2001–02 Celtic League

2001–02 Celtic League
Countries Ireland Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales
Champions Ireland Leinster (1st title)
Runners-up Ireland Munster
Matches played 56
Attendance 252,213
(average 4,504 per match)
Tries scored 271
(average 4.8 per match)
Top point scorer David Humphreys (Ulster)
122 points[1]
Top try scorer Girvan Dempsey (Leinster)
Denis Hickie (Leinster)
7 tries[2]
Official website
www.rabodirectpro12.com

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.

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

Location of 2001–02 Celtic League teams in Scotland and Ireland.
Location of 2001–02 Celtic League teams in Wales.
Pool A; Pool B.
Team Stadium Capacity City, Area
Wales Bridgend Brewery Field 6,000 Bridgend, Wales
Wales Caerphilly Virginia Park 5,000 Caerphilly, Wales
Wales Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 12,500 Cardiff, Wales
Ireland Connacht Galway Sportsgrounds 6,000 Galway, Republic of Ireland
Wales Ebbw Vale Eugene Cross Park 8,000 Ebbw Vale, Wales
Scotland Edinburgh Myreside 5,500 Edinburgh, Scotland
Scotland Glasgow Hughenden Stadium 6,000 Glasgow, Scotland
Ireland Leinster Donnybrook Stadium 6,000 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Wales Llanelli Stradey Park 10,800 Llanelli, Wales
Ireland Munster Thomond Park
Musgrave Park		 13,200
8,500		 Limerick, Republic of Ireland
Cork, Republic of Ireland
Wales Neath The Gnoll 6,000 Neath, Wales
Wales Newport Rodney Parade 11,676 Newport, Wales
Wales Pontypridd Sardis Road 7,861 Pontypridd, Wales
Wales Swansea St Helen's 4,500 Swansea, Wales
Ireland Ulster Ravenhill 12,300 Belfast, Northern Ireland

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 Table

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Pts
1Ireland Leinster 7700281114+16735821
2Ireland Ulster 7412194157+37191713
3Scotland Glasgow 7412204172+32251713
4Wales Llanelli 7403175123+5214712
5Wales Swansea 7304124158−349129
6Wales Bridgend 7304161208−4717259
7Wales Pontypridd 7106111207−968253
8Wales Ebbw Vale 7106134245−11113293

Match points were awarded as follows:

  • 3 points for a win
  • 1 point for a draw
Green background (rows 1 to 4) qualify for the knock-out stage.
Source: RaboDirect PRO12

