Munster Rugby players ready to return to pre-season training

The Munster Rugby men’s team return to the University of Limerick High Performance Centre this week to begin their training programme in preparation for the 2024/25 season.

The team had a six-week rest period following the 2023/24 season, which ended in a disappointing semi-final defeat to eventual United Rugby Championship winners Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park.

New signings Thaakir Abrahams, Billy Burns, Tom Farrell and Diarmuid Kilgallen join the squad for the start of the pre-season training programme.

Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly, Edwin Edogbo and Brian Gleeson join the first team after graduating from the Munster Rugby Academy.

Exciting defender Gleeson returns from the Under-20 World Cup with Ireland this week, while Edogbo continues his recovery from his Achilles tendon injury.

Scott Buckley has been loaned out to Australian side Randwick on a short-term basis for off-season play. Buckley will return to Munster in early September ahead of the new season.

Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Oli Jager, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Peter O’Mahony returned from South Africa last week following Ireland’s two-Test tour and have begun their respective off-seasons.

Academy members return to the High Performance Centre this week to begin preparations for the upcoming campaign.
Seán Edogbo, Michael Foy, Luke Murphy, Gene O’Leary Kareem, Jake O’Riordan and Danny Sheahan are the new additions to the Academy. For more information on our new Academy recruits, click here.

Like Gleeson, Academy players Evan O’Connell, Ben O’Connor, Edogbo, Murphy, O’Riordan and Sheahan also return from the Under-20 World Cup in South Africa this week.

Two friendlies have been confirmed for Munster’s men, in August and September.

Munster play Bath at The Rec on Saturday 31 August (3pm), followed by a home game against Gloucester at Virgin Media Park in Cork on Friday 6 September (7pm).

Most fixture details for Munster’s 2024/25 URC and Champions Cup fixtures have been confirmed.
Munster Rugby open the season with a home game against Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday 21 September at 5.15pm.

Highlights of the season include Munster taking on Dublin against Leinster on Saturday 12 October at 5.45pm, before travelling to South Africa for games against the Stormers and Sharks in rounds 5 and 6.

Munster Rugby’s fixtures for the pool stages of the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup have also been released. Munster begin their campaign with a home match against Stade Francais at Thomond Park on Saturday 7 December, with kick-off set for 5:30pm.

Six days later, Munster travel to Castres Olympique for a Friday night match against our old foes in France. The match will take place on December 13th at 8pm.

In January, two-time winners Munster welcome English giants Saracens to Thomond Park, with kick-off at 5.30pm on Saturday 11 January.

The province’s final group match is on Saturday 18th January away to Premier League champions Northampton Saints. The match kicks off at 15:15.