Celtic Challenge
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Celtic Challenge
SportRugby union
Founded2023 (2023)
No. of teams6
Country Ireland
 Wales
 Scotland
Most recent
champion(s)		Ireland Combined Provinces XV (1st title)
Most titlesIreland Combined Provinces XV (one title)

The Celtic Challenge is a cross-border women's rugby union competition that will be held annually, launched in 2023. Designed to develop players for the Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the inaugural pilot edition featured a double round robin between three teams, one from each participating union. From 2024 the competition will involve six teams, two from each participating union.[1][2]

The three participating unions fund the competition, with further development funding from World Rugby.

Teams

Team Country 2023 2023–24
Brython Thunder  Wales Red XGreen tick
Clovers  Ireland Red XGreen tick
Combined Provinces XV  Ireland Green tickRed X
Edinburgh Rugby  Scotland Red XGreen tick
Glasgow Warriors  Scotland Red XGreen tick
Gwalia Lightning  Wales Red XGreen tick
The Thistles  Scotland Green tickRed X
Wales Development XV  Wales Green tickRed X
Wolfhounds  Ireland Red XGreen tick

History

2023 competition

The inaugural year of the competition in 2023 consisted of three teams:[2]

Union Ireland Ireland Scotland Scotland Wales Wales
Team Combined Provinces XV The Thistles Wales Development XV

The first edition consisted of six matches in a double round robin:[3][4]

Matchday Home team Score Away team Venue Date Ref
1 Scotland The Thistles 27–29 Wales Wales Development XV Scotstoun Stadium 22 January 2023 [5][6][7]
2 Wales Wales Development XV  26–27 Ireland Combined Provinces XV Cardiff Arms Park 29 January 2023 [8][9][10]
3 Ireland Combined Provinces XV  45–12 Scotland The Thistles Kingspan Stadium 4 February 2023 [11][12][13]
4 Wales Wales Development XV 7–21 Scotland The Thistles Cardiff Arms Park 11 February 2023 [14][15][16]
5 Ireland Combined Provinces XV 19–0 Wales Wales Development XV Kingspan Stadium 18 February 2023 [17][18][19]
6 Scotland The Thistles  26–33 Ireland Combined Provinces XV DAM Health Stadium 25 February 2023 [20][21]
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD T TB LB Pts
1 Ireland Combined Provinces XV (C) 4 4 0 0 124 64 +60 18 3 0 19
2 Scotland The Thistles 4 1 0 3 86 114 −28 14 1 2 7
3 Wales Wales Development XV 4 1 0 3 62 94 −32 9 0 1 5
First match(es) will be played: Unknown. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) competition points; 2) match points difference; 3) match points for
(C) Champion

2023–24 competition

In November 2023 it was announced that for the second season, the completion would expand to six teams.[22]

In December it was announced that the 2023–24 Competition will run from December to March 2024 and will be contested by 6 teams:

  • 2 teams from Ireland, the Clovers and the Wolfhounds.[23]
  • 2 teams from Wales, Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning.[24]
  • 2 teams from Scotland, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors[25]

The teams will play each other once, either home or away, across five rounds before play-offs to decide a champion in March 2024.[26]

References

  1. ↑ Barnes, David (2022-12-21). "Celtic Challenge to provide high-performance opportunities ahead of TikTok Six Nations". The Offside Line. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  2. 1 2 Reid, Alasdair (2023-11-20). "Young 'Thistles' set for new women's rugby challenge as Celtic Challenge announced". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. ↑ "Celtic Challenge – Rugby". Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. ↑ "Celtic Challenge kicks off this weekend". ScrumQueens.com. 2023-01-18. Archived from the original on 2023-01-18. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  5. ↑ "Match Report: The Thistles v WRU Development XV". Scottish Rugby Union. 2023-01-22. Archived from the original on 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  6. ↑ "WRU Development XV claims win in Scotland". Welsh Rugby Union. 2023-01-22. Archived from the original on 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  7. ↑ "Celtic Challenge: Thistles 27-29 WRU Development XV". BBC. 2023-01-22. Archived from the original on 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  8. ↑ "Close Celtic challenge at Arms Park". Welsh Rugby Union. 2023-01-29. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  9. ↑ "Combined Provinces Win Opening Celtic Challenge Clash In Wales". Irish Rugby Football Union. 2023-01-29. Archived from the original on 2023-05-17. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  10. ↑ "Celtic Challenge: WRU Development XV 26-27 Combined Provinces XV". BBC. 2023-01-29. Archived from the original on 2023-01-29. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  11. ↑ "Combined Provinces Win With Seven Tries At Kingspan Stadium". Irish Rugby Football Union. 2023-02-04. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  12. ↑ "Match Report: Combined Provinces v The Thistles". Scottish Rugby Union. 2023-02-04. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  13. ↑ "Celtic Challenge: Combined Irish Provinces earn 45-12 win over Scottish Thistles". BBC. 2023-02-05. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  14. ↑ "Thistles gain revenge over Development XV". Welsh Rugby Union. 2023-02-11. Archived from the original on 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  15. ↑ "Match Report: WRU Development XV v The Thistles". Scottish Rugby Union. 2023-02-11. Archived from the original on 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  16. ↑ "Celtic Challenge: WRU Development XV 7-21 Thistles". BBC. 2023-02-11. Archived from the original on 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  17. ↑ "Combined Provinces Notch Up Third Celtic Challenge Win". Irish Rugby Football Union. 2023-02-18. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  18. ↑ "Combined Provinces remain unbeaten in Celtic Challenge". Welsh Rugby Union. 2023-02-18. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  19. ↑ "Celtic Challenge: Irish Provinces clinch title as Wales draw blank". BBC. 2023-02-19. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  20. ↑ "Match Report: The Thistles v Combined Provinces". Scottish Rugby Union. 2023-02-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  21. ↑ "Combined Provinces Finish Celtic Challenge Unbeaten". Irish Rugby Football Union. 2023-02-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-26. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  22. ↑ "Celtic Challenge to expand in second year". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  23. ↑ "Fixtures and Team Names for Celtic Challenge Announced". Irish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "Two new teams to represent Wales in expanded Celtic Challenge". Welsh Rugby Union. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  25. ↑ "Celtic Challenge competition format confirmed alongside alignment of Scottish sides to Edinburgh Rugby & Glasgow Warriors". Scottish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  26. ↑ "Thunder and Lightning set for Celtic Challenge". BBC Sport. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
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