History of rugby union matches between Connacht and Ulster

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Connacht Rugby and Ulster Rugby are two Irish rugby union provincial teams that possess a rivalry that dates back to their IRFU Interprovincial Championship clashes during the amateur era. That rivalry has continued during the professional era and intensified as Connacht have more competitive in the domestic league, winning 2015-16 Pro12 championship. Connacht and Ulster comprise two of the four Irish provincial teams competing in the United Rugby Championship (formerly known as the Celtic League). As such, the two sides regularly face each other during the regular season. Typically, Ulster have had the advantage in the series with Connacht failing to achieve a single victory over Ulster between 1965 and 1982. [1] Following Connacht's victory in 1983, it would not be until the 1997–98 season until they would achieve their next victory over Ulster. [1] Connacht also went 58 years without winning a match in Belfast. [2]

Contents

Below are the historical results of the Irish Rugby Football Union teams, Ulster and Connacht, as part of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and later the Celtic League, Pro12, Pro14, and United Rugby Championship. [3] [4] [5]

Overall Summary of Games Since 1946

PlayedWon by ConnachtWon by UlsterDrawn
10322774

Statistics

Highest scoring match

2013–14: 70 points (Ulster 58 Connacht 12)

Lowest scoring match

1965–66: 6 points (Ulster 3 Connacht 3)

Highest margin of victory

Ulster: 46 points (58–12 in 2013–14)

Connacht: 28 points (44–16 at home in 2017–18)

Most consecutive wins

Ulster: 13 (1966–1979)

Connacht: 3 (1954–1957, 2017–2019)

Amateur Era Results 1946–1995

SeasonWinnerLoserWinnerNote(s)
1946–47Ulster 26Connacht 5Ulster (1)
1947–48Ulster 19Connacht 0Ulster (2)
1948–49Ulster 30Connacht 6Ulster (3)
1949–50Ulster 12Connacht 3Ulster (4)
1950–51Ulster 26Connacht 3Ulster (5)
1951–52Ulster 13Connacht 0Ulster (6)
1952–53Ulster 28Connacht 3Ulster (7)
1953–54Ulster 11Connacht 3Ulster (8)
1954–55Connacht 14Ulster 6Connacht (1)
1955–56Connacht 12Ulster 9Connacht (2)
1956–57Connacht 6Ulster 3Connacht (3)
1957–58Ulster 23Connacht 12Ulster (9)
1958–59Connacht 14Ulster 5Connacht (4)
1959–60Ulster 9Connacht 3Ulster (10)
1960–61Connacht 6Ulster 3Connacht (5)
1961–62Ulster 11Connacht 0Ulster (11)
1962–63Ulster 19Connacht 6Ulster (12)
1963–64Connacht 13Ulster 3Connacht (6)
1964–65Connacht 13Ulster 3Connacht (7)
1965–66Connacht 3Ulster 3Draw (1)Lowest scoring match in the history of this fixture
1966–67Ulster 9Connacht 8Ulster (13)
1967–68Ulster 14Connacht 12Ulster (14)
1968–69Ulster 11Connacht 9Ulster (15)
1969–70Ulster 20Connacht 0Ulster (16)
1970–71Ulster 42Connacht 0Ulster (17)
1971–72Ulster 13Connacht 0Ulster (18)
1972–73Ulster 37Connacht 6Ulster (19)
1973–74Ulster 17Connacht 14Ulster (20)
1974–75Ulster 29Connacht 6Ulster (21)
1975–76Ulster 6Connacht 3Ulster (22)
1976–77Ulster 13Connacht 3Ulster (23)
1977–78Ulster 18Connacht 3Ulster (24)
1978–79Ulster 11Connacht 4Ulster (25)
1979–80Connacht 6Ulster 6Draw (2)
1980–81Ulster 13Connacht 12Ulster (26)
1981–82Ulster 6Connacht 3Ulster (27)
1982–83Ulster 22Connacht 21Ulster (28)
1983–84Connacht 9Ulster 4Connacht (8)
1984–85Ulster 28Connacht 6Ulster (29)
1985–86Ulster 12Connacht 6Ulster (30)
1986–87Ulster 37Connacht 6Ulster (31)
1987–88Ulster 20Connacht 3Ulster (32)
1988–89Ulster 16Connacht 3Ulster (33)
1989–90Ulster 38Connacht 3Ulster (34)
1990–91Ulster 16Connacht 9Ulster (35)
1991–92Connacht 10Ulster 10Draw (3)
1992–93Ulster 19Connacht 6Ulster (36)
1993–94Ulster 39Connacht 10Ulster (37)
1994–95Ulster 20Connacht 6Ulster (38)

