2001

The Celtic League began life on 17 August 2001 contested between 15 teams from Wales (9), Ireland (4) and Scotland (2), split into two pools playing each other just once, with three points awarded for a win and one for a draw.

Brewery Field hosted the first ever match between Bridgend and Pontypridd, which the visitors won 27-19, whilst Pontypridd's Richard Johnston scored the first ever league try after ten minutes.

The top four teams from each pool qualify for the knockout quarter-finals in late November.

The semi-finals take place early in December, whilst the inaugural final is staged at Lansdowne Road on 15 December 2001 where 30,000 fans saw Leinster defeat Munster 24-20.

2001-2002 Final Tables

Pool A Team Pld Pts Leinster 7 21 Ulster 7 13 Glasgow 7 13 Llanelli 7 12 Swansea 7 9 Bridgend 7 9 Pontypridd 7 3 Ebbw Vale 7 3 Pool B Team Pld Pts Munster 6 15 Connacht 6 12 Neath 6 12 Newport 6 9 Cardiff Rugby 6 9 Edinburgh 6 6 Caerphilly 6 0

2001-2002 Knockout Stages

QF 30/11/2001 Ulster 38 - 29 Neath QF 30/11/2001 Leinster 34 - 22 Newport QF 01/12/2001 Connacht 29 - 34 Glasgow QF 01/12/2001 Munster 13 - 6 Llanelli SF 07/12/2001 Leinster 35 - 13 Glasgow SF 08/12/2001 Munster 15 - 9 Ulster F 15/12/2001 Leinster 24 - 20 Munster

2002

The League is expanded to 16 teams with the introduction of a third Scottish side - the Borders, but the teams still only meet once during the season.

The tournament begins on 30 August 2002 with a newly introduced bonus point scheme awarding a try bonus point for four tries or more and a losing bonus point for sides defeated by seven points or less. There are four points available for a win and two for a draw.

The quarter-finals, between the top four finishers in each pool, follow in late November. The semis are in early January.

The second final takes place at Millennium Stadium on 1 February 2003 and sees Munster defeat Neath 37-17 in front of over 30,000 spectators.

2002-2003 Final Table

Pool A Team Pld Pts Munster 7 28 Edinburgh 7 27 Ulster 7 22 Neath 7 18 Llanelli 7 17 Swansea 7 16 Ebbw Vale 7 5 Caerphilly 7 3 Pool B Team Pld Pts Pontypridd 7 26 Glasgow 7 23 Cardiff Rugby 7 20 Connacht 7 20 Leinster 7 18 Borders 7 12 Bridgend 7 10 Newport 7 8

2002-2003 Knockout Stages

QF 29/11/2002 Pontypridd 12 - 13 Neath QF 29/11/2002 Munster 33 - 3 Connacht QF 30/11/2002 Glasgow 17 - 20 Ulster QF 30/11/2002 Edinburgh 22 - 26 Cardiff Rugby SF 03/01/2003 Munster 42 - 10 Ulster SF 04/01/2003 Neath 32 - 10 Cardiff Rugby F 01/02/2003 Munster 37 - 17 Neath

2003

Wales introduce regional rugby, with their five new regions taking up their places in a 12 team league, playing each other home and away for the first time in a 22 week League lasting the entire season which begins on 5 September 2003.

A 12 team Celtic Cup competition is also intoduced with Ulster taking the spoils, beating Edinburgh 27-21 in the final at Murrayfield on 20 December.

The League title is won by Llanelli Scarlets on 14 May 2004 with a 23-16 victory over Ulster at Stradey Park taking the Welshmen four points clear at the top, the first time the champions are decided this way.

2003-2004 Final Table

Team   Pld Pts Scarlets   22 76 Ulster   22 72 Dragons   22 72 Warriors   22 65 Ospreys   22 55 Blues   22 54 Munster   22 51 Leinster   22 47 Connacht   22 44 Edinburgh   22 44 Glasgow   22 32 Borders   22 22

2004

The League loses a team with the demise of Welsh Region the Celtic Warriors. To correct the imbalance the remaining eleven teams will each have two weeks off during the league season beginning on 3 September 2004.

The Ospreys win the league title on 26 March 2005 when they beat Edinburgh 29-12 at the Gnoll with a match to spare.

The top eight sides in the league table at the end of the campaign qualify to play in the quarter-finals of the now end of season Celtic Cup, which is eventually won by Munster with a 27-16 victory over Llanelli Scarlets at Lansdowne Road on 14 May 2005.

2004-2005 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Ospreys 20 64 Blues 20 63 Leinster 20 61 Scarlets 20 57 Ulster 20 55 Munster 20 54 Warriors 20 49 Edinburgh 20 42 Dragons 20 39 Connacht 20 26 Reivers 20 12

2005

Because of the unevenness of an 11 team league, Celtic Rugby introduce a scoring system whereby free weekends are acknowledged with a four point "win". The league season begins on 2 September 2005.

The league attendance record is smashed on five occasions throughout the season.

Ulster win the league title with a 19-17 victory against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium on 26 May 2006 in the final weekend of the season, pipping Llanelli Scarlets by a single point.

