Irish Boost Celtic League

By Paul
September 1 2004

The Celtic League has received a real shot in the arm before this Weekends opening round of matches from Irish rugby chief's, with news that they will base their Heineken cup rankings on how their provinces fair in the tournament.

Despite finishing as runners up in last years Celtic League, Ulster were still ranked as Irelands third seed into this years Heineken cup. However they now have the opportunity to dislodge either Leinster or Munster as number one or two seeds, and gain a more favorable draw.

Celtic League Chief Executive Keith Grainger described the move as "The final piece in the Celtic Rugby jigsaw!"

"Given the new and improved TV Broadcaster deals in Ireland and in Scotland which were confirmed recently and this tremendous Irish news we are now in a position to put the Celtic League alongside any other club tournament in the World. Every one of the 110 Celtic League games will have meaning and will be a full on game of top class rugby”.

However Connacht are still very much seen as a development province by the IRFU and such a move has little affect on them, unless they were to qualify for the Heineken cup via a new play off between the highest placed non qualifiers in the Celtic League and the third placed Italian Super ten team.

With Ireland, Scotland and possibly Wales internationals sitting out the opening weeks of the Celtic League, it had been feared that the tournament would be significantly undermined by weakened teams, but Grainger is convinced that following a positive month of discussions with the three unions, it could yet prove to be something of a transitional season for the competition.

“With no Rugby World Cup this year and only one game which directly clashes with a Six Nation’s weekend the public can expect to see a lot more of the big name players in Celtic League action this season”.   

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