Dan Goggin celebrates at full-time of Munster's win over Exeter that secured a Champions Cup quarter-final place.

With more than half of the season having flown by, we take a look back at Munster’s campaign to date with the province well placed in the Guinness PRO14 and European Champions Cup.

With more than half of the season having flown by, we take a look back at Munster’s campaign to date with the province well placed in the Guinness PRO14 and European Champions Cup.

Check out the best photos from the season so far in our gallery here.

Top of Guinness PRO14 Conference A

Munster lead Guinness PRO14 Conference A with 10 wins from 14 fixtures thus far this season.

Munster are the top try-scorers and have the best defensive record in Conference A with 54 tries scored and just 250 points conceded – Munster score an average of just under 29 points per game and concede fewer than 18 points per game.

Seven try bonus-points and one losing bonus-point have put Munster on 48 points after 14 games.

Glasgow Warriors are just two points behind Munster in second place on 46 points with the sides already playing each other twice this season.

Glasgow won at Scotstoun with Munster winning at Thomond Park thanks to Rory Scannell’s monster penalty in the last play of the game.

Ospreys and Connacht are joint third on 38 points apiece.

Record 18th Champions Cup quarter-final

The province qualified for a record 18th Champions Cup quarter-final after topping Pool 2 with four wins, a draw and a defeat.

The province boast the meanest defence in the Champions Cup with just 72 points conceded in six games, an average of 12 points per game.

Top scorers

Joey Carbery leads the scoring charts with 143 points – the out-half has been successful with each of his last 20 kicks at goal in all competitions.

Keith Earls and Andrew Conway are the top try-scorers with six each.

Appearances

Stephen Archer has made the most appearances having featured in 18 of Munster’s 20 games.

Billy Holland became just the 10th player to reach the 200-game landmark for Munster against Connacht in January.

John Ryan made his 100th PRO14 appearance and Conor Murray made his 50th Champions Cup appearance.

There have been Munster debuts for Tadhg Beirne, Arno Botha, Joey Carbery, Mike Haley, Alby Mathewson and Academy players Diarmuid Barron, Gavin Coombes, Liam Coombes and Shane Daly.

Sammy Arnold played his first game for Ireland in November.

Attendance stats

There was a record-equalling attendance at Thomond Park for the December game against Leinster as additional seating helped to cater for a fantastic 26,267 crowd.

In all three of Munster’s home Champions Cup games, the attendances (23,068 at Munster v Gloucester, 21,861 at Munster v Castres Olympique and 26,267 at Munster v Exeter Chiefs) were each the highest for their respective round of fixtures.

Both home games at Irish Independent Park so far this season – victories over Ospreys and Edinburgh – were sold-out with a crowd of 8,008 attending both games.

Next home game

Friday, February 15 – Guinness PRO14: Munster v Southern Kings, Irish Independent Park, 7.35pm; Early Bird Closes on Wed, January 30 – Buy tickets here

6 Nations Rugby In Cork

U20s Six Nations rugby comes to Cork for the first time this week as the Ireland U20s host England at Irish Independent Park.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Ireland U20s v England U20s, Irish Independent Park, 7.15pm; Buy tickets here

Friday, March 8, 2019

Ireland U20s v France U20s, Irish Independent Park, 7.15pm; Buy tickets here