137-582: Dexcom Stadium (formerly The Sportsground ) is the home of Connacht Rugby. It opened in 1927 and has been used to host Connacht Rugby matches since. Dexcom Stadium is able to hold up to 8,129 people without temporary seating. When greyhound racing takes place at the stadium and adjoining premises, they trade as the Galway Greyhound Stadium . In 1928, the Sports Ground or the Sports Field as it
274-563: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
411-488: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
548-660: A 12,000 seater stadium with the redevelopment to also include a high-performance training centre. Plans were submitted to Galway City Council the following December with full planning permission secured in May 2019. In January 2020, the Government announced funding totalling €20m towards the project, with €10m coming from the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund, and a further €10m from the Project 2040 fund in line with
685-524: A 23–3 defeat to Newcastle Falcons , before failing to advance through the pool stages in 2006–07 . These seasons, however, saw the beginning of a new dimension to Connacht's player recruitment, whereby the province would bring Irish players back from abroad, to compete for Irish selection. Examples include the transfers of Gavin Duffy from Harlequins , Johnny O'Connor from London Wasps and Frank Murphy from Leicester Tigers . The 2007–08 Celtic League saw
822-587: A Sponsorship agreement with Dexcom Inc ., a US Company and world-leader in producing and distributing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems for the management of diabetes. The contract, for 12 Years would see the Stadium referred as Dexcom Stadium for all Games and Promotion. At the same time Connacht confirmed the timelines for the redevelopment of the Stadium and building of the Connacht Rugby HPC (High Performance Centre). The official supporters' club for
959-806: A developmental side, which plays in the Celtic Cup . Before the creation of the Celtic Cup, the Connacht Eagles competed in the British and Irish Cup . The Connacht Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union was founded on 8 December 1885, and along with it the provincial team. The branch was formed to compete with the Leinster , Munster and Ulster branches, which were founded in 1879, and whose teams had been formed in 1875. There were six teams represented at
1096-502: A disappointing first season, in which Connacht finished second from bottom in their conference, Keane was let go one year into a three-year deal. The end of the 2017–18 season also saw the departure of long-serving player and captain John Muldoon who had made 327 appearances in his record-breaking career with the province. Keane was replaced for the following season by Australian coach Andy Friend , who had previously been head coach of
1233-548: A four match winning streak from 15 February to 23 March, earning three try bonus points in the team's longest run of wins in 11 years. Following this run of form though, Connacht failed to win another match in the league, finishing in tenth place and level on points with ninth placed Dragons. Due to Leinster 's victory in the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup , Connacht again participated in the Heineken Cup, where they were drawn into Pool 3 with Saracens , Toulouse and Zebre . In
1370-453: A large improvement in league performance, with Connacht climbing to third place in their conference in the 2018–19 Pro14 , returning the team to the top level of European competition for the following season. The third-place finish also qualified the team for the end-of-season play-offs for the first time since 2016, where they were beaten by Ulster at the quarter-final stage. During the 2021-22 Heineken Champions Cup , Connacht advanced to
1507-580: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
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#17328520720741644-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
1781-507: A margin of 8 points over two legs, against Welsh team Pontypridd . Off the field, however, the province's future was under threat. The IRFU proposed shutting down Connacht Rugby as a professional team in 2003 to cut costs, in light of the IRFU's annual deficit of €4 million. This was averted when a public protest with 2,000 fans marching on the IRFU headquarters in Dublin, coupled with the possibility of
1918-509: A much smaller base of rugby union players to choose from than the other three provinces. This player base is also affected by the relative popularity of Gaelic Athletic Association sports such as hurling and Gaelic football . However, rugby union in Connacht has expanded, with increased ticket sales, in particular since its first season competing in the Heineken Cup . Through the efforts of
2055-531: A play-off involving Bordeaux Bègles and Gloucester for a place in the next season's Champions Cup. Connacht played Gloucester away for the chance to face Bordeaux, and were leading 18–25 in the final minutes of the game when a penalty gave Gloucester a try-scoring opportunity and sent the match to extra time, after which Gloucester emerged 40–32 victors. Having lost the previous season's play-off, Connacht were entered into 2015–16 Challenge Cup where they topped their pool, before being knocked out by Grenoble in
