TO CELEBRATE the 20th anniversary of their European Cup Final meeting, Munster and Biarritz will engage in a pre-season friendly at Stade Aguiléra on Friday, August 22.
Back in 2006 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Munster, who were captained by the late Anthony Foley, saw off Biarritz 23-19 thanks to tries from Trevor Halstead and Peter Stringer and 13 points from the boot of Ronan O’Gara.
Also in action on that day was current Munster Rugby Defence Coach, Denis Leamy.
Former Munster back-row James Coughlan, who made 139 appearances for Munster and played against Biarritz in the 2010 European Cup semi-final, is now the Basque club’s Director of Rugby and is looking forward to welcoming some familiar faces to the south-west of France.
“Our clubs share a long and rich history in European rugby, spanning nearly 30 years, and to celebrate the 2006 final with a festival of rugby is a wonderful way to reignite those cherished memories. More importantly, it provides us with a unique opportunity to forge new and lasting friendships for the years to come,” he said.
“I look forward to what promises to be an unforgettable occasion.”
Interim Munster coach Ian Costello said: “While recognising 20 years since that first European Cup win in Cardiff, this match provides our squad with a great opportunity to train for a week in France and play against quality opposition to maximise preparation going into the new season.”
