Rugby union in Ireland

Last updated

Rugby union in Ireland
Heineken Cup Final 2012.jpg
Ulster (white) vs. Leinster (blue) in the 2012 Heineken Cup Final.
CountryIreland
Governing bodyIrish Rugby Football Union
National team(s) Ireland
First played1869, Dublin
Registered players153,823 [1]
Clubs56 clubs affiliated to the Ulster Branch
71 clubs affiliated to the Leinster Branch
59 clubs affiliated to the Munster Branch
23 clubs affiliated to the Connacht Branch.
National competitions
Club competitions

Rugby union (Irish : Aontas Rugbaí) is a popular team sport on the island of Ireland, organised on an all-Ireland basis, including players and teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its governing body, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), was founded in 1875, [2] making it the third oldest rugby union in the world after the RFU (England) and the SRU (Scotland), which were both founded in 1871.

Contents

The Ireland national team is currently first in the World Rugby Rankings (as of October 2024), [3] and has won the Six Nations Championship (and its predecessor competitions) fifteen times, most recently in 2024, including four Grand Slams, the most recent being in 2023. [4] Ireland has appeared at every men's Rugby World Cup but never advanced beyond the quarter-final.

Ireland has four professional teams, organised by the four provincial unions that make up the IRFU, Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht, who compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC), the European Rugby Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup. Munster are the most recent Irish team to win the URC in 2022–23, while Leinster are the most successful side historically. Irish provinces have had considerable success in European competitions, with seven European Rugby Champions Cups (4 Leinster, 2 Munster and 1 Ulster) and one Challenge Cup win (Leinster).

At the local level, fifty club sides compete in the five divisions of the All-Ireland League, of which Cork Constitution are the current champions.

The Ireland women's rugby union team compete in the Women's Six Nations, WXV and the women's Rugby World Cup, while women's teams from Ireland compete in the IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series and the cross-border Celtic Challenge competition with sides from Scotland and Wales. [5]

Governing body

The Irish Rugby Football union was formed in 1879, after the merger of the Irish Football Union, which controlled rugby in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster, and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, which controlled in the game in the Belfast area. [6] As part of this amalgamation, the IRFU established three provincial branches to run the game in Leinster, Munster and Ulster; [7] a fourth branch was founded for Connacht in 1885. [8] The IRFU was a founding member of the International Rugby Board (now called World Rugby) in 1986. Despite the partition of Ireland in 1921, the IRFU continues to run the game on an all-island basis.

International rugby

The Ireland national team represents the whole Island of Ireland, selecting players from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its first international match was a 7-0 defeat by England in 1875. [9]

Since 1995 the Ireland national team has been fully professional. [10] They play their home games at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship, the four-yearly Rugby World Cup, and various mid-year and autumn international matches.

The national team has won several Triple Crowns and three Grand Slams and is able to play at a competitive level with the world's rugby giants, having beaten all including New Zealand in the last five years. [11]

Development teams

As with all top-tier rugby nations, and many lower-tier countries, Ireland field an "A" national side, a second-level national selection primarily intended to develop younger talent for possible future duty on the senior national team. Since February 2010, the IRFU have rebranded the A side as Ireland Wolfhounds. The Wolfhounds generally play "A" teams of the other major European powers and senior sides of lower-tier nations. Ireland also field an occasional development team, Emerging Ireland, used to try out promising young players. The Ireland national under-20 rugby union team competes in the annual Six Nations Under 20s Championship and World Rugby U20 Championship tournaments. The Ireland national schoolboy rugby union team competes in the Rugby Europe Under-18 Championship.

IQ Rugby (formerly the Irish Exiles) is a development programme to identify potential Ireland players from the Irish diaspora.

Ireland Sevens

The Ireland national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series and the Rugby World Cup Sevens. Unlike the national team, sevens players are not selected from the provincial teams, although some go on to play for the provincial teams.

Ireland Women

The Irish Women's Rugby Football Union (IWRFU) was founded in 1991, and the Ireland women's national rugby union team made their international debut in 1993. The IWRFU became affiliated to the IRFU in 2001, and was incorporated into the IRFU in 2008. The Ireland women's team have competed in the Women's Rugby World Cup since its second edition in 1994, and the Women's Six Nations Championship (and its predecessor competitions) since 1996. Ireland hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup, and lost to Wales 17–27 in the eighth place play off.