Pool A Fixtures

17 August 2001
19:15
Bridgend Wales 19 – 27 Wales Pontypridd
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 3,500
17 August 2001
19:30
Ulster Ireland 30 – 13 Wales Swansea
Report
Ravenhill
Attendance: 6,000
17 August 2001
19:35
Leinster Ireland 39 – 11 Scotland Glasgow
Try: Girvan Dempsey
Gordon D'Arcy
Andrew Dunne
Con: Brian O'Meara x 3
Pen: Brian O'Meara x 6
 Preview
Preview
Report
Report
Report
Report		 Try: Andy Nicol
Pen: Tommy Hayes x 2
Donnybrook Stadium
Attendance: 4,500
Referee: Paul Adams (Wales)
18 August 2001
18:00
Llanelli Wales 46 – 16 Wales Ebbw Vale
Report
Stradey Park
Attendance: 3,000
24 August 2001
19:05
Llanelli Wales 17 – 19 Ireland Leinster
Report
Stradey Park
Attendance: 4,000
24 August 2001
19:30
Ebbw Vale Wales 18 – 13 Wales Pontypridd
Report
Eugene Cross Park
Attendance: 3,000
24 August 2001
19:30
Glasgow Scotland 25 – 25 Ireland Ulster
Try: Gordon Simpson x 2
Andy Nicol
Con: Tommy Hayes x 2
Pen: Tommy Hayes
James McLaren
 Preview
Preview
Preview
Report
Report
Report		 Try: Paddy Wallace
Ryan Constable
Russell Nelson
Con: Paddy Wallace
David Humphreys
Pen: David Humphreys x 2
Hughenden Stadium
Attendance: 6,095
Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales)
25 August 2001
18:00
Swansea Wales 16 – 25 Wales Bridgend
Report
St Helen's
Attendance: 3,250[3]
28 August 2001
19:00
Leinster Ireland 55 – 13 Wales Ebbw Vale
Report
Donnybrook
Attendance: 3,200
28 August 2001
19:00
Ulster Ireland 26 – 27 Wales Llanelli
Report
Ravenhill
Attendance: 8,000
28 August 2001
19:15
Pontypridd Wales 6 – 11 Wales Swansea
Report
Sardis Road
Attendance: 4,000
29 August 2001
19:00
Bridgend Wales 50 – 15 Scotland Glasgow
Try: Adrian Durston
Gareth Thomas x 2
Gareth Jones
Maama Molitika
Con: Cerith Rees x 5
Pen: Cerith Rees x 5
 Preview
Report
Report
Report
Report
Report		 Try: James Craig
Roland Reid
Con: Barry Irving
Pen: Barry Irving
Brewery Field
Attendance: 4,300
31 August 2001
19:35
Leinster Ireland 31 – 9 Ireland Ulster
Report
Donnybrook
Referee: N Williams
1 September 2001
14:30
Ebbw Vale Wales 21 – 26 Wales Swansea
Report
Eugene Cross Park
Attendance: 3,500
1 September 2001
14:30
Llanelli Wales 36 – 3 Wales Bridgend
Report
Stradey Park
Attendance: 3,000
7 September 2001
19:05
Ebbw Vale Wales 27 – 29 Ireland Ulster
Report
Eugene Cross Park
Attendance: 2,000
8 September 2001
14:30
Pontypridd Wales 17 – 19 Wales Llanelli
Report
Sardis Road
Attendance: 5,000
8 September 2001
14:30
Swansea Wales 13 – 21 Scotland Glasgow
Report
St Helen's
Attendance: 2,500
8 September 2001
19:30
Bridgend Wales 32 – 51 Ireland Leinster
Report
Brewery Field
Attendance: 2,650
11 September 2001
19:00
Leinster Ireland 52 – 14 Wales Pontypridd
Report
Donnybrook
Attendance: 3,056
11 September 2001
19:05
Llanelli Wales 21 – 27 Wales Swansea
Report
Stradey Park
Attendance: 4,500
11 September 2001
19:30
Glasgow Scotland 58 – 22 Wales Ebbw Vale
Report
Hughenden
Attendance: 2,179
12 September 2001
19:30
Ulster Ireland 46 – 14 Wales Bridgend
Report
Ravenhill
Attendance: 8,000
14 September 2001
19:30
Glasgow Scotland 15 – 9 Wales Llanelli
Report
Hughenden
Attendance: 5,375
15 September 2001
14:30
Ebbw Vale Wales 17 – 18 Wales Bridgend
Report
Eugene Cross Park
Attendance: 2,800
15 September 2001
14:30
Pontypridd Wales 20 – 29 Ireland Ulster
Report
Sardis Road
Attendance: 3,200
15 September 2001
14:30
Swansea Wales 18 – 34 Ireland Leinster
Report
St Helen's
Attendance: 4,000

Pool B Table

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Pts
1Ireland Munster 6501228120+10823915
2Ireland Connacht 640215297+5516812
3Wales Neath 6402151116+35141012
4Wales Newport 6303147109+3815109
5Wales Cardiff 6303128135−715159
6Scotland Edinburgh 6204134159−2511166
7Wales Caerphilly 600688292−20411370

Match points were awarded as follows:

  • 3 points for a win
  • 1 point for a draw
Green background (rows 1 to 4) qualify for the knock-out stage.
Source: RaboDirect PRO12

