The Amateur Four Nations was a rugby league competition contested annually by Wales A, Ireland A, Scotland A and England A. The teams from the Celtic nations would pick players from their domestic competitions, while England's squad would be picked from teams in the Rugby League Conference. Players would also come from university teams and the armed forces. The competition, sometimes referred to as the Four Nations Championship, had previously been sponsored by Cheltenham Regency and Parkhouse Recruitment and Skanska. In 2014 the tournament was renamed the Celtic Nations Cup following England's withdrawal

History

Friendly matches between A sides were played between 1998 and 2001 with Scotland facing Wales twice and Ireland three times and Wales taking on England once.

The success of these one-off friendly internationals saw the advent of the first Home Nations Championship in 2002.

Until the final match between Wales and England at Cheltenham, the tournament was low-key and had little publicity. But the England v Wales match received unprecedented national coverage with highlights on Sky Sports and resulted in a shock Wales win.

Wales would continue to "shock" for the next four years as they continued to win the title, only losing two matches in this period. It took the introduction of the Crusaders to weaken the Wales side and allow England to win the title for the first time in 2006. Even then Wales only lost by two penalties and travelled with a weakened injury-laden side.

The tournament has been successful in introducing new players to international rugby league in particular with the Celtic nations where some players have progressed to the senior side and also into semi-professional rugby league teams.

Overall Record

NationNicknamePldWDLTitles
 WalesDragonhearts38251128
 EnglandLionhearts36190173
 ScotlandBravehearts37150221
 IrelandWolfhounds37141221

Results and Tables

2002

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
Wales Wales330012060660
England England320110846462
Ireland Ireland31021009426
Scotland Scotland3003401680-128

15 June - Scotland A 22 Wales A 40 at Old Anniesland, Glasgow

16 June - Ireland A 10 England A 32 at Dublin

20 July - Scotland A 8 England A 58 at Glasgow

21 July - Wales A 52 Ireland A 20 at Old Penarthians RFC, Cardiff

18 August - Ireland A 70 Scotland A 10 at Belfast

15 September - England A 18 Wales A 28 at Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham

2003

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
Wales Wales320110472432
England England32018062418
Scotland Scotland310290962-6
Ireland Ireland3102661102-44

21 June - England A 28 Scotland A 20 at Haworth RLFC, York

28 June - Ireland A 32 Wales A 28 at Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin

27 July - Wales A 48 Scotland A 22 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

27 July - England A 34 Ireland A 14 at Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham

9 August - Scotland A 48 Ireland A 20 at Cartha Queens Park RFC, Glasgow

14 September - Wales A 28 England A 18 at Talbot Athletic Ground, Aberavon

2004

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
Wales Wales330012470654
Scotland Scotland310276782-2
England England310263882-25
Ireland Ireland310256832-27

15 May - Wales A 56 Ireland A 12 at Cardiff Athletics Stadium

13 June - Scotland A 26 England A 28 at Hamilton RFC

3 July - Scotland A 26 Wales A 34 at Glasgow

3 July - Ireland A 28 England A 24 at Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin

22 August - Ireland A 16 Scotland A 24 at Navan R.F.C.

12 September - England A 32 Wales A 34 at Butts Park Arena, Coventry

2005

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
Wales Wales320112054466
Scotland Scotland3201691024-33
England England310260752-15
Ireland Ireland310252702-18

12 June - Wales A 70 Scotland A 8 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

2 July - England A 8 Ireland A 26 at Odsal, Bradford

16 July - Ireland A 10 Wales A 18 at Terenure College RFC, Dublin

23 July - England A 16 Scotland A 17 at New River Stadium, London Skolars

14 August - Scotland A 44 Ireland A 16 at Glasgow

11 September - Wales A 32 England A 36 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

2006

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
England England330012063657
Ireland Ireland3201858441
Wales Wales310258702-12
Scotland Scotland3003601060-46

Saturday 15 July - Ireland A 23 England A 44 at Terenure College RFC, Dublin

Saturday 3 June - Ireland A 38 Scotland A 30 at St Marys RFC, Limerick

Sunday 16 July - Scotland A 16 Wales A 22 at Lochinch RFC, Glasgow

Sunday 13 August - Scotland A 14 England A 46 at Glasgow

Saturday 19 August - Wales A 10 Ireland A 24 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

Sunday 10 September England A 30 Wales A 26 at Post Office Road, Featherstone

2007

TeamPWDLForAgnPtsDiff
Wales Wales32109964535
Ireland Ireland32107256516
England England3102811072-26
Scotland Scotland3003881140-26

Saturday 16 June - Wales A 44 Scotland A 30 at Cardiff Demons, St Peters rugby ground

Saturday 23 June - England A 22 Ireland A 28 at Leigh Sports Village

Saturday 14 July - Ireland A 16 Wales 16 at Carlow Crusaders Cill Dara RFC, Kildare

