2005–06 Munster Rugby season

The 2005–06 Munster Rugby season was Munster's fifth season competing in the Celtic League, alongside which they also competed in the Heineken Cup. It was Declan Kidney's first season as head coach, in his second spell at the province.

2005–06 Munster Rugby season

Ground(s)	Thomond Park (Capacity: 13,200) Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,300)
Coach(es)	Declan Kidney
Captain(s)	Anthony Foley
League(s)	Celtic League
2005–06	3rd
← 2004–05 2006–07 →

2005–06 squad

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 Denis Fogarty Hooker Ireland Jerry Flannery Hooker Ireland Frankie Sheahan Hooker Ireland Tony Buckley Prop Ireland John Hayes Prop Ireland Marcus Horan Prop Ireland Eugene McGovern Prop Ireland Federico Pucciariello Prop Italy Frank Roche Prop Ireland Mike Ross Prop Ireland Trevor Hogan Lock Ireland Donncha O'Callaghan Lock Ireland Paul O'Connell Lock Ireland Mick O'Driscoll Lock Ireland Donnacha Ryan Lock Ireland Anthony Foley (c) Back row Ireland Stephen Keogh Back row Ireland Denis Leamy Back row Ireland John O'Sullivan Back row Ireland Alan Quinlan Back row Ireland David Wallace Back row Ireland

Player Position Union Frank Murphy Scrum-half Ireland Tomás O'Leary Scrum-half Ireland Mike Prendergast Scrum-half Ireland Peter Stringer Scrum-half Ireland Paul Burke Fly-half Ireland Jeremy Manning Fly-half Ireland Ronan O'Gara Fly-half Ireland Gary Connolly Centre England Trevor Halstead Centre South Africa Rob Henderson Centre Ireland Jason Holland Centre Ireland John Kelly Centre Ireland Mike Mullins Centre Ireland Barry Murphy Centre Ireland Paul Devlin Wing Ireland Ian Dowling Wing Ireland Anthony Horgan Wing Ireland Mossy Lawler Wing Ireland Anton Pitout Wing South Africa Christian Cullen Fullback New Zealand Ben Martin Fullback Ireland Shaun Payne* Fullback South Africa

Pre-season

19 August 2005

Munster	20–18	Northampton Saints
	Report[1]

Musgrave Park

26 August 2005

Leicester Tigers	50–19	Munster
	Report[2]

Welford Road Attendance: 7,700

2005–06 Celtic League

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Try bonus	Losing bonus	Pts
1	Ulster	20	15	1	4	510	347	+163	49	31	3	2	75
2	Leinster	20	14	0	6	545	427	+118	59	45	8	2	74
3	Munster	20	12	0	8	439	372	+67	49	42	7	3	66
4	Cardiff Blues	20	11	0	9	475	389	+86	51	38	6	5	63
5	Edinburgh Gunners	20	11	0	9	418	415	+3	48	45	5	3	60
6	Llanelli Scarlets	20	10	1	9	418	402	+16	49	37	3	4	57
7	Ospreys	20	11	0	9	381	409	−28	33	38	1	2	55
8	Newport Gwent Dragons	20	7	0	13	355	456	−101	40	51	2	7	45
9	Border Reivers	20	7	0	13	386	501	−115	39	59	1	7	44
10	Connacht	20	6	0	14	325	466	−141	28	51	1	4	37
11	Glasgow Warriors	20	5	0	15	371	439	−68	39	47	2	7	37
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)
Due to the uneven number of participating teams, each team had two free weekends and were awarded 4 match points each time.
Source: RaboDirect PRO12

2 September 2005 19:10

Munster	9–7	Border Reivers
	Report[3]

Thomond Park Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Tim Hayes

10 September 2005 18:00

Munster	37–10	Ospreys
	Report[4]

Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,700 Referee: David Changleng

17 September 2005 19:30

Glasgow Warriors	32–10	Munster
	Report[5]

Hughenden Attendance: 1,884 Referee: Nigel Owens

23 September 2005 19:10

Munster	14–13	Scarlets
	Report[6]

Musgrave Park Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Andy Ireland

1 October 2005 14:00

Connacht	19–44	Munster
	Report[7]

Galway Sportsgrounds Attendance: 2,300 Referee: David Keane

9 October 2005 15:00

Munster	33–9	Leinster
	Report[8]

Musgrave Park Attendance: 7,500 Referee: Simon McDowell

4 November 2005 19:30

Cardiff Blues	16–18	Munster
	Report[9]

Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 6,107 Referee: Peter Allan

3 December 2005 19:10

Munster	17–20	Ulster
	Report[10]

Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Alain Rolland

27 December 2005 19:35

Munster	36–17	Connacht
	Report[11]

Thomond Park Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Alain Rolland

31 December 2005 13:00

Leinster	35–23	Munster
	Report[12]

RDS Arena Attendance: 14,135 Referee: Alistair McKay

7 January 2006 19:30

Ediburgh Gunners	17–18	Munster
	Report[13]

Murrayfield Attendance: 3,525 Referee: Hugh Watkins

28 January 2006 17:30

Munster	10–8	Newport Gwent Dragons
	Report[14]

