Rugby union is a popular team sport played in Ireland. The sport is organised on an all-Ireland basis with one team, governing body and league for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Until recently rugby union was considered a 'barracks sport' by the GAA and it was forbidden to play it on any of their facilities.
This rule has since been relaxed and the national team will be able to play at Croke Park whilst Lansdowne Road stadium is being repaired.
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Main article: Irish Rugby Football Union |
The Irish Rugby Football Union are the governing body for rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU are divided into four branches which represent the four provinces of Ireland: Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht.
As Ireland lacks the financial resources to compete with their English and French rivals so Ireland's only professional league is the Celtic League in which Irish provinces compete against Welsh regions and Scotland super-districts. The Irish provinces also compete in the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
The four provinces have taken part in an Irish provincial championship for over eighty years.
There is also an all-Ireland league the AIB League with amateur club sides from all over Ireland.
Rugby union is common throughout Ireland, but is especially popular in Munster (County Limerick is known as the home of Irish rugby union), Ulster and south County Dublin.
Ulster has also been a traditional stronghold of the game though this has not been reflected lately by the make-up of the national team which has largely been made up of Munstermen and Leinstermen.
According to the IRB Ireland has 201 rugby union clubs; 614 referees; 25,000 pre-teen male players; 35,000 teen male players; 14,500 senior male players (total male players 74,500) as well as 10,000 pre-teen female players; 800 teen female players; 1,200 senior female players (total female players 12,000).
In Northern Ireland rugby union has traditionally been seen as a unionist sport with nationalists prefering to play GAA sports.
School rugby union is generally only played at secondary level. Notable rugby union schools include Clongowes Wood College, Belvedere College, Blackrock College and CBC.
The professional era and the advent of the Celtic League and Heineken Cup has seen rugby union become a major spectator sport in Ireland.
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Main article: Ireland national rugby union team |
The Ireland national team are considered by the IRB to be in the first tier.