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Prior to Welsh rugby's move to regionalism in the hiatus between the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons, which had the knock on effect of reformatting the Celtic League, nine of Welsh rugby's top tier clubs competed in the Celtic League competition.
The clubs involved ultimately became the primary feeder clubs to the regions (once they were created in the summer of 2003), remaining at a Premiership level but ultimately locked at the top-tier of a domestic competition rather than playing the other Celtic and European nations which became the responsibility of the regions. However, in the initial two seasons of the Celtic League (2001-2002 & 2002-2003) these clubs were Wales's mainstay in the competition and home to many of Wales's future stars and players that would form the eventual backbone of the regional sides.
In total 15 clubs and provinces across the three nations of Wales, Ireland and Scotland competed in the first season of the Celtic League with the number increasing to 16 in its second season. Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Ebbw Vale, Llanelli, Neath, Newport, and Pontypridd represented Wales in the competition, with Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster making up the Irish quota and Edinburgh and Glasgow representing Scotland with the Borders joining them in the second season. Ultimately, the concept of the original Welsh-Scottish League was furthered by the Irish provinces coming on board to produce the Celtic League between the three nations.
The Celtic League consisted of two Pools (A & B) with each team playing each other once within the Pool within the course of the season; either home or away rather than both home and away as in later seasons. The top four teams in each Pool went into a straight knockout competition which culminated in a head-to-head showpiece final to decide the Celtic League Champion. In the first season, the Celtic League was decided by the middle of December, in the second season the Pool matches, quarter-finals and semi-finals were completed by early January with the showpiece final decided at the beginning of February. The scoring system was simple, 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and nothing for a loss. In the first season, clashes between clubs from Wales and Scotland counted twice; the result counted once in the Celtic League and once in the Welsh-Scottish League. In the second season, to cut down on fixture congestion the Welsh-Scottish League was abandoned.
2001-2002
The inaugural season of the Celtic League ultimately proved fruitless for Welsh clubs with no Welsh finish higher than third place in either of the Pools. Nonetheless, Wales did have three representatives in the quarter-finals as Llanelli finished fourth in Pool A, ahead of Swansea, Bridgend, Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale; and Neath and Newport qualified for a quarter-final berth in Pool B, finishing third and fourth respectively ahead of Cardiff in fifth and Caerphilly in seventh. Glasgow joined them in the quarter-finals qualifying from third in Pool A.
Ultimately, this would prove to be Ireland's season in the tournament as their four provinces finished in the two top spots in each Pool. Ulster finished second behind Leinster in Pool A who managed an impressive seven victory clean sweep and 21 points. Munster topped Pool B with Connacht behind them in second place. In the quarter-finals, the four Irish sides were pitted against the three Welsh sides and Glasgow as the second-placed team in each Pool took home advantage over the third-placed team in the opposite Pool and the Pool winners held home advantage over the other Pool’s fourth placed finisher.
Three out of the four Irish sides progressed utilizing home advantage. Ulster dispensed with Neath 38-29 at Ravenhill in front of a crowd of 12,000, Newport were knocked out 34-22 by Leinster at Donnybrook and Munster dispensed with Llanelli 13-6 at Thomond Park. Glasgow were the only exception, bucking the trend by beating Connacht 29-34 away at the Sportsground but progressing no further as they succumbed to the pressure of Leinster 35-13 in the first semi-final. Munster dispatched Ulster 15-9 in the other semi-final to book their place in the showpiece finale at Lansdowne Road on 15th December 2001.
In front of a crowd of 30,000 at the home of Irish rugby, the men from Donnybrook made ‘home’ advantage count as Leinster narrowly beat Munster 24-20 to become the inaugural Celtic League Champions.
2002-2003
The second season of Celtic League rugby saw the introduction of the Borders to the even up the team numbers in each Pool. More focus was attached to the competition as the Welsh-Scottish League disbanded and a bonus point system was put in place, a 4 points for a win system came into place in the league table plus a single bonus point system was also added for scoring four tries or more.
The second season ultimately proved fruitless again for Welsh clubs but saw a marked improvement on their performances in the previous season. 2002-2003 not only saw a Welsh club win one of the Pools, it also saw the first Celtic League all-Welsh quarter-final and semi-final which in turn saw a first Welsh club representative in the Celtic League Final.
The previous season’s beaten finalists, Munster, topped Pool A with 28 points, benefiting from the try bonus system to add four extra points to their 24 point total gained from winning matches. They were closely followed by Edinburgh in second, Ulster in third and Neath as the sole Welsh representative.
Pontypridd topped Pool B, their winning run of six games and one loss comparable to Munster at the top of Pool A except on bonus points scored where Pontypridd had only managed two to take their total to 26 points. Glasgow finished in second with Connacht in fourth, Cardiff ensured that two Welsh clubs progressed from Pool B finishing in third with four bonus points.
The Champions, Leinster, failed to make it out of the Pool stages finishing fifth in Pool B, two points behind Connacht. Newport and Llanelli who had booked their quarter-final places in the previous season failed to progress this time; Llanelli missed out on fourth spot in Pool A by a single point whilst Newport found themselves languishing at the bottom of Pool B with a mere 8 points and only one win to their name in the competition during 2002-2003.
