History of rugby union matches between Leinster and Ulster

{{short description|none}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Use Irish English|date=October 2023}}

Leinster versus Ulster is the oldest fixture in Irish rugby, with the first ever interprovincial match taking place between the sides in 1875.[http://www.irishrugby.ie/irfu/history/archived_team_history.php Archived Team History] IRFU As such, a healthy rivalry has developed between the two provincial rivals.[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-47725627 "Thousands flock to Dublin for Leinster v Ulster clash"], BBC, 30 March 2019.

Both provinces combined to provide the squad for the Irish international representative side from the first international match in 1875 until the IRFU was formally founded in 1879, consisting of the formal founding of the Leinster and Ulster branches and the addition of a third provincial side, the Munster branch. Finally a Connacht branch was added in 1885 to complete representation for all four provinces of Ireland.

The Interprovincial Championship did not formally begin until the 1946–47 season. Since then, Leinster and Ulster have played in many high profile games, including League and European Cup finals, with Leinster getting the upper hand on the big occasions thus far.

Overall Summary of Games Since 1946

class="wikitable sortable"
width="125"| Details

!width="125"| Played

!width="125"| Won by Leinster

!width="125"| Won by Ulster

!width="125"| Drawn

Leinster Home

| 60

| 44

| 15

| 1

Ulster Home

| 53

| 25

| 23

| 5

Neutral Venue

| 1

| 1

| 0

| 0

Overall

| 114

| 70

| 38

| 6

Statistics

class="wikitable"
Record

!Leinster

!Ulster

Longest winning streak

|9 (1975/76-1983/84)

|9 (1984/85-1992/93)

colspan=3 align=center|Largest points for
Home

|54 (2019–2020)

|30 (2015–2016)

Away

|39 (1980–1981)

|42 (2019–2020)

colspan=3 align=center|Largest winning margin
Home

|33 (40–7; 2019–2020)

|24 (30–6; 2015–2016)

Away

|30 (9–39; 1980–1981)

|20 (14–34; 1998–1999)

colspan=3 align=center|Largest aggregate score
colspan=3 align=center|{{nowrap|96 (Leinster 54 Ulster 42; 2019–2020)}}
colspan=3 align=center|Lowest aggregate score
colspan=3 align=center|{{nowrap|0 (Leinster 0 Ulster 0; 1947–1948)}}
colspan=3 align=center| Highest attendance
colspan=3| 81,774 (European Cup Final, Twickenham Stadium, May 2012)

