Leinster Rugby

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Leinster Rugby
Full name Irish Rugby Football Union Leinster Branch
Nickname(s) Leinster Lions
Founded 1875
Location Donnybrook, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Ground Donnybrook Rugby Ground
Lansdowne Road
Capacity 7,500
49,000
Coach Michael Cheika
League Celtic League
2005-06 2nd
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Away colours


The Irish Rugby Football Union Leinster Branch (also known as Leinster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Leinster. The branch is also responsible for the Leinster team (previously known for a period as the Leinster Lions; see below), which plays in national and international competitions.

The amateur Leinster sides previously played in a plain navy jersey with white shorts and navy socks. The Leinster Harp is an ever-present on the jersey.

Leinster's traditional home ground is in Donnybrook, in Dublin City's south side. They have development plans to build a new 12,500 capacity stadium — up from its existing 7,500. In 2004/2005 they played some home games at the Royal Dublin Society(RDS) showgrounds to great success. The RDS ground is currently being redeveloped into a 15,000 all-seater stadium, and Leinster have indicated their desire to play there in a more permanent capacity upon it's re-opening. In the recent past they played high profile games at the national rugby stadium, Lansdowne Road.

For the coming 2006/07 season, the province will play 8 of their 10 'Home' Magners League games in their traditional Donnybrook grounds and games versus inter-provincial rivals Munster and Ulster will be Played in Lansdowne Road, while pre christmas Heineken Cup pool games will also be played in Lansdowne Road. Leinster's final Heineken pool game versus Edinburgh Gunners, will be played in the traditional Donnybrook ground. This is seen as a controversial move by many observers, as it will see many fans, many of whom will be Edinburgh fans, 'Locked Out' of the pool game for the first time in many years. Leinster regulary pull in crowds of more than 20,000 for Heineken Cup pool games, however after the closure of Lansdowne Road no stadium of that size will be available to them in Ireland. The clash between Leinster and Ulster on New Years Eve will be the final fixture to be played in the Lansdowne Road, which is the oldest International Rugby ground in existence.

Contents

[edit] History

The Leinster Branch was formed in 1875. In amateur days the four provinces played against each other in the Inter-provincial Championship and also played touring sides (usually midweek). When rugby union was declared 'open' in 1995, these four teams became the four professional teams ran by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Leinster reached the Heineken Cup semi-final in 1995/96, 2002/03 and 2005/06. They were the inaugural Celtic League Champions (01/02) beating rivals Munster in the Final in Lansdowne Road.

The "Leinster Lions" name came into existence during the 2001/02 season as the result of a joint marketing initiative between Leinster Rugby and its kit sponsors, the Canterbury Clothing Company, but before the start of the 2004/05 season it was decided to drop the 'Lions' from the name, however it is still used for marketing and branding. The Leinster mascot is "Leo the Lion".

In 2002/03, they became only the third team in the history of the Heineken Cup to win all their games in pool play and the first team to do it twice in the 2004/05 season. They also went one step further in the playoffs than the previous season by reaching the semis, but lost at home against French side Perpignan.

The 2004/05 Leinster team also won all of their games in pool play, and were again considered among the favourites for the title. Yet they went out at the quarter final stage to Leicester Tigers.

In 2005/2006 Leinster qualified for the quarter finals as a best runner up by demolishing Bath at "the Rec". In the quarter-final they gave one of the province's greatest ever performances, beating number 1 seeds and reigning champions Toulouse in France by a scoreline of 41-35. On April 23rd they continued to the semi finals of the Heineken cup against fellow Irish provincial team Munster. Leinster were beaten 30-6.

[edit] Famous players

[edit] Provincial honours

Leinster were Guinness Inter-provincial Champions in 2002. They have won the Irish Inter-provincial Championship 22 times, three times as professionals.

[edit] Leinster Squad 2006/07

Nationality Player Position Club Height/Weight
Brian Blaney Hooker Terenure College
Gary Brown Winger Blackrock College
Australia Adam Byrnes Lock Blackrock College
Argentina Felipe Contepomi Out-Half Landsdowne
Reggie Corrigan Prop Greystones
Gordon D'Arcy Centre Landsdowne
Girvan Dempsey Full Back Terenure College
Guy Easterby Scrum-Half Blackrock College
Namibia Marcel du Plessis Centre
Australia Owen Finegan Flanker
Luke Fitzgerald Centre Blackrock College
Keith Gleeson Wing Forward St. Mary's College
England Will Green Prop n/a
Jamie Heaslip No.8 Clontarf
Denis Hickie Winger St. Mary's College
Trevor Hogan Lock Shannon
Shane Horgan Winger / Centre Landsdowne
Bernard Jackman Hooker Clontarf
New Zealand Cameron Jowitt Flanker Landsdowne
Rob Kearney Full Back / Winger U.C.D.
Stephen Keogh Flanker Shannon
Kieran Lewis Centre St. Mary's College


John Lyne Prop Landsdowne
Ronnie McCormack Prop U.C.D.
Brian O'Driscoll (C) Centre Blackrock College
Malcolm O'Kelly Second Row St. Mary's College
Ciarán Potts Lock / Flanker St. Mary's College
Niall Ronan Flanker Landsdowne
Jonathan Sexton Out-Half St. Mary's College
Devin Toner Lock Landsdowne
South Africa Harry Vermaas Prop / Hooker
Australia Christian Warner Out-Half U.C.D.
Australia Chris Whitaker Scrum-Half
Cillian Willis Scrum Half U.C.D.

[edit] Players In

[edit] Players Out

[edit] Club Competitions

[edit] Schools Competitions

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Magners League
Federations: Irish Rugby Football Union • Scottish Rugby Union • Welsh Rugby Union
Teams
Ireland: Connacht • Leinster • Munster • Ulster
Scotland: Border Reivers • Edinburgh • Glasgow Warriors
Wales: Cardiff Blues • Llanelli Scarlets • Newport Gwent Dragons • Ospreys
v·d·e
Rugby union in Ireland
Federation: Irish Rugby Football Union
National team: Irish national team • Ireland Sevens • British and Irish Lions
International Competitions: Rugby World Cup • Six Nations Championship • Rugby World Cup Sevens • Heineken Cup • European Challenge Cup • European Shield • Celtic League
Celtic League Teams: Connacht • Leinster • Munster • Ulster
Domestic Competitions: AIB League
AIB League Division one teams: Ballymena • Belfast Harlequins • Blackrock College RFC • UL Bohemians • Buccaneers • Clontarf RFC • Cork Constitution • County Carlow • Dolphin/ Y. Munster • Galwegians/Dublin Uni • Garryowen Football Club • Lansdowne • UCD • Shannon RFC • St Mary's College • Terenure College
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