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IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series

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IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series
Current season or competition:
BERJAYA 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series
SportWomen's rugby union
Number of teams4
ProvinceConnacht Connacht
Leinster Leinster
Munster Munster
Ulster Ulster
HoldersMunster Munster (16th title)
Most titlesMunster Munster (16 titles)
Websitewww.irishrugby.ie
Location of IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series Provinces:
BERJAYA Republic of Ireland BERJAYA Northern Ireland

The IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series, previously known as the IWRFU Interprovincial Championship, is the top level women's rugby union competition in Ireland. It is organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union. It is the women's equivalent of the former IRFU Interprovincial Championship.

The competition takes place every December and features four teams representing Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.[1][2] The competition effectively acts as a selection trials process for both the Celtic Challenge regional cross-border competition featuring the Wolfhounds and Clovers teams, and the Ireland women's national rugby union team that competes in the subsequent Women's Six Nations Championship.[3]

Since 2016 the IRFU has also organised a similar under 18s competition.[4]

Format

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The competition has historically used a round-robin format, similar to the one used in both the Six Nations Championship and the Women's Six Nations Championship. Each team playing the other three teams once. The following year the fixtures are reversed.[1]

In recent seasons, the competition has also featured playoffs, consisting of a third-place playoff or minor final, and a final[5][6][7]

Winners

[edit]
Year Winner Final Runner-up Venue
1999Ulster Ulster?
2000Ulster Ulster?
2001Munster Munster[5][6]Ulster Ulster
2002Munster Munster[5][6]27-00Leinster LeinsterClonmel RFC
2003Munster Munster[5][6]25-10Leinster LeinsterNavan R.F.C.
2004Munster Munster[5][6]10-10^Leinster LeinsterClontarf F.C.
2005Leinster Leinster[5][6]17–07Munster MunsterClontarf F.C.
2006Munster Munster[8][7]11–10Leinster LeinsterMusgrave Park, Cork
2007Munster Munster[9]11–10Leinster LeinsterGalway Sportsgrounds
2008Munster Munster[7]10–05Leinster LeinsterCivil Service Sports Club, Belfast
2009Munster Munster[10]09-06Leinster LeinsterDonnybrook Stadium
2010Munster Munster[10]21-03Leinster LeinsterDonnybrook Stadium
2011Leinster Leinster[11]25-05Munster MunsterHighfield R.F.C.
2012Munster Munster[12]15-12Leinster LeinsterAshbourne RFC
2013Leinster Leinster21-06Munster MunsterThomond Park
2014Munster Munster[13]07-00Leinster LeinsterAshbourne RFC
2015Munster Munster15-07Leinster LeinsterThomond Park
2016Leinster Leinster[14]05-08^^Connacht ConnachtTuam RFC
2017Munster Munster[15]11-05Leinster LeinsterThomond Park
2018Leinster Leinster14-14^*Munster MunsterDonnybrook Stadium
2019Leinster Leinster25-12Connacht ConnachtDonnybrook Stadium
2020Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021Munster Munster[16]19-07Leinster LeinsterDonnybrook Stadium
2022Munster Munster[17]Leinster Leinsterround-robin
2023Leinster Leinster[18]33-14Munster MunsterMusgrave Park
2024Leinster Leinster[19]27-07Munster MunsterKingspan Stadium
2025Munster Munster[20]50–15Leinster LeinsterDonnybrook Stadium

^ Munster win title due to superior points table difference

^^ Both sides finished the campaign with two wins and a loss but Leinster's superior scoring difference +52 during round-robin (Connaught's +26)

^* Both sides finished the campaign with two wins and a draw but Leinster's superior scoring difference +64 during round-robin (Munster's +37)

Source:[1]

All-time record

[edit]

Although Ulster won the first two championships, the competition has habitually been dominated by Munster and Leinster, with the former winning 16 titles and the latter eight. Connacht have yet to win the competition, although they have finished as runners up twice in late 2010s.

Province Titles Runners-up Years
Munster Rugby 16 6 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2025
Leinster Rugby 8 15 2005, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023-2024, 2024-2025
Ulster Rugby 2 1 1999, 2000
Connacht Rugby - 2 -

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Ulster Women". www.ulsterrugby.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "Irish Interpros". www.scrumqueens.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Ulster Girls U18". www.ulsterrugby.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Leinster ladies win first Interpro crown". www.irishexaminer.com. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Women's: Leinster End Munster's Grip On Interpro Title". www.irishrugby.ie. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 "Munster Women Make It Three-In-A-Row". www.irishrugby.ie. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Tight Game Expected In Women's Interpro Final". www.irishrugby.ie. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  9. ↑ "Munster Women Claim Interpro Title". munsterrugby.ie. 27 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Niamh Briggs Honoured Women's Player of the Year". munsterrugby.ie. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "Exciting Start To Women's Interpros". www.irishrugby.ie. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  12. ↑ "Dates Confirmed For Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  13. ↑ "Munster Women Regain Interpro Crown". www.irishrugby.ie. 21 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  14. ↑ "Preview: 2017 Women's Interprovincial Series". www.leinsterrugby.ie. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. ↑ "Tears of joy as Munster regain Interpro title after scoring difference is required to pip Leinster". www.the42.ie. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  16. ↑ "Final Table".
  17. ↑ "Munster Outgun Connacht In Galway To Retain Interpro Title". Irish Rugby. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Leinster scupper Munster's three-in-a-row tilt to claim Interpro title". Irish Examiner. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Women's Interprovincial Championship final recap: Munster 7-27 Leinster". RTE Sport. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  20. ↑ "Munster Hit Leinster With Half-Century To Win Back Interpro Title". Irish Rugby Football Union. 30 August 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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