In the semi-finals, Munster immediately set about redressing the upset of Lansdowne Road the previous December. Connacht could only muster a mere 3 game points to the dominant home side’s 33. Glasgow and Ulster went head-to-head at Hughenden with the Irish side progressing 17-20.
In the second quarter-final involving a Welsh club, the fourth quarter-final overall, Cardiff narrowly defeated Edinburgh 22-26 away at Meadowbank, stunning the home crowd as they came back from a 16 point deficit to clinch victory. Rhys Williams and Ryan Powell got onto the scoresheet with tries but it was rugby league convert, Iestyn Harris, who made the most telling contribution providing two conversions and four penalties, producing a telling and vital 16 points for the Blue & Blacks. It was the first quarter-final of the round that brought the most interest from a Welsh perspective as 6000 gathered at Sardis Road for a mouth-watering knockout derby between Pontypridd and Neath.
In a low quality scrappy and nervy match Lee Jarvis came back to haunt the Pontypridd faithful with six penalty points from the boot that the Welsh All Blacks in front at the final whistle by a single point. Gareth Baber won the man-of-the-match award and put Neath under pressure early on with two clearance kicks to pressure the visitors. Neil Jenkins and Shaun Connor traded penalty kicks with Jenkins kicking two out of two and Connor missing completely. Neath were then awarded a controversial penalty try and Connor made no mistake in slotting the resultant conversion opportunity over. Jenkins restored Pontypridd’s lead to 9-7 just before the break, before Lee Jarvis came on for the away side in the second half and made sure of Neath’s progression to the following round with two coolly slotted late penalties. Showing no respect for those finishing higher than them in the table, Neath had turned league placings on their head as the team finishing fourth in Pool A dispensed with the Pool B winners.
The route to the final created by the finishing positions of teams in their Pools and subsequent berths in the quarter-final ensured that Ireland and Wales would be separated going into the semi-finals. With one all Irish and one all Welsh semi-final, Wales were also guaranteed a Celtic League finalist for the first time in the tournament’s history.
In front of a crowd of 12,000, the all-Irish semi-final at Thomond Park saw Munster make their Celtic League title ambitions firmly noticed as they comfortably dispensed with Ulster 42-10.
The all-Welsh semi-final saw Neath take on Cardiff at the Gnoll as the Welsh All Blacks took on the Blue & Blacks from the Arms Park. Neath’s forward strength proved telling as the Cardiff back line failed to engage their opposition; Iestyn Harris, the hero of Meadowbank, was this time starved of opportunities converting only a single conversion and penalty. His opposite number, Lee Jarvis, proved the telling man once again as he peppered the Cardiff side of the scoreboard with two penalties, three conversions and a try to boot.
Nathan Bonner Evans, Dave Tueti and Gareth Morris also crossed for the home side as flanker Steve Tandy made sure he was around and about to impose himself on the game and break up the play. Richard Smith scored the only try reply for Cardiff.
Neath had booked their place in the final against Munster ensuring Pool A dominance for the 2002-2003 season. Neath had taken the spoils in the Pool stage encounter against Munster earlier in the season defeating them 30-22 at the Gnoll in Munster’s only defeat of the competition. Now, Neath had another chance to make ‘home’ advantage count as the Millennium Stadium ensured the final had an extra Welsh flavour as the home of the Welsh rugby team played host to the Celtic League’s grand finale.
Whether it was making up for a lost Celtic League title at Landowne Road the previous season or the last minute pain inflicted by Leicester at the Millennium Stadium in the final throes of the 2002 Heineken Cup Final that spurred Munster on to win the Celtic League Final against a spirited Neath, Munster dominated from the off and ultimately swept aside their Welsh opponents 17-37.
Ronan O’Gara provided four penalties before limping off injured but it was of little consequence to Munster’s overall performance. The Irish pack slowed the ball down limiting O’Gara’s opposite number Jarvis to drop goal and penalty opportunities. Nonetheless, the 9-22 scoreline at half time was a foreshadow of what was to follow at full time and as Jarvis took his time with a clearance kick Alan Quinlan charged down to produce a breakaway try, Munster were thereafter in the ascendancy.
Jeremy Staunton added to O’Gara’s early efforts. Marcus Horan and Rob Henderson also waded in with tries. Adam Jones provided a consolation try for Neath in the closing stages but by that time the damage was done and Munster celebrated by lifting the Celtic League Trophy at the second time of asking.
Ireland had dominated the Celtic League for the second season running, but the appearance of a Welsh club in the Final, coupled with one all-Welsh quarter-final and one all-Welsh semi-final provided an improved showing for Wales in the competition. Fans of club rugby in Wales will never know if one of their clubs would have progressed further in the competition as the following summer saw the creation of the regions and the subsequent formation of the regions, but as the regions pooled the resources of the feeder clubs below them, it wasn't long before Wales had to wait for a Celtic League Champion. |
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