1995–96 Munster Rugby season

June 2019 May 2026 1995–96 Munster Rugby season Thomond Park (Capacity: 13,200)Musgrave Park (Capacity: 8,300) Jerry Hollandhttps://www.balls.ie/rugby/profile-first-munster-heineken-cup-team-1995-120632 Balls Remembers: A Profile Of The First Munster Heineken Cup Team In 1995 12 May 2014 Balls.ie 7 June 2019 Pat Murray 1994–95 1996–97 The 1995–96 season was Munster Rugby's first season under professionalism. Jerry Holland was head coach. They finished third in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, winning two and losing two, and second in their pool in the inaugural Heineken Cup, winning one and losing one. Background On 26 August, rugby union was declared open to professionalism. At this stage the Irish provinces were still representative teams, not professional clubs.Peter O'Reilly, "Ulster coach warns on power balance", The Sunday Tribune, 22 September 1996 Many involved in the game were concerned that domestic clubs could not afford to pay players, who could be lost to professional teams in England.Jim Stokes, "IRFU tackle 'pro' issue", Belfast Telegraph, 28 August 1995 In September, the IRFU confirmed that, for this season, only senior international players would be paid,Jim Stokes, "International players only to 'cash in'", Belfast Telegraph, 12 September 1995 with a one-year moratorium on payment for club and provincial players.Jimmy Davidson, "Market forces takes strangle hold on rugby", Belfast Telegraph, 4 November 1995 Up to 35 Ireland players would be offered £26,000 contracts for the 1996 Five Nations Championship.Jim Stokes, "Irish international players to pocket £26,000", Belfast Telegraph, 23 October 1995 As the situation developed, match fees became available for Heineken Cup and Interprovincial matches, with players who appeared in all six matches in line to receive almost £3,000.Tyrone Howe, "Local game needs a professional outlook", Belfast Telegraph, 13 January 1996 The inaugural Heineken Cup was launched in the summer of 1995 on the initiative of the Five Nations Committee to provide a new level of cross border competition.http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/37_74.php European Rugby Cup : History ERC 21 March 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070208134810/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/37_74.php 8 February 2007 Twelve sides representing Ireland, Wales, Italy, Romania and France competed in four pools of three with the group winners going directly into the semi-finals.http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/79_119.php European Rugby Cup : Heineken Cup History 1995/96 ERC 21 March 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070315181143/http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/79_119.php 15 March 2007 English and Scottish teams did not take part in the inaugural competition.https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2006/mar/30/rugbyunion.gdnsport3 Big boys plan for more lucrative Heineken Cup Paul Rees 30 March 2006 The Guardian 21 March 2007 London The IRFU confirmed that Ireland would enter provincial teams, as their clubs were unlikely to be strong enough for the competition."Ireland confirm Euro entry", Belfast Telegraph, 22 August 1995 They were initially offered two places, but Tom Kiernan, Ireland's representative on the organising committee, was able to secure a third. The three places would go to the top three teams in the 1994 IRFU Interprovincial Championship, Munster, Ulster and Leinster.Jim Stokes, "Ulster to face Cardiff?", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 1995 1995–96 squad Ireland HK Paul Cunningham Ireland HK Terry Kingston Ireland HK Conor Twomey Ireland PR Des Clohessy Ireland PR Peter Clohessy Ireland PR John Fitzgerald Ireland PR Michael Fitzgerald Ireland PR Paul McCarthy Ireland PR Paul Spain Ireland LK Gabriel Fulcher Ireland LK Mick Galwey Ireland LK Michael Coughlan Ireland BR David Corkery Ireland BR Anthony Foley Ireland BR Eddie Halvey Ireland BR Ultan O'Callaghan Ireland BR Brian Toland Ireland BR Liam Toland Ireland SH Fergus Aherne Ireland SH Michael Bradley Ireland SH Stephen McIvor Ireland SH David O'Mahony Ireland FH Paul Burke Ireland FH Stephen Tuohy Ireland CE Sean McCahill Ireland CE Dan Larkin Ireland CE Brian Walsh Ireland WG John Lacey Ireland WG Kenny Smith Ireland WG Richard Wallace Ireland FB Dominic Crotty Ireland FB Pat Murray c 1995–96 Heineken Cup 1995–96 Heineken Cup Pool 4 TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPtsStatus WAL Swansea2101330352782Advanced to the semi-finals IRE rugby union Munster21012202932−32Eliminated FRA Castres 21012202934−52 1 November 1995 15:00 Munster IRE rugby union 17–13 ReportJohn O'Sullivan, "Munster on march in Europe", Irish Independent, 2 November 1995 WAL Swansea Wallace, Murray Smith (2) Smith Harris Smith Smith (2) Thomond Park 6,000 Ed Morrison W Munster lineup: 1. John Fitzgerald, 2. Terry Kingston, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Mick Galwey, 5. Gabriel Fulcher, 6. Eddie Halvey, 7. Anthony Foley, 8. David Corkery, 9. David O'Mahony, 10. Paul Burke, 11. Kenny Smith, 12. Dan Larkin, 13. Sean McCahill, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Pat Murray. Replacements: Michael Fitzgerald (for J. Fitzgerald), Brian Toland (for Halvey). 