History of rugby union matches between Connacht and Ulster

Connacht Rugby and Ulster Rugby are two Irish rugby union provincial teams that possess a rivalry that dates back to their IRFU Interprovincial Championship clashes during the amateur era. That rivalry has continued during the professional era and intensified as Connacht have more competitive in the domestic league, winning 2015-16 Pro12 championship. Connacht and Ulster comprise two of the four Irish provincial teams competing in the United Rugby Championship (formerly known as the Celtic League). As such, the two sides regularly face each other during the regular season. Typically, Ulster have had the advantage in the series with Connacht failing to achieve a single victory over Ulster between 1965 and 1982. Following Connacht's victory in 1983, it would not be until the 1997–98 season until they would achieve their next victory over Ulster. Connacht also went 58 years without winning a match in Belfast.

Below are the historical results of the Irish Rugby Football Union teams, Ulster and Connacht, as part of the IRFU Interprovincial Championship, and later the Celtic League, Pro12, Pro14, and United Rugby Championship.

Overall Summary of Games Since 1946 Details Played Won by Connacht Won by Ulster Drawn Connacht Home 50 18 28 4 Ulster Home 57 5 52 0 Overall 107 23 80 4

Statistics

Highest scoring match

2013–14: 70 points (Ulster 58 Connacht 12)

Lowest scoring match

1965–66: 6 points (Ulster 3 Connacht 3)

Highest margin of victory

Ulster: 46 points (58–12 in 2013–14)

Connacht: 28 points (44–16 at home in 2017–18)

Most consecutive wins

Ulster: 13 (1966–1979)

Connacht: 3 (1954–1957, 2017–2019)

Amateur Era Results 1946–1995 Season Winner Loser Winner Note(s) 1946–47 Ulster 26 Connacht 5 1947–48 Ulster 19 Connacht 0 1948–49 Ulster 30 Connacht 6 1949–50 Ulster 12 Connacht 3 1950–51 Ulster 26 Connacht 3 1951–52 Ulster 13 Connacht 0 1952–53 Ulster 28 Connacht 3 1953–54 Ulster 11 Connacht 3 1954–55 Connacht 14 Ulster 6 Connacht (1) 1955–56 Connacht 12 Ulster 9 Connacht (2) 1956–57 Connacht 6 Ulster 3 Connacht (3) 1957–58 Ulster 23 Connacht 12 1958–59 Connacht 14 Ulster 5 Connacht (4) 1959–60 Ulster 9 Connacht 3 1960–61 Connacht 6 Ulster 3 Connacht (5) 1961–62 Ulster 11 Connacht 0 1962–63 Ulster 19 Connacht 6 1963–64 Connacht 13 Ulster 3 Connacht (6) 1964–65 Connacht 13 Ulster 3 Connacht (7) 1965–66 Connacht 3 Ulster 3 Draw (1) Lowest scoring match in the history of this fixture 1966–67 Ulster 9 Connacht 8 1967–68 Ulster 14 Connacht 12 1968–69 Ulster 11 Connacht 9 1969–70 Ulster 20 Connacht 0 1970–71 Ulster 42 Connacht 0 1971–72 Ulster 13 Connacht 0 1972–73 Ulster 37 Connacht 6 1973–74 Ulster 17 Connacht 14 1974–75 Ulster 29 Connacht 6 1975–76 Ulster 6 Connacht 3 1976–77 Ulster 13 Connacht 3 1977–78 Ulster 18 Connacht 3 1978–79 Ulster 11 Connacht 4 1979–80 Connacht 6 Ulster 6 Draw (2) 1980–81 Ulster 13 Connacht 12 1981–82 Ulster 6 Connacht 3 1982–83 Ulster 22 Connacht 21 1983–84 Connacht 9 Ulster 4 Connacht (8) 1984–85 Ulster 28 Connacht 6 1985–86 Ulster 12 Connacht 6 1986–87 Ulster 37 Connacht 6 1987–88 Ulster 20 Connacht 3 1988–89 Ulster 16 Connacht 3 1989–90 Ulster 38 Connacht 3 1990–91 Ulster 16 Connacht 9 1991–92 Connacht 10 Ulster 10 Draw (3) 1992–93 Ulster 19 Connacht 6 1993–94 Ulster 39 Connacht 10 1994–95 Ulster 20 Connacht 6

