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2001–02 Celtic League

1st edition of the Celtic League


1st edition of the Celtic League

FieldValue
countries{{plainlist
teams15
championsIRE Leinster
count1
runnersupIRE Munster
matches56
attendance{{#expr:
tries{{#expr:
top point scorerDavid Humphreys (Ulster), 122 points
top try scorer{{plainlist
* Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), 7<ref nameTopTries/
* Denis Hickie (Leinster), 7<ref nameTopTries/
websitewww.rabodirectpro12.com
nextseason[2002–03](2002-03-celtic-league)
  • IRE Ireland (4 teams)
  • SCO Scotland (2 teams)
  • WAL Wales (9 teams)
  • 3500 + 6000 + 4500 + 3000
  • 4000 + 3000 + 6095 + 0
  • 3200 + 8000 + 4000 + 4300
  • 4110 + 0 + 3500 + 3000
  • 2000 + 5000 + 2500 + 2650
  • 3056 + 4500 + 2179 + 8000
  • 5375 + 2800 + 3200 + 4000
  • 5410 + 3500 + 4000
  • 1800 + 5000 + 6260
  • 3075 + 6000 + 7500
  • 2250 + 1900 + 6164
  • 550 + 2648 + 4560
  • 1500 + 5000 + 5821
  • 6055 + 0 + 455 +12000 + 7300 + 0 + 0
  • 5500 +12500 +30000
  • 3 + 4 + 4 + 7
  • 2 + 3 + 6 + 4
  • 9 + 4 + 1 + 7 +11 + 4 + 2 + 3
  • 5 + 2 + 3 +10
  • 9 + 3 +11 + 9
  • 0 + 5 + 4 + 4
  • 2 + 6 + 0
  • 5 + 3 +10
  • 6 + 4 + 4
  • 3 + 8 + 3
  • 4 + 5 + 4 +10 + 6 + 2
  • 8 + 2 + 9
  • 4 + 7 + 6 + 1
  • 5 + 0
  • 5
  • Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), 7
  • Denis Hickie (Leinster), 7 The 2001–02 Celtic League was the inaugural season of the Celtic League. The first season would see fifteen teams compete: the four Irish provinces: Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster; two Scottish teams: Edinburgh Reivers and Glasgow; and all nine Welsh Premier Division teams: Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Ebbw Vale, Llanelli, Neath, Newport, Pontypridd and Swansea.

Played alongside each country's own national competitions, the teams were split into two groups (of 8 and 7) and played a series of round-robin matches with each team playing the other only once. The top four teams from each group proceeded into the knock-out phase until a champion was found. Clashes between teams in the 2001–02 Welsh-Scottish League also counted towards the new competition.

The 2001–02 competition was dominated by the Irish teams with all four sides reaching the last eight, three progressing to the semi-finals, and the final played at Lansdowne Road contested between Leinster and Munster with Leinster running out 24–20 winners. Leinster's 10–0 debut 'perfect season' is one of only two in the history of the competition in its various forms. The other, a 17–0 record, was also achieved by Leinster was in 2020.

Background

Wales and Scotland had joined forces for the 1999 and 2000 seasons, with the expansion of the Welsh Premier Division to include Edinburgh and Glasgow to form the Welsh-Scottish League.

In 2001, an agreement was made between the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) and Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to create a new competition which would bring in the four Irish provinces. 2001 would see the very first incarnation of the Celtic League.

Teams and personnel

Overview

CountryTeamStadia informationCoachStadiaCapacityLocation
Ireland IrelandConnachtThe Sportsground6,129Galway, County GalwayRSA Steph Nel
LeinsterDonnybrook Stadium6,000Donnybrook, County DublinAUS Matt Williams
MunsterThomond Park25,600Limerick, County LimerickIRE Declan Kidney
Musgrave Park8,008Ballyphehane, County Cork
UlsterRavenhill Stadium18,196Belfast, Northern IrelandRSA Alan Solomons
SCO ScotlandEdinburghMyreside Stadium13,799Edinburgh, LothianSCO Frank Hadden
GlasgowHughenden6,000Hyndland, StrathclydeSCO Richie Dixon
WAL WalesBridgendBrewery Field8,000Bridgend, Bridgend County BoroughWAL Dennis John
CaerphillyVirginia Park6,000Caerphilly, Caerphilly County BoroughWAL Gareth Nicholas
CardiffCardiff Arms Park12,125CardiffRSA Rudy Joubert
Ebbw ValeEugene Cross Park8,000Blaenau GwentWAL Mike Ruddock
LlanelliStradey Park10,800Llanelli, CarmarthenshireWAL Gareth Jenkins
NeathThe Gnoll6,000Neath, Neath Port TalbotWAL Lyn Jones
NewportRodney Parade8,700NewportZIM Ian McIntosh
PontypriddSardis Road7,861Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon TafWAL Lynn Howells
SwanseaSt Helen's4,500Brynmill, SwanseaNZL John Plumtree

Locations

**Location of Irish, Scottish and Welsh teams:****Location of Welsh teams:**

Pool stage

The teams were split into two pools and the pool stage consisted of a single round-robin; each team played the other teams in its pool once only.

Pool A

Pool A standings

Pool A results







Pool B

Pool B standings

Pool B results







Knockout stage

Bracket

|30 November – Dublin|IRE Leinster|34|WAL Newport|22 |1 December – Galway|IRE Connacht|29|SCO Glasgow|34 |1 December – Limerick|IRE Munster|13|WAL Llanelli|6 |30 November – Belfast|IRE Ulster|38|WAL Neath|29 |7 December – Dublin|IRE Leinster|35|SCO Glasgow|13 |8 December – Dublin|IRE Munster|15|IRE Ulster|9 |15 December – Dublin|IRE Leinster|24|IRE Munster|20

Quarter-finals




Semi-finals


Final

AUS Matt Williams
IRE Declan Kidney

|}

Leading scorers

Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-IRB nationalities.

Top points scorers

RankPlayerClubPoints
1Ireland David HumphreysIreland Ulster122
2COK Tommy HayesSCO Glasgow111
3WAL Lee JarvisWAL Neath100
4AUS Nathan SpoonerIreland Leinster97
5WAL Stephen JonesWAL Llanelli89

Top try scorers

RankPlayerClubTries
1Ireland Girvan DempseyIreland Leinster7
Ireland Denis HickieIreland Leinster
3NZL Craig HudsonWAL Cardiff6
Ireland Wayne MunnIreland Connacht
5Ireland Mike MullinsIreland Munster5

References

References

  1. "Attendances". Rugby Network.
  2. "Leading Points-Scorers". RaboDirect PRO12.
  3. "Leading Try-Scorers". RaboDirect PRO12.
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