2192-530: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
2329-584: A rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been
2466-548: A smaller playing population compared to the other provinces. The Connacht Rugby academy under Nigel Carolan consistently produced graduates to represent the senior Connacht Rugby team, with many of these players having also represented Ireland at under-age level. Robbie Henshaw , Dave Heffernan , Denis Buckley , Eoin McKeon , Eoin Griffin , Darragh Leader , Tiernan O'Halloran and Jack Carty are examples of Connacht players native to
2603-517: A spot in the following 2001–02 Heineken Cup to the top two teams, with Connacht finishing in last place. However, the advent of the Celtic League in 2001 saw this guarantee removed. The 2002–03 season saw Connacht finish ahead of Leinster in their Celtic League pool and progress to the knockout rounds ahead of the eastern province, having beaten them away in Donnybrook in the only game between
2740-607: A strike by the Irish Rugby Union Players Association , forced the IRFU to reverse course and maintain the team. Michael Bradley took charge of Connacht in 2003, coming in from the Irish under-age set up to replace Steph Nel. Connacht Rugby's average crowd was 600 supporters and the IRFU allotted a budget which was less than 50% of either of the other three Irish provinces. In Bradley's first Celtic League season , Connacht finished ninth from 12 teams, ahead of only
2877-466: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
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#17328520720743014-534: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
3151-519: Is a stated preference within the province's leadership to remain at the Dexcom Stadium if possible. In October 2018, plans were announced for a €30 million redevelopment of Dexcom Stadium with an expansion of the capacity to 12,000, state-of-the-art training facilities for Connacht players, new areas for greyhound racing and community facilities. On 9 June 2022 Connacht announced that first phase of redevelopment had commenced with full excavation of
3288-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
3425-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
3562-650: Is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup . The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU , and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht . Connacht plays its home games at
3699-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
3836-516: The 1932 All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Final and the 1942 Galway County Hurling Final. When Terryland Park was being renovated in 1993, Galway United played at the Sportsgrounds for the first part of that season. It also hosted Galway's first game in European competition in the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup . Connacht Rugby Connacht Rugby ( Irish : Rugbaí Connachta )
3973-404: The 2014–15 Challenge Cup and qualified for the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Gloucester . In the 2014–15 Pro12 , Connacht enjoyed their best season since the competition changed to a round-robin format , winning a record 10 games, including home derbies against provincial rivals Leinster and Munster on their way to finishing seventh. The seventh-place finish saw Connacht entered into
4110-506: The 2016–17 Pro12 . This saw the team entered into a play-off to qualify for the 2017–18 Champions Cup . A six-point loss to Northampton Saints saw Connacht entered into the Challenge Cup . This was Lam's last game in charge. It had been announced in December 2016 that he would leave at the end of the season to take over English side Bristol . The assistant coach of Super Rugby side
4247-563: The Atlantic coast and Galway's rainy climate. In addition to its use by Connacht, Dexcom Stadium is also used for greyhound racing , with the track running between the playing field and the stands. The stadium is owned by The Galway Agricultural & Sports Society Ltd. who lease it to both Connacht Rugby and the Irish Greyhound Board . Due primarily to the issue of ownership, the development of Dexcom Stadium has lagged behind that of
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4384-508: The Australian sevens team . His appointment was announced as his replacement in May 2018. Jarrad Butler , the previous season's Players' Player of the Year, was named as Muldoon's replacement in the captaincy. In Europe, Connacht again qualified for the Challenge Cup knockout stage and were again beaten in the quarter-finals, this time by Sale Sharks . However, Friend's first season in charge saw
4521-840: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
4658-626: The Chiefs , Kieran Keane , was named as Pat Lam's replacement in February 2017, to take over ahead the start of the 2017–18 season. However, Keane's commitments with the Chiefs in Super Rugby kept him from linking up with Connacht fully until the end of that July. The league underwent further restructuring, with the addition of two South African teams and the division of the competition into two conferences. After
