Choose which optional storage to allow. Some analytics can still run without cookies when you decline. Read how this works in our Cookie Policy.
How rugby is organised in Ireland
Clubs listedEurope region · Guide updated 7 Oct 2026
Rugby union in Ireland is run island-wide by the IRFU. The national men’s and women’s All-Ireland League competitions connect to four qualifying systems, one run by each province. An IRFU strategy gives a 217-club total but no public club list. Reserve, university, youth, schools, cup and representative competitions are separate.
Permanent leagues, seasonal phases and parallel competitions stay separate so a cup or playoff is not mistaken for a league tier.
Senior men
For 2026/27 the IRFU runs men’s All-Ireland League 1A, 1B, 2A, 2BN and 2BS. 2BN and 2BS replace the old 2B and 2C divisions.
National All-Ireland League
The north and south labels are how the IRFU splits one all-island competition, not two separate countries. Promotion, relegation and each division’s teams change each season and are not shown here.
Provincial qualifying handoff
Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster each run their own qualifying leagues. This page does not show their levels or current clubs, and does not stack them into one national ladder.
Senior women
For 2026/27, the IRFU runs Women’s All-Ireland League Divisions 1A and 1B, each with six teams. Provincial qualifying winners enter through a separate playoff.
National and provincial families
The IRFU publishes the national 1A/1B playoff and the route for qualifying winners. Each province runs its own women’s leagues, and past seasons of those are not shown here.
Provincial competition
The four IRFU provincial branches run and publish their own domestic competitions.
Four branch systems
Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster competitions belong to four separate official branches. Ulster crosses the state border, so the province, the geography and the all-island rugby body are three different things.
Reserve, university and development
Provincial reserve and lower-team competitions, and university sides, are separate from senior first-XV All-Ireland League teams.
Identity boundary
Seconds, J1/J2, academy, development, university and representative teams are not first-XV teams, and a shared name or institution does not make them part of that club.
Schools and youth
Provincial branches also publish schools, youth and age-grade rugby alongside adult competitions.
Age-grade competition
Schools and youth leagues, cups and regional events are separate age-grade competitions, not levels of the senior league.
Cups and representative events
National and provincial cups, and representative rugby, sit alongside the leagues. They are not extra divisions.
Parallel events
Cup, playoff, provincial championship and representative competitions are separate events or season phases. They are not extra rungs on the all-island league ladder.
What Frostlete covers here
Scores and tables
Official website
This site does not show Irish tables, fixtures or results. Use the IRFU and the relevant provincial branch for current competition information. Tables, results and past-season archives are not shown here.
A July 2025 IRFU strategy gives an all-island total of 217 clubs, but not a public club-by-club list for 2026. This page names only Clontarf Football Club and its senior men’s first team from 2025/26. Other clubs, universities, provincial and combined sides, and reserve teams are not on this page.
The 2025/26 Women's All-Ireland League had an 18-round regular season followed by title and Conference playoffs. UL Bohemian won the league title; Wicklow won the Conference.
Operated by Irish Rugby Football Union · Checked 17 Aug 2026
A July 2025 IRFU strategy gives an all-island total of 217 clubs, but not a public club-by-club list for 2026. This page names only Clontarf Football Club and its senior men’s first team from 2025/26. Other clubs, universities, provincial and combined sides, and reserve teams are not on this page.
Clubs listedEurope region · Guide updated 7 Oct 2026
Rugby union in Ireland is run island-wide by the IRFU. The national men’s and women’s All-Ireland League competitions connect to four qualifying systems, one run by each province. An IRFU strategy gives a 217-club total but no public club list. Reserve, university, youth, schools, cup and representative competitions are separate.
Permanent leagues, seasonal phases and parallel competitions stay separate so a cup or playoff is not mistaken for a league tier.
Senior men
For 2026/27 the IRFU runs men’s All-Ireland League 1A, 1B, 2A, 2BN and 2BS. 2BN and 2BS replace the old 2B and 2C divisions.
National All-Ireland League
The north and south labels are how the IRFU splits one all-island competition, not two separate countries. Promotion, relegation and each division’s teams change each season and are not shown here.
Provincial qualifying handoff
Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster each run their own qualifying leagues. This page does not show their levels or current clubs, and does not stack them into one national ladder.
Senior women
For 2026/27, the IRFU runs Women’s All-Ireland League Divisions 1A and 1B, each with six teams. Provincial qualifying winners enter through a separate playoff.
National and provincial families
The IRFU publishes the national 1A/1B playoff and the route for qualifying winners. Each province runs its own women’s leagues, and past seasons of those are not shown here.
Provincial competition
The four IRFU provincial branches run and publish their own domestic competitions.
Four branch systems
Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster competitions belong to four separate official branches. Ulster crosses the state border, so the province, the geography and the all-island rugby body are three different things.
Reserve, university and development
Provincial reserve and lower-team competitions, and university sides, are separate from senior first-XV All-Ireland League teams.
Identity boundary
Seconds, J1/J2, academy, development, university and representative teams are not first-XV teams, and a shared name or institution does not make them part of that club.
Schools and youth
Provincial branches also publish schools, youth and age-grade rugby alongside adult competitions.
Age-grade competition
Schools and youth leagues, cups and regional events are separate age-grade competitions, not levels of the senior league.
Cups and representative events
National and provincial cups, and representative rugby, sit alongside the leagues. They are not extra divisions.
Parallel events
Cup, playoff, provincial championship and representative competitions are separate events or season phases. They are not extra rungs on the all-island league ladder.
What Frostlete covers here
Scores and tables
Official website
This site does not show Irish tables, fixtures or results. Use the IRFU and the relevant provincial branch for current competition information. Tables, results and past-season archives are not shown here.
A July 2025 IRFU strategy gives an all-island total of 217 clubs, but not a public club-by-club list for 2026. This page names only Clontarf Football Club and its senior men’s first team from 2025/26. Other clubs, universities, provincial and combined sides, and reserve teams are not on this page.
The 2025/26 Women's All-Ireland League had an 18-round regular season followed by title and Conference playoffs. UL Bohemian won the league title; Wicklow won the Conference.
Operated by Irish Rugby Football Union · Checked 17 Aug 2026
A July 2025 IRFU strategy gives an all-island total of 217 clubs, but not a public club-by-club list for 2026. This page names only Clontarf Football Club and its senior men’s first team from 2025/26. Other clubs, universities, provincial and combined sides, and reserve teams are not on this page.
