# 2002–03 Munster Rugby season

The 2002–03 Munster Rugby season was Munster's second season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Declan Kidney's fifth and final season in his first spell as head coach of the province.

## 2002–03 squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
| Player | Position | Union |
| James Blaney | Hooker | Ireland |
| John Fogarty | Hooker | Ireland |
| Frankie Sheahan | Hooker | Ireland |
| Martin Cahill | Prop | Ireland |
| John Hayes | Prop | Ireland |
| Marcus Horan | Prop | Ireland |
| Simon Kerr | Prop | Australia |
| Rob Laffan | Prop | Ireland |
| Warren O'Kelly | Prop | Ireland |
| Mick Galwey | Lock | Ireland |
| Trevor Hogan | Lock | Ireland |
| Donncha O'Callaghan | Lock | Ireland |
| Paul O'Connell | Lock | Ireland |
| Mick O'Driscoll | Lock | Ireland |
| Anthony Foley | Back row | Ireland |
| Eddie Halvey | Back row | Ireland |
| Denis Leamy | Back row | Ireland |
| Peter Malone | Back row | Ireland |
| Colm McMahon | Back row | Ireland |
| Alan Quinlan | Back row | Ireland |
| David Wallace | Back row | Ireland |
| Jim Williams (c) | Back row | Australia |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Dominic Malone | Scrum-half | England |
| Frank Murphy | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Mike Prendergast | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Peter Stringer | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Ronan O'Gara | Fly-half | Ireland |
| Jeremy Staunton | Fly-half | Ireland |
| Rob Henderson | Centre | Ireland |
| Jason Holland | Centre | Ireland |
| Killian Keane | Centre | Ireland |
| Conor Mahony | Centre | Ireland |
| Mike Mullins | Centre | Ireland |
| Anthony Horgan | Wing | Ireland |
| Clinton Huppert | Wing | New Zealand |
| John Kelly | Wing | Ireland |
| Mossy Lawler | Wing | Ireland |
| John O'Neill | Wing | Ireland |
| Dominic Crotty | Fullback | Ireland |
| Christian Cullen | Fullback | New Zealand |

## Friendlies

* 13 August 2002
| Munster | 31–10 | Bristol Shoguns |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park
* 23 August 2002
| Connacht | 40–33 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds
* 19 March 2003
| Munster | 36–19 | Borders |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park
* 4 April 2003
| Munster | 43–5 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park

## 2002–03 Celtic League
### Pool A Table

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Try bonus | Losing bonus | Pts |
| 1 | Munster | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 227 | 129 | +98 | 25 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 28 |
| 2 | Edinburgh | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 231 | 145 | +86 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 27 |
| 3 | Ulster | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 173 | 111 | +62 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 22 |
| 4 | Neath | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 153 | 121 | +32 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 5 | Llanelli | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 191 | 168 | +23 | 23 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| 6 | Swansea | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 177 | 212 | −35 | 18 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
| 7 | Ebbw Vale | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 140 | 226 | −86 | 16 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Caerphilly | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 144 | 324 | −180 | 17 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Under the standard bonus point system, points are awarded as follows: 4 points for a win 2 points for a draw 1 bonus point for scoring 4 tries (or more) (Try bonus) 1 bonus point for losing by 7 points (or fewer) (Losing bonus) ||||||||||||||
| Green background (rows 1 to 4) qualify for the knock-out stage. Source: RaboDirect PRO12 ||||||||||||||
* 31 August 2002 19:05
| Llanelli | 13–20 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stradey Park
* 6 September 2002 19:35
| Munster | 48–23 | Ebbw Vale |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 3,500
* 13 September 2002 17:30
| Edinburgh | 21–28 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Meadowbank Attendance: 4,500
* 20 September 2002 19:35
| Munster | 38–27 | Swansea |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,000
* 27 September 2002 19:35
| Ulster | 26–17 | Munster |
| Try: Doak (2) Con: Doak (2) Pen: Doak (2) | Report | Try: Lawler Pen: Staunton (2) Drop: Staunton, Holland |
* Ravenhill Attendance: 6,000 Referee: P. Adams
* 5 October 2002 17:30
| Neath | 19–35 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* The Gnoll Attendance: 4,000
* 25 October 2002 19:30
| Munster | 41–0 | Caerphilly |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 2,532

### Quarter-final

* 29 November 2002 19:35
| Munster | 33–3 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,000

### Semi-final

* 3 January 2003 19:35
| Munster | 42–10 | Ulster |
| Try: Hayes, Quinlan, Kelly, Mullins, Galwey Con: O'Gara (3), Keane Pen: O'Gara (3) | Report | Try: Humphreys Con: Humphreys Pen: Humphreys |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 12,000 Referee: H. Watkins

### Final

* 1 February 2003 14:45
| Munster | 37–17 | Neath |
| | Report | |
* Millennium Stadium Attendance: 30,076 Referee: Chris White

## 2002–03 Heineken Cup
### Pool 2

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Perpignan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 176 | 156 | 20 | 8 |
| Munster | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 14 | 13 | 206 | 107 | 99 | 8 |
| Gloucester | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 14 | 17 | 241 | 140 | 101 | 8 |
| Arix Viadana | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 52 | −37 | 128 | 348 | −220 | 0 |
* 12 October 2002 15:00
| Gloucester | 35–16 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Kingsholm Attendance: 11,200 Referee: Joel Dume
* 19 October 2002 15:00
| Munster | 30–21 | Perpignan |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 9,000
* 6 December 2002 27:00
| Munster | 64–0 | Viadana |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,500
* 14 December 2002 18:00
| Viadana | 36–8 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 2,000
* 11 January 2003 14:30
| Perpignan | 23–8 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade Aimé Giral Attendance: 8,000
* 18 January 2003 14:45
| Munster | 33–6 | Gloucester |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 14,000

### Quarter-final

* 13 April 2003 16:00
| Leicester Tigers | 7–20 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Welford Road Attendance: 17,500 Referee: Nigel Williams

### Semi-final

* 26 April 2003 14:00
| Toulouse | 13–12 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stadium de Toulouse Attendance: 36,400