History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Connacht

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Connacht Rugby and Leinster 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 and even intensified since the emergence of the professional era in the late 1990s. Connacht and Leinster comprise two of the four Irish provincial teams competing in the United Rugby Championship (formerly known as the Celtic League and then the Pro14). As such, the two sides regularly face each other during the regular season, and occasionally during the knock-out rounds.

Contents

The rivalry has been heightened on several occasions due to certain games or events. Connacht and Leinster met in the 2016 Pro12 Grand Final, with Connacht winning 20–10, to claim their first Pro12 championship. [1] [2] Leinster has observed that the rivalry leads Connacht to raise their game when playing Leinster, leading to resentment among Leinster players when this causes them to lose matches they had expected to win. [3] Connacht defeated Leinster 47–10 in 2017, and were so comfortable in their victory that they had a forward kick a conversion. [4] Connacht and Leinster players have recognized the rivalry that exists between the two teams. [5]

Below are the historical results of the Irish Rugby Football Union teams, Leinster and Connacht, as part of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and later the Celtic League, Pro12 and Pro14. [6] [7]

Overall Summary of Games Since 1946

PlayedWon by LeinsterWon by ConnachtDrawn
10784194

Statistics

RecordConnachtLeinster
Longest winning streak2 (2015–2016)20 (1965–1985)
Largest points for
Home47 (2017–18)56 (2021–22)
Away35 (2020–21)53 (1999–00)
Largest winning margin
Home37 (47–10; 2017–18)47 (54–7; 2019–20)
Away11 (24–35; 2020–21)45 (8–53; 1999–00)
Largest aggregate score
76 (Leinster 56 Connacht 20; 2021–22)
Lowest aggregate score
0 (Leinster 0 Connacht 0; 1960–61)

Results between 1946 and 1995

SeasonWinnerLoserWinnerNote(s)
1946–47Leinster 5Connacht 5Draw (1)
1947–48Leinster 15Connacht 0Leinster (1)
1948–49Leinster 3Connacht 0Leinster (2)
1949–50Leinster 31Connacht 3Leinster (3)
1950–51Connacht 10Leinster 6Connacht (1)
1951–52Leinster 39Connacht 3Leinster (4)
1952–53Leinster 35Connacht 0Leinster (5)
1953–54Leinster 34Connacht 14Leinster (6)
1954–55Leinster 6Connacht 3Leinster (7)
1955–56Connacht 8Leinster 6Connacht (2)
1956–57Leinster 19Connacht 3Leinster (8)
1957–58Leinster 9Connacht 3Leinster (9)
1958–59Leinster 9Connacht 3Leinster (10)
1959–60Leinster 3Connacht 3Draw (2)
1960–61Leinster 0Connacht 0Draw (3)Lowest scoring match in the history of this fixture
1961–62Leinster 13Connacht 9Leinster (11)
1962–63Leinster 18Connacht 17Leinster (12)
1963–64Leinster 11Connacht 6Leinster (13)
1964–65Leinster 6Connacht 6Draw (4)
1965–66Leinster 13Connacht 6Leinster (14)
1966–67Leinster 26Connacht 3Leinster (15)
1967–68Leinster 24Connacht 11Leinster (16)
1968–69Leinster 15Connacht 6Leinster (17)
1969–70Leinster 26Connacht 6Leinster (18)
1970–71Leinster 11Connacht 3Leinster (19)
1971–72Leinster 12Connacht 6Leinster (20)
1972–73Leinster 13Connacht 0Leinster (21)
1973–74Leinster 20Connacht 13Leinster (22)
1974–75Leinster 12Connacht 3Leinster (23)
1975–76Leinster 7Connacht 0Leinster (24)
1976–77Leinster 21Connacht 7Leinster (25)
1977–78Leinster 30Connacht 9Leinster (26)
1978–79Leinster 13Connacht 6Leinster (27)
1979–80Leinster 25Connacht 10Leinster (28)
1980–81Leinster 18Connacht 9Leinster (29)
1981–82Leinster 20Connacht 10Leinster (30)
1982–83Leinster 13Connacht 7Leinster (31)
1983–84Leinster 29Connacht 6Leinster (32)
1984–85Leinster 14Connacht 3Leinster (33)
1985–86Connacht 9Leinster 6Connacht (3)
1986–87Leinster 41Connacht 6Leinster (34)
1987–88Leinster 20Connacht 19Leinster (35)
1988–89Connacht 11Leinster 10Connacht (4)
1989–90Leinster 16Connacht 12Leinster (36)
1990–91Leinster 20Connacht 18Leinster (37)
1991–92Leinster 24Connacht 9Leinster (38)
1992–93Connacht 28Leinster 9Connacht (5)
1993–94Leinster 15Connacht 11Leinster (39)
1994–95Connacht 20Leinster 19Connacht (6)