4795-456: The Dexcom Stadium , which currently holds 6,126 spectators and can be expanded to 8,129. Connacht play in a predominantly green jersey , shorts and socks . The Connacht Rugby crest is a modified version of the provincial flag of Connacht and consists of a dimidiated eagle and an arm wielding a sword. With the province containing just over 8% of the total Irish population, Connacht has
4932-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
5069-478: The 1946–47 season, the provinces played against each other in the annual IRFU Interprovincial Rugby Championship . This was a round-robin tournament which, during the amateur era, consisted of one game against each opponent. In the 1980s, to compensate for Connacht's smaller playing base, the IRFU decreed that any English-born Irish international players must represent Connacht in the Championship. However, towards
5206-460: The 1960s for example, the Irish team was picked by a committee of five, generally consisting of two representatives each from Leinster and Ulster , and one from Munster . Connacht were represented on this council by a sub-selector, without the power to vote on the final squad. Most of Connacht's international players during this era were either Irish-qualified imports from England or players who joined
5343-532: The 2010 season, Bradley was awarded the Celtic League's Chairman's Award in recognition of his seven years of service to the province. Bradley was succeeded as Connacht boss by former Connacht and Ireland fly-half , Eric Elwood . Elwood had served as an assistant to Bradley since 2005 and had also coached the Ireland Under-20s to a grand slam in 2007's Six Nations Under 20s Championship . His first season in charge saw two teams from Italy introduced to
5480-457: The 2019–20 season. Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby , is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on
5617-415: The 3,000 mark for the first time in the club's history, and average attendance for the 2011–12 season saw a 105% increase over the previous season. Connacht's average attendance in home Pro12 matches climbed to 4,653 in the 2011–12 season, and increased further to 5,154 for the 2012–13 season. The following season saw the Connacht end in the same position as the previous year, as the team finished eighth in
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5754-510: The Celtic League, Aironi and Benetton Treviso , which brought the number of teams back up to twelve. Connacht finished above both of the Italian teams as well as Glasgow Warriors , coming in ninth place. In the Challenge Cup, Connacht were knocked out in the pool stages, finishing second in their group behind the eventual winners of the tournament, Harlequins . During the course of the season,
5891-525: The Connacht Branch and the support of the IRFU, the province has experienced growth, increasing its underage and schools participation through initiatives such as the Grassroots to Greenshirts campaign. Connacht enjoyed their most significant success in 2016, when they defeated fellow Irish province Leinster in the 2016 Pro12 Grand Final to win the competition for the first time. The province also has
6028-633: The Connacht Rugby crest is taken from the flag of the Province of Connacht . These arms are said to have been granted to Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , the reigning King of Connacht, by the Schottenkloster, or Irish monastery, that was founded in the Bavarian city of Regensburg in the 11th century. The current kit consists of a green and black shirt, with green shorts and green socks. The traditional colours of
6165-433: The Connacht province and flag are white, blue and black, with no green present. Though it is potentially related to the use of Connacht's traditional colours of white and blue by Ulster and Leinster's teams respectively, the reasons for its presence on the Connacht Rugby kit are unknown. However the green jersey has been associated with the Connacht senior team since as early as the 1950s. Connacht's second jerseys often use
6302-602: The European Challenge Cup, would receive an automatic berth in the following year's Heineken Cup. This place would then be passed on to another team from that country if the tournament winner was already qualified by domestic performance. As Leinster had qualified through performance in the 2010–11 Celtic League , Connacht claimed the extra berth. Ahead of their first season in European Rugby's premier club competition, Gavin Duffy replaced John Muldoon as captain of
6439-753: The European Shield, saw Connacht finish fourth from six teams in their group, which also contained Toulon and the Northampton Saints . The 1997–98 Challenge Cup proved far more successful for Connacht. The team, still coached by Gatland, finished top of their group; the number of teams in each group having been reduced to four. Connacht won five of their six matches including beating Northampton both at home and away. The win in Northampton and victory over Bordeaux-Bègles in Stade André Moga made Connacht