Provincial rugby

The four branches of the IRFU each organise a provincial team: Leinster, based at the RDS Arena in Dublin; Munster, based at Thomond Park in Limerick; Ulster, based at Ravenhill in Belfast; and Connacht, based at the Sportsgrounds in Galway. In the amateur era, they were representative teams, selected from the best club players in the province, and competed in the annual IRFU Interprovincial Championship, as well as playing against international touring teams. After rugby union was declared open to professionalism in 1995, they were developed into professional teams. [12]

Today, they compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC) alongside teams from Scotland, Wales, Italy and South Africa, [13] and the European Rugby Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, which also include teams from France and England. [14] All four provinces have been champions of the URC (or its predecessor competitions), Leinster eight times, most recently in 2021; Munster four times, most recently in 2023; Ulster once in 2006; and Connacht once in 2016. Leinster have won the Champions Cup four times, most recently in 2018; Munster twice, most recently in 2008; and Ulster once in 1999. Leinster have won the Challenge Cup once, in 2012.

To encourage the development of Irish talent, the provinces are allowed only three non-Irish-qualified players in their squads. [15] Each province has an academy programme to develop young players from local schools and clubs to professional level. [16] Regular internationals are signed on central contracts to the IRFU, meaning that they, and not the provinces, control when the players play and when they rest. [17]

Each province also has a women's team which competes in the annual IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series. [18] Irish women's teams compete in the Celtic Challenge tournament alongside teams from Scotland and Wales. In the first year, 2023, Ireland entered a Combined Provinces team. In the 2024 tournament, they entered two teams, the Wolfhounds, a combined Ulster-Leinster team, and the Clovers, a combined Munster-Connacht team. [19]

Club rugby

Since 1990, the top club sides in Ireland have competed in the All-Ireland League. It originally featured nineteen clubs in two divisions, [20] and currently has fifty clubs in five divisions, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2C, with promotion and relegation between them. [21] The bottom team in Division 2C is relegated to their province's Junior League. Playoffs are held between the winners of the four provincial Junior Leagues to decide who will replace them. [22] The Bateman Cup is played for annually by the winners of the provincial Senior Cups. [23] The Women's All-Ireland League was founded in 1992 [24] has one division containing nine clubs. [25] The provincial branches each organise a pyramid of league and cup competitions for both men's and women's teams. [26] [27] [28] [29]

Schools rugby

Each province has a senior schools' tournament: the Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup; the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup; the Ulster Schools' Cup; and the Connacht Schools Rugby Senior Cup; and an under-15 tournament: the Leinster Schools Junior Cup; the Munster Schools Junior Cup; the Ulster Medallion Shield; and the Connacht Schools Junior Cup.

Demographics

Playing numbers

Outside Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin Newly Completed Stand, Leinster Rugby Ground Donnybrook.jpg
Outside Donnybrook Stadium in Dublin

The last report on the number of players playing rugby union conducted by World Rugby in 2019 showed 79,000 registered players (i.e. those registered with clubs, including the 21,000 adult players) and an overall total of 196,000, incorporating women’ players, schools, sevens etc. [30]

Stadiums and attendance

The professional era and the advent of the competitions now known as United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup have seen rugby union become a major spectator sport in Ireland. European Cup games are generally well supported in all the provinces, with sellouts the norm and massive crowds in Dublin's Lansdowne Road for quarterfinal and semifinal matches. Ulster, Munster and Leinster have all won the Heineken Cup. In the past Ulster led the then-Celtic League attendances for 3 years in the row and Connacht, Munster and Leinster's crowds have grown year on year and with the later two setting new world records for province/club attendance.

Munster extensively renovated and expanded their traditional home of Thomond Park in a project that was completed in 2008. The Royal Dublin Society expanded their RDS Arena in the same time period, which prompted Leinster to make it their primary home while they were planning to expand their own traditional ground at Donnybrook. After the Donnybrook plans fell through, Leinster chose to remain at the RDS and in 2023 Leinster embarked on renovation plans to increase the capacity of the arena. [31] Connacht completed ground expansion and renovation works in time for the 2011/2012 season with the construction of the Clan Terrace. And in 2014, Ulster completed the complete reconstruction of Ravenhill Stadium into a modern 18,000 capacity stadium. Munster are currently in the process of construing a new stand at their secondary home of Musgrave Park.

