IRFU Interprovincial Championship

The IRFU Interprovincial Championship was a rugby union competition between the four provinces of Ireland – Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht – run by the Irish Rugby Football Union. It was run as a distinct competition from 1946–47 to 2000–01, with the 2001–02 fixtures being fulfilled by the match-ups in the newly formed Celtic League. For a time in the 1980s, the IRFU ruled that Irish diaspora players should play for Connacht, in an attempt to strengthen the weakest of the four provinces. The Irish Exiles took part for four years (1992–93 – 1995–96).

In 2021, the United Rugby Championship introduced regional shields with the Irish provinces competing for the Irish Shield. Initially the pool included results against other non-Irish sides but from 2023 onwards, the URC announced that the regional pool shields of the competition would be decided only by results between the teams within each pool. With this change, the URC effectively reintroduced the Interprovincial Championship in its original format for the first time since 2002.

Championship wins

 * There was not a full set of matches to complete the competition in 2001–02. The rules for deciding placing used for the Celtic League/Magners League/Pro12 for that season were used to decide the placings in the interpro table.

1992
This season, the IRFU Interprovincial Championship was sponsored by Cara Computers, and for the first time included the Irish Exiles.

1994
Munster beat Ulster in an Interpro for the first time since 1980.

1995
The 1995 IRFU Interprovincial Championship was the first to be held since rugby union was declared open to professionalism. At this stage the Irish provinces were still representative teams, not professional clubs. Many involved in the game were concerned that domestic clubs could not afford to pay players, who could be lost to professional teams in England. In September, the IRFU confirmed that, for this season, only senior international players would be paid, with a one-year moratorium on payment for club and provincial players. As the situation developed, match fees became available for Heineken Cup and Interprovincial matches. Leinster won the Interprovincial title for the first time in twelve years.

1996
The 1996 Interprovincial Championship was sponsored by Guinness in a three-year deal worth £115,000, taking over from the previous sponsors, Smithwicks. The Irish Exiles were no longer able to compete as matches clashed with club games in England.

At this stage the Irish provinces were still representative teams, not professional clubs. However, the provinces were now offering contracts and match fees for Heineken Cup and Interprovincial matches, although these contracts sometimes conflicted with players contracted to clubs in England.

1997
The IRFU offered new contracts for provincial players for this season. Full-time players would receive a retainer of £25,000, plus a win bonus of £500 for Heineken Cup matches. Part-time players would be paid a retainer of £7,500, plus a match fee of £400 for Interprovincial matches and £800 for the Heineken Cup, and a win bonus of £450 for both competitions. Each province could have a maximum of 30 contracted players.

1998
This season, the tournament adopted a new format, with each team playing each other home and away. The tournament points system was adopted from Super 12 and the Tri Nations, with four points for a win and two for a draw, a bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match, and a bonus point for losing by seven points or less. This led to an average of over four tries scored per match.

The tournament was strengthened by a drive by Ireland coach Warren Gatland to bring Irish players who had signed contracts with English clubs back to Ireland to play in the Interprovincial Championship and Heineken Cup. The provinces would have squads of 30 players, most of whom would be full-time professionals.

The title came down to a decider between Leinster and Munster at Donnybrook, with both teams level on points going into the final weekend. Munster took the title with a win, thanks to a man-of-the-match performance by Alan Quinlan.

Tony Ward, writing in the Irish Independent, selected the following as Team of the Championship:

1. Peter Clohessy (Munster), 2. Mark McDermott (Munster), 3. Angus McKeen (Leinster), 4. Mick Galwey (Munster), 5. Eddie Halvey (Munster), 6. Ian Dillon (Connacht), 7. Andy Ward (Ulster), 8. Alan Quinlan (Munster), 9. Conor McGuinness (Connacht), 10. David Humphreys (Ulster), 11. Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), 12. Pat Duignan (Connacht), 13. Jonathan Bell (Ulster), 14. John Lacey (Munster), 15. Brian Roche (Munster).

2000
Top three teams qualify for next season's Heineken Cup.

2001–02
The 2001–02 IRFU Interprovincial Championship was a transitional season before the competition was superseded by the Celtic League. Pool matches between Irish provinces in the 2001–02 Celtic League counted towards the championship. The remaining Interprovincial fixtures were originally scheduled to take place in December 2001, but were postponed because IRFU director of fitness Dr. Liam Hennessy felt that the schedule, between the Celtic League, the Heineken Cup and the Autumn internationals, was too onerous and players needed a period of rest and recovery to prepare for the Six Nations. They took place in April and May 2002.