6576-451: The French club's points. This season also saw veteran forward Michael Swift break the record for number of Connacht appearances. With crowds of more than 8,000 at both the quarter and semi-final stages of the Challenge Cup, and average gates of 2,600 in the Celtic League, Connacht's structures and support had improved drastically from 2003, when the team's survival was in question. At the end of
6713-455: The Government's commitment to "balanced regional development". Following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phase 1 of the redevelopment began after the 2021/22 season with the installation of a new 3G pitch and LED floodlights. In 2023, Connacht Rugby Stadium Limited entered into a new lease with Greyhound Racing Ireland. Connacht Rugby Stadium Limited acquired the exclusive naming rights to
6850-495: The IRFU in the 1980s when English-born players were mandated to represent Connacht in the Interprovincial Championship. In the amateur era, this saw the likes of Simon Geoghegan , John O'Driscoll and Jim Staples represent Connacht, while since the game has turned professional, the likes of Michael Swift , Mike McCarthy and Kieran Marmion have all reached over 100 caps for the team. Connacht Rugby has in
6987-537: The IRFU. Sligo -born Aengus McMorrow followed in his footsteps to become the first Connacht native player to represent Ireland in 1951. Ballinasloe man Ray McLoughlin was the first Connacht player to captain Ireland, when he led the team in the 1965 Five Nations Championship . McLoughlin also became the first Connacht representative for the Lions when he took part in the 1966 tour to Australia and New Zealand , though he
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#17328520720747124-506: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
7261-801: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
7398-505: The Pro12. On the European stage, Connacht played in the Heineken Cup again in 2012–13 , because of Leinster's second Heineken Cup win in a row. Connacht won three of their pool matches: two against Italian team Zebre, along with a victory at home to 2009–10 finalists Biarritz . Elwood departed at the end of the season, having announced his intention to leave in October 2012. Elwood's replacement
7535-472: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
7672-520: The Scottish sides, but 2003–04 was the most successful season in European competition in the province's history to date. Connacht reached the semi-finals of that year's European Challenge Cup , and came within touching distance of the decider, but a try from the Harlequins centre Will Greenwood , 12 minutes from time in the second leg of their semi-final, denied them a place in the final. Connacht also got to
7809-512: The Sportsground to extend formal capacity to 7,500 supporters. The existing Clubhouse Terrace was knocked down to be replaced by the new covered "Clan Terrace". This terrace primarily houses season ticket holders. Ancillary work was also undertaken behind the terrace which saw the construction of a new bar ( The Clan Bar ), food outlets and restroom facilities on the clubhouse side of the ground. A temporary covered and seated "West Stand", adjacent to
7946-523: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
8083-475: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
8220-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
8357-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
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#17328520720748494-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
8631-420: The budget, the management team struggled to improve the quality of the playing squad as a whole and they failed to improve in the Celtic League, finishing last again in 2008–09 , this time 13 points from the next team up the table. Bradley announced early in the 2009–10 season that he intended to step down at the end of the year. His final season followed a similar pattern to his first two seasons as coach, with
8768-578: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
8905-442: The club's history the team had achieved the highest points total at the pool stages of any team in either European competition. In the quarters, they faced French Top 14 side Bourgoin , beating them 23–20, with a late Miah Nikora drop goal. Connacht advanced to the semi-finals where, on 30 April 2010, they faced a Toulon team featuring the English fly-half Jonny Wilkinson . Toulon won 19–12 in Galway, with Wilkinson kicking 14 of
9042-408: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
9179-453: The competition reduced to ten teams, following the exit of Border Reivers , and the season ended with Connacht bottom of the table, having won only five of their 18 matches. They also finished third in their Challenge Cup pool , again being knocked out early. In the 2008–09 season Connacht were able to finish second in their pool and advance to the quarter-finals, but were beaten 42–13 by Northampton Saints . Without any meaningful increase in
9316-411: The competition, this time Sale Sharks . With the Union holding a tight grip on the purse strings Connacht continued to struggle in the Celtic League, finishing in tenth place from 11 in both the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. In these seasons, however their European form could not make up for the domestic performances. Though they reached the quarter-finals of the 2005–06 Challenge Cup , they suffered