Before the opening of Aviva Stadium, Ireland international games sold out against all but the weakest opposition, and with the team playing at Croke Park during the reconstruction of Lansdowne Road, attendances regularly topped 80,000. However, the Aviva saw disappointing attendance during its first Tests in 2010, with no match selling out; media reports indicated that this was largely due to an IRFU ticketing strategy that made little sense in an uncertain economy. More recent Tests have seen crowds much closer to capacity, including sellouts or near-sellouts for all of Ireland's Six Nations home fixtures.

History

Early years

Rugby clubs started to appear in Ireland in the mid-19th century. Dublin University Football Club was in existence by 1855, giving it a strong claim to being the world's oldest extant football club of any code. [32] Other early clubs still in existence include Wanderers (founded 1869), Queen's University (1869), Lansdowne (1873), Dungannon (1873) and University College Cork (1874). Ballinasloe, founded in 1875, merged with Athlone in 1994 to form Buccaneers; [33] North of Ireland, founded in 1868, merged with Collegians in 1999 to form Belfast Harlequins. [34]

The Irish Football Union was founded to govern the game in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster in December 1874. The Northern Football Union of Ireland was founded in January 1875, and controlled the game in the Belfast area The two unions amalgamated to form the IRFU in 1879, [35] but not before the first interprovincial match, between Ulster and Leinster, [36] and Ireland's first international match against England, both in 1875. [37] Ireland played their home games at Lansdowne Road in Dublin from 1878. The earliest competitions include the Ulster Schools' Cup, first held in 1876, [38] and the Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup, first held in 1881. [39]

The amateur era

Club rugby

The Leinster Challenge Cup, later known as the Leinster Senior Cup, was first played in 1882, won by Dublin University. [40] Senior Cup competitions followed in the other provinces: the Ulster Senior Cup was first won by North of Ireland in 1885; [41] the Munster Senior Cup was first won by Bandon in 1886; [42] and the Connacht Senior Cup was first won by Galway Town in 1896. [43] Ulster was the first province to establish a provincial league, the Ulster Senior League, first won by Queen's in 1891. [44] The Munster Senior League followed, first won by Garryowen in 1903; the Connacht Senior League was first won by Galwegians in 1926; the Leinster Senior League was not founded until 1971, and was first won by St. Mary's College in 1972. The All-Ireland League, featuring clubs from all four provinces, was founded in 1990, and was first won by Cork Constitution.

Provincial rugby

The IRFU Interprovincial Championship, between the provincial representative teams of Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht, was first played in 1946, with Ulster being the first champions.

International rugby

The Home Nations Championship, ancestor of today's Six Nations Championship, was first played in 1883, between the Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales national teams. [45] It became the Five Nations Championship in 1910 with the addition of France. Ireland first won the competition in 1926, jointly with Scotland. Their first outright win, and Grand Slam, came in 1948.

The Rugby World Cup was first held in 1987; Ireland were knocked out by Australia in the quarter-finals. In the 1991 Rugby World Cup, they again went out to Australia in the quarter-finals. In the final World Cup of the amateur era in 1995 they were knocked out in the quarter-finals once more, this time by France.

Ireland's most capped players of the amateur era include North of Ireland centre Mike Gibson (69), Ballymena lock Willie John McBride (63), Blackrock flanker Fergus Slattery (61), Dungannon lock Paddy Johns (59), and Old Wesley prop Philip Orr (58). Dublin University centre Brendan Mullin is Ireland's top try scorer of the amateur era with 17; Dolphin centre Michael Kiernan is top points scorer with 308.

The professional era

On 26 August 1995, rugby union was declared open to professionalism by the International Rugby Board. The IRFU had been opposed to this, and rugby in Ireland was poorly prepared for professionalism. Amid fears that Irish players could be signed up by English clubs, [46] they began by offering contracts to international players. [47]

Provincial rugby

The Heineken Cup, now known as the European Rugby Champions Cup, was launched the same year. [48] Ireland was given three places, and rather than enter clubs, the IRFU entered three of the four provincial teams, Munster, Ulster and Leinster. [49] This led to the development of the provincial sides as professional teams, starting with match fees, [50] and later contracts for provincial players. [51] Ulster won the competition in 1999. Munster have won it twice, in 2006 and 2008, and Leinster four times, in 2009, 2011, 2012 (defeating Ulster), and 2018. In addition, Leinster won the European Challenge Cup in 2013 after having parachuted in from that season's Heineken Cup.