Results since 1995/96 season

SeasonHomeAwayWinnerNote(s)
1995–96Leinster 41Connacht 9Leinster (40)
1996–97Connacht 22Leinster 13Connacht (7)
1997–98Leinster 23Connacht 6Leinster (41)
1998–99Leinster 29Connacht 24Leinster (42)
1998–99Connacht 24Leinster 23Connacht (8)
1999–00Leinster 22Connacht 19Leinster (43)
1999–00Connacht 8Leinster 53Leinster (44)
2000–01Leinster 21Connacht 15Leinster (45)
2000-01Connacht 22Leinster 20Connacht (9)
2001–02Connacht 20Leinster 49Leinster (46)
2002-03Leinster 23Connacht 26Connacht (10)
2003–04Leinster 21Connacht 6Leinster (47)
2003–04Connacht 35Leinster 24Connacht (11)
2004–05Leinster 18Connacht 9Leinster (48)
2004–05Connacht 21Leinster 26Leinster (49)
2005–06Connacht 9Leinster 21Leinster (50)
2005–06Leinster 16Connacht 13Leinster (51)
2005–06Connacht 16Leinster 31Leinster (52)
2005–06Leinster 30Connacht 21Leinster (53)
2006–07Leinster 29Connacht 9Leinster (54)
2006–07Connacht 10Leinster 16Leinster (55)
2008–09Connacht 19Leinster 18Connacht (12)
2008–09Leinster 26Connacht 18Leinster (56)
2009–10Leinster 17Connacht 14Leinster (57)
2009–10Connacht 27Leinster 13Connacht (13)
2010–11Connacht 6Leinster 18Leinster (58)
2010–11Leinster 30Connacht 8Leinster (59)
2011–12Leinster 30Connacht 20Leinster (60)
2011–12Connacht 13Leinster 15Leinster (61)
2012–13Connacht 34Leinster 6Connacht (14)
2012–13Leinster 17Connacht 0Leinster (62)
2013–14Leinster 16Connacht 12Leinster (63)
2013–14Connacht 8Leinster 16Leinster (64)
2014–15Connacht 10Leinster 9Connacht (15)
2014–15Leinster 21Connacht 11Leinster (65)
2015–16Leinster 13Connacht 0Leinster (66)
2015–16Connacht 7Leinster 6Connacht (16)
2015–16Connacht 20Leinster 10Connacht (17) 2016 Pro12 Grand Final
2016–17Leinster 24Connacht 13Leinster (67)
2016–17Connacht 24Leinster 37Leinster (68)
2017–18Leinster 21Connacht 18Leinster (69)
2017–18Connacht 47Leinster 10Connacht (18)Highest margin of victory for Connacht
2018–19Connacht 3Leinster 20Leinster (70)
2018–19Leinster 33Connacht 29Leinster (71)
2019–20Connacht 11Leinster 42Leinster (72)
2019–20Leinster 54Connacht 7Leinster (73)Highest margin of victory for Leinster
2020–21Leinster 24Connacht 35Connacht (19)
2020–21Connacht 21Leinster 50Leinster (74) Rainbow Cup fixture
2021–22 Leinster 47Connacht 19Leinster (75)
2021–22 Connacht 8Leinster 45Leinster (76) [8]
2021–22 Connacht 21Leinster 26Leinster (77) [9]
2021–22 Leinster 56Connacht 20Leinster (78)Highest scoring match between the two sides [10]
2022–23 Connacht 0Leinster 10Leinster (79) [11]
2022–23 Leinster 41Connacht 12Leinster (80) [12]
2023–24 Connacht 22Leinster 24Leinster (81) [13]
2023–24 Leinster 33Connacht 7Leinster (82) [14]
2024–25 Connacht 12Leinster 33Leinster (83) [15]
2024–25 Leinster 20Connacht 12Leinster (84) [16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Connacht see off Leinster to win first Pro12 title at Murrayfield". Guardian. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Connacht make history with epic victory over Leinster in Pro 12 final". Irish Independent. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "THE REASON BEHIND THE UNSPOKEN RIVALRY BETWEEN LEINSTER AND CONNACHT", OTB Sports, Ciaran Bradley, 19 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Connacht-Leinster needle was 'always there' - Sexton", RTE, Michael Glennon, 27 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Connacht-Leinster needle was 'always there' - Sexton", RTE, Michael Glennon, 27 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Team History Archive". Irishrugby.ie.
  7. ↑ "Leinster Fixtures & Results". leinsterrugby.ie.
  8. ↑ "Early red card hampers Connacht as Leinster score six tries in easy win". the42. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Leinster take 5-point lead into second leg after thrilling encounter with Connacht". the42. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Lowe bags 4 as Leinster demolish Connacht to power into Champions Cup QFs". the42. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Leinster weather the storm to escape from Galway with yet another win". the42. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Larmour lights up RDS but Leinster lose Sexton to injury in 7-try win over Connacht". the42. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "MATCH REPORT: CONNACHT 22 LEINSTER 24". Leinster rugby. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Five-try Leinster end Connacht's season during RDS swansong". Irish Times. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "Leinster maintain perfect start with win against Connacht but sweat on Ciarán Frawley injury". RTE. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  16. ↑ "United Rugby Championship: Leinster 20-12 Connacht - recap". RTE. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
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