9453-432: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
9590-476: The end of the amateur era in the 1990s, this edict was reversed with the Championship also contested by the Irish Exiles team, consisting of Irish-qualified players in Britain and France. Connacht won the tournament on three occasions, in 1956, 1957 and 1965, although on each occasion the title was shared. On 26 August 1995 the International Rugby Board declared rugby union an "open" game, removing all restrictions on payments or benefits to those connected with
9727-412: The existing main stand was also erected for the season. This series of improvements came on the back of developments which the IRFU had helped to fund in the preceding years, such as a new playing surface, a new clubhouse and floodlighting, while a new gymnasium had been built in 2008. In 2011, planning permission was granted to redevelop the Clan Terrace by building a seated tier above the terrace. This
9864-480: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
10001-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
10138-523: The first professional Irish team to beat an English team in England and a French team in France respectively. In the quarter-final they played SU Agen away in the Stade Armandie , but lost 40–27. Gatland left his position as Connacht coach at the end of the season, taking over as Ireland coach. Another New Zealander, Glenn Ross, took over from Gatland. In his two seasons, Connacht failed to make it out of
10275-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
10412-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
10549-522: The following season's Heineken Cup. Connacht finished six points behind Ulster in the final standings that year, missing out again. It wasn't until 2016 that Connacht finished in a higher league position than any of their provincial rivals again. Despite this Connacht did achieve Heineken Cup qualification from the 2011–12 season to the 2013–14 season . Ironically this was thanks to Leinster, who won three consecutive European tournaments. Leinster's successes meant that they were automatically qualified for
10686-480: The following year, leaving an open Irish qualification berth which was filled by Connacht. With the Heineken Cup being replaced by the 20-team European Rugby Champions Cup in the 2014–15 season, the Pro12 table gained a greater influence on qualification. Under the previous format, the competition provided a minimum of ten teams, with Scotland and Italy providing two teams each, and Ireland and Wales both providing three. The new system saw one place being reserved for
10823-507: The future of Connacht Rugby and the prospect of the team being shut down as part of a cost-saving program. In response, thousands of supporters marched to show their support of the provincial team and this idea was subsequently rejected. In May 2014, the IRFU announced that it would be providing Connacht with an increase in funding of over €1 million, nominally to improve strength and conditioning coaching and facilities. Although Connacht are no longer as far behind in funding, they do still have
10960-456: The game. this was done due to a committee conclusion having an open game was the only way to end the hypocrisy of shamateurism , and keep control of the sport. The threat to amateur rugby union mostly prevalent in the Southern hemisphere, particularly in Australia, where Super League was threatening to entice players to rugby league with large salaries. In Ireland, the four provincial teams were
11097-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
11234-422: The governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845, the first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union
11371-470: The guaranteed places in the Champions for at least one team from each country in the league were scrapped, with the intention of having just the top seven teams qualify instead. The addition of two South African teams to the league saw further alterations, as the teams were split into two seven-team conferences. The highest three non-South African teams from each pool took the first six qualification spots, while
11508-491: The highest finishing Pro12 team from each of its four participating countries and three other qualifiers based solely on league position, for a total of seven teams. The other teams were entered in the new second-tier competition, the European Rugby Challenge Cup . This meant Connacht were no longer required to finish ahead of another Irish province or rely on an Irish victory in a European tournament to qualify for
11645-553: The highest level of amateur rugby in the country, the All-Ireland League . In the early years of European competition, Connacht were automatically entered in the European Challenge Cup each year. The IRFU were allocated three places in the more prestigious Heineken Cup , and with these going to the other provinces Connacht were left with no avenue of qualification. The Interprovincial Championship in 2000 guaranteed
