The Ireland national rugby union team is Ireland's international rugby union team. It is unusual in international rugby in that it represents both political entities on the island of Ireland: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Today the team plays home games at Lansdowne Road in Dublin but in the past they have played home games in Belfast in Northern Ireland. For approximately five years there was a second union, the Northern Football Union of Ireland, but in 1879 the two unions resolved their differences and merged.
However, recent years have seen some controversy over the issue of anthems. When Irish internationals were played alternatively in Belfast and Dublin, the British national anthemGod Save the Queen in Belfast and The national anthem of the Republic of IrelandAmhrán na bhFiann in Dublin. More recently Amhrán na bhFiann has been replaced in away games by Ireland's Call but this has prompted some players from the Republic to complain. At gamed played in Dublin Ireland's Call is always used alongside Amhrán na bhFiann.
Similarly, the Irish tricolour, the official flag of the Republic is only used when playing in the Republic. A quartered flag with symbols representing the four provinces of Ireland is flown alongside in Dublin, and is used exclusively when playing elsewhere. At some matches, the standard of the island's rugby union governing body, the Irish Rugby Football Union, is displayed on the field during pre-match ceremonies.
Ireland play in the Six Nations Championship, and in recent years have been the strongest of the Celtic nations. They have only won one Grand Slam but have won the Triple Crown (won when one of the Home Nations in the championship defeats the other three Home Nations) seven times, most recently in 2004. However, they have finished bottom of the Championship table on thirty occasions.
Competitions have taken place since the late 1800s with the modern day Inter Provincial Championship between Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht first contested in 1920. Another focus for the domestic game in Ireland, which benefits from the majority of the national side plying their trade at home, is the All Ireland League. This was started in 1990 and has now expanded to three divisions.
There are around 15,000 seniors and around 45,000 juniors playing rugby in Ireland. Outstanding players have included Malcolm O'Kelly, Mike Gibson, Willie John McBride and Fergus Slattery who have all won over sixty International caps; Keith Wood who won the inaugural IRB World Player of the Year Award in 2001; and Brian O'Driscoll who is regarded as the top centre in the world today.
Although the Irish Football Union (renamed Irish Rugby Football Union after unification with the North of Ireland Union) was not formed until 1874, club rugby had been played for around 20 years before that. Trinity College, Dublin claims to be one of the oldest clubs in Ireland, having been formed in 1854. Ireland lost their first test match against England 7-0 at the Oval in February 1875, but it was not until 1881 that they first won a test, against Scotland at Ormeau in Belfast.
Ireland's finest hour arguably came in 1948 when, inspired by Jack Kyle, they clinched their one (and so far) only Grand Slam in the Five Nations.
1999 was the first time Ireland had failed to reach the last eight at a Rugby World Cup, having lost there to Australia in 1987 and 1991 with France their conquerors at that stage in 1995. The closest of these quarter final defeats came in 1991 when Ireland had seemingly snatched a shock victory with Gordon Hamilton’s late try only for Michael Lynagh to break Irish hearts with the winning try to clinch a 19-18 win for Australia.
The 2003 Six Nations came down to the wire, but Ireland were outplayed by England in the winner takes all match at Lansdowne Rd. That defeat ended an unbeaten run that stretched back 10 Tests to their Rugby World Cup qualifiers warm up against Romania in September 2002 and included defeats of Pool A rivals Australia and Argentina at Lansdowne Road.
They were the first team to beat England following their World Cup win. In the 2005 Six Nations, Ireland was a slight favourite entering the competition, and won its first three matches, including a 19-13 home defeat of England. However, Ireland's dreams of their first Grand Slam since 1948 were shattered with a 26-19 home loss to France. In the final round, Wales roundly defeated Ireland 32-20 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to win the Grand Slam.