Having been at or near the top of the Magners League table all season Munster overtook their nearest rivals Ospreys in early January and led from the front to claim their second Celtic title with games still in hand.

Playing in front of capacity crowds all year, the champions won 14 of their 18 matches during their campaign and were presented with the trophy at the newly refurbished Thomond Park Stadium in the final game against Ospreys on 15 May.

Runners-up Edinburgh's second place finish was the highest ever achieved by a Scottish team.