The Celtic League, featuring all four Irish provinces alongside teams from Scotland and Wales, was launched in 2001. [52] The IRFU Interprovincial Championship was discontinued. The League expanded to a 22-match schedule in 2003, [53] and for the first time the Irish provinces could operate as full-time professional teams, with players only rarely able to play for their clubs. [54] The competition was renamed the Pro12 in 2011 with the addition of two teams from Italy; the Pro14 in 2017 with the addition of two teams from South Africa; and the United Rugby Championship in 2021 with the incorporation of four South African teams. Irish provinces have won the competition fourteen times in 22 seasons, and all four provinces have won it at least once. Leinster won the league in 2002, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2018; Munster won in 2003, 2009, 2011 and 2023; Ulster won it in 2006; and Connacht won it in 2016. [55]

International rugby

The Five Nations became the Six Nations Championship in 2000 with the addition of Italy. Ireland's first win of the professional era came with a Grand Slam in 2009. They won it again in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2023 (the last two also being Grand Slams), and 2024. They went out in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1999 (to Argentina); 2003 (to France); at the group stage in 2007; and in the quarter-finals in 2011 (to Wales), 2015 (to Argentina), and 2019 (to New Zealand). After a victorious tour of New Zealand in 2022, Ireland went into the 2023 Rugby World Cup as one of the favourites, but went out in the quarter-finals to eventual runners-up New Zealand.

The old Lansdowne Road stadium was demolished in 2007, and the new Aviva Stadium, built on the same site, opened in 2010. In the meantime, home internationals were played at the Gaelic Athletic Association's stadium, Croke Park.

Ireland's most-capped players of the professional era include Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll (133), Leinster prop Cian Healy (129), Munster out-half Ronan O'Gara (128), Ulster hooker Rory Best (123) and Leinster out-half Johnny Sexton (118). O'Driscoll is Ireland's record try scorer with 46; Sexton is their leading points scorer with 1108.

Irish society and politics

Ireland rugby provinces Map of IRFU provincial branches.svg
Ireland rugby provinces
Irish President and Taoiseach Eamon de Valera played rugby at Blackrock & Rockwell colleges Eamon de Valera c 1922-30.jpg
Irish President and Taoiseach Éamon de Valera played rugby at Blackrock & Rockwell colleges

Although rugby has traditionally been associated with the more anglophile elements of Irish society, it has not been without its following in the nationalist and republican communities. For example, the longest serving taoiseach, Éamon de Valera was a former player, and lifetime fan of the game. At the age of sixteen, De Valera won a scholarship to Blackrock College, County Dublin. It was at Blackrock College that de Valera began playing rugby. Later during his tenure at Rockwell College, he joined the school's rugby team where he played fullback on the first team, which reached the final of the Munster Senior Cup. De Valera was a close friend of the Ryan brothers at Rockwell who played on Ireland's Triple Crown-winning team in 1899. De Valera remained a lifelong devotee of rugby, attending numerous international matches up to and towards the end of his life despite near blindness.

Other notable politicians, from very different backgrounds, who have played rugby for Ireland include Tyrone Howe (a former Unionist Party councillor), Trevor Ringland (a Unionist Parliamentary candidate) and Dick Spring (former Tánaiste and Labour Party TD).

Nowadays, rugby is played by both nationalists and unionists. Historically, it tended to be popular with different social groups in different parts of Ireland, although generally speaking it is regarded as a middle-class sport in Ireland and further afield. In Limerick city, it is enjoyed across the social spectrum, while in Leinster and Cork City it remains very much a middle-class game. Rugby traditionally is not as prevalent in Connacht, although it is less defined there by social class. In Northern Ireland it is traditionally played in mainly-middle-class Protestant grammar schools. The changing climate in Northern Ireland politics has altered this perceived tradition with the introduction of rugby into an increasing number of Roman Catholic grammar and secondary schools which were previously exclusively associated with Gaelic games.

