Tom Gleeson | Centre | Ireland |
| Lifeimi Mafi | Centre | New Zealand |
| Barry Murphy | Centre | Ireland |
| Sam Tuitupou | Centre | New Zealand |
| Danny Barnes | Wing | Ireland |
| Keith Earls | Wing | Ireland |
| Ian Dowling | Wing | Ireland |
| Doug Howlett | Wing | New Zealand |
| Johne Murphy | Wing | Ireland |
| Scott Deasy | Fullback | Ireland |
| Denis Hurley | Fullback | Ireland |
| Felix Jones | Fullback | Ireland |

### Coaching and Management team

| Position | Name | Nationality |
| Director of Rugby | Tony McGahan | Australia |
| Team Manager | Shaun Payne | South Africa |
| Forwards Coach | Laurie Fisher | Australia |
| Backs Coach | Jason Holland | New Zealand |
| Technical Advisor | Anthony Foley | Ireland |
| Head of Strength & Conditioning | Paul Darbyshire | |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Tom Comyns | Ireland |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Aidan O'Connell | Ireland |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Joe Gallanagh | Ireland |
| Medical Co-ordinator & Head of Physiotherapy | Anthony Coole | Ireland |
| Physiotherapist | Neil Tucker | Ireland |

### Players in

* Johne Murphy: from Leicester
* Corey Hircock: from Bedford
* Sam Tuitupou from Worcester Warriors
* Wian du Preez from Free State Cheetahs
* Peter Borlase from Crusaders

### Players out

* Jean de Villiers to Western Province and Stormers
* Jeremy Manning to Newcastle Falcons
* Julien Brugnaut to Racing 92
* Ciarán O'Boyle returned to club
* Nick Williams to Aironi
* Eoghan Grace to Exeter Chiefs

## 2010–11 Celtic League

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Try bonus | Losing bonus | Pts |
| 1 | Munster | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 496 | 327 | +169 | 44 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 83 |
| 2 | Leinster | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 495 | 336 | +159 | 50 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 70 |
| 3 | Ulster | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 480 | 418 | +62 | 44 | 35 | 3 | 2 | 67 |
| 4 | Ospreys | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 553 | 418 | +135 | 56 | 29 | 6 | 7 | 63 |
| 5 | Scarlets | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 503 | 453 | +50 | 49 | 43 | 5 | 7 | 62 |
| 6 | Cardiff Blues | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 479 | 392 | +87 | 37 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 60 |
| 7 | Newport Gwent Dragons | 22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 444 | 462 | −18 | 47 | 49 | 3 | 4 | 49 |
| 8 | Edinburgh | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 421 | 460 | −39 | 39 | 44 | 2 | 5 | 43 |
| 9 | Connacht | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 394 | 459 | −65 | 32 | 44 | 3 | 6 | 39 |
| 10 | Benetton Treviso | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 374 | 502 | −128 | 29 | 58 | 0 | 2 | 38 |
| 11 | Glasgow Warriors | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 401 | 543 | −142 | 33 | 48 | 1 | 6 | 33 |
| 12 | Aironi | 22 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 247 | 517 | −270 | 21 | 52 | 0 | 8 | 12 |
| Correct as of 7 May 2011 ||||||||||||||

### Semi-final

* 14 May 2011 18:30
| Munster | 18 – 11 | Ospreys |
| Try: Barnes (2) 32' m, 57' c Con: O'Gara (1/2) Pen: O'Gara (2/4) 14', 49' | Report | Try: Fussell 78' m Pen: Biggar (2/2) 38', 55' |
* Thomond Park Referee: Nigel Owens

### Grand Final

* 28 May 2011 17:05
| Munster | 19 – 9 | Leinster |
| Try: Howlett 12' c Earls 66' m Penalty try 79' c Con: O'Gara (2/3) | Report | Pen: Sexton (3/4) 29', 46', 60' |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,100 Referee: Nigel Owens

## 2010-11 Heineken Cup
### Pool 3

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Toulon (6) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 143 | 134 | +9 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Munster [7] | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 9 | +8 | 143 | 122 | +21 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| Ospreys | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 117 | 113 | +4 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
| London Irish | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 107 | 141 | −34 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
* 9 October 2010 17:45
| London Irish | 23 – 17 | Munster |
| Try: Ojo 41' m Con: Lamb (0/1) Pen: Lamb (4/4) 8', 11', 20', 37' D. Armitage (1/2) 73' Drop: Lamb 33' | Report | Try: Tuitupou 80' m Con: O'Gara (0/1) Pen: O'Gara (4/5) 5', 39', 55', 69' |
* Madejski Stadium, Reading Attendance: 20,188 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
* 16 October 2010 15:30
| Munster | 45 – 18 | Toulon |
| Try: Leamy 9' c Buckley 20' c Howlett (2) 36' c, 62' c O'Driscoll 59' c Coughlan 79' c Con: O'Gara (6/6) Pen: O'Gara (1/2) 47' | Report | Try: Genevois 1' c van Niekerk 75' m Con: Contepomi (1/1) Wilkinson (0/1) Pen: Contepomi (1/3) 30' Drop: Wilkinson 49' |
* Thomond Park, Limerick Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
* 12 December 2010 13:00
| Munster | 22 - 16 | Ospreys |
| Try: Howlett 10' m Wallace 58' c Murphy 63' c Con: O'Gara (2/3) Pen: O'Gara (1/3) 40' | Report | Try: Bowe 42' c Con: Biggar (1/1) Pen: Biggar (3/5) 1', 12', 67' |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
* 18 December 2010 15:30
| Ospreys | 19 - 15 | Munster |
| Try: Phillips 25' c Con: Biggar (1/1) Pen: Biggar (4) 17', 36', 55', 68' | Report | Try: Buckley 23' c Earls 58' m Con: O'Gara (1/2) Pen: O'Gara 5' |
* Liberty Stadium Attendance: 12,189 Referee: Romain Poite (France)
* 16 January 2011 16:00
| Toulon | 32 - 16 | Munster |
| Try: Loamanu 22' c Sackey 37' c Con: Wilkinson (2/2) Pen: Wilkinson (6/8) 8', 14', 16', 34', 41', 59' | Report | Try: Wallace 76' c Con: O'Gara (1/1) Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 2', 25', 40' |
* Stade Félix Mayol Attendance: 13,900 Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
* 22 January 2011 15:30
| Munster | 28 – 14 | London Irish |
| Try: Varley 46' c Ronan 70' c Earls 73' c Hurley 79' c Con: O'Gara (4/4) | Report | Try: Mapusua 58' c Tagicakibau 67' c Con: Bowden (1/1) Lamb (1/1) |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)

## 2010-11 Amlin Challenge Cup
### Quarter-final

* 9 April 2011 14.00
| Brive | 37 - 42 | Munster |
| Try: Uys 17' c Estebanez 20' c Palisson 70' c Perry 80' c Con: Belie (4/4) 17',20',80',70' Pen: Belie 10',36',45' | Report | Try: Howlett (2) 1' c, 22' c Earls (2) 4' c, 46' c Stringer 50' c Con: O'Gara (4/5) Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 53', 66', 68' |
* Stade Amédée-Domenech, Brive-la-Gaillarde Attendance: 8,500 Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

### Semi-final

* 30 April 2011 13:00
| Munster | 12 – 20 | Harlequins |
| Try: Jones 40' c Howlett 78' m Con: O'Gara (1/2) | Report | Try: Robson 9' c Care 34' c Con: Evans (1/1) Care (1/1) Pen: Clegg (2/2) 49', 59' |
* Thomond Park, Limerick Attendance: 24,907 Referee: Romain Poite (France)