2005-2006 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Ulster 22 75 Leinster 22 74 Munster 22 66 Blues 22 63 Gunners 22 60 Scarlets 22 57 Ospreys 22 55 Dragons 22 45 Reivers 22 44 Connacht 22 37 Warriors 22 37

2006

On 19 July 2006 Magners Irish Cider are unveiled as the first ever tournament sponsors. The new RaboDirect PRO12 begins on 1 September, the table decided without the additional points for the free weekend.

The league attendance record is raised twice more, culminating in a 48,000 sell-out for the "Last Stand" final game at the old Lansdowne Road on New Year's Eve 2006 where Leinster beat Ulster 20-12.

The Ospreys take their second league title and the inaugural Magners one on 12 May 2007 on the final day of the season courtesy of a 24-16 win over Border Reivers at Netherdale after both Leinster and Cardiff Blues had come up just short with their challenge.

2006-2007 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Ospreys 20 64 Blues 20 63 Leinster 20 61 Scarlets 20 57 Ulster 20 55 Munster 20 54 Warriors 20 49 Edinburgh 20 42 Dragons 20 39 Connacht 20 26 Reivers 20 12

2007

The RaboDirect PRO12 is now down to 10 teams with Scotland entering only two teams - Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby. This reduction allows for a later start to the competition, - 22 September 2007 - to accommodate the Rugby World Cup.

A number of measures are introduced by Celtic Rugby to align the tournament with other professional rugby competitions, including the introduction of Television Match Officials and Citing Commissioners on matchdays.

After early dominance by Welsh teams, Leinster take over at the top of the table in late November and remain there to lift the RaboDirect PRO12 title- their second league trophy - on the penultimate weekend of the season, in front of a packed crowd at the RDS.

2007-2008 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Leinster 18 61 Blues 18 56 Munster 18 48 Edinburgh 18 48 Warriors 18 46 Scarlets 18 39 Ospreys 18 37 Dragons 18 34 Ulster 18 29 Connacht 18 24

2008

Having been at or near the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 table all season Munster overtook their nearest rivals Ospreys in early January and led from the front to claim their second Celtic title with games still in hand.

Playing in front of capacity crowds all year, the champions won 14 of their 18 matches during their campaign and were presented with the trophy at the newly refurbished Thomond Park Stadium in the final game against Ospreys on 15 May.

Runners-up Edinburgh's second place finish was the highest ever achieved by a Scottish team.

2008-2009 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Munster 18 63 Edinburgh 18 55 Leinster 18 52 Ospreys 18 52 Scarlets 18 40 Blues 18 38 Warriors 18 37 Ulster 18 36 Dragons 18 33 Connacht 18 20

2009

In further moves to align itself with other professional rugby tournaments around the world, Celtic Rugby introduce end of season play-offs to determine the Magners League Champions with the top four teams qualifying for the knockout stage.

27 December 2009: Dan Parks becomes the first ever player to score 1000 Magners League points and is presented with a crystal boot to commemorate the occasion.

14-15 May 2010: The first ever Magners League Play-Offs take place, an all Irish affair between Leinster, who have led the league table since Round 13, against Munster with second placed Ospreys hosting Glasgow Warriors.

29 May 2010: Ospreys take a third league title by winning the inaugural Magners League Grand Final, beating Leinster 12-17 at the RDS.

2009-2010 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Leinster 18 55 Ospreys 18 52 Warriors 18 51 Munster 18 45 Blues 18 44 Edinburgh 18 41 Dragons 18 39 Ulster 18 36 Scarlets 18 29 Connacht 18 26

2010

The 10th season of the tournament saw the Magners League expanded to four nations as Italy joins Ireland, Scotland and Wales in a 12-team cross-border competition; the agreement paving the way for the introduction of two new Italian super sides, Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby.

The tournament consist of a 22 weekend league stage, when all twelve teams will play each other on a home and away basis, with the top four teams at the end of the season qualifying for the Play-Off semi-finals and final. The Grand Final was played on 20th May 2011 with Munster taking the title after defeating Leinster 19-9 at Thomond Park

2010-2011 Final Table

Team Pld Pts Munster 22 83 Leinster 22 70 Ulster 22 67 Ospreys 22 63 Scarlets 22 62 Blues 22 60 Dragons 22 49 Edinburgh 22 43 Connacht 22 39 Treviso 22 38 Warriors 22 33 Aironi 22 12

2011

Change was afoot from the outset of the competition's 11th season with a new title sponsor in the shape of RaboDirect, a new competition name, and a plethora of young stars from all 12 teams emerging throughout the season.

After a season of upheaval at the Ospreys, new coach Steve Tandy sparked a wave of momentum that the Swansea-based region rode all the way to the final, losing only 2 games from their last 8.

A destruction of Munster followed in the Play-Offs and only Leinster stood between them and victory. The Irish had eliminated Glasgow Warriors before winning the European Cup and came close to securing the double, losing by a single point in the inaugural RaboDirect PRO12 Final.

Ospreys won the competition for the 4th time, winnng 31-30, thanks to a late Shane Williams try, converted by a rejuvenated Dan Biggar.

2011-2012 Regular Season Table

Team Pld Pts Leinster 22 81 Ospreys 22 71 Munster 22 67 Warriors 22 65 Scarlets 22 62 Ulster 22 56 Blues 22 50 Connacht 22 37 Dragons 22 36 Treviso 22 36 Edinburgh 22 32 Aironi 22 22

Credit: RaboDirect PRO12