Rugby and the GAA

Croke Park hosting a match between Ireland and England Croke park 2.jpg
Croke Park hosting a match between Ireland and England

During the late 19th century, in response to the perceived encroachment of English sports, including rugby, Irish nationalist Michael Cusack set up the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). [56] Rule 42 of the GAA's Official Guide prohibited the playing of non-Gaelic games in GAA stadiums, including rugby until it was lifted in 2007. [57] However, the rule was relaxed while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped, and rugby was played in Croke Park [58] including a match between Leinster and Munster that broke the club rugby attendance record; see List of non-Gaelic games played in Croke Park for exceptions to this rule.

The first game to take place under the relaxed Rule 42 took place on 11 February 2007. It was a Six Nations Championship rugby match between Ireland and France which Ireland lost 17–20. [59] The following match against England generated some controversy, since it involved the playing of God Save the Queen at a ground where British soldiers had killed fourteen spectators on Bloody Sunday, 1920. [60] [61] There was a small protest by Republican Sinn Féin outside the ground which included a man holding a sign saying No to foreign games while ironically wearing a Celtic FC tracksuit. [62] [63] [64]

A Heineken Cup semi-final was played in Croke Park on 2 May 2009, when Leinster defeated Munster 25–6. The attendance of 82,208 set a new world record attendance for a club rugby union game. [65] Leinster broke this record at Croke Park again in 2024, drawing a capacity 82,300 crowd for an Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton Saints.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Rugby Football Union</span> Governing body for rugby union on the island of Ireland

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is the body managing rugby union in the island of Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where adult men's Irish rugby union international matches are played. In addition, the Union also owns the Ravenhill Stadium in Belfast, Thomond Park in Limerick and a number of grounds in provincial areas that have been rented to clubs.

The 1995–96 Heineken Cup was the first edition of the Heineken Cup, which was to become the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. Competing teams, from France, Ireland, Italy, Wales and, for the only time to date, Romania, were divided into four pools of three, in which teams played each other only once, meaning one home and one away game per team. The winners of the pools qualified for the knock-out stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Rugby</span> Rugby union team in island of Ireland

Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Irish regional pool of the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup, each of which they have won once. Ulster were the first Irish team and the first team outside England and France to win the European Cup in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connacht Rugby</span> Rugby team in Ireland

Connacht Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leinster Rugby</span> Rugby union team in Ireland

Leinster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial club rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Northern Ireland</span>

Sport in Northern Ireland plays an important role in the lives of many Northern Irish people. Most sports are organised on an all-Ireland basis, for example rugby union, Gaelic games, basketball, rugby league, hockey, and cricket, whereas others, like association football and netball are organised on a separate basis for 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. 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.

The Irish Exiles is a rugby union representative team featuring players selected from the Irish diaspora, many based in Great Britain. The team was established in 1989 by Tom Kiernan. It was officially recognised by the Irish Rugby Football Union and during the 1990s was effectively a fifth provincial team along with Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. Between 1992 and 1993 and 1995–96 the Irish Exiles entered the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. The Irish Exiles also acts as an academy system for players from the Irish diaspora who wish to play for the men's national team and other IRFU national teams including the women's national team, the men's sevens team and the women's sevens team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Cooney (rugby union)</span> Irish rugby union player

John Cooney is an Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half for Irish provincial side Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup, having previously played for Leinster and Connacht, and has eleven caps for Ireland. Since joining Ulster in 2017, he has been nominated for EPCR European Player of the Year once, been named in the Pro14 Dream Team four times, and been Ulster's player of the year twice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Munster</span>

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 63–45 advantage in overall wins, with five draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in the 2001–02 season, Leinster hold a 36–18 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.

Leinster versus Ulster is the oldest fixture in Irish rugby, with the first ever interprovincial match taking place between the sides in 1875. As such, a healthy rivalry has developed between the two provincial rivals.

Munster versus Ulster 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, Ulster hold a 55–41 advantage in overall wins, with ten draws. Additionally, since the inception of the Celtic League in 2001–02, Munster hold a slender 23–21 advantage in wins, with two draws 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.

The 1995–96 season was Ulster Rugby's first season under professionalism. Brian Bloomfield was in his second season as coach. 35-year-old Malone RFC centre Bill Harbinson, who first played for Ulster in 1986, was captain, in his final season before retirement from the game. They played six representative matches, defeating Griqualand West, New Zealand Federation U23 and New South Wales, and losing to a Côte Basque Select XV, the Combined Services and Edinburgh District. They finished second behind Leinster in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. They were one of three Irish provinces entered into the inaugural Heineken Cup, losing both their pool matches against Cardiff and Bègles-Bordeaux.

