Munster to play Gloucester in Champions Cup this December at home of Cork GAA 

Munster will visit SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for a Champions Cup pool fixture with Gloucester on Saturday, December 13, kick-off 5.30pm.

The full schedule for the competition was released on Tuesday morning, with details on the first competitive rugby match to be held at the home of Cork GAA.

The showdown at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be their second game in the competition and it follows a meeting with Bath on December 6th at The Rec.

Munster’s final two games will see them face RC Toulon in France and Castres at Thomond Park.

This rugby game will be the third time this year that SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be used for a sport that is not GAA related, with the other two events involving the Republic of Ireland WNT and the Cork Super Cup.

Munster have played at the venue twice, for challenge games staged in 2022 and 2023.

The first game was with South Africa A and the soon to be URC champions won 28-14 in front of 41,000 spectators.

The second test match staged at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh involved reigning Super Rugby champions Crusaders.

Munster went into the game as holders of the URC and they enjoyed a 21-19 victory over the Southern Hemisphere side.

That came down to a Rivez Reihana conversion when the clock was in the red and the place kicker missed at the City End.

PACKED

The Crusaders match brought over 40,000 to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and with that came calls for a competitive match to be staged at the venue.

Munster announced this in May 2025, with one of the reasons cited being the attendances at their games played in Cork. CEO Ian Flanagan stressed this when speaking to the media after announcing the temporary move to Leeside.

“While we understand that there will be those that are used to seeing our Champions Cup matches in Thomond Park, we feel we have a great opportunity to do something a little different next season," he said.

“A lot of consideration has gone into the decision to move a Champions Cup pool game to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh but showcasing a high-profile competitive fixture to a wider audience is a strategic goal of ours and this aligns with the feedback we have received from many of our supporters.

“Unfortunately, the December Champions Cup pool fixtures in Thomond Park have experienced falling attendances over the last two seasons and the staging of this game in Páirc Uí Chaoimh offers us the opportunity to accommodate more supporters at that match and improve our financial stability which in the current climate is imperative.” 

Ticket details have yet to be confirmed by Munster, who will play Bath as part of their pre-season preparations on September 12th at Virgin Media Park.