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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 (formerly known as the Celtic League). 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.
Below are the historical results of the Irish Rugby Football Union teams, Ulster and Connacht, as part of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and later the Celtic League, Pro12, Pro14, and United Rugby Championship.
Overall Summary of Games Since 1946
| Played | Won by Connacht | Won by Ulster | Drawn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 104 | 22 | 78 | 4 |
Statistics
Highest scoring match
2013–14: 70 points (Ulster 58 Connacht 12)
Lowest scoring match
1965–66: 6 points (Ulster 3 Connacht 3)
Highest margin of victory
Ulster: 46 points (58–12 in 2013–14)
Connacht: 28 points (44–16 at home in 2017–18)
Most consecutive wins
Ulster: 13 (1966–1979)
Connacht: 3 (1954–1957, 2017–2019)
Amateur Era Results 1946–1995
| Season | Winner | Loser | Winner | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | Ulster 26 | Connacht 5 | Ulster (1) | |
| 1947–48 | Ulster 19 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (2) | |
| 1948–49 | Ulster 30 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (3) | |
| 1949–50 | Ulster 12 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (4) | |
| 1950–51 | Ulster 26 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (5) | |
| 1951–52 | Ulster 13 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (6) | |
| 1952–53 | Ulster 28 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (7) | |
| 1953–54 | Ulster 11 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (8) | |
| 1954–55 | Connacht 14 | Ulster 6 | Connacht (1) | |
| 1955–56 | Connacht 12 | Ulster 9 | Connacht (2) | |
| 1956–57 | Connacht 6 | Ulster 3 | Connacht (3) | |
| 1957–58 | Ulster 23 | Connacht 12 | Ulster (9) | |
| 1958–59 | Connacht 14 | Ulster 5 | Connacht (4) | |
| 1959–60 | Ulster 9 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (10) | |
| 1960–61 | Connacht 6 | Ulster 3 | Connacht (5) | |
| 1961–62 | Ulster 11 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (11) | |
| 1962–63 | Ulster 19 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (12) | |
| 1963–64 | Connacht 13 | Ulster 3 | Connacht (6) | |
| 1964–65 | Connacht 13 | Ulster 3 | Connacht (7) | |
| 1965–66 | Connacht 3 | Ulster 3 | Draw (1) | Lowest scoring match in the history of this fixture |
| 1966–67 | Ulster 9 | Connacht 8 | Ulster (13) | |
| 1967–68 | Ulster 14 | Connacht 12 | Ulster (14) | |
| 1968–69 | Ulster 11 | Connacht 9 | Ulster (15) | |
| 1969–70 | Ulster 20 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (16) | |
| 1970–71 | Ulster 42 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (17) | |
| 1971–72 | Ulster 13 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (18) | |
| 1972–73 | Ulster 37 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (19) | |
| 1973–74 | Ulster 17 | Connacht 14 | Ulster (20) | |
| 1974–75 | Ulster 29 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (21) | |
| 1975–76 | Ulster 6 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (22) | |
| 1976–77 | Ulster 13 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (23) | |
| 1977–78 | Ulster 18 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (24) | |
| 1978–79 | Ulster 11 | Connacht 4 | Ulster (25) | |
| 1979–80 | Connacht 6 | Ulster 6 | Draw (2) | |
| 1980–81 | Ulster 13 | Connacht 12 | Ulster (26) | |
| 1981–82 | Ulster 6 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (27) | |
| 1982–83 | Ulster 22 | Connacht 21 | Ulster (28) | |
| 1983–84 | Connacht 9 | Ulster 4 | Connacht (8) | |
| 1984–85 | Ulster 28 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (29) | |
| 1985–86 | Ulster 12 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (30) | |
| 1986–87 | Ulster 37 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (31) | |
| 1987–88 | Ulster 20 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (32) | |
| 1988–89 | Ulster 16 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (33) | |
| 1989–90 | Ulster 38 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (34) | |
| 1990–91 | Ulster 16 | Connacht 9 | Ulster (35) | |
| 1991–92 | Connacht 10 | Ulster 10 | Draw (3) | |
| 1992–93 | Ulster 19 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (36) | |
| 1993–94 | Ulster 39 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (37) | |
| 1994–95 | Ulster 20 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (38) |
Professional Era Results since 1995/96 season
| Season | Home | Away | Winner | Report/Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | Connacht 9 | Ulster 27 | Ulster (39) | |
| 1996–97 | Ulster 32 | Connacht 27 | Ulster (40) | |
| 1997–98 | Connacht 27 | Ulster 12 | Connacht (9) | |
| 1998–99 | Connacht 21 | Ulster 18 | Connacht (10) | |
| 1998–99 | Ulster 36 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (41) | |
| 1999–00 | Connacht 9 | Ulster 50 | Ulster (42) | |
| 1999–00 | Ulster 44 | Connacht 22 | Ulster (43) | |
