Pro14 Current season or competition:SportInstituted2001; 18 years ago ( 2001)Number of teams14Nations(4 teams)(2 teams)(2 teams)(4 teams)(2 teams)HoldersMost titles(6 titles)WebsiteThe Pro14 (known as the Guinness PRO14 for sponsorship reasons) is an annual competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. The league is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe (along with the English and the French ), the most successful European teams from which go forward to compete in the, the pan-European championship which replaced the after the.Beginning with the creation of the in 1999, the league would become known as the Celtic League when it grew to include teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The league was sponsored by Irish makers from the season until. At the start of the 2010–11 season, the league expanded from 10 to 12 teams, adding two Italian teams.
Following the end of Magners' sponsorship, the league was sponsored by from through to. The Pro12 name was adopted in 2011 to reflect that the league now included teams from outside the.
A further expansion to 14 teams took place from the season, with two South African teams joining the league. The current sponsorship deal with commenced at the beginning of the 2014–15 season. History Formative years and the Welsh-Scottish League Pan-Celtic tournaments had been the subject of intermittent discussions throughout the early professional era. At first, the tournament was often viewed as a mere forerunner to a British & Irish league. These talks would eventually lead to the (WRU) and the (RFU) establishing the in 2005, and all four unions establishing the in 2009.The first material steps toward the league were taken in the 1999–2000 season, when the Scottish districts and were invited to join the fully professional, creating the.By 2001, an agreement was made with the (IRFU) to bring in the four Irish provinces. The 2001–02 season saw additional matches and a new league structure played alongside the continuing Welsh–Scottish League and the Inter-Provincial Championship in Ireland.
The new format was named the Celtic League.By 2005 the tournament had become the sole professional league in Ireland and Scotland (the Anglo-Welsh Cup and semi-pro continued in Wales) and had entirely replaced both the Welsh–Scottish League, and the Inter-Provincial Championship.Celtic League (2001–2011) 2001–02. The Celtic League LogoThe first full season of a pan-Celtic competition saw 15 teams compete: the four Irish provinces (, and ), two Scottish teams ( and ) and all nine Welsh professional teams (, and ).Played alongside each country's own domestic competitions, the teams were split into two groups (of eight and seven) and played a series of matches with each team playing the other only once.
The top four teams from each group proceeded into the phase until a champion was found. Clashes between teams in the 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 thrilling final played at Lansdowne Road contested between Leinster and Munster with Leinster running out 24–20 winners. Main article:Champions Leinster failed to make the quarter-final stage in 2003. In their absence, Munster went on to win the competition by beating Connacht 33–3 in the quarter-finals, Ulster 42–10 in the semi-finals, and Neath 37–17 in the final played in Cardiff.The format of the Celtic League remained the same for the second season, but saw the addition of a third Scottish district, the newly re-established. However, the Welsh-Scottish league structure would end permanently in 2002, allowing for the expansion of the Celtic league format in the following season.2003–04.
Main article:A major change in Celtic League came before the start of the 2003–04 season. The Welsh Rugby Union voted to create five new regional sides (, and ). Main article:The would controversially purchase and liquidate the so that the 2004–05 season would see eleven teams compete in the Celtic League.
The new format took the league into what many saw as a make-or-break seasonclear of massive distractions such as the. With the Welsh regions partly embedded, the signs were that the Celtic League would be a competition that could continue. It was suggested that Italian sides might join an expanded Celtic League, an idea that would eventually materialise in 2010.The league format was further refined at the end of the 2003–04 season, with the participants better managing the dates of the matches so as to not interfere with the national squad set-ups and to make the league more commercially viable.
The league was played until April, and then the Celtic Cup was contested among the top eight teams.The 2004–05 season was the first season that Ireland agreed to use the Celtic League standings to determine which provinces would enter the. The had previously classed Connacht as a 'development' team and so nominated Leinster, Munster and Ulster over Connacht.The IRFU also insisted on International squad training sessions taking precedence over Celtic League matches, with Irish provinces (especially Munster and Leinster) occasionally fielding virtual second teams for Celtic League games. Some claimed this had the effect of devaluing the competition. However, despite this approach, Munster finished second and Leinster third, with Munster winning the Celtic Cup. The Ospreys topped the league table, making it two in a row for Welsh regional sides. Main article:In 2005, there were discussions over a potential competition which some saw as undermining the Celtic League. Despite Welsh assurances that the proposed Anglo-Welsh tournament would not interfere with their commitments to either the Celtic League in its present format or an expanded 'Rainbow League', the WRU made arrangements to play games on five weekends that clashed with Celtic League fixtures.
