Leinster versus Ulster is the oldest fixture in Irish rugby, with the first ever interprovincial match taking place between the sides in 1875. [1] As such, a healthy rivalry has developed between the two provincial rivals. [2]
Both provinces combined to provide the squad for the Irish international representative side from the first international match in 1875 until the IRFU was formally founded in 1879, consisting of the formal founding of the Leinster and Ulster branches and the addition of a third provincial side, the Munster branch. Finally a Connacht branch was added in 1885 to complete representation for all four provinces of Ireland.
The Interprovincial Championship did not formally begin until the 1946–47 season. Since then, Leinster and Ulster have played in many high profile games, including League and European Cup finals, with Leinster getting the upper hand on the big occasions thus far.
Details | Played | Won by Leinster | Won by Ulster | Drawn |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leinster Home | 59 | 43 | 15 | 1 |
Ulster Home | 52 | 24 | 23 | 5 |
Neutral Venue | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Overall | 112 | 68 | 38 | 6 |
Biggest wins
Leinster: 40–7 (33 points, 5 January 2019), 38–7 (31 points, 2017/18), 9–39 (30 points, 1980/81)
Ulster: 30–6 (24 points, 2015/16), 28-6 (22 points, 2003/04), 14–34 (10 points, 1998/99)
Highest scoring match
Leinster 54 - Ulster 42 (96 points, 20 December 2019)
Lowest scoring match
Leinster 0 - Ulster 0 (0 points, 1947/48)
Most consecutive wins
Leinster: 9 (1975/76 - 1983/84), 7 (2009/10 - 2011/12), 6 (2019/2020 - 2021/2022)
Ulster: 9 (1984/85 - 1992/93), 5 (1966/67 - 1970/71), 3 (1955/56 - 1957/58)
Highest attendance
81,774 (European Cup Final, Twickenham Stadium, May 2012)
Season | Home | Away | Winner | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1946/47 | Ulster 16 | Leinster 8 | Ulster (1) | |
1947/48 | Leinster 0 | Ulster 0 | Draw (1) | |
1948/49 | Ulster 0 | Leinster 8 | Leinster (1) | |
1949/50 | Leinster 8 | Ulster 0 | Leinster (2) | |
1950/51 | Ulster 10 | Leinster 3 | Ulster (2) | |
1951/52 | Leinster 14 | Ulster 17 | Ulster (3) | |
1952/53 | Ulster 3 | Leinster 5 | Leinster (3) | |
1953/54 | Leinster 0 | Ulster 3 | Ulster (4) | |
1954/55 | Ulster 3 | Leinster 5 | Leinster (4) | |
1955/56 | Leinster 6 | Ulster 21 | Ulster (5) | |
1956/57 | Ulster 17 | Leinster 8 | Ulster (6) | |
1957/58 | Leinster 13 | Ulster 24 | Ulster (7) | |
1958/59 | Ulster 12 | Leinster 16 | Leinster (5) | |
1959/60 | Leinster 16 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (6) | |
1960/61 | Ulster 9 | Leinster 9 | Draw (2) | |
1961/62 | Leinster 8 | Ulster 3 | Leinster (7) | |
1962/63 | Ulster 11 | Leinster 8 | Ulster (8) | |
1963/64 | Leinster 12 | Ulster 8 | Leinster (8) | |
1964/65 | Ulster 8 | Leinster 8 | Draw (3) | |
1965/66 | Leinster 8 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (9) | |
1966/67 | Ulster 8 | Leinster 6 | Ulster (9) | |
1967/68 | Leinster 5 | Ulster 9 | Ulster (10) | |
1968/69 | Ulster 14 | Leinster 8 | Ulster (11) | |
1969/70 | Leinster 3 | Ulster 8 | Ulster (12) | |
1970/71 | Ulster 6 | Leinster 3 | Ulster (13) | |
1971/72 | Leinster 12 | Ulster 10 | Leinster (10) | |
1972/73 | Ulster 6 | Leinster 11 | Leinster (11) | |
1973/74 | Leinster 20 | Ulster 13 | Leinster (12) | |
1974/75 | Ulster 22 | Leinster 9 | Ulster (14) | |
1975/76 | Leinster 16 | Ulster 9 | Leinster (13) | |
1976/77 | Ulster 6 | Leinster 12 | Leinster (14) | |
1977/78 | Leinster 29 | Ulster 18 | Leinster (15) | |
1978/79 | Ulster 3 | Leinster 9 | Leinster (16) | |
1979/80 | Leinster 18 | Ulster 12 | Leinster (17) | |
1980/81 | Ulster 9 | Leinster 39 | Leinster (18) | |
1981/82 | Leinster 19 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (19) | |
1982/83 | Ulster 9 | Leinster 15 | Leinster (20) | |
