2018–19 Celtic Cup

The 2018 Celtic Cup is the inaugural edition of the Celtic Cup rugby union competition, which features development regional and provincial teams from Ireland and Wales. It ran for six weeks from September 2018 until October 2018. Leinster A won the inaugural edition, beating Scarlets A in the final.

2018–19 Celtic Cup
Countries Ireland
Wales
Date7 September 2018–21 October 2018
ChampionsLeinster A (1st title)
Runners-upScarlets A
Matches played25/25
Official website
www.irishrugby.ie

Formation

The Irish Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union created a new development competition, the Celtic Cup, for the emerging professional players from the four Irish provinces and four Welsh regions, announcing the tournament in August 2018.

The tournament, which features development squads from Pro14 teams Connacht, Leinster, Munster, Ulster, Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets, aims to provide a learning environment for development players, coaches and referees by recreating the week-to-week challenges presented by senior professional rugby.[1]

2018 season

The first season of the Celtic Cup ran over seven consecutive weeks in 2018. The eight teams were divided into two conferences of four Welsh regions and four Irish provinces. Each Irish province played each of the Welsh regions and against two Irish provinces. Similarly, the Welsh regions played each of the Irish provinces and two of their Welsh counterparts, giving each team three home and three away fixtures. Derby matches were held on the opening and closing weekends of the pools stage, with the four inter-conference rounds in a block from rounds 2 to 5. The top-ranked province from the Irish conference then played the top-ranked region from the Welsh conference in the Celtic Cup Final.[2]

Conferences
Ireland Conference
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Leinster A (Q)6600263109+15438155029
Munster A6501208147+612594024
Ulster Ravens6402165141+2421203019
Connacht Eagles6006119214-951731213
(Q)= qualified for final
Updated: 19 September 2018
Source: Irish Rugby
Wales Conference
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
Scarlets A (Q)6303213143+7029185219
Cardiff Blues A6303150147+321204218
Ospreys Development6204118244-12617362010
Dragons U236105151242-912332206
(Q)= qualified for final
Updated: 21 October 2018
Source: Welsh Rugby

Pool Stage

Round 1
7 September 2018
17:30
Munster A 24–16 Connacht Eagles
Try: Coombes 17' m
Hart 40' c
Con: Johnston (1/2) 40'
Pen: Johnston (4/4) 50', 52', 68', 74'
 Report[3] Try: de Buitléar 24' c
Con: Fitzgerald (1/1) 25'
Pen: Fitzgerald (3/3) 6', 39', 42'
Irish Independent Park
Referee: Jonny Erskine (IRFU)
7 September 2018
17:00
(1 BP) Ulster Ravens 28–43 Leinster A (1 BP)
Try: Hume (2) 15' c, 67' c
Rea ?' c
Sexton ?' c
Con: McPhillips (4/4) 16', ?', ?', 68'
 Report[4] Try: Byrne 24' c
Penney 30' c
O'Brien 33' c
Kelleher 40' c
Silvester 51' m
Sheehan 76' c
Con: Byrne (5/6) 25', 31', 34', 40'+1,77'
Pen: Byrne (1/1) 61'
7 September 2018
19:00
(1 BP) Ospreys Development 41–36 Scarlets A (2 BP)
Report[5]
7 September 2018
19:15
Dragons U23 21–37 Cardiff Blues A (1 BP)
Try: Lawrence 32' c
Basham 68' c
Rosser 74' c
Con: Botica (3/3) 32', 68', 74'
 Report[6] Try: Fish (2) 10' c, 36' m
T. Williams (2) 24' m, 42' m
Summerhill 45' c
Con: Shingler (2/5) 10', 45'
Pen: Shingler (2/2) 3', 7'