11782-488: The knock-out stages for the first time following the cancellation of a final round group stage match between Toulouse and Cardiff, due positive COVID-19 tests in the Toulouse squad. Following the 2021–22 season, Friend was promoted to Director of Rugby with Senior Coach Peter Wilkins assuming the role of Head Coach. Connacht has historically been designated as being the weakest in the country compared to its fellow provinces. In
11919-415: The loss of a number of key players, such as Seán Cronin and Ian Keatley , were announced, with the players signing to Connacht's provincial rivals for the start of the following season. In 2011–12 Connacht made their first-ever Heineken Cup appearance, due to Leinster winning the 2011 Heineken Cup Final . By competition rules, introduced in the 2010–11 season, the winners of both the Heineken Cup, and
12056-513: The meeting in Dublin that founded the Connacht Branch. These were Ballinasloe, Castlebar, Galway Town, Galway Grammar School, Queen's College Galway and Ranelagh School Athlone. Galway Grammar and Ranelagh have both closed since, while Galwegians was formed out of Galway Town in 1922. Ballinasloe merged with Athlone to form Buccaneers in 1994, but has since been reestablished as an independent club. Castlebar and Queen's College (now NUI Galway ) are
12193-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
12330-565: The only teams to go professional, while their constituent clubs remained amateur. The 1995–96 season saw the first ever Heineken Cup , a new tournament set up for European clubs. The Irish were allocated three places in the competition, with these places going to Leinster, Munster and Ulster. The following season saw the launch of a secondary European competition, the European Challenge Cup . Connacht were coached that season by former All Black Warren Gatland , who had previously coached Galwegians . The inaugural Challenge Cup , then also known as
12467-450: The only two founding clubs to have remained active without interruption since the branch was founded. The province is currently made up of 25 senior clubs. Cape Town -born Henry Anderson was the first Connacht player to receive an Ireland cap, making his debut against England on 14 February 1903. Anderson later went on to be one of the founders of Galwegians, and became the first Connacht branch representative to serve as president of
12604-431: The other Irish provinces who, with the backing of the IRFU , have moved ahead with major developments of their home grounds. Following increased support for the province in the wake of improved results, particularly the 2015–16 title-winning season, the Connacht Branch stated their intention to undertake either a large scale redevelopment of Dexcom Stadium or a move to an alternative stadium. The ultimate stated aim for
12741-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
12878-414: The past lost players it recruited and helped to develop to provincial rivals and foreign teams. For example, Connacht lost four important first team players to provincial rivals in 2011. The team's out-half, Ian Keatley moved to Munster , while hooker Seán Cronin , tighthead prop Jamie Hagan and winger Fionn Carr all transferred to Leinster . After the loss of another first team player to Leinster
13015-465: The pitch at the Dexcom Stadium underway, to allow a new artificial playing surface for the coming season. Other works in this first phase of the project will include installing a new LED floodlight system for the pitch. Phase 2 of the redevelopment is soon to enter the procurement phase, leading to the construction of a modern High Performance Centre, with the construction of a new North Stand to follow thereafter. On 19/01/2024, Connacht Rugby announced
13152-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
13289-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
13426-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
13563-477: The pool stages of the Challenge Cup, and Ross resigned at the end of the 1999–2000 season. He was replaced by South African coach Steph Nel. Nel's initial two seasons also saw Connacht knocked out of the Challenge Cup during the group stages. 2001 saw the formation of a new competition called the Celtic League , which was created to serve as a championship for Irish, Scottish and Welsh clubs. Connacht made it to
13700-645: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
13837-481: The previous season's introduction of Italian teams to the competition. In the first season of the new 'Pro12' , Connacht built on the previous year's performance. They finished the season eighth out of twelve teams. Entry into the Heineken Cup led to a significant increase in the club's popularity. In summer 2011, the Connacht Clan supporters club was formed. In September 2011, Connacht season ticket sales went over
13974-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
14111-407: The professional era with the record-holder for points scored, Ian Keatley , and leading try-scorer Matt Healy both being from Dublin , while Munster-native players like Seán Cronin and Ultan Dillane have earned Ireland caps while playing for the team. Connacht has also tended to give opportunities to foreign-born players who qualify for Ireland through heritage. This relationship was codified by