Professional Era Results since 1995/96 season

Season Home Away Winner Report/Note(s) 1995–96 Connacht 9 Ulster 27 1996–97 Ulster 32 Connacht 27 1997–98 Connacht 27 Ulster 12 Connacht (9) 1998–99 Connacht 21 Ulster 18 Connacht (10) 1998–99 Ulster 36 Connacht 6 1999–00 Connacht 9 Ulster 50 1999–00 Ulster 44 Connacht 22 2000–01 Connacht 15 Ulster 39 2000-01 Ulster 36 Connacht 22 2001–02 Connacht 17 Ulster 18 2002–03 No match held 2003–04 Connacht 31 Ulster 20 Connacht (11) 2003–04 Ulster 42 Connacht 27 2004–05 Connacht 13 Ulster 19 2004–05 Ulster 23 Connacht 14 2005–06 Ulster 36 Connacht 10 2005–06 Connacht 22 Ulster 12 Connacht (12) 2006–07 Connacht 17 Ulster 24 2006–07 Ulster 20 Connacht 10 2007–08 Connacht 13 Ulster 30 2007–08 Ulster 18 Connacht 6 2008–09 Ulster 53 Connacht 13 2008–09 Connacht 12 Ulster 14 2009–10 Connacht 6 Ulster 30 2009–10 Ulster 41 Connacht 10 2010–11 Connacht 15 Ulster 15 Draw (4) 2010–11 Ulster 27 Connacht 16 2011–12 Ulster 22 Connacht 3 2011–12 Connacht 26 Ulster 21 Connacht (13) 2012–13 Ulster 25 Connacht 0 2012–13 Connacht 18 Ulster 34 2013–14 Connacht 7 Ulster 18 2013–14 Ulster 58 Connacht 12 2014–15 Ulster 13 Connacht 10 2014–15 Connacht 20 Ulster 27 2015–16 Connacht 3 Ulster 10 2015–16 Ulster 18 Connacht 10 2016–17 Connacht 30 Ulster 25 Connacht (14) 2016–17 Ulster 23 Connacht 7 2017–18 Ulster 16 Connacht 8 2017–18 Connacht 44 Ulster 16 Connacht (15) Highest margin of victory for Connacht 2018–19 Ulster 15 Connacht 22 Connacht (16) 2018–19 Connacht 21 Ulster 12 Connacht (17) 2018–19 Ulster 21 Connacht 13 2019–20 Ulster 35 Connacht 3 2019–20 Connacht 26 Ulster 20 Connacht (18) 2020–21 Connacht 19 Ulster 32 2020–21 Ulster 24 Connacht 26 Connacht (19) Rainbow Cup fixture 2021–22 Connacht 36 Ulster 11 Connacht (20) Connacht chose the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as its home venue for the match 2021–22 Ulster 32 Connacht 12 Ulster (74) 2022–23 Ulster 36 Connacht 10 Ulster (75) 2022–23 Connacht 20 Ulster 22 Ulster (76) 2022–23 Ulster 10 Connacht 15 Connacht (21) URC quarter-final 2023–24 Connacht 22 Ulster 20 Connacht (22) 2023–24 Ulster 20 Connacht 19 Ulster (77) 2024–25 Ulster 32 Connacht 27 Ulster (78) 2024–25 Connacht 7 Ulster 17 Ulster (79) 2025–26 Connacht 24 Ulster 29 Ulster (80) 2025–26 Ulster 19 Connacht 26 Connacht (23)

See also History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Munster History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Ulster History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Connacht History of rugby union matches between Munster and Connacht History of rugby union matches between Munster and Ulster IRFU Interprovincial Championship

References