The SRU and IRFU then threatened to expel the Welsh sides from the Celtic League in June 2005. It was proposed that the competition would continue as a Scottish and Irish affair for the 2005–06 season, with the possible addition of four Italian sides and the re-admittance of Welsh sides for the 2006–07 season. However a deal was reached that allowed for the Celtic League to continue with the Anglo-Welsh cup fixtures involving Welsh clubs rescheduled.Despite these problems, the league enjoyed its most successful season, with the record attendance at a Celtic League match being broken four times, from 12,436 at the match between the Cardiff Blues and the Newport Gwent Dragons in December to 15,327 for the match between the Cardiff Blues and Leinster at the Millennium Stadium.
The total attendances for the season were up nearly 50,000 at 571,331 compared to 521,449 for the previous season.The league went down to the last round with Ulster and Leinster both in contention. Following Leinster's victory over Edinburgh and with Ulster losing against the Ospreys, it looked like the cup would go to Dublin but kicked a last-minute drop goal from 40 metres to clinch the game and the league for Ulster. Main article:In May 2006, were named as the competition sponsors for the next five seasons, and the league was renamed as the Magners League. Although known as Bulmers Irish Cider in the Republic of Ireland, the Magners brand name was used there for the league.
The sponsorship followed on from Magners' previous sponsorship deals with and the.The announced that the Borders territory would be disbanded from the end of the 2006–07 season. It may be revived when the debt decreases enough to make it financially viable along with a possible fourth Scottish territory (four professional teams being the original plan for the SRU) with Falkirk, Stirling or a London-based team being possible locations; or even the, the forgotten Scottish region. In the meantime Scotland would have only two professional teams based in Edinburgh and Glasgow.The league's record attendance was smashed in this season with a full house at (48,000) for Leinster v Ulster.
This was the last game in the stadium prior to its demolition, and was billed as 'The Last Stand'.The league was won by the Ospreys on the final day of fixtures. The Blues' home win over Leinster allowed the Ospreys to top the league by a single point and take the title with an away win at Borders.
Main article:Only ten teams competed in the 2007–08 season, after the Borders were disbanded at the end of the 2006–07 season. Glasgow Warriors moved their home games to. After missing out on the title on the last day for the previous two seasons, Leinster finally won the 2007–08 title with one game remaining.
They had been runaway leaders for much of the season.In April 2008 it was announced that the Celtic League was to introduce a play-off system commencing in the 2009–10 season to determine the winner, thus generating a greater climax to the season and bringing it in line with other major leagues such as the English Premiership and French Top 14. Main article:The 2008–09 season was decided quite early in the season as claimed the title without playing, as they were preparing for their Heineken Cup semi-final against. The final challenge from was snuffed out when the Dragons denied them a bonus point win on 30 April. Munster had led pretty much from the start of the season with a team largely captained by showing Munster's squad depth. Munster lost only four games, three to the other Irish teams, including a double loss to.
Finished as league top scorer for Leinster, the year they went on to win the Heineken Cup.2009–10. Main article:The 2009–10 season was the last 10-team league as the Italian teams joined in 2010–11. The league was one of the most competitive in years with perennial wooden-spooners challenging all the way for the third Irish spot. Ulster needed a superb away win at to seal it, ending Edinburgh's own play-off hopes.
Had a disappointing campaign as typical Welsh underdogs the Dragons had a great season, eventually finishing mid table and comfortably qualifying for the Heineken Cup. Luckily for the Scarlets, Cardiff Blues won the and thereby earned Wales an extra Heineken Cup place. 2009–10 was also the first time a play-off was used to decide the champion, previously the top team at the end of the season was champion.
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The Scottish teams and particularly Glasgow came of age and had a fine season, finishing third in the end.The four qualifiers for the play-offs were, and in that order, each country having at least one team. In the semi-finals Leinster defeated Munster at the RDS, after Ospreys overcame Glasgow in Swansea. In the grand final at the RDS in Dublin the Ospreys shocked Leinster, winning the title with their first win in Dublin in five years.
