2020–21 Munster Rugby season

The 2020–21 Munster Rugby season will be Munster's twentieth season competing in the Pro14, alongside which they will also compete in the European Rugby Champions Cup. It will be Johann van Graan's fourth season as head coach.[2]

2020–21 Munster Rugby season

Ground(s)	Thomond Park (Capacity: 25,600)[1] Irish Independent Park (Capacity: 8,008)
Chairman	Gerry O'Shea
CEO	Ian Flanagan
President	Seán McCullough
Coach(es)	Johann van Graan
Captain(s)	Peter O'Mahony
League(s)	Pro14
← 2019–20 2021–22 →

Events

Coaching and management staff 2019–20

Position	Name	Nationality
Head Coach	Johann van Graan	South Africa
Senior Coach	Stephen Larkham	Australia
Defence Coach	JP Ferreira	South Africa
Forwards Coach	Graham Rowntree	England
Team Manager	Niall O'Donovan	Ireland
Head of Athletic Performance	Denis Logan	United States
Strength & Conditioning Coach	Damien O'Donoghue	Ireland
Strength & Conditioning Coach	Adam Sheehan	Ireland
Performance Analyst	George Murray	Ireland

Senior squad 2020–21

Munster player movements for the 2020–21 season. For a full list, see List of 2020–21 Pro14 transfers.
(Player's name in italics indicates a transfer that took place during the course of the season)

Players In Keynan Knox promoted from Academy[3] Liam Coombes promoted from Academy[4] Alex McHenry promoted from Academy[4] Jack O'Sullivan promoted from Academy[4] Damian de Allende from Panasonic Wild Knights[5] Matt Gallagher from Saracens[5] RG Snyman from Honda Heat[5] Roman Salanoa from Leinster[6] Diarmuid Barron promoted from Academy[7]

Players Out Arno Botha to Bulls[8] Sammy Arnold to Connacht[9] Conor Oliver to Connacht[9] Seán O'Connor to Jersey Reds[10] Ciaran Parker to Jersey Reds[10] Alex Wootton to Connacht (season-long loan)[11] Darren O'Shea to Vannes[12]

The Munster senior squad for 2020–21 is:[13]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Diarmuid Barron Hooker Ireland Rhys Marshall* Hooker New Zealand Kevin O'Byrne Hooker Ireland Niall Scannell Hooker Ireland Stephen Archer Prop Ireland James Cronin Prop Ireland Dave Kilcoyne Prop Ireland Keynan Knox* Prop South Africa Jeremy Loughman Prop Ireland Liam O'Connor Prop Ireland John Ryan Prop Ireland Roman Salanoa* Prop United States Tadhg Beirne Lock Ireland Billy Holland Lock Ireland Jean Kleyn Lock Ireland RG Snyman Lock South Africa Fineen Wycherley Lock Ireland Chris Cloete* Back row South Africa Gavin Coombes Back row Ireland Tommy O'Donnell Back row Ireland Jack O'Donoghue Back row Ireland Peter O'Mahony (c) Back row Ireland Jack O'Sullivan Back row Ireland CJ Stander Back row Ireland

Player Position Union Craig Casey Scrum-half Ireland Neil Cronin Scrum-half Ireland Nick McCarthy Scrum-half Ireland Conor Murray Scrum-half Ireland Joey Carbery Fly-half Ireland JJ Hanrahan Fly-half Ireland Shane Daly Centre Ireland Damian de Allende Centre South Africa Chris Farrell Centre Ireland Dan Goggin Centre Ireland Alex McHenry Centre Ireland Rory Scannell Centre Ireland Andrew Conway Wing Ireland Liam Coombes Wing Ireland Keith Earls Wing Ireland Calvin Nash Wing Ireland Darren Sweetnam Wing Ireland Alex Wootton[lower-alpha 1] Wing Ireland Matt Gallagher* Fullback England Mike Haley Fullback Ireland

• Internationally capped players in bold
• Players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality *
• Irish provinces are currently limited to four non-Irish eligible (NIE) players and one non-Irish qualified player (NIQ or "Project Player").[14]
• Notes:

1. On loan to Connacht for the 2020–21 season.

Academy squad 2020–21

Players in Scott Buckley[15] Jack Crowley[15] Alex Kendellen[15]

Players released Alan Tynan[15] Jack Stafford to Harlequins[16]

The Munster academy squad for the 2020–21 season is:[15]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Scott Buckley (Year 1) Hooker Ireland Eoghan Clarke (Year 3) Hooker Ireland James French (Year 3 Prop Ireland Josh Wycherley (Year 3) Prop Ireland Thomas Ahern (Year 3) Lock Ireland Paddy Kelly (Year 2) Lock Ireland Eoin O'Connor (Year 2) Lock Ireland Jack Daly (Year 3) Back row Ireland John Hodnett (Year 2) Back row Ireland Alex Kendellen (Year 1) Back row Ireland

Player Position Union Jack Crowley (Year 1) Fly-half Ireland Jake Flannery (Year 2) Fly-half Ireland Ben Healy (Year 3) Fly-half Ireland Seán French (Year 3) Centre Ireland Jonathan Wren (Year 3) Fullback Ireland

• Notes:

Pre-season

2020–21 pre-season fixtures have not yet been confirmed.

2020–21 Pro14

Fixtures for the 2020–21 Pro14 season have not yet been confirmed.

2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup

Main article: 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup

Pools and fixtures for the 2020–21 European Rugby Champions Cup have not yet been confirmed.

2020–21 Munster A season

Munster A fixtures for the 2020–21 season have not yet been confirmed.

References

1. Thomond Park's official capacity is 25,600 but can be expanded up to 26,276 with temporary seating.
2. "Johann van Graan to join Munster as head coach". South African Rugby Union. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
3. "Contract Update | Five Players Put Pen To Paper". Munster Rugby. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
4. "Six Players Commit To Munster". Munster Rugby. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
5. "Munster Sign De Allende, Gallagher And Snyman". Munster Rugby. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
6. "Squad Update | Sammy Arnold, Conor Oliver & Roman Salanoa". Munster Rugby. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
7. "Diarmuid Barron Promoted From Academy To Senior Squad". Munster Rugby. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
8. "Arno Botha Departing For Blue Bulls". Munster Rugby. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
9. "Connacht announce signings of four players ahead of 2020/21 season". Connacht Rugby. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
10. "Championship side Jersey confirm signings of outgoing Munster pair". The42. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
11. "Player Update | Alex Wootton". Munster Rugby. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
12. "Irish lock O'Shea signs for French Pro D2 club after leaving Munster". The42. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
13. "Munster Rugby | 1st Team Squad". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
14. "Not all rules are made to be broken". Irish Independent. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
15. "Greencore Munster Rugby Academy Confirmed". Munster Rugby. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
16. "Scrum-half Stafford joins Premiership club Harlequins after leaving Munster". The42. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.

External links