Munster’s European History In Facts & Figures

On the eve of the 2015/16 European Champions Cup Pool Draw, we look back – through facts and figures – at Munster’s rich history in Europe’s premier rugby competition.

Since the competition’s inception in 1995/96, Munster have played a total of 144 games, contesting an unequalled 11 semi-finals and 4 finals, claiming 2 titles in 2006 and 2008.

Along the way the Men in Red have scored a total of 3,634 points through 374 tries, 255 conversions, 394 penalties and 24 drop-goals.

While current Head Coach Anthony Foley still holds the province’s try scoring record in Europe on 23 tries, it’s his former team mate Ronan O’Gara who holds the most individual records – most appearances (110) and top points scorer (1,365).

O’Gara’s numbers also make him the competition’s most capped player, its top points scorer and its most successful placekicker with 488 successful goal kicks.

It’s also worth noting that only four players have succeeded in reaching 100 European caps, all four of them Irish and three from Munster – John Hayes (101) and Peter Stringer (100) joining O’Gara and Leinster’s Gordon D’Arcy (104) as centurions of the competition.

Munster’s biggest European win came against Viadana in 2002, the province putting 64 unanswered points on the Italians in a game that also accounted for Munster’s most tries (9) and conversions (8) in a game.

Just last January Munster recorded their most points in a European encounter, scoring 65 points against Sale Sharks in their final game of last season’s campaign.

The much acclaimed home support for Munster at Thomond Park over the years sees the province hold the largest total home attendance figure of 2,498,244, while their biggest individual home attendance came in the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final against Leinster at Croke Park – 82,208 – then a world record club rugby attendance.

Tomorrow Axel’s charges will learn their opposition for the pool stages of the 2015/16 European Champions Cup. Following a runners-up finish in this season’s Guinness PRO12, Munster are currently a second ranked club. However, the 20 clubs that have qualified on merit will be divided into four tiers of five meaning a draw will be conducted to establish Tier 1 with two of the three second-ranked clubs – Bath Rugby, Munster Rugby and Clermont Auvergne – joining Saracens, Glasgow Warriors and the Stade Francais in the top tier.

The draw takes place at 1:15pm Irish time with live coverage on epcrugby.com and on twitter – @munsterrugby

For more information on how tomorrow’s draw will work click here.