2025–26 Munster Rugby season

Munster Rugby
2025–26 season
Head coachClayton McMillan
Chief executiveIan Flanagan[1]
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

The 2025–26 season is Munster Rugby's fifth season in the United Rugby Championship, and their 138th season of representative rugby since their foundation. Along with competing in the URC and its Irish Shield competition, the club will also participate in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup, their 32nd season of European and professional competition.

For the first time, Munster will bring a competitive in-season fixture to the 45,000 capacity Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Cork, with one of the two European Rugby Champions Cup home matches designated for the venue. Munster had previously played a number of high-profile 'friendly fixtures' at the venue.[2] Munster will become the third Irish province to bring a major competitive home fixture to a larger GAA ground, Munster having played away fixtures against both Leinster at Croke Park, and Connacht at MacHale Park, in the previous season.

Munster has appointed a new head coach for the 2025-26 season, Clayton McMillan.[3] McMillan was previously head coach of Super Rugby side, The Chiefs.

Men's squad

Main article: Munster Rugby

Full squad

Munster Rugby senior squad

Prop

Hooker

Lock

Back Row

Scrum-Half

Fly-Half

Centre

Wing

Fullback

(c) denotes the team captain.
Players and their allocated positions from the Munster Rugby website.[16]

United Rugby Championship

Matches

27 September 2025 Scarlets v Munster Parc y Scarlets  
17:30
4 October 2025 Munster v Cardiff Thomond Park  
19:45
10 October 2025 Munster v Edinburgh Musgrave Park  
19:45
18 October 2025 Leinster v Munster TBC  
17:15
25 October 2025 Munster v Connacht Thomond Park  
19:45
29 November 2025 Munster v Stormers Thomond Park  
17:30
20 December 2025 Ospreys v Munster TBC  
17:30
27 December 2025 Munster v Leinster Thomond Park  
19:45
2 January 2026 Ulster v Munster Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast  
19:45
23 January 2026 Munster v Dragons Musgrave Park  
19:45
30 January 2026 Glasgow Warriors v Munster Scotstoun Stadium  
19:45
28 February 2026 Munster v Zebre Parma Thomond Park  
17:30
21 March 2026 Sharks v Munster Kings Park Stadium  
15:00
28 March 2026 Bulls v Munster Loftus Versfeld Stadium  
12:00
18 April 2026 Benetton v Munster Stadio Comunale di Monigo  
19:45
25 April 2026 Munster v Ulster Thomond Park  
17:30
9 May 2026 Connacht v Munster The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
16 May 2026 Munster v Lions Thomond Park  
19:45

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Benetton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Connacht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Glasgow Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Leinster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Scarlets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Ulster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[17]


2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
Irish Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Connacht — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2 Leinster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
3 Munster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
4 Ulster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[18]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European Rugby Champions Cup

Munster have been drawn in Pool 2 of the European Rugby Champions Cup, along with URC colleagues Edinburgh (whom Munster will not play in line with the rules of the competition), along with Bath, Castres, Gloucester and Toulon.[19]

European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 2
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Bath 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2 Castres 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4 Gloucester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Munster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6 Toulon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[20]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
Pool matches
v  
v  
v  
v  

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Ian Flanagan Appointed Munster Rugby CEO". Munster Rugby. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Munster Rugby: Pairc Ui Chaoimh to host Investec Champions Cup game in December". BBC Sport. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  3. ^ Geary, Sean (26 February 2025). "Clayton McMillan Appointed Munster Rugby Head Coach". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Michael Milne & Lee Barron Join Munster Rugby On Loan". Munster Rugby. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Irish-qualified Kelly to join Munster next season". RTE. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Munster sign Connacht wing Andrew Smith on one-year deal". Irish Examiner. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d "Academy Update March 2025". Munster Rugby. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Ireland's O'Mahony happy to bow out on his terms". BBC Sport. 2 March 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Conor Murray to depart Munster Rugby at end of season". Munster Rugby. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  10. ^ Lewis, Simon (30 April 2025). "Munster record-breaker Stephen Archer to end playing career". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Kilcoyne the latest Munster veteran to retire". RTE.ie. 7 May 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Seven Departures Confirmed For End Of Season". Munster Rugby. 16 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Patrick Campbell signs for Ealing Trailfinders". Ealing Trailfinders. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  14. ^ Ashbee, Max (17 June 2025). "Scott Buckley Makes Move To Trailfinders Permanent - Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club". ealingtrailfinders.com. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  15. ^ "2025-26シーズン 新加入選手のご報告". 清水建設江東ブルーシャークス (in Japanese). 25 June 2025. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Munster Rugby | 1st Team Squad". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  18. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Rivalries reignited, classics revived as 2025/26 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup pools revealed | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Pool Tables | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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