Connacht Rugby: Encyclopedia II - Connacht Rugby - History

Connacht Rugby - History

The Connacht Branch of the IRFU was founded in 1885 and is currently made up of 19 clubs.

Connacht was the first ever Irish provincial team to win in France and England in 1997. Connacht were quarterfinalists in the European Challenge Cup in 1997/98.

In 2001/02, Connacht made it to the semifinals of the Celtic League, but only reached the quarters in 2002/2003.

The 2003/04 season will live long in the memory of all Connacht fans. Their efforts in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup took them to within touching distance of the final. Only a try from Harlequins' Will Greenwood 12 minutes from time in the second leg of the semi-final denied them of a place in the final. Harlequins went on to win the Final at Reading's Madjeski Stadium

The 2004/05 season saw Connacht continue their form in the European Challenge cup, reaching the semi-finals where they were knocked out again over two legs by the eventual winners, Sale Sharks.

Until the 2005-06 season, the IRFU automatically entered Connacht in the European Challenge Cup each year rather than the Heineken Cup, regardless of its result in the Celtic League. Starting with the 2004-05 season, the IRFU agreed to use the Celtic League table as its sole criterion for determining which Irish teams would enter the next season's Heineken Cup. In that season, Connacht finished last among the competition's four Irish sides, which placed them in the 2005-06 European Challenge Cup.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki