IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series

Last updated
IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series
Sport Women's rugby union
Number of teams4
Province Flag of Connacht.svg Connacht
Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster
Flag of Munster.svg Munster
Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster
Holders Flag of Munster.svg Munster (16th title)
Most titles Flag of Munster.svg Munster (16 titles)
Website www.irishrugby.ie
Provinces of Ireland location map.svg
Location of IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series Provinces:
Green 008000 pog.svg Republic of Ireland Dark Red 800000 pog.svg Northern Ireland

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. [1] [2] 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. [3] Since 2016 the IRFU has also organised a similar under 18s competition. [4]

Contents

Format

The competition currently uses a round-robin format, similar to the one used in both the Six Nations Championship and the Women's Six Nations Championship. Each team plays the other three teams once. The following year the fixtures are reversed. [1] In recent seasons, the competition has also featured playoffs and a final. [5] [6] [7]

Winners

YearWinnerFinalRunner-UpVenue
1999 Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster ?
2000 Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster ?
2001 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [5] [6] Flag of Ulster.svg Ulster
2002 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [5] [6] 27-00 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Clonmel RFC
2003 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [5] [6] 25-10 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Navan R.F.C.
2004 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [5] [6] 10-10^ Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Clontarf F.C.
2005 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster [5] [6] 17–07 Flag of Munster.svg Munster Clontarf F.C.
2006 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [8] [7] 11–10 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Musgrave Park, Cork
2007 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [9] 11–10 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Galway Sportsgrounds
2008 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [7] 10–05 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Civil Service Sports Club, Belfast
2009 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [10] 09-06 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Donnybrook Stadium
2010 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [10] 21-03 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Donnybrook Stadium
2011 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster [11] 25-05 Flag of Munster.svg Munster Highfield R.F.C.
2012 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [12] 15-12 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Ashbourne RFC
2013 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 21-06 Flag of Munster.svg Munster Thomond Park
2014 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [13] 07-00 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Ashbourne RFC
2015 Flag of Munster.svg Munster 15-07 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Thomond Park
2016 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster [14] 05-08^^ Flag of Connacht.svg Connacht Tuam RFC
2017 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [15] 11-05 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Thomond Park
2018 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 14-14^* Flag of Munster.svg Munster Donnybrook Stadium
2019 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster 25-12 Flag of Connacht.svg Connacht Donnybrook Stadium
2020Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [16] 19-07 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster Donnybrook Stadium
2022 Flag of Munster.svg Munster [17] Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster round-robin
2023 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster [18] 33-14 Flag of Munster.svg Munster Musgrave Park
2024 Flag of Leinster.svg Leinster [19] 27-07 Flag of Munster.svg Munster Kingspan Stadium
2025 tbd

^ Munster win title due to superior points table difference

^^ Both sides finished the campaign with two wins and a loss but Leinster's superior scoring difference +52 during round-robin (Connaught's +26)

^* Both sides finished the campaign with two wins and a draw but Leinster's superior scoring difference +64 during round-robin (Munster's +37)

Source: [1]

All-time record

ProvinceTitlesRunners-UpYears
Munster Rugby 1562001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021-2022, 2022-2023
Leinster Rugby 8142005, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023-2024, 2024-2025
Ulster Rugby 211999, 2000
Connacht Rugby -2-

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  2. "Ulster Women". www.ulsterrugby.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  3. "Irish Interpros". www.scrumqueens.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. "Ulster Girls U18". www.ulsterrugby.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Leinster ladies win first Interpro crown". www.irishexaminer.com. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Women's: Leinster End Munster's Grip On Interpro Title". www.irishrugby.ie. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 "Munster Women Make It Three-In-A-Row". www.irishrugby.ie. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. "Tight Game Expected In Women's Interpro Final". www.irishrugby.ie. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  9. "Munster Women Claim Interpro Title". munsterrugby.ie. 27 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Niamh Briggs Honoured Women's Player of the Year". munsterrugby.ie. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  11. "Exciting Start To Women's Interpros". www.irishrugby.ie. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  12. "Dates Confirmed For Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  13. "Munster Women Regain Interpro Crown". www.irishrugby.ie. 21 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  14. "Preview: 2017 Women's Interprovincial Series". www.leinsterrugby.ie. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. "Tears of joy as Munster regain Interpro title after scoring difference is required to pip Leinster". www.the42.ie. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  16. "Final Table".
  17. "Munster Outgun Connacht In Galway To Retain Interpro Title". Irish Rugby. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  18. "Leinster scupper Munster's three-in-a-row tilt to claim Interpro title". Irish Examiner. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  19. "Women's Interprovincial Championship final recap: Munster 7-27 Leinster". RTE Sport. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.