Musgrave Park Attendance: 5,000

18 February 2006 15:30

Munster	20–26	Glasgow Warriors
	Report[15]

Thomond Park Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Nigel Owens

3 March 2006 19:35

Ulster	27–3	Munster
	Report[16]

Ravenhill Attendance: 12,300 Referee: Alain Rolland

7 April 2006 19:10

Newport Gwent Dragons	23–17	Munster
	Report[17]

Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,433 Referee: Peter Allan

15 April 2006 19:30

Munster	36–15	Edinburgh Gunners
	Report

Thomond Park Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Hugh Watkins

28 April 2006 19:30

Border Reivers	25–41	Munster
	Report

Netherdale Attendance: 1,266 Referee: Tim Hayes

5 May 2006 19:10

Ospreys	27–10	Munster
	Report[18]

Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,843 Referee: Graeme Hannah

9 May 2006 17:30

Scarlets	18–6	Munster
	Report[19]

Stradey Park Attendance: 5,754

27 May 2006 17:30

Munster	37–8	Cardiff Blues
	Report[20]

Thomond Park Attendance: 13,200 Referee: Andy Macpherson

2005–06 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 (4)	6	5	0	1	22	6	16	186	87	99	3	0	23
Sale Sharks (7)	6	5	0	1	17	9	8	159	84	75	3	0	23
Newport Gwent Dragons	6	1	0	5	14	20	−6	99	168	−69	1	1	6
Castres	6	1	0	5	8	26	−18	90	195	−105	1	1	6

Note: Munster took first place over Sale Sharks on competition points in head-to-head matches, 5–4.

21 October 2005 15:00

Sale Sharks	27–13	Munster
	Report[21]

Edgeley Park Attendance: 10,704 Referee: Joël Jutge

29 October 2005 17:15

Munster	42–16	Castres
	Report[22]

Thomond Park Attendance: 13,500 Referee: Dave Pearson

10 December 2005 13:00

Newport Gwent Dragons	8–24	Munster
	Report

Rodney Parade Attendance: 8,323 Referee: Tony Spreadbury

17 December 2005 17:15

Munster	30–18	Newport Gwent Dragons
	Report[23]

Thomond Park Attendance: 13,200 Referee: Chris White

13 January 2006 20:30

Castres	9–46	Munster
	Report[24]

Stade Pierre-Antoine Attendance: 9,423 Referee: Chris White

21 January 2006 17:15

Munster	31–9	Sale Sharks
	Report[25]

Thomond Park Attendance: 13,200 Referee: Joël Jutge

Quarter-final

1 April 2006 17:30

Munster	19–10	Perpignan
	Report

Lansdowne Road Attendance: 48,500 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse

Semi-final

23 April 2006 15:00

Leinster	6–30	Munster
	Report[26]

Lansdowne Road Attendance: 47,800 Referee: Joël Jutge

Final

20 May 2006 15:00

Biarritz	19–23	Munster
	Report[27]

Millennium Stadium Attendance: 74,534 Referee: Chris White

References

1. "Munster Off To A Flyer". Munster Rugby. 19 August 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
2. "Munster Crash in Welford Road". Munster Rugby. 27 August 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
3. "Borders Take Munster Right To The Wire". Munster Rugby. 2 September 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
4. "Munster Rout the Ospreys". Munster Rugby. 10 September 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
5. "Munster Brought Down To Earth". Munster Rugby. 19 September 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
6. "Celtic League Munster Edge Out Llanelli". Munster Rugby. 23 September 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
7. "Celtic League – Munster Take The Bonus in Galway". Munster Rugby. 1 October 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
8. "Munster Victory Sends Them Top". Munster Rugby. 10 October 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
9. "Munster Victorious at Arms Park". Munster Rugby. 4 November 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
10. "Ulster Win In Musgrave Park". Munster Rugby. 3 December 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
11. "Munster Tops in Thomond Park". Munster Rugby. 27 December 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
12. "Contepomi Orchestrates Munster's Demise". Munster Rugby. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
13. "Munster Remain at the Top". Munster Rugby. 7 January 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
14. "Munster Back On Top". Munster Rugby. 28 January 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
15. "Celtic League – Munster Lose To Glasgow in Thomond". Munster Rugby. 18 February 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
16. "Murphy Injured As Munster Lose Top Spot". Munster Rugby. 4 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
17. "Munster Downed By Dragons". Munster Rugby. 8 April 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
18. "Munster Downed in Morfa". Munster Rugby. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
19. "Scarlets Win At Stradey". Munster Rugby. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
20. "Munster 37-8 Cardiff Blues". Munster Rugby. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
21. "Munster Will Have To Do It The Hard Way". Munster Rugby. 22 October 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
22. "Munster Brave And Faithful". Munster Rugby. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
23. "Munster Prevail After Scare". Munster Rugby. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
24. "Munsters Seven Try Triumph". Munster Rugby. 13 January 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
25. "Munster Top Their Pool". Munster Rugby. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
26. "Cardiff Beckons Once More For Mighty Munster". Munster Rugby. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
27. "Munster Crowned European Champions". Munster Rugby. 20 May 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2019.

External links

• 2005–06 Munster Rugby season official site