Leinster Rugby

The Irish Rugby Football Union Leinster Branch (also known as Leinster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Leinster. The branch is also responsible for the Leinster team (previously known for a period as the Leinster Lions; see below), which plays in national and international competitions. The amateur Leinster sides previously played in a plain navy jersey with white shorts and navy socks. The Leinster Harp is an ever-present on the jersey.

Leinster's traditional home ground is in Donnybrook, in Dublin City's south side. They have development plans to build a new 12,500 capacity stadium — up from its existing 7,500. In 2004/2005 they played some home games at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) showgrounds to great success. The RDS ground is currently being redeveloped into a 15,000 all-seater stadium, Leinster are playing the 2007/8 home games in both the Celtic (Magners) League and European (Heineken) Cup there. In the recent past they played high profile games at the national rugby stadium, Lansdowne Road.

For the 2006/07 season, the province are played 8 of their 10 'Home' Magners League games in their traditional Donnybrook grounds and games versus inter-provincial rivals Munster and Ulster were played in Lansdowne Road, while pre-Christmas Heineken Cup pool games were also played at Lansdowne Road. Leinster's final home Heineken Cup pool game (versus Edinburgh Gunners) was played in the traditional Donnybrook ground. However, due to space constraints and Health & Safety reasons, the ground was only able to cater for an attendance of 6,400. Leinster regularly pull in crowds of more than 20,000 for Heineken Cup pool games, but after the closure of Lansdowne Road no stadium of that size is available to them in Ireland. The clash between Leinster and Ulster on New Years Eve was the final fixture to be played in the Lansdowne Road, which was the oldest International Rugby ground in existence.

Contents

[edit] History

The Leinster Branch was formed in 1875. In amateur days the four provinces played against each other in the Interprovincial Championship and also played touring sides (usually midweek). When rugby union was declared 'open' in 1995, these four teams became the four professional teams run by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Leinster reached the Heineken Cup semi-final in 1995/96, 2002/03 and 2005/06. They were the inaugural Celtic League Champions (01/02) beating rivals Munster in the Final in Lansdowne Road.

The "Leinster Lions" name came into existence during the 2001/02 season as the result of a joint marketing initiative between Leinster Rugby and its kit sponsors, the Canterbury Clothing Company, but before the start of the 2004/05 season it was decided to drop the 'Lions' from the name, however it is still used for marketing and branding. The Leinster mascot is "Leo the Lion".

In 2002/03, they became only the third team in the history of the Heineken Cup to win all their games in pool play and the first team to do it twice in the 2004/05 season. They also went one step further in the playoffs than the previous season by reaching the semis, but lost at home against French side Perpignan.

The 2004/05 Leinster team also won all of their games in pool play, and were again considered among the favourites for the title. However they went out at the quarter final stage to Leicester Tigers.

In 2005/2006 Leinster qualified for the quarter finals as a best runner up by demolishing Bath at "the Rec". In the quarter-final they gave one of the province's greatest ever performances, beating number 1 seeds and reigning champions Toulouse in France by a scoreline of 41-35. On April 23rd they continued to the semi finals of the Heineken Cup against fellow Irish provincial team Munster, where they were beaten 30-6. Leinster finished second in the Celtic League that year losing out on the final day (Although winning and earning a bonus point Vs Edinburgh) as Ulster managed to beat The Ospreys in Swansea and win the Celtic League title.

In 2006/2007, Leinster again qualified for the quarter finals stage of the Heineken Cup winning their pool yet losing 2 pool games along the way. This meant that Leinster would have to face London Wasps away in the quarter finals and which Leinster went on to lose 35-13. Leinster were again pipped to the Magners League title on the last day by The Ospreys. Leinster's loss to the Cardiff Blues sealed their fate and handed them another second spot (like the prvious year).

[edit] 2007/2008 Season

[edit] 2007/2008 Magners League Fixtures/Results

Date Home Team Score Away Team Score Venue Match Report
September 22nd 2007 Leinster 23 Edinburgh Gunners 8 R.D.S, Dublin [1]
September 28th 2007 Cardiff Blues 19 Leinster 30 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff [2]
October 5th 2007 Leinster 23 Llanelli Scarlets 52 R.D.S, Dublin [3]
October 12th 2007 Glasgow Warriors 21 Leinster 17 Firhill, Glasgow [4]
October 26th 2007 Ulster 16 Leinster 16 Ravenhill, Belfast [5]
November 2nd 2007 Leinster 29 Connacht 9 R.D.S, Dublin [6]
November 23rd 2007 Ospreys 19 Leinster 26 Liberty Stadium, Swansea [7]

[edit] 2007/2008 Heineken Cup Fixtures/Results

Round Date Home Team Score Away Team Score Venue Match Report
Round 1 November 10th 2007 Leinster 22 Leicester 9 R.D.S, Dublin [8]
Round 2 November 18th 2007 Toulouse 33 Leinster 6 Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse [9]


