Leinster Rugby: Difference between revisions

Leinster Rugby
	File:Leinster-rugby-logo.png
Full name	Irish Rugby Football Union Leinster Branch
Nickname(s)	Leinster Lions
Founded	1875
Location	Donnybrook, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Ground(s)	Donnybrook Rugby Ground; Lansdowne Road (Capacity: 7,500; 49,000)
Coach(es)	Michael Cheika
League(s)	Celtic League
2005-06	2nd
1st kit	2nd kit

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Revision as of 19:44, 7 January 2007

The Irish Rugby Football Union Leinster Branch (also known as Leinster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Leinster. The branch is also responsible for the Leinster team (previously known for a period as the Leinster Lions; see below), which plays in national and international competitions.

The amateur Leinster sides previously played in a plain navy jersey with white shorts and navy socks. The Leinster Harp is an ever-present on the jersey.

Leinster's traditional home ground is in Donnybrook, in Dublin City's south side. They have development plans to build a new 12,500 capacity stadium — up from its existing 7,500. In 2004/2005 they played some home games at the Royal Dublin Society(RDS) showgrounds to great success. The RDS ground is currently being redeveloped into a 15,000 all-seater stadium, and Leinster have indicated their desire to play there in a more permanent capacity upon it's re-opening. In the recent past they played high profile games at the national rugby stadium, Lansdowne Road.

For the coming 2006/07 season, the province will play 8 of their 10 'Home' Magners League games in their traditional Donnybrook grounds and games versus inter-provincial rivals Munster and Ulster will be Played in Lansdowne Road, while pre christmas Heineken Cup pool games will also be played in Lansdowne Road. Leinster's final Heineken pool game versus Edinburgh Gunners, will be played in the traditional Donnybrook ground. This is seen as a controversial move by many observers, as it will see many fans, many of whom will be Edinburgh fans, 'Locked Out' of the pool game for the first time in many years. Leinster regulary pull in crowds of more than 20,000 for Heineken Cup pool games, however after the closure of Lansdowne Road no stadium of that size will be available to them in Ireland. The clash between Leinster and Ulster on New Years Eve was the final fixture to be played in the Lansdowne Road, which was the oldest International Rugby ground in existence.

History

The Leinster Branch was formed in 1875. In amateur days the four provinces played against each other in the Inter-provincial Championship and also played touring sides (usually midweek). When rugby union was declared 'open' in 1995, these four teams became the four professional teams ran by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Leinster reached the Heineken Cup semi-final in 1995/96, 2002/03 and 2005/06. They were the inaugural Celtic League Champions (01/02) beating rivals Munster in the Final in Lansdowne Road.

The "Leinster Lions" name came into existence during the 2001/02 season as the result of a joint marketing initiative between Leinster Rugby and its kit sponsors, the Canterbury Clothing Company, but before the start of the 2004/05 season it was decided to drop the 'Lions' from the name, however it is still used for marketing and branding. The Leinster mascot is "Leo the Loin".

In 2002/03, they became only the third team in the history of the Heineken Cup to win all their games in pool play and the first team to do it twice in the 2004/05 season. They also went one step further in the playoffs than the previous season by reaching the semis, but lost at home against French side Perpignan.

The 2004/05 Leinster team also won all of their games in pool play, and were again considered among the favourites for the title. Yet they went out at the quarter final stage to Leicester Tigers.

In 2005/2006 Leinster qualified for the quarter finals as a best runner up by demolishing Bath at "the Rec". In the quarter-final they gave one of the province's greatest ever performances, beating number 1 seeds and reigning champions Toulouse in France by a scoreline of 41-35. On April 23rd they continued to the semi finals of the Heineken cup against fellow Irish provincial team Munster. Leinster were beaten 30-6.

Famous players

Provincial honours

Leinster were Guinness Inter-provincial Champions in 2002. They have won the Irish Inter-provincial Championship 22 times, three times as professionals.