The 1996–97 Ulster Rugby season was Ulster's second season under professionalism, during which they competed in the IRFU Interprovincial Championship and the Heineken Cup.

The 2000–01 season was Ulster Rugby's sixth since the advent of professionalism, and their third under coach Harry Williams. They competed in the Heineken Cup and the IRFU Interprovincial Championship. Williams announced in August 2000 that he would leave at the end of the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001–02 Ulster Rugby season</span> Professional provincial Rugby Union playing season

The 2001–02 season was Ulster Rugby's seventh under professionalism, and their first under head coach Alan Solomons. They competed in the Heineken Cup, the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and the inaugural Celtic League. Flanker Andy Ward was captain.

The 2023–24 season was Ulster Rugby's 30th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union. They competed in the United Rugby Championship the European Rugby Champions Cup, and the EPCR Challenge Cup. It was Dan McFarland's sixth season as head coach. Despite some good results, including a home win against Racing 92 in the Champions Cup and an away win against Leinster in the URC, Ulster slipped back in the league, and poor performances against Bath, Harlequins and Toulouse dumped them out of the Champions Cup. After an away defeat in the URC against Ospreys in February, McFarland left his position, replaced by former Ireland under-20 head coach Richie Murphy. CEO Jonny Petrie also left, replaced on an interim basis by Hugh McCaughey. Murphy oversaw two away losses in South Africa and a quarter-final exit in the Challenge Cup, but form improved in the league, with four straight wins, including a home win against Leinster, and a losing bonus point away to Munster secured a quarter-final place, losing away to a full-strength Leinster side, and qualification for next season's Champions Cup.