1983/84 | Leinster 20 | Ulster 16 | Leinster (21) | |
1984/85 | Ulster 16 | Leinster 3 | Ulster (15) | |
1985/86 | Leinster 13 | Ulster 19 | Ulster (16) | |
1986/87 | Ulster 14 | Leinster 12 | Ulster (17) | |
1987/88 | Leinster 22 | Ulster 29 | Ulster (18) | |
1988/89 | Ulster 18 | Leinster 17 | Ulster (19) | |
1989/90 | Leinster 6 | Ulster 14 | Ulster (20) | |
1990/91 | Ulster 13 | Leinster 6 | Ulster (21) | |
1991/92 | Leinster 21 | Ulster 22 | Ulster (22) | |
1992/93 | Ulster 12 | Leinster 8 | Ulster (23) | |
1993/94 | Leinster 25 | Ulster 0 | Leinster (22) | |
1994/95 | Ulster 6 | Leinster 12 | Leinster (23) | |
1995/96 | Leinster 31 | Ulster 3 | Leinster (24) | |
1996/97 | Ulster 25 | Leinster 35 | Leinster (25) | |
1997/98 | Leinster 26 | Ulster 25 | Leinster (26) | |
1998/99 | Leinster 14 | Ulster 34 | Ulster (24) | |
1998/99 | Ulster 11 | Leinster 35 | Leinster (27) | |
1999/00 | Leinster 15 | Ulster 26 | Ulster (25) | |
1999/00 | Ulster 22 | Leinster 23 | Leinster (28) | |
2000/01 | Leinster 19 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (29) | |
2000/01 | Ulster 26 | Leinster 13 | Ulster (26) | |
2001/02 | Leinster 31 | Ulster 9 | Leinster (30) | |
2002/03 | N/A | N/A | N/A | No Fixture |
2003/04 | Ulster 23 | Leinster 23 | Draw (4) | |
2003/04 | Leinster 32 | Ulster 30 | Leinster (31) | |
2003/04 | Ulster 28 | Leinster 6 | Ulster (27) | |
2004/05 | Ulster 15 | Leinster 26 | Leinster (32) | |
2004/05 | Leinster 9 | Ulster 8 | Leinster (33) | |
2005/06 | Leinster 30 | Ulster 23 | Leinster (34) | |
2005/06 | Ulster 19 | Leinster 24 | Leinster (35) | |
2006/07 | Ulster 6 | Leinster 6 | Draw (5) | |
2006/07 | Leinster 20 | Ulster 12 | Leinster (36) | |
2007/08 | Ulster 16 | Leinster 16 | Draw (6) | |
2007/08 | Leinster 29 | Ulster 0 | Leinster (37) | |
2008/09 | Ulster 13 | Leinster 21 | Leinster (38) | |
2008/09 | Leinster 32 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (39) | |
2009/10 | Ulster 16 | Leinster 14 | Ulster (28) | |
2009/10 | Leinster 15 | Ulster 3 | Leinster (40) | |
2010/11 | Ulster 13 | Leinster 30 | Leinster (41) | |
2010/11 | Leinster 34 | Ulster 26 | Leinster (42) | |
2010/11 | Leinster 18 | Ulster 3 | Leinster (43) | |
2011/12 | Leinster 42 | Ulster 13 | Leinster (44) | |
2011/12 | Ulster 8 | Leinster 16 | Leinster (45) | |
2011/12 | Leinster 42 | Ulster 14 | Leinster (46) | European Cup Final Neutral Venue (Twickenham Stadium) Highest Attendance (81,774) |
2012/13 | Ulster 27 | Leinster 19 | Ulster (29) | |
2012/13 | Leinster 18 | Ulster 22 | Ulster (30) | |
2012/13 | Ulster 18 | Leinster 24 | Leinster (47) | |
2013/14 | Leinster 19 | Ulster 6 | Leinster (48) | |
2013/14 | Ulster 20 | Leinster 22 | Leinster (49) | |
2013/14 | Leinster 13 | Ulster 9 | Leinster (50) | |
2014/15 | Leinster 24 | Ulster 11 | Leinster (51) | |
2014/15 | Ulster 26 | Leinster 10 | Ulster (31) | |
2015/16 | Leinster 8 | Ulster 3 | Leinster (52) | |
2015/16 | Ulster 30 | Leinster 6 | Ulster (32) | |
2015/16 | Leinster 30 | Ulster 18 | Leinster (53) | |
2016/17 | Leinster 22 | Ulster 7 | Leinster (54) | |
2016/17 | Ulster 17 | Leinster 13 | Ulster (33) | |
2017/18 | Ulster 10 | Leinster 25 | Leinster (55) | |
2017/18 | Leinster 38 | Ulster 7 | Leinster (56) | |
2018/19 | Leinster 40 | Ulster 7 | Leinster (57) | |
2018/19 | Leinster 21 | Ulster 18 | Leinster (58) | European Cup Quarter-Final |
2018/19 | Ulster 14 | Leinster 13 | Ulster (34) | |
2019/20 | Leinster 54 | Ulster 42 | Leinster (59) | |
2019/20 | Ulster 10 | Leinster 28 | Leinster (60) | Ulster home match played at the Aviva stadium due to COVID-19 pandemic |
2019/20 | Leinster 27 | Ulster 5 | Leinster (61) | 2020 Pro14 Grand Final |
2020/21 | Leinster 24 | Ulster 12 | Leinster (62) | |
2020/21 | Ulster 19 | Leinster 38 | Leinster (63) | |
2020/21 | Leinster 21 | Ulster 17 | Leinster (64) | Rainbow Cup fixture |
