# 2008–09 Munster Rugby season

The 2008–09 Munster Rugby season was Munster's eighth season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Tony McGahan's first season as Director of Rugby.

## 2008–09 squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
| Player | Position | Union |
| Denis Fogarty | Hooker | Ireland |
| Jerry Flannery | Hooker | Ireland |
| Frankie Sheahan | Hooker | Ireland |
| Tony Buckley | Prop | Ireland |
| John Hayes | Prop | Ireland |
| Marcus Horan | Prop | Ireland |
| Darragh Hurley | Prop | Ireland |
| Federico Pucciariello | Prop | Italy |
| Tim Ryan | Prop | Ireland |
| Billy Holland | Lock | Ireland |
| Mark Melbourne | Lock | Ireland |
| Donncha O'Callaghan | Lock | Ireland |
| Paul O'Connell (c) | Lock | Ireland |
| Mick O'Driscoll | Lock | Ireland |
| Donnacha Ryan | Lock | Ireland |
| James Coughlan | Back row | Ireland |
| Denis Leamy | Back row | Ireland |
| Tommy O'Donnell | Back row | Ireland |
| John O'Sullivan | Back row | Ireland |
| Alan Quinlan | Back row | Ireland |
| Niall Ronan | Back row | Ireland |
| David Wallace | Back row | Ireland |
| Nick Williams | Back row | New Zealand |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Gerry Hurley | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Tomás O'Leary | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Mike Prendergast | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Peter Stringer | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Duncan Williams | Scrum-half | Ireland |
| Jeremy Manning | Fly-half | Ireland |
| Ronan O'Gara | Fly-half | Ireland |
| Paul Warwick | Fly-half | Australia |
| Tom Gleeson | Centre | Ireland |
| Kieran Lewis | Centre | Ireland |
| Lifeimi Mafi | Centre | New Zealand |
| Barry Murphy | Centre | Ireland |
| Rua Tipoki | Centre | New Zealand |
| Ian Dowling | Wing | Ireland |
| Keith Earls | Wing | Ireland |
| Anthony Horgan | Wing | Ireland |
| Doug Howlett | Wing | New Zealand |
| Ciarán O'Boyle | Wing | Ireland |
| Denis Hurley | Fullback | Ireland |

## Pre-season

* 23 August 2008
| United States XV | 22–46 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Rentschler Field Attendance: 8,350
* 29 August 2008
| Munster | 35–14 | London Irish |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park
* 18 November 2008 19:30
| Munster | 16–18 | New Zealand |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Romain Poite

## 2008–09 Celtic League

| | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | Try bonus | Losing bonus | Pts |
| 1 | Munster | 18 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 405 | 257 | +148 | 49 | 23 | 6 | 1 | 63 |
| 2 | Edinburgh | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 416 | 296 | +120 | 40 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 55 |
| 3 | Leinster | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 401 | 270 | +131 | 38 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 52 |
| 4 | Ospreys | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 397 | 319 | +78 | 39 | 28 | 3 | 5 | 52 |
| 5 | Scarlets | 18 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 376 | 395 | −19 | 41 | 46 | 3 | 1 | 40 |
| 6 | Cardiff Blues | 18 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 322 | 361 | −39 | 31 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 38 |
| 7 | Glasgow Warriors | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 349 | 375 | −26 | 36 | 41 | 4 | 5 | 37 |
| 8 | Ulster | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 298 | 331 | −33 | 30 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 36 |
| 9 | Newport Gwent Dragons | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 305 | 429 | −124 | 26 | 39 | 1 | 4 | 33 |
| 10 | Connacht | 18 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 224 | 460 | −236 | 20 | 54 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| 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) ||||||||||||||
| Source: RaboDirect PRO12 ||||||||||||||
* 5 September 2008 19:30
| Edinburgh | 15–20 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Murrayfield Attendance: 5,443 Referee: James Jones
* 14 September 2008 18:00
| Munster | 50–6 | Newport Gwent Dragons |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,685 Referee: Nigel Owens
* 20 September 2008 19:30
| Munster | 28–20 | Cardiff Blues |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,685 Referee: Peter Allan
* 28 September 2008 19:00
| Leinster | 0–18 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* RDS Arena Attendance: 18,500 Referee: Simon McDowell
* 4 October 2008 19:00
| Munster | 25–17 | Glasgow Warriors |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 22,885 Referee: Andrew Small
* 25 October 2008 19:30
| Ulster | 22–6 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Ravenhill Attendance: 10,058 Referee: Alain Rolland
* 28 November 2008 19:05
| Scarlets | 16–18 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Parc y Scarlets Attendance: 8,435 Referee: James Jones
* 28 December 2008 18:00
| Connacht | 12–6 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Alain Rolland
* 3 January 2009 19:30
| Munster | 11–37 | Ulster |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 25,623 Referee: Alan Lewis
* 9 January 2009 19:05
| Ospreys | 21–25 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Liberty Stadium Attendance: 9,003 Referee: Andy Macpherson
* 21 February 2009 19:30
| Munster | 28–14 | Edinburgh |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,685 Referee: Nigel Owens
* 7 March 2009 17:30
| Newport Gwent Dragons | 9–20 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Rodney Parade Attendance: 6,865 Referee: Alan Lewis
* 27 March 2009 19:45
| Glasgow Warriors | 13–26 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Firhill Stadium Attendance: 3,615 Referee: Tim Hayes
* 4 April 2009 19:30
| Munster | 22–5 | Leinster |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,043 Referee: Christophe Berdos
* 18 April 2009 19:30
| Munster | 25–10 | Connacht |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,043 Referee: James Jones
* 24 April 2009 19:35
| Munster | 29–10 | Scarlets |
| | Report | |
* Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,685
* 10 May 2009 16:35
| Cardiff Blues | 20–12 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 7,428 Referee: Peter Allan
* 15 May 2009 19:45
| Munster | 36–10 | Ospreys |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,043 Referee: Peter Allan

## 2008–09 Heineken Cup
### Pool 1

| Team | P | W | D | L | Tries for | Tries against | Try diff | Points for | Points against | Points diff | TB | LB | Pts |
| Munster (2) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 161 | 98 | 63 | 2 | 1 | 23 |
| Sale | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 136 | 115 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Clermont | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 137 | 129 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Montauban | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 21 | −16 | 81 | 173 | −92 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
* 10 October 2008 20:00
| Munster | 19–17 | Montauban |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 23,500 Referee: Wayne Barnes
* 19 October 2008 13:00
| Sale Sharks | 16–24 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Edgeley Park Attendance: 10,928 Referee: Christophe Berdos
* 7 December 2008 16:00
| Clermont | 25–19 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade Marcel-Michelin Attendance: 15,355 Referee: Wayne Barnes
* 13 December 2008 15:30
| Munster | 23–13 | Clermont |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 25,623 Referee: Chris White
* 16 January 2009 20:00
| Munster | 37–14 | Sale Sharks |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,043 Referee: Nigel Owens
* 25 January 2009 14:00
| Montauban | 13–39 | Munster |
| | Report | |
* Stade Sapiac Attendance: 7,223 Referee: Dave Pearson

### Quarter-final

* 12 April 2009 13:00
| Munster | 43–9 | Ospreys |
| | Report | |
* Thomond Park Attendance: 26,043 Referee: Wayne Barnes

### Semi-final

* 2 May 2009 17:30
| Munster | 6–25 | Leinster |
| | Report | |
* Croke Park Attendance: 82,208 Referee: Nigel Owens