8 November 1995 20:00 Castres FRA 19–12 ReportBarry Coughlan, "Brave Munster denied", Irish Examiner, 9 November 1995 IRE rugby union Munster Combes Labit Labit (4) Smith (4) Stade Antoine Beguere 6,500 Munster lineup: 1. John Fitzgerald, 2. Terry Kingston, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Paul O'Connor, 5. Gabriel Fulcher, 6. Mick Galwey, 7. Anthony Foley, 8. David Corkery, 9. David O'Mahony, 10. Paul Burke, 11. Kenny Smith, 12. Dan Larkin, 13. Sean McCahill, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Pat Murray. Replacements: Brian Walsh (for Burke 57'), Brian Toland (for Corkery 22', for Galwey 52') L 1995–96 IRFU Interprovincial Championship IRFU Interprovincial Championship Team P W D LFAPts Statusleft Leinster 4 4 0 0 133 53 16 Champions; qualified for next season's Heineken Cupleft Ulster 4 3 0 1 73 53 12 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cupleft Munster 4 2 0 2 91 58 8 Qualified for next season's Heineken Cupleft Exiles 4 1 0 3 71 113 4 left Connacht 4 0 0 4 51 142 0 25 November 1995 Ulster Ulster 14–10 ReportDavid Walsh, "Munster Capitulation", Sunday Independent, 26 November 1995https://munsterrugby.ie/match-stats/?FixGuid=95UM5386 Ulster 14–10 Munster Munster Rugby 7 June 2019 Munster Munster Mackey McCall (3) Walsh Smith Smith Ravenhill A. Lewis L Munster: 1. John Fitzgerald, 2. Paul Cunningham, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Gabriel Fulcher, 5. Paul O'Connor, 6. Mick Galwey, 7. Anthony Foley, 8. David Corkery, 9. David O'Mahony, 10. Paul Burke, 11. Kenny Smith, 12. Sean McCahill, 13. Brian Walsh, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Pat Murray (c). 2 December 1995 Munster Munster 20–14 ReportJohn O'Sullivan, "Toland a class act", Sunday Independent, 10 October 1995 IRE rugby union Irish Exiles L. Toland (2) Burke (2) Burke Tuohy HendersonMalone Corcoran (2) Musgrave Park, Cork B. Stirling W Munster: 1. Paul Spain, 2. Paul Cunningham, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Gabriel Fulcher, 5. Mick Galwey, 6. David Corkery, 7. Brian Toland, 8. Liam Toland, 9. Stephen McIvor, 10. Paul Burke, 11. John Lacey, 12. Pat Murray (c), 13. Brian Walsh, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Sean McCahill. Replacements: Dominic Crotty (for Lacey, 77), Stephen Tuohy (for Burke, 80). 16 December 1995 Munster Munster 15–19 Reporthttps://munsterrugby.ie/match-stats/?FixGuid=95ML6696 Munster 15-19 Leinster Munster Rugby 7 June 2019David Walsh, "Delight for Leinster", Sunday Independent, 17 December 1995 Leinster Leinster R. Wallace (2) Murray Murray Rolland McGowan McGowan (4) Thomond Park A. Watson L Munster: 1. Paul McCarthy, 2. Paul Cunningham, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Gabriel Fulcher, 5. Mick Galwey, 6. David Corkery, 7. Brian Toland, 8. Liam Toland, 9. Stephen McIvor, 10. Paul Burke, 11. Dominic Crotty, 12. Sean McCahill, 13. Brian Walsh, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Pat Murray (c). 23 December 1995 Connacht Connacht 11–46 Reporthttps://munsterrugby.ie/match-stats/?FixGuid=95CM3663 Connacht 11-46 Munster Munster Rugby 7 June 2019David Walsh, "Dethroned Munster run Connacht ragged", Sunday Independent, 24 December 1995 Munster Munster Heaslip Elwood (2) McIvorP. ClohessyCrottyD. ClohessyWalshL. Toland Smith (5) Smith (2) Galway Sportsgrounds A. Lewis W Munster: 1. Paul Spain, 2. Paul Cunningham, 3. Peter Clohessy, 4. Gabriel Fulcher, 5. Mick Galwey, 6. Des Clohessy, 7. Brian Toland, 8. Liam Toland, 9. Stephen McIvor, 10. Paul Burke, 11. Kenny Smith, 12. Sean McCahill, 13. Brian Walsh, 14. Richard Wallace, 15. Dominic Crotty. Replacements: Fergus Aherne (for McIvor, 61), Conor Twomey (for Cunningham, 62), Stephen Tuohy (for Burke, 68). References External links 1995–96 Munster Rugby season official site https://web.archive.org/web/20180927010701/http://munsterrugby.ie/fixtures-results/historic/ 27 September 2018 1995–96 Munster Rugby Heineken Cup 1995-96 Category:1995–96 in Irish rugby union Category:1995–96 Heineken Cup