Professional Era Results since 1995/96 season

SeasonHomeAwayWinnerReport/Note(s)
1995–96Connacht 9Ulster 27Ulster (39)
1996–97Ulster 32Connacht 27Ulster (40)
1997–98Connacht 27Ulster 12Connacht (9)
1998–99Connacht 21Ulster 18Connacht (10)
1998–99Ulster 36Connacht 6Ulster (41)
1999–00Connacht 9Ulster 50Ulster (42) [6]
1999–00Ulster 44Connacht 22Ulster (43) [7]
2000–01Connacht 15Ulster 39Ulster (44) [8]
2000-01Ulster 36Connacht 22Ulster (45) [9]
2001–02Connacht 17Ulster 18Ulster (46)
2002–03No match held
2003–04Connacht 31Ulster 20Connacht (11)
2003–04Ulster 42Connacht 27Ulster (47)
2004–05Connacht 13Ulster 19Ulster (48)
2004–05Ulster 23Connacht 14Ulster (49)
2005–06Ulster 36Connacht 10Ulster (50)
2005–06Connacht 22Ulster 12Connacht (12)
2006–07Connacht 17Ulster 24Ulster (51)
2006–07Ulster 20Connacht 10Ulster (52)
2007–08Connacht 13Ulster 30Ulster (53)
2007–08Ulster 18Connacht 6Ulster (54)
2008–09Ulster 53Connacht 13Ulster (55)
2008–09Connacht 12Ulster 14Ulster (56)
2009–10Connacht 6Ulster 30Ulster (57)
2009–10Ulster 41Connacht 10Ulster (58)
2010–11Connacht 15Ulster 15Draw (4)
2010–11Ulster 27Connacht 16Ulster (59)
2011–12Ulster 22Connacht 3Ulster (60)
2011–12Connacht 26Ulster 21Connacht (13)
2012–13Ulster 25Connacht 0Ulster (61)
2012–13Connacht 18Ulster 34Ulster (62)
2013–14Connacht 7Ulster 18Ulster (63)
2013–14Ulster 58Connacht 12Ulster (64)
2014–15Ulster 13Connacht 10Ulster (65)
2014–15Connacht 20Ulster 27Ulster (66)
2015–16Connacht 3Ulster 10Ulster (67)
2015–16Ulster 18Connacht 10Ulster (68)
2016–17Connacht 30Ulster 25Connacht (14)
2016–17Ulster 23Connacht 7Ulster (69)
2017–18Ulster 16Connacht 8Ulster (70)
2017–18Connacht 44Ulster 16Connacht (15)Highest margin of victory for Connacht
2018–19Ulster 15Connacht 22Connacht (16)
2018–19Connacht 21Ulster 12Connacht (17)
2018–19Ulster 21Connacht 13Ulster (71)
2019–20Ulster 35Connacht 3Ulster (72)
2019–20Connacht 26Ulster 20Connacht (18)
2020–21Connacht 19Ulster 32Ulster (73)
2020–21Ulster 24Connacht 26Connacht (19) Rainbow Cup fixture
2021–22Connacht 36Ulster 11Connacht (20)Connacht chose the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as its home venue for the match
2021–22Ulster 32Connacht 12Ulster (74) [10]
2022–23Ulster 36Connacht 10Ulster (75) [11]
2022–23Connacht 20Ulster 22Ulster (76) [12]
2022–23Ulster 10Connacht 15Connacht (21)URC quarter-final [13]
2023–24Connacht 22Ulster 20Connacht (22) [14]
2023–24Ulster 20Connacht 19Ulster (77) [15]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "The Gatland years (Part 3)". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Preview". Ulster Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "Team History Archive". Irishrugby.ie.
  4. ↑ "Irish Rugby 1874–1999 — A History". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Fixtures & Results". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "Smooth Ulster machine sweep Connacht aside". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Ulster relax on way to convincing win". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "McConnell missed as Connacht steamrolled". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ulster make no mistake". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Dazzling Baloucoune makes point to Andy Farrell in Ulster victory over Connacht". the42. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Ulster outscore Connacht five tries to one to get their season off to a flier". the42. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Ulster survive remarkable Connacht comeback to end disastrous December". the42. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. ↑ "Fearless Connacht beat Ulster to reach URC semi-finals". Irish Times. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Connacht mount comeback to continue strong start to season". Irish Times. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  15. ↑ "Ulster do just enough against Connacht to win tense interpro". Irish Times. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
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