Round 2
14 September 2018
19:00
Ulster Ravens 15–45 Scarlets A (1 BP)
Try: Luney 54' c
Hall 65' m
Con: Houston (1/2) 55'
Pen: Houston (1/1) 7'
 Report[7] Try: Baldwin 25' c
Lewis 28' c
Williams 34' c
Hardy 43' c
Ellis-Jones 47' c
Conbeer 62' c
Con: O'Brien (6/6) 26', 29', 35', 44', 48', 63'
Pen: O'Brien (1/1) 10'
15 September 2018
13:00
(1 BP) Leinster A 57–10 Cardiff Blues A
Try: Patterson (2) 16' c, 33' c
Foley (2) 24' c, 42' c
Kelleher 29' c
A. Byrne 46' c
Dowling 71' c
Con: H. Byrne (5/5) 17', 25', 30', 43', 47'
Patterson (1/1) 34'
Hawkshaw (1/1) 72'
Pen: H. Byrne (1/1) 9'
 Report[8] Try: Bennett 65' m
T. Williams 76' m
Energia Park
Referee: Rob O'Sullivan (IRFU)
15 September 2018
14:00
Ospreys Development 7–52 Munster A (1 BP)
Report[9]
15 September 2018
14:30
Dragons U23 (1 BP) 53–38 Connacht Eagles (1 BP)
Report[10]
CCSE Ystrad Mynach

Round 3
21 September 2018
19:00
(1BP) Connacht Eagles 22-27 Ospreys Development
Report
21 September 2018
17:30
(1 BP) Munster A 34-17 Dragons U23
Report
22 September 2018
14:30
(1BP) Scarlets A 10-16 Leinster A
Report
22 September 2018
14:30
(1BP) Cardiff Blues A 3-7 Ulster Ravens
Report

Round 4
28 September 2018
19:30
(1BP) Leinster A 53-7 Ospreys Development
Try: Penny 3
B Byrne 2
O'Brien
Foley
A Byrne
Con: Frawley 4
Hawkshaw
Pen: Frawley
 Report[11] Try: Morgan-Williams
Con: J Thomas
Energia Park
Referee: Jonny Erskine
29 September 2018
14:00
(2BP) Cardiff Blues A 32-33 Munster A (1BP)
Report[12]
29 September 2018
14:30
Ulster Ravens 27-19 Dragons U23
Report[13]
Eaton Park
29 September 2018
14:30
(1 BP) Scarlets A 35–19 Connacht Eagles
Report

Round 5
5 October 2018
19:00
Ospreys Development 19 – 39 Ulster Ravens
Report
5 October 2018
19:30
Munster A 40 – 29 Scarlets A
Report
6 October 2018
14:30
Dragons U23 29 – 48 Leinster A
Report
CCSE Ystrad Mynach
6 October 2018
TBC
Connacht Eagles 12 – 26 Cardiff Blues A
Report
Galway Sportsground

Round 6
12/13/14 October 2018
TBC
Leinster A (1 BP) 46 – 25 Munster A
Report
TBC
12/13/14 October 2018
TBC
Connacht Eagles 12 – 49 (1 BP) Ulster Ravens
Report
TBC
12/13/14 October 2018
TBC
Cardiff Blues A (1 BP) 42 – 17 Ospreys Development
Report
TBC
12/13/14 October 2018
TBC
Scarlets A (1 BP) 58 – 12 Dragons U23
Report
TBC

Grand Final
TBC
19:15
Leinster A
Irish champions		 15 – 8 Scarlets A
Welsh champions
Try: R Kelleher (2)
Con: C Frawley
Pen: C Frawley
 Report Try: J Sebastian
Pen: J Wilson

References
  1. "Celtic Cup Announced".
  2. "New Celtic Cup format agreed".
  3. "Report | Munster A Beat Connacht In Celtic Cup". Munster Rugby. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  4. "ULSTER A 28 LEINSTER A 43". Ulster Rugby. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  5. "Ospreys Development 41 – 36 Scarlets A". Ospreys Rugby. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  6. "REPORT | DRAGONS A 21 CARDIFF BLUES A 37". Dragons Rugby. 7 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  7. "ULSTER A 15 SCARLETS A 45". Ulster Rugby. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  8. "REPORT: LEINSTER 'A' 57 CARDIFF BLUES 'A' 10". Leinster Rugby. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  9. "Munster A Win In Ospreys". Munster Rugby. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  10. "Dragons U23 53 v 38 Connacht Eagles". Dragons Rugby. 15 September 2018. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
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