# 2001–02 Munster Rugby season

The 2001–02 Munster Rugby season was Munster's first season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Declan Kidney's fourth season in his first spell as head coach of the province.

## 2001–02 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 |
| Peter Clohessy | Prop | Ireland |
| John Hayes | Prop | Ireland |
| Marcus Horan | Prop | Ireland |
| Mick Galwey (c) | Lock | Ireland |
| Donncha O'Callaghan | Lock | Ireland |
| Paul O'Connell | Lock | Ireland |
| Mick O'Driscoll | Lock | Ireland |
| David Bowles | Back row | Ireland |
| Anthony Foley | Back row | Ireland |
| Eddie Halvey | Back row | Ireland |
| Colm McMahon | Back row | Ireland |
| Alan Quinlan | Back row | Ireland |
| David Wallace | Back row | Ireland |
| Jim Williams | Back row | Australia |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Derek Hegarty | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| 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 |
| Mike Mullins | Centre | Ireland |
| Anthony Horgan | Wing | Ireland |
| John Kelly | Wing | Ireland |
| Mossy Lawler | Wing | Ireland |
| John O'Neill | Wing | Ireland |
| Dominic Crotty | Fullback | Ireland |

## 2001–02 Celtic League
### Pool B Table

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Pts |
| 1 | Munster | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 228 | 120 | +108 | 23 | 9 | 15 |
| 2 | Connacht | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 152 | 97 | +55 | 16 | 8 | 12 |
| 3 | Neath | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 151 | 116 | +35 | 14 | 10 | 12 |
| 4 | Newport | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 147 | 109 | +38 | 15 | 10 | 9 |
| 5 | Cardiff | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 128 | 135 | −7 | 15 | 15 | 9 |
| 6 | Edinburgh | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 134 | 159 | −25 | 11 | 16 | 6 |
| 7 | Caerphilly | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 88 | 292 | −204 | 11 | 37 | 0 |
| Match points were awarded as follows: 3 points for a win 1 point for a draw ||||||||||||
| Green background (rows 1 to 4) qualify for the knock-out stage. Source: RaboDirect PRO12 ||||||||||||
* 17 August 2001 19:30
| Edinburgh | 22–25 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Myreside Attendance: 5,410
* 28 August 2001 19:35
| Munster | 40–19 | Connacht |
| Try: Staunton O'Neill Horan Con: Staunton (2) Pen: Staunton (7) | Report | Try: E. Reddan Con: Elwood Pen: Elwood (4) |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 6,000
* 31 August 2001 19:05
| Neath | 30–22 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* The Gnoll Attendance: 2,250
* 7 September 2001 19:35
| Munster | 29–21 | Newport |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 4,560
* 11 September 2001 19:15
| Caerphilly | 18–61 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Virginia Park Attendance: 1,500
* 15 September 2001 13:30
| Munster | 51–10 | Cardiff |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,055

### Quarter-final

* 1 December 2001 17:30
| Munster | 13–6 | Llanelli |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park

### Semi-final

* 8 December 2001 15:00
| Munster | 15–9 | Ulster |
| Pen: O'Gara (5) | Report | Pen: Humphreys (3) |
* Lansdowne Road Attendance: 12,500 Referee: I. Ramage

### Final

* 15 December 2001 15:00
| Leinster | 24–20 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Lansdowne Road Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse

## 2001–02 IRFU Interprovincial Championship

Status :
| Leinster | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 86 | 35 | 2 | 12 | Champions; qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Ulster | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 66 | 0 | 8 | Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Munster | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 64 | 48 | 1 | 7 | Qualified for next season's Heineken Cup |
| Connacht | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 56 | 107 | 1 | 1 | |
Celtic League pool matches between Irish provinces count towards the Interprovincial Championship.
* 19 April 2002
| Munster | 6–6 | Leinster |
| Pen: O'Gara Holland | Report | Pen: Spooner (2) |
* Musgrave Park
* 12 May 2002
| Ulster | 23–18 | Munster |
| Try: Wallace Doak Con: Wallace (2) Pen: Wallace (2) Drop: Wallace | Report | Try: O'Connell Stringer Con: O'Gara Pen: O'Gara (2) |
* Ravenhill Referee: Alan Lewis

## 2001–02 Heineken Cup
### Pool 4

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Pts |
| Castres Olympique | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 179 | 125 | 54 | 10 |
| Munster | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 172 | 87 | 85 | 10 |
| Harlequins | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 20 | −6 | 119 | 187 | −68 | 4 |
| Bridgend | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 23 | −12 | 116 | 187 | −71 | 0 |
* 29 September 2001 15:00
| Munster | 28–23 | Castres |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Chris White
* 6 October 2001 17:00
| Harlequins | 8–24 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Twickenham Stoop Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse
* 26 October 2001 19:05
| Bridgend | 12–16 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Brewery Field Attendance: 4,500 Referee: Antonio Lombardi
* 3 November 2001 15:00
| Munster | 40–6 | Bridgend |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,500 Referee: Didier Mene
* 5 January 2002 15:00
| Munster | 51–17 | Harlequins |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Stefano Mancini
* 12 January 2002 15:00
| Castres | 21–13 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade Pierre-Antoine Attendance: 9,500

### Quarter-final

* 26 January 2002 16:15
| Stade Français | 14–16 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade Jean-Bouin Attendance: 12,000

### Semi-final

* 27 April 2002 15:00
| Castres | 17–25 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade de la Méditerranée Attendance: 20,400

### Final

* 25 May 2002 15:00
| Leicester Tigers | 15–9 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Millennium Stadium Attendance: 74,600 Referee: Joël Jutge

## Friendlies

* 8 August 2001
| Ulster | 51-24 | Munster |
| Try: Humphreys Constable (2) Doak Larkin Howe Con: Humphreys (6) Pen: Humphreys (3) | | Try: Horan Staunton Con: Staunton Pen: Staunton (3) Holland |
* Ravenhill