2021/22 | Leinster 10 | Ulster 20 | Ulster (35) | |
2021/22 | Ulster 18 | Leinster 13 | Ulster (36) | [3] |
2022/23 | Ulster 13 | Leinster 20 | Leinster (65) | [4] |
2022/23 | Leinster 38 | Ulster 29 | Leinster (66) | [5] |
2022/23 | Leinster 30 | Ulster 15 | Leinster (67) | Champions Cup round of 16 [6] |
2023/24 | Leinster 21 | Ulster 22 | Ulster (37) | [7] |
2023/24 | Ulster 23 | Leinster 21 | Ulster (38) | [8] |
2023/24 | Leinster 43 | Ulster 20 | Leinster (68) | United Rugby Championship quarter-final [9] |
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The IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series, previously known as the IWRFU Interprovincial Championship, is the top level women's rugby union competition in Ireland. It is organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union. It is the women's equivalent of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. The competition takes place every December and features four teams representing Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. The competition effectively acts as a selection trials process for the Ireland women's national rugby union team that competes in the subsequent Women's Six Nations Championship. Since 2016 the IRFU has also organised a similar under 18s competition.
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Leinster versus Munster is, according to some Irish commentators, one of the biggest provincial rivalries in world rugby, which dates back to 1879, the year of founding of the provincial sides. Games between the two have occurred on an annual basis since the inception of the Irish inter-provincial championship in 1946. Since the beginning of the inter-provincials in 1946, Leinster hold a 62–45 advantage in overall wins, with five draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in the 2001–02 season, Leinster hold a 35–18 advantage in overall wins, with one draw in that time.
The IRFU Interprovincial Championship was a rugby union competition between the four provinces of Ireland – Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht – run by the Irish Rugby Football Union. It was run as a distinct competition from 1946–47 to 2000–01, with the 2001–02 fixtures being fulfilled by the match-ups in the newly formed Celtic League. For a time in the 1980s, the IRFU ruled that Irish diaspora players should play for Connacht, in an attempt to strengthen the weakest of the four provinces. The Irish Exiles took part for four years.
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Joseph Carbery is an Irish rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club Union Bordeaux Bègles Born in New Zealand, he represents Ireland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
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Munster versus Connacht is a rivalry that dates back to the foundation of the game in Ireland in 1879. Games between the two have occurred on an annual basis since the inception of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship in 1946. Since the beginning of the inter-provincials in 1946, Munster hold an 87–13 advantage in overall wins, with three draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in 2001–02, Munster hold a 35–9 advantage in overall wins, with one draw in that time.
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 Pro14. As such, the two sides regularly face each other during the regular season, and occasionally during the knock-out rounds.
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. 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. Following Connacht's victory in 1983, it would not be until the 1997–98 season until they would achieve their next victory over Ulster. Connacht also went 58 years without winning a match in Belfast.
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