Main article:The 2011–12 season saw a re-branding of the competition as the Pro12. Were the runaway winners of the regular season, with a 10-point cushion over the in second. The top four were, and in that order.Ospreys easily overcame Munster at home in the first semi-final in Swansea while Leinster beat the Glasgow Warriors in the after giving up a strong lead. In the final, also held at the RDS, Leinster were aiming to become the first Celtic League team to complete a domestic and European double, after beating Ulster the previous week in the Heineken Cup final. After trailing for most of the game, Ospreys took a late lead through a try by Shane Williams. Dan Biggar then landed a difficult conversion to give Ospreys their fourth title by a single point, 31–30.After two years in the competition played their final match, as their licence to compete was revoked by the for financial reasons.
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Main article:With the demise of Aironi they were replaced with a new FIR controlled team to be based in called, near the Aironi base in. The Welsh clubs chose to operate under a new self-imposed salary cap, which led to a number of departures from the Welsh teams as they strove to balance their books.
Some high-profile Welsh players moved to the French, but other Pro12 teams also benefited with the likes of going to from, to from, from to and from back to.Ulster topped the table in the regular season, with Leinster, Glasgow and Scarlets completing the top 4 in that order. They then went on to comfortably beat Scarlets 28–17 in Belfast, while Leinster were hard pressed by Glasgow in a tense 17–15 win for the hosts. In the final (held in the R.D.S. Due to redevelopment of Ravenhill) Leinster prevailed 24–18 to win their 3rd title.2013–14. Main article:Rabo Direct announced that this was to be their last season as sponsors. This, combined with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of the European Cup, meant that there were concerns over the future commercial viability of the tournament. However, despite all off-field issues it was a successful season with a new high for both total attendance and for a single game (51,700 for Leinster v Munster).In the end Leinster topped the table, having led for most of the season.
Glasgow had a late surge to finish 2nd overtaking Munster and Ulster in the process. All four teams showed they were worthy contenders in the next round with Leinster needing to score a late try to beat Ulster 13–9 in Dublin while Glasgow just got past Munster in Scotstoun by one point to win 16–15.
The final in the R.D.S. Was also a close game for most of the match with Leinster forced to defend for long periods.
However they eventually pulled clear, adding two late scores which made the final result look somewhat lopsided at –15. Main article:The title sponsor was replaced. With the being replaced by the 20-team in the 2014–15 season, the Pro12 table had a greater impact on qualification.
Under the previous format, the Pro12 provided a minimum of 10 teams, with Scotland and Italy providing two teams each, and Ireland and Wales both providing three. The new system saw a total of seven teams, with one place now being reserved for the highest-finishing Pro12 team from each of four participating countries and three other qualifiers based solely on league position.
The other teams were entered in the new second-tier competition, the.were the defending champions having beaten in the previous season's, to become the first team in the league to successfully retain the trophy. Leinster were unable to defend their title as they failed to qualify for the end-of-season playoffs for the top four teams after the regular season. Glasgow Warriors finished the regular season on top of the table, and were crowned champions for the first time, beating second seeded team 31–13 in the final. Thus, the Warriors became the first Scottish team to win a professional trophy, beating 's appearance in the final of the.2015–16. Main article:With the taking place during the opening months of the season, changes were made to the usual fixture schedule to minimise the effect on teams who released players to take part. The low number of games in the opening weeks of the season led to fixture congestion at the end of the tournament, with each team playing a game every weekend for 16 weeks straight from October 2015 to January 2016, including European matches.As in the previous season, qualification to the was guaranteed to the top team from each country participating in the league, with the three highest placed team's not already qualified also earning a berth.
Unlike in the previous season where the 20th tournament spot was decided by a play-off involving teams from the Pro12, France's and the, due to fixture congestion from the World Cup, the final spot in the tournament was reserved for the winner of the if not already qualified.The delayed start to the season, and absence of established international players during international Test and windows, arguably gave some advantage to 'lesser' teams, and, coached by, duly led the league for much of the season. Despite not ultimately finishing top of the league, they converted their form into a maiden championship title in the post-league play-off matches, including a home semi-final victory over reigning champions, and the Pro12 Final against league-topping at the neutral venue of in.2016–17. Main article:There are big changes this season with the addition of two South African teams. The 14 teams are split into two conferences of seven teams each.
They will play each team in their own conference twice (12 games) and each team in the other conference once (7 games), plus two derby games against the team(s) in the other conference from their own country, making 21 matches in total. The team that finishes top in each conference qualifies directly, one for each of the semi-finals, while the teams that finish second and third in each conference qualify as the four quarter-finalists to determine the other two semi-finalists.
Results By year.