Saturday 14 July - England A 42 Scotland A 40 at Gateshead International Stadium

Saturday 11 August - Scotland A 18 Ireland A 28 at Old Anniesland, Glasgow

Sunday 19 August - Wales A 39 England A 18 at Blackwood Bulldogs, Glan-yr-Afon Park, Blackwood

2008

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 Wales3300118526+66
2 Scotland3201741124-38
3 Ireland310286842+2
4 England300356860-30

Saturday 21 June - Scotland A 20 Wales A 62 at Cartha Queens Park RFC, Glasgow

Sunday 6 July - Wales A 32 Ireland A 24 at South Road Ground, Porthcawl RFC

Sunday 20 July - England A 8 Wales A 24 at Haworth Park, Hull

Saturday 26 July - Ireland A 26 Scotland A 28 at Dublin

Saturday 16 August - Scotland A 26 England A 24 at Edinburgh

Saturday 6 September - Ireland A 36 England A 24 at Tullamore

2009

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 Wales32O1100424+58
2 Ireland320170764-6
3 Scotland310274862-12
4 England310256942-38

Saturday 13 June - Wales A 42 England A 4 at Brewery Field, Bridgend

Saturday 13 June - Scotland A 22 Ireland A 30 at Edinburgh

Saturday 11 July - Wales A 32 Scotland A 12 at Glan-yr-Afon Park, Blackwood

Saturday 11 July - England A 28 Ireland A 12 at Broughton Park RUFC, Manchester

Saturday 8 August - Ireland A 28 Wales A 26 at ALSAA Sports Complex, Dublin

Saturday 8 August - England A 24 Scotland A 40 at Staines RFC, London

2010

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 Scotland330079606+19
2 England3201110764+34
3 Wales310286772+9
4 Ireland300326880-62

Sunday 13 June - Wales A 34 Ireland A 8 at The Gnoll, Neath

Sunday 13 June - Scotland A 34 England A 32 at GHA RFC, Glasgow

Saturday 10 July - England A 34 Wales A 30 at Somerset Vikings, Morganians RFC, Bridgwater

Saturday 10 July - Ireland A 6 Scotland A 10 at Terenure College RFC, Dublin

Saturday 14 August - Ireland A 12 England A 44 at Limerick

Saturday 14 August - Scotland A 35 Wales A 22 at Edinburgh

2011

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 Wales3300118686+50
2 Scotland310270722-2
3 England310266782-12
4 Ireland310256922-36

Saturday 25 June - England A 30 Scotland A 22 at Stanningley Rugby League club, Leeds

Saturday 2 July - Ireland A 22 Wales A 54 at Limerick

Saturday 16 July - Wales A 34 Scotland A 22 at Virginia Park, Caerphilly

Saturday 16 July - England A 12 Ireland A 26 at Pennine Way stadium, Hemel Hempstead

Saturday 6 August - Wales A 30 England A 24 at Virginia Park, Caerphilly

Saturday 13 August - Scotland A 26 Ireland A 8 at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

2012

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 England3201108564+52
2 Scotland220084304+54
3 Wales3102521182-66
4 Ireland200226660-40

Saturday 23 June - Ireland A v Scotland A postponed

Saturday 23 June - England A 56 Wales A 8 at Leigh Sports Village

Saturday 21 July - Scotland A 48 England A 14 at Falkirk RFC

Saturday 21 July - Wales A 28 Ireland A 26 at Bonymaen RFC

Saturday 6 August - Ireland A 0 England A 38 at Bruff R.F.C., Limerick

Saturday 13 August - Scotland A 36 Wales A 16 at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

2013

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 England330020006+200
2 Wales3201112864+26
3 Scotland3102561842-128
4 Ireland3003401380-98

Sunday 14 July - Wales A 0 England A 54 at The Gnoll, Neath

Saturday 3 August - Ireland A 14 Wales A 48 at Limerick

Saturday 10 August - Scotland A 38 Ireland A 26 at Falkirk RFC

Friday 23 August - England A 52 Ireland A 0 at Pennine Way stadium, Hemel Hempstead

Saturday 24 August - Wales A 54 Scotland A 18 at Eirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay

Saturday 15 September - England A 94 Scotland A 0 at Wath Brow Hornets ARLFC

Celtic Nations Cup

2014

PosNationPldWDLFAPtsDiff
1 Ireland220072324+40
2 Scotland210128602-32
3 Wales200238460-8

Sunday 10 August - Scotland A 18 Wales A 16 at Woodside Sports Complex, Aberdeen

Saturday 16 August - Ireland A 44 Scotland A 10 at Ashbourne RFC

Saturday 23 August - Wales A 22 Ireland A 28 at Eirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay

See also

References

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