References

  1. ↑ "International Rugby Board - IRELAND". 3 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Team History Archieve". IRFU. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  3. ↑ "Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Six Nations Winners: Who Has Won the Most Six Nations?". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  5. ↑ Barnes, David (21 December 2022). "Celtic Challenge to provide high-performance opportunities ahead of TikTok Six Nations". The Offside Line. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  6. ↑ Collins, Tony (2018). The Oval World: A global history of rugby. Bloomsbury Sport. p. 122. ISBN   9781408843727.
  7. ↑ "History of the Irish Rugby Football Union". Irish Rugby . Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "Connacht Rugby". Galway Advertiser . 28 April 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  9. ↑ "Irish International Teams: Results, Scorers, Dates and Venues – 1874 to June 1999". Irishrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
  10. ↑ "It's 20 years today since rugby turned professional and it's now a different beast". The 42. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  11. ↑ "Statsguru / Team analysis / Ireland / Test matches (filters: Matches won, from 23 June 2004 to 23 June 2009)". Scrum.com. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  12. ↑ "How The Irish Provinces Moulded History With Modernity To Leave The Welsh Regions Trailing So Far Behind", Dai Sport, 21 January 2019
  13. ↑ Clubs, United Rugby Championship, retrieved30 SEptember 2023
  14. ↑ Clubs, EPCRugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  15. ↑ "John Cooney: Ulster coach Dan McFarland has not discussed Scotland switch with scrum-half", BBC Sport, 29 January 2023
  16. ↑ Dylan Jones-Evans, "What the WRU could learn from the Irish Rugby Football Union business model", Business Live, 24 February 2023
  17. ↑ Liam Heagney, "The players left on Irish Rugby's 'central contract' hit list after deal struck for James Ryan", Rugby Pass, 5 February 2020
  18. ↑ "2023 Women’s Rugby Interprovincial Matches: A Game-Changing Season Preview", Sports News Ireland, 7 August 2023
  19. ↑ "Clovers And Wolfhounds Squads Announced For Celtic Challenge", Irish Rugby, 20 December 2023
  20. ↑ Irish Times. (1990). New League structure is exciting challenge, 17 September, Sport, page A6
  21. ↑ "Energia All-Ireland League Men’s Divisions – 2022/23 Ups And Downs", Irish Rugby, 8 May 2023
  22. ↑ Colm Kinsella, "Competition details confirmed for 2022/2023 All-Ireland League season", Limerick Leader, 19 July 2022
  23. ↑ "Energia Bateman Cup", Irish Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  24. ↑ Previous Winners, Irish Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  25. ↑ League Tables, Irish Rugby, 30 September 2023
  26. ↑ Domestic Competition Listing, Ulster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  27. ↑ Club Competitions, Leinster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  28. ↑ Domestic Fixtures and Tables, Munster Rugby, retrieved 30 September 2023
  29. ↑ Competition Listing, Connacht Rugby, 30 September 2023
  30. ↑ "Gerry Thornley: The strength of Irish rugby is a minor miracle given how few play it". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Scully, Michael (28 February 2023). "RDS Arena development plans to ramp up as Leinster say budget in place". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  32. ↑ Rugby: A New Zealand History Archived 24 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Ron Palenski, Auckland University Press (2015) – ISBN   978-1869408367
  33. ↑ History of the IRFU, Rugby Football History, accessed 1 October 2023
  34. ↑ "Collegians History". collegiansclub.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  35. ↑ Collins, Tony (2018). The Oval World: A global history of rugby. Bloomsbury Sport. p. 122. ISBN   9781408843727.
  36. ↑ Peter, Richard (1999). The Origins and Development of Football in Ireland. Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation. p. 6. ISBN   0-901905-93-3.
  37. ↑ "Irish International Teams: Results, Scorers, Dates and Venues – 1874 to June 1999". Irishrugby.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
  38. ↑ "Past Winners of Ulster Schools' Cup". BBC Sport. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  39. ↑ "The august history of the Dublin Hospitals Cup". The Medical Independent. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  40. ↑ Irish Times. (1882). Football: Leinster Challenge Cup - Second Round, Dublin University v Lansdowne, 27 February, page 6
  41. ↑ Jim Stokes, "Rugby: Harlequins take the Malone road", Belfast Telegraph, 25 November 2000
  42. ↑ "‘It wasn't too long ago that we were down in Division 2'", The Southern Star, 6 January 2018
  43. ↑ Michael Gallagher, "Brief history of Connacht Senior Cup", Ballina RFC, 15 March 2022
  44. ↑ "Rugby Football Notes", Ulster Echo, 2 April 1891
  45. ↑ "Six Nations roll of honour". BBC Sport . 19 January 2004. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2007.
  46. ↑ Jim Stokes, "IRFU tackle 'pro' issue", Belfast Telegraph, 28 August 1995
  47. ↑ Jim Stokes, "International players only to 'cash in'", Belfast Telegraph, 12 September 1995
  48. ↑ "European Rugby Cup : History". ERC. Archived from the original on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
  49. ↑ Jim Stokes, "Ulster to face Cardiff?", Belfast Telegraph, 29 August 1995
  50. ↑ Tyrone Howe, "Local game needs a professional outlook", Belfast Telegraph, 13 January 1996
  51. ↑ "Seventy six players win IRFU contracts", Irish Independent, 17 July 1997
  52. ↑ "Celtic League gets green light to kick off in August", Evening Herald, 31 May 2001
  53. ↑ "New format boost for Celtic League", Irish Independent, 7 May 2003
  54. ↑ Jimmy Davidson, "Club Ulster is perfect route to success for Solomons", Belfast Telegraph, 9 May 2003
  55. ↑ "Connacht beat Leinster in PRO12 final". ESPN (UK). PA Sport. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  56. ↑ "Michael Cusack, Maurice Davin and the Gaelic Athletic Association" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
  57. ↑ "2009 official guide part1" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  58. ↑ "Ireland must wait to enjoy Croke craic". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2007.
  59. ↑ "Ireland 17-20 France". BBC News. 11 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  60. ↑ "'Foreign' rugby invading Ireland's hallowed ground". Mg.co.za. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  61. ↑ Murphy, John A (18 February 2007). "'God Save the Queen' at Jones's Road a remarkable moment'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  62. ↑ Hewett, Chris (26 February 2007). "Ireland 43 England 13: Ireland have the last laugh as Ashton rues 'massive blip'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  63. ↑ "Image showing man wearing Celtic tracksuit and holding sign". Conor.net. Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  64. ↑ "Republicans protest against "God Save The Queen" at Croker". Indymedia.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  65. ↑ "Leinster 25-6 Munster". BBC News. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.