[edit] 2006/2007 Season

[edit] 2006/2007 Magners League Fixtures/Results

Date Home Team Score Away Team Score Venue Match Report
September 8th 2006 Edinburgh 20 Leinster 14 Murrayfield, Edinburgh [10]
September 16th 2006 Leinster 16 Cardiff Blues 9 Donnybrook, Dublin [11]
September 23rd 2006 Llanelli Scarlets 33 Leinster 21 Stradey Park, Llanelli [12]
September 29th 2006 Connacht 16 Leinster 31 Sportsground, Galway [13]
October 6th 2006 Leinster 27 Munster 20 Lansdowne Road, Dublin [14]
October 13th 2006 Border Reivers 22 Leinster 19 Netherdale, Galashiels [15]
November 4th 2006 Leinster 35 Newport Gwent Dragons 13 Donnybrook, Dublin [16]
November 10th 2006 Leinster 38 Glasgow Warriors 23 Donnybrook, Dublin [17]
December 2nd 2006 Ulster 6 Leinster 6 Ravenhill, Belfast [18]
December 27th 2006 Munster 25 Leinster 11 Thomond Park, Limerick [19]
December 31st 2006 Leinster 20 Ulster 12 Lansdowne Road, Dublin [20]
January 6th 2007 Leinster 44 Ospreys 22 Donnybrook, Dublin [21]
January 26th 2007 Leinster 44 Llanelli Scarlets 34 Donnybrook, Dublin [22]
February 16th 2007 Leinster 13 Edinburgh 6 Donnybrook, Dublin [23]
March 24th 2007 Leinster 30 Connacht 21 Donnybrook, Dublin [24]
April 6th 2007 Glasgow Warriors 26 Leinster 20 Hughenden, Glasgow [25]
April 13th 2007 Newport Gwent Dragons 22 Leinster 23 Rodney Parade, Newport [26]
April 27th 2007 Ospreys 19 Leinster 17 Liberty Stadium, Swansea [27]
May 5th 2007 Leinster 31 Border Reivers 0 Donnybrook, Dublin [28]
May 11th 2007 Cardiff Blues 27 Leinster 11 The Arms Park, Cardiff [29]

[edit] 2006/2007 Heineken Cup Fixtures/Results

Round Date Home Team Score Away Team Score Venue Match Report
Round 1 October 21st 2006 Leinster 37 Gloucester 20 Lansdowne Road, Dublin [30]
Round 2 October 29th 2006 Edinburgh 25 Leinster 24 Murrayfield, Edinburgh [31]
Round 3 December 9th 2006 Leinster 26 Agen 10 Lansdowne Road, Dublin [32]
Round 4 December 16th 2006 Agen 13 Leinster 25 Stade Armandie, Agen [33]
Round 5 January 13th 2007 Leinster 39 Edinburgh 10 Donnybrook, Dublin [34]
Round 6 January 19th 2007 Gloucester 19 Leinster 13 Kingsholm, Gloucester [35]
Quarter Final March 31st 2007 London Wasps 35 Leinster 13 Adams Park, High Wycombe [36]


[edit] Notable Former Players

[edit] Match attendance

Leinster hold the record for the biggest Celtic League attendance. The match was against Ulster and was the last match held at Lansdowne Road before renovation began on the ground, earning the match the moniker of "The Last Stand". Leinster won the match 20-12. The previous attendance record in the Celtic League was also set at Lansdowne Road, for a game between Leinster and Munster.

[edit] Provincial honours

Leinster were Guinness Inter-provincial Champions in 2002. They have won the Irish Inter-provincial Championship 22 times, three times as professionals.

[edit] Leinster Squad

Nat. Position Player
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg HK Bernard Jackman
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg HK Brian Blaney
Image:Flag of the Cook Islands.svg PR Stan Wright
Image:Flag of South Africa.svg PR Ollie Le Roux
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg PR Ronan McCormack
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg PR Cian Healy
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg PR Stephen Knoop
Image:Flag of Argentina.svg PR Juan Francisco Gomez
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Trevor Hogan
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Malcolm O'Kelly
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Des Dillon
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Richie Leyden
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Devin Toner
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg LK Leo Cullen
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FL Keith Gleeson
Image:Flag of New Zealand.svg FL Cameron Jowitt
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FL Sean O'Brien
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FL Kevin McLaughlin
Nat. Position Player
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FL Shane Jennings
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg N8 Stephen Keogh
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg N8 Jamie Heaslip
Image:Flag of Australia.svg SH Chris Whitaker
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg SH Cillian Willis
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg SH Chris Keane
Image:Flag of Argentina.svg FH Felipe Contepomi
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FH Christian Warner
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FH Jonathan Sexton
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg CE Gordon D'Arcy
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg CE Brian O'Driscoll
Image:Flag of Australia.svg CE Michael Berne
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg WG Luke Fitzgerald
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg WG Shane Horgan
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg WG Gary Brown
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FB Rob Kearney
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FB Ross McCarron
Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg FB Girvan Dempsey

[edit] Club Competitions

[edit] Schools Competitions

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Magners Celtic League
TeamsCardiff Blues • Connacht • Edinburgh • Glasgow Warriors • Leinster • Llanelli Scarlets • Munster • Newport Gwent Dragons • Ospreys • Ulster • (Defunct teams: Border Reivers • Celtic Warriors)
Seasons2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009
v • d • e
Heineken Cup
2007-08 TeamsBenetton Treviso • Bourgoin • Bristol • Biarritz • Cardiff Blues • Clermont • Edinburgh • Gloucester • Glasgow Warriors • Harlequins • Leicester Tigers • Leinster • Llanelli Scarlets • London Irish • London Wasps • Munster • Newport Gwent Dragons • Ospreys • Perpignan • Saracens • Stade Français • Toulouse • Ulster • Viadana
Seasons1995-96 • 1996-97 • 1997-98 • 1998-99 • 1999-00 • 2000-01 • 2001-02 • 2002-03 • 2003-04 • 2004-05 • 2005-06 • 2006-07 • 2007-08 • 2008-09
v • d • e
Rugby union in Ireland
Governing bodyIrish Rugby Football Union
ProvincesConnacht • Leinster • Munster • Ulster
National teamsIreland • A • 7's • U-21 • U-19 • Schoolboys • Women's • British and Irish Lions
CompetitionsMagners League • AIB League
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