Pool B Fixtures

17 August 2001
19:30
Edinburgh Scotland 22 – 25 Ireland Munster
Report
Myreside
Attendance: 5,410
18 August 2001
14:30
Caerphilly Wales 13 – 43 Wales Neath
Report
Virginia Park
Attendance: 3,500
18 August 2001
14:30
Cardiff Wales 3 – 6 Ireland Connacht
Report
Cardiff Arms Park
Attendance: 4,000
24 August 2001
18:15
Connacht Ireland 21 – 30 Scotland Edinburgh
Report
Sportsground
Attendance: 1,800
24 August 2001
19:00
Neath Wales 25 – 14 Wales Cardiff
Report
The Gnoll
Attendance: 5,000
25 August 2001
14:30
Newport Wales 50 – 22 Wales Caerphilly
Report
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 6,260
28 August 2001
19:30
Edinburgh Scotland 20 – 32 Wales Neath
Report
Myreside
Attendance: 3,075
28 August 2001
19:35
Munster Ireland 40 – 19 Ireland Connacht
Report
Thomond Park
Attendance: 6,000
29 August 2001
19:00
Cardiff Wales 20 – 14 Wales Newport
Report
Cardiff Arms Park
Attendance: 7,500
31 August 2001
19:05
Neath Wales 30 – 22 Ireland Munster
Report
The Gnoll
Attendance: 2,250
1 September 2001
14:30
Caerphilly Wales 15 – 49 Wales Cardiff
Report
Virginia Park
Attendance: 1,900
1 September 2001
14:30
Newport Wales 29 – 11 Scotland Edinburgh
Report
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 6,164
7 September 2001
18:15
Connacht Ireland 28 – 10 Wales Neath
Report
Sportsground
Attendance: 550
7 September 2001
19:30
Edinburgh Scotland 27 – 20 Wales Caerphilly
Report
Myreside
Attendance: 2,648
7 September 2001
19:35
Munster Ireland 29 – 21 Wales Newport
Report
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 4,560
11 September 2001
19:15
Caerphilly Wales 18 – 61 Ireland Munster
Report
Virginia Park
Attendance: 1,500
11 September 2001
19:15
Cardiff Wales 32 – 24 Scotland Edinburgh
Report
Cardiff Arms Park
Attendance: 5,000
11 September 2001
19:30
Newport Wales 14 – 16 Ireland Connacht
Report
Rodney Parade
Attendance: 5,821
15 September 2001
13:30
Munster Ireland 51 – 10 Wales Cardiff
Report
Musgrave Park
Attendance: 6,055
15 September 2001
17:30
Neath Wales 11 – 19 Wales Newport
Report
The Gnoll
Attendance: 3,625[3]
16 September 2001
15:00
Connacht Ireland 62 – 0 Wales Caerphilly
Report
Sportsground
Attendance: 455

Knockout stages

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
30 November 2001 - Donnybrook
 
 
Ireland Leinster34
 
7 December 2001 - Lansdowne Road
 
Wales Newport22
 
Ireland Leinster35
 
1 December 2001 - Sportsground
 
Scotland Glasgow13
 
Ireland Connacht29
 
15 December 2001 - Lansdowne Road
 
Scotland Glasgow34
 
Ireland Leinster24
 
1 December 2001 - Thomond Park
 
Ireland Munster20
 
Ireland Munster13
 
8 December 2001 - Lansdowne Road
 
Wales Llanelli6
 
Ireland Munster15
 
30 November 2011 - Ravenhill
 
Ireland Ulster9
 
Ireland Ulster38
 
 
Wales Neath29
 

Quarter finals

30 November 2001
19:05
Ulster Ireland 38 – 29 Wales Neath
Report
Ravenhill
Attendance: 12,000
30 November 2001
19:35
Leinster Ireland 34 – 22 Wales Newport
Report
Donnybrook
Attendance: 7,300
1 December 2001
14:00
Connacht Ireland 29 – 34 Scotland Glasgow
Report
1 December 2001
17:30
Munster Ireland 13 – 6 Wales Llanelli
Report

Semi finals

7 December 2001
19:30
Leinster Ireland 35 – 13 Scotland Glasgow
Report
Lansdowne Road
Attendance: 5,500
8 December 2001
15:00
Munster Ireland 15 – 9 Ireland Ulster
Report
Lansdowne Road
Attendance: 12,500

Final

15 December 2001
15:00
Leinster Ireland 24 - 20 Ireland Munster
Try: Gordon D'Arcy
Shane Horgan
Con: Nathan Spooner
Pen: Nathan Spooner (4)
 Report Try: Anthony Foley
John O'Neill
Anthony Horgan
Con: Ronan O'Gara
Pen: Ronan O'Gara
Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
15Girvan Dempsey
14Denis Hickie
13Brian O'Driscoll
12Shane Horgan
11Gordon D'Arcy
10Nathan Spooner
9Brian O'Meara
8Victor Costello
7Keith Gleeson
6Eric Miller - sent off
5Malcolm O'Kelly
4Leo Cullen
3Paul Wallace
2Shane Byrne
1Reggie Corrigan (c)
Replacements:
16Bob Casey
Coach:
Matt Williams
15Dominic Crotty
14Anthony Horgan
13John Kelly
12Rob Henderson
11John O'Neill
10Ronan O'Gara
9Mike Prendergast
8Anthony Foley
7Alan Quinlan
6Jim Williams
5Paul O'Connell
4Mick Galwey (c)
3Peter Clohessy
2Frankie Sheahan
1Marcus Horan
Replacements:
16Martin Cahill
17Mick O'Driscoll
18Colm McMahon
Coach:
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.

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 "Leading Points-Scorers". RaboDirect PRO12. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
    2. 1 2 "Leading Try-Scorers". RaboDirect PRO12. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
    3. 1 2 "Attendances". Rugby Network. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
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