Leinster Squad 2006/07

Player	Position	Club	Hgt/Wgt	D.O.B.
Corrigan, Reggie	Prop	Greystones	188cm/116kg	November 19, 1970
Doyle, Keith	Prop	U.C.D.	183cm/109kg	December 11, 1983
Green, Will	Prop	Old Belvedere	180cm/119kg	October 25, 1973
Lyne, John	Prop	Lansdowne	181cm/118kg	April 4, 1982
McCormack, Ronan	Prop	U.C.D.	178cm/117kg	April 27, 1977
Pala'amo, Fosi	Prop		185cm/126kg	September 23, 1976
Sweeney, Robert	Prop	St. Mary's	188cm/120kg	April 10, 1984
Wickham, Johnny	Prop	Clontarf	185cm/107kg	March 30, 1983
Wright, Stanley	Prop		185cm/125kg	September 29, 1978
Vermaas, Harry	Prop/Hooker		176cm/110kg	January 23, 1984
Blaney, Brian	Hooker	Terenure	188cm/103kg	February 26, 1982
Jackman, Bernard	Hooker	Clontarf	185cm/112kg	May 5, 1976
Byrnes, Adam	Lock	Blackrock	203cm/115kg	July 29, 1981
Hogan, Trevor	Lock	Shannon	199cm/109kg	September 23, 1979
Leyden, Richie	Lock	Old Belvedere	194cm/102kg	September 14, 1983
O'Kelly, Malcolm	Lock	St. Mary's	203cm/117kg	July 19, 1974
Toner, Devin	Lock	Lansdowne	208cm/119kg	June 29, 1986
Finegan, Owen	Lock/Flank	Bective Rangers	198cm/120kg	April 22, 1972
Potts, Ciaran	Lock/Flank	St. Mary's	198cm/106kg	October 14, 1982
Gleeson, Keith	Flank	St. Mary's	186cm/103kg	June 17, 1976
Jowitt, Cameron	Flank	Lansdowne	200cm/113kg	February 5, 1983
Keogh, Stephen	Flank	Shannon	193cm/112kg	May 10, 1982
McLaughlin, Kevin	Flank	U.C.D.	194cm/106kg	September 20, 1984
O'Brien, Sean	Flank	U.C.D.	188cm/105kg	February 14, 1987
Ronan, Niall	Flank	Lansdowne	188cm/103kg	September 14, 1982
Dillon, Desmond	No8	Blackrock	198cm/114kg	January 25, 1980
Heaslip, Jamie	No8	Clontarf	190cm/112kg	December 15, 1983
Easterby, Guy	Scrumhalf	Blackrock	184cm/94kg	March 21, 1971
Whitaker, Chris	Scrumhalf		179cm/85kg	October 19, 1974
Willis, Cillian	Scrumhalf	U.C.D.	175cm/81kg	January 19, 1985
Contepomi, Felipe	Out-Half	Lansdowne	181cm/93kg	August 20, 1977
Dunne, Andrew	Out-Half	Old Belvedere	172cm/84kg	October 18, 1979
Sexton, Jonathan	Out-Half	St. Mary's	188cm/92kg	July 11, 1985
Warner, Christian	Out-Half/Centre	U.C.D.	187cm/94kg	January 22, 1976
Berne, Michael	Centre		178cm/91kg	October 5, 1981
D'Arcy, Gordon	Centre	Lansdowne	178cm/94kg	February 10, 1980
Lewis, Kieran	Centre	St. Mary's	185cm/90kg	August 18, 1980
O'Driscoll, Brian (capt.)	Centre	Blackrock	180cm/95kg	January 21, 1979
Brown, Gary	Centre/Wing	Blackrock	185cm/94kg	November 1, 1980
Horgan, Shane	Centre/Wing	Lansdowne	193cm/104kg	July 18, 1978
Du Plessis, Marcel	Centre/Wing	[[]]	1.85cm/98kg	September 14, 1987
Grissing, Stephen	Wing	St. Mary's	178cm/86kg	October 13, 1984
Hickie, Denis	Wing	St. Mary's	187cm/96kg	February 13, 1976
Fitzgerald, Luke	Wing/Fullback	Blackrock	185cm/86kg	September 13, 1987
Kearney, Rob	Wing/Fullback	U.C.D.	185cm/90kg	March 26, 1986
Dempsey, Girvan	Fullback	Terenure	188cm/91kg	October 2, 1975
McCarron, Ross	Fullback	U.C.D.	188cm/96kg	August 23, 1984

Players In

Players Out

Club Competitions

Schools Competitions

External links

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