14248-478: The property. On 19 January 2024, Connacht Rugby confirmed that Phase 2 of the redevelopment would begin in March, with building works beginning on the new high-performance centre beside the existing gym. Construction on the new North Stand is due to begin after the 2023/24 season, which will involve the demolition of existing Clan Terrace and Clubhouse. The venue has occasionally hosted Gaelic games fixtures, including
14385-487: The province is a stadium with a capacity of at least 10,000 spectators, that has full covering on all stands and the ability to cater for a wide variety of fans. Surveys have been taken from supporters of the team and business owners in Galway city to determine what facilities and services would be expected from a new stadium. A move to a new location would likely mean playing in a municipal stadium in Galway city, though there
14522-554: The province is the " Connacht Clan ". A voluntary organisation, it was established in 2011 and is club run by a member-elected committee. The committee is made up entirely of supporters, with the exception of one representative from the Connacht Branch, who acts as a liaison to the supporters. The side's mascot "Eddie the Eagle" is used to promote the team to younger fans, appearing at schools and attending promotional events aimed at families. The dimidiated eagle and sword arm featured in
14659-498: The province to have progressed to the senior team through the academy. In spite of the increased production line of native talent, Connacht continues to rely on its traditional policy of bringing in players from outside its jurisdiction that have failed to progress to their senior provincial team to help make up its playing numbers. Examples of this from the amateur era include Robbie McGrath and Victor Costello , both of whom went on to represent Ireland. This trend has continued in
14796-410: The province's traditional colours however. The 2019–20 European kit was primarily navy. The current official Connacht team and support staff kit supplier is Australian manufacturer BLK sport , who announced a comprehensive four-year agreement to supply the full range of apparel for all of Connacht Rugby's representative teams and support staff in 2013. BLK continues to be the team's kit supplier as of
14933-411: The quarter-finals in the inaugural season , where they were beaten by Scotland's Glasgow Warriors , by a final score of 29–34. In the 2002–03 season the team again reached the quarters. This time, however, they were beaten by a much greater margin, losing to Irish rivals Munster by a score of 33–3. Meanwhile, in the 2002–03 European Challenge Cup , they reached the quarter-finals, being knocked out by
15070-550: The quarter-finals. In the 2015–16 Pro12 however, Connacht broke a number of records on their way to a second-place finish in the regular season. This put the team through to the end-of-year play-offs for the first time where they faced Glasgow Warriors in a semi-final in Galway, winning 16–11. On 28 May 2016, a 20–10 win against Leinster in the Pro12 final gave Connacht their first ever major trophy. The upset win drew comparisons with Premier League side Leicester City 's triumph in
15207-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
15344-435: The same season. Connacht's Pro12 victory saw them qualify for the 2016–17 Champions Cup . They finished in third place in their pool, level on points with Toulouse in second to narrowly miss out on qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition for the first time. A serious injury crisis, which saw 21 players unavailable at the same time, contributed to the team sliding down the league table and they finished eighth in
15481-414: The semi-final of the Celtic Cup. Despite this, Connacht fell further in the Celtic League the following season. The team finished one place from the bottom in 2004–05 , in what was now an 11 team competition. Still, the team continued their European form in the 2004–05 European Challenge Cup , reaching the semi-finals a second season. Once again, they were knocked out over two legs by the eventual winners of
15618-504: The seventh team to qualify would be decided by a play-off between the fourth-ranked non-South African team from each conference. Dexcom Stadium has been the historical home of Connacht Rugby since the late 1920s. Located on the College Road and within walking distance of the city centre, it is known as a spartan and inhospitable venue for visiting teams. It is particularly notorious for its wet and windy conditions due to its location near
15755-574: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
15892-400: The side after failing to make the cut in their native province. Tom Clancy , a Connacht international player, stated that players like him had to be "twice as good as the competition to get a chance." At the onset of the professional era, the IRFU designated Connacht as a development team, meaning the team received only half the budget of the other Irish provinces. In 2003, the IRFU discussed
16029-455: The sides. Despite having finished ahead of their rivals in the table, progressed further than them in the competition and beaten them in the head-to-head game, the IRFU persisted with its policy and Leinster were entered in the 2003–04 Heineken Cup as the top Irish seeds. The 2004–05 season saw a change to this policy, as the union began to use the Celtic League table as its sole criteria for determining which Irish teams would be entered into