| 2000–01 | Connacht 15 | Ulster 39 | Ulster (44) | |
| 2000-01 | Ulster 36 | Connacht 22 | Ulster (45) | |
| 2001–02 | Connacht 17 | Ulster 18 | Ulster (46) | |
| 2002–03 | No match held | |||
| 2003–04 | Connacht 31 | Ulster 20 | Connacht (11) | |
| 2003–04 | Ulster 42 | Connacht 27 | Ulster (47) | |
| 2004–05 | Connacht 13 | Ulster 19 | Ulster (48) | |
| 2004–05 | Ulster 23 | Connacht 14 | Ulster (49) | |
| 2005–06 | Ulster 36 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (50) | |
| 2005–06 | Connacht 22 | Ulster 12 | Connacht (12) | |
| 2006–07 | Connacht 17 | Ulster 24 | Ulster (51) | |
| 2006–07 | Ulster 20 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (52) | |
| 2007–08 | Connacht 13 | Ulster 30 | Ulster (53) | |
| 2007–08 | Ulster 18 | Connacht 6 | Ulster (54) | |
| 2008–09 | Ulster 53 | Connacht 13 | Ulster (55) | |
| 2008–09 | Connacht 12 | Ulster 14 | Ulster (56) | |
| 2009–10 | Connacht 6 | Ulster 30 | Ulster (57) | |
| 2009–10 | Ulster 41 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (58) | |
| 2010–11 | Connacht 15 | Ulster 15 | Draw (4) | |
| 2010–11 | Ulster 27 | Connacht 16 | Ulster (59) | |
| 2011–12 | Ulster 22 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (60) | |
| 2011–12 | Connacht 26 | Ulster 21 | Connacht (13) | |
| 2012–13 | Ulster 25 | Connacht 0 | Ulster (61) | |
| 2012–13 | Connacht 18 | Ulster 34 | Ulster (62) | |
| 2013–14 | Connacht 7 | Ulster 18 | Ulster (63) | |
| 2013–14 | Ulster 58 | Connacht 12 | Ulster (64) | |
| 2014–15 | Ulster 13 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (65) | |
| 2014–15 | Connacht 20 | Ulster 27 | Ulster (66) | |
| 2015–16 | Connacht 3 | Ulster 10 | Ulster (67) | |
| 2015–16 | Ulster 18 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (68) | |
| 2016–17 | Connacht 30 | Ulster 25 | Connacht (14) | |
| 2016–17 | Ulster 23 | Connacht 7 | Ulster (69) | |
| 2017–18 | Ulster 16 | Connacht 8 | Ulster (70) | |
| 2017–18 | Connacht 44 | Ulster 16 | Connacht (15) | Highest margin of victory for Connacht |
| 2018–19 | Ulster 15 | Connacht 22 | Connacht (16) | |
| 2018–19 | Connacht 21 | Ulster 12 | Connacht (17) | |
| 2018–19 | Ulster 21 | Connacht 13 | Ulster (71) | |
| 2019–20 | Ulster 35 | Connacht 3 | Ulster (72) | |
| 2019–20 | Connacht 26 | Ulster 20 | Connacht (18) | |
| 2020–21 | Connacht 19 | Ulster 32 | Ulster (73) | |
| 2020–21 | Ulster 24 | Connacht 26 | Connacht (19) | Rainbow Cup fixture |
| 2021–22 | Connacht 36 | Ulster 11 | Connacht (20) | Connacht chose the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as its home venue for the match |
| 2021–22 | Ulster 32 | Connacht 12 | Ulster (74) | |
| 2022–23 | Ulster 36 | Connacht 10 | Ulster (75) | |
| 2022–23 | Connacht 20 | Ulster 22 | Ulster (76) | |
| 2022–23 | Ulster 10 | Connacht 15 | Connacht (21) | URC quarter-final |
| 2023–24 | Connacht 22 | Ulster 20 | Connacht (22) | |
| 2023–24 | Ulster 20 | Connacht 19 | Ulster (77) | |
| 2024–25 | Ulster 32 | Connacht 27 | Ulster (78) | |
See also
- History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Munster
- History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Ulster
- History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Connacht
- History of rugby union matches between Munster and Connacht
- History of rugby union matches between Munster and Ulster
- IRFU Interprovincial Championship
References
- ^ "The Gatland years (Part 3)". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Preview". Ulster Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Team History Archive". Irishrugby.ie.
- "Irish Rugby 1874–1999 — A History". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Fixtures & Results". Irish Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Smooth Ulster machine sweep Connacht aside". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Ulster relax on way to convincing win". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "McConnell missed as Connacht steamrolled". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Ulster make no mistake". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- "Dazzling Baloucoune makes point to Andy Farrell in Ulster victory over Connacht". the42. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- "Ulster outscore Connacht five tries to one to get their season off to a flier". the42. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- "Ulster survive remarkable Connacht comeback to end disastrous December". the42. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- "Fearless Connacht beat Ulster to reach URC semi-finals". Irish Times. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- "Connacht mount comeback to continue strong start to season". Irish Times. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- "Ulster do just enough against Connacht to win tense interpro". Irish Times. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- "Match Report Ulster 32-27 Connacht". Ulster Rugby. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
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