16166-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
16303-409: The success of Connacht Rugby. The facilities include the: It recorded its record attendance on 19 November 2011, when a crowd of 9,120 watched Connacht take on Toulouse in the team's first ever Heineken Cup match at home. Connacht's participation in European rugby's most prestigious club competition, the Heineken Cup , for the first time in the 2011–12 season spurred a new phase of development at
16440-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
16577-508: The team again finishing last in the League , though the gap was narrower than the previous year. As in Bradley's earlier seasons, however, Connacht were able to leave their poor form in the league behind when it came to playing in the Challenge Cup . They topped their pool comfortably, winning all six games with two try bonus points, and proceeded to the quarter-finals as top seeds. For the first time in
16714-476: The team. Connacht lost their first five matches in the pool stages, claiming losing bonuses in both of their games with Gloucester . In the final game of their pool, however, they managed an upset, beating Harlequins 9–8 in the Sportsground, which prevented the Premiership club from topping the group, and knocked them down into the Challenge Cup . On the domestic front, the Celtic League had been renamed, given
16851-524: The third round of pool games Connacht produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Heineken Cup when they defeated Toulouse in the Stade Ernest-Wallon . Despite two wins against Zebre, this wasn't enough to qualify from the pool, with the team again finishing third. The following season brought a restructuring of games at European level, which meant Connacht returned to the second-tier competition. Connacht finished second in their pool in
16988-400: The top tier of European rugby. The 2015–16 season marked a major breakthrough for Connacht, as a second-place finish in the Pro12 table followed by victory in the grand final saw the team qualify for the top tier of European competition on their own steam for the first time. The Pro14 underwent further changes to its European qualification process ahead of the 2017–18 season. In May 2017,
17125-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
17262-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
17399-514: Was also known opened. The first rugby team to use the ground was Galwegians RFC who used the ground after moving from the Grammar School grounds. In the 1930s, it hosted the varsity matches and Connacht Senior Cup matches for the University of Galway . Up until 2011, the regular capacity of The Sportsground was 5,500. The stadium was modified and extended in 2011, and again in 2016, instigated by
17536-781: Was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
17673-515: Was announced in 2012, this time Irish international lock Mike McCarthy , the Connacht chief executive Tom Sears accused Leinster of trying to "poach" Connacht players, arguing it was not in the best interests of Irish rugby. The province also has a lower representation in top-level club competition in Ireland than its rivals, due to its lower playing population. Of the 25 senior clubs currently operating in Connacht, only Ballina , Buccaneers , Galway Corinthians , Galwegians and Sligo compete in
17810-506: Was announced in January 2013, with the New Zealand born former Samoa international Pat Lam appointed to coach the team. Lam's first competitive game in charge was in the 2013–14 Pro12 , a 25–16 home win over Zebre but following this game, Connacht suffered a number of league defeats in a row. On 21 December 2013, they overcame Newport Gwent Dragons 14–11 at home to break their league losing streak stretching back to September. The team went on
17947-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
18084-678: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
18221-576: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
18358-512: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
18495-629: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
18632-533: Was playing his club rugby for Gosforth in England at the time. Ciaran Fitzgerald became the first Connacht man to captain the Lions when he was chosen by Jim Telfer to lead the 1983 tour to New Zealand . During the amateur era Irish players primarily played for their respective clubs, with provincial games effectively treated as Irish trial matches. The provincial teams were also used to provide competitive club opposition for touring international sides. Beginning in
18769-533: Was ultimately not completed. In the summer of 2016, work was completed on an additional seated and covered stand which can hold 300 people. The stand, situated next to the Main Stand, increased the ground's regular capacity to 8,100. Following a naming rights deal, it was christened as the Grant Thornton Stand. In October 2018, Connacht unveiled plans for a €30m redevelopment of Dexcom Stadium to turn it into
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