Results

class="wikitable"
SeasonHomeAwayWinnerNote(s)
1946/47{{nowrap|Ulster 16}}{{nowrap|Leinster 8}}bgcolor="white"|{{nowrap|Ulster (1)}}
1947/48{{nowrap|Leinster 0}}Ulster 0Draw (1)
1948/49Ulster 0Leinster 8bgcolor="013475"|{{nowrap|Leinster (1)}}
1949/50Leinster 8Ulster 0bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (2)
1950/51Ulster 10Leinster 3bgcolor="white"|Ulster (2)
1951/52{{nowrap|Leinster 14}}Ulster 17bgcolor="white"|Ulster (3)
1952/53Ulster 3Leinster 5bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (3)
1953/54Leinster 0Ulster 3bgcolor="white"|Ulster (4)
1954/55Ulster 3Leinster 5bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (4)
1955/56Leinster 6Ulster 21bgcolor="white"|Ulster (5)
1956/57Ulster 17Leinster 8bgcolor="white"|Ulster (6)
1957/58Leinster 13Ulster 24bgcolor="white"|Ulster (7)
1958/59Ulster 12{{nowrap|Leinster 16}}bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (5)
1959/60Leinster 16Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (6)
1960/61Ulster 9Leinster 9Draw (2)
1961/62Leinster 8Ulster 3bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (7)
1962/63Ulster 11Leinster 8bgcolor="white"|Ulster (8)
1963/64Leinster 12Ulster 8bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (8)
1964/65Ulster 8Leinster 8Draw (3)
1965/66Leinster 8Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (9)
1966/67Ulster 8Leinster 6bgcolor="white"|Ulster (9)
1967/68Leinster 5Ulster 9bgcolor="white"|Ulster (10)
1968/69Ulster 14Leinster 8bgcolor="white"|Ulster (11)
1969/70Leinster 3Ulster 8bgcolor="white"|Ulster (12)
1970/71Ulster 6Leinster 3bgcolor="white"|Ulster (13)
1971/72Leinster 12Ulster 10bgcolor="013475"|{{nowrap|Leinster (10)}}
1972/73Ulster 6Leinster 11bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (11)
1973/74Leinster 20Ulster 13bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (12)
1974/75Ulster 22Leinster 9bgcolor="white"|Ulster (14)
1975/76Leinster 16Ulster 9bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (13)
1976/77Ulster 6Leinster 12bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (14)
1977/78Leinster 29Ulster 18bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (15)
1978/79Ulster 3Leinster 9bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (16)
1979/80Leinster 18Ulster 12bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (17)
1980/81Ulster 9Leinster 39bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (18)
1981/82Leinster 19Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (19)
1982/83Ulster 9Leinster 15bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (20)
1983/84Leinster 20Ulster 16bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (21)
1984/85Ulster 16Leinster 3bgcolor="white"|Ulster (15)
1985/86Leinster 13Ulster 19bgcolor="white"|Ulster (16)
1986/87Ulster 14Leinster 12bgcolor="white"|Ulster (17)
1987/88Leinster 22Ulster 29bgcolor="white"|Ulster (18)
1988/89Ulster 18Leinster 17bgcolor="white"|Ulster (19)
1989/90Leinster 6Ulster 14bgcolor="white"|Ulster (20)
1990/91Ulster 13Leinster 6bgcolor="white"|Ulster (21)
1991/92Leinster 21Ulster 22bgcolor="white"|Ulster (22)
1992/93Ulster 12Leinster 8bgcolor="white"|Ulster (23)
1993/94Leinster 25Ulster 0bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (22)
1994/95Ulster 6Leinster 12bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (23)
1995/96Leinster 31Ulster 3bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (24)
1996/97Ulster 25Leinster 35bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (25)
1997/98Leinster 26Ulster 25bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (26)
1998/99Leinster 14Ulster 34bgcolor="white"|Ulster (24)
1998/99Ulster 11Leinster 35bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (27)
1999/00Leinster 15Ulster 26bgcolor="white"|Ulster (25)
1999/00Ulster 22Leinster 23bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (28)
2000/01Leinster 19Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (29)
2000/01Ulster 26Leinster 13bgcolor="white"|Ulster (26)
2001/02Leinster 31Ulster 9bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (30)
2002/03N/AN/AN/ANo Fixture
2003/04Ulster 23Leinster 23Draw (4)
2003/04Leinster 32Ulster 30bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (31)
2003/04Ulster 28Leinster 6bgcolor="white"|Ulster (27)
2004/05Ulster 15Leinster 26bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (32)
2004/05Leinster 9Ulster 8bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (33)
2005/06Leinster 30Ulster 23bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (34)
2005/06Ulster 19Leinster 24bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (35)
2006/07Ulster 6Leinster 6Draw (5)
2006/07Leinster 20Ulster 12bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (36)
2007/08Ulster 16Leinster 16Draw (6)
2007/08Leinster 29Ulster 0bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (37)
2008/09Ulster 13Leinster 21bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (38)
2008/09Leinster 32Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (39)
2009/10Ulster 16Leinster 14bgcolor="white"|Ulster (28)
2009/10Leinster 15Ulster 3bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (40)
2010/11Ulster 13Leinster 30bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (41)
2010/11Leinster 34Ulster 26bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (42)
2010/11Leinster 18Ulster 3bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (43)
2011/12Leinster 42Ulster 13bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (44)
2011/12Ulster 8Leinster 16bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (45)
2011/12Leinster 42Ulster 14bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (46)European Cup Final

Neutral Venue (Twickenham Stadium)

Highest Attendance (81,774)

2012/13Ulster 27Leinster 19bgcolor="white"|Ulster (29)
2012/13Leinster 18Ulster 22bgcolor="white"|Ulster (30)
2012/13Ulster 18Leinster 24bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (47)
2013/14Leinster 19Ulster 6bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (48)
2013/14Ulster 20Leinster 22bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (49)
2013/14Leinster 13Ulster 9bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (50)
2014/15Leinster 24Ulster 11bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (51)
2014/15Ulster 26Leinster 10bgcolor="white"|Ulster (31)
2015/16Leinster 8Ulster 3bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (52)
2015/16Ulster 30Leinster 6bgcolor="white"|Ulster (32)
2015/16Leinster 30Ulster 18bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (53)
2016/17Leinster 22Ulster 7bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (54)
2016/17Ulster 17Leinster 13bgcolor="white"|Ulster (33)
2017/18Ulster 10Leinster 25bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (55)
2017/18Leinster 38Ulster 7bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (56)
2018/19Leinster 40Ulster 7bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (57)
2018/19Leinster 21Ulster 18bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (58)European Cup Quarter-Final
2018/19Ulster 14Leinster 13bgcolor="white"|Ulster (34)
2019/20Leinster 54Ulster 42bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (59)
2019/20Ulster 10Leinster 28bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (60)Ulster home match played at the Aviva stadium due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019/20Leinster 27Ulster 5bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (61)2020 Pro14 Grand Final
2020/21Leinster 24Ulster 12bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (62)
2020/21Ulster 19Leinster 38bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (63)
2020/21Leinster 21Ulster 17bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (64)Rainbow Cup fixture
2021/22Leinster 10Ulster 20bgcolor="white"|Ulster (35)
2021/22Ulster 18Leinster 13bgcolor="white"|Ulster (36){{cite web |title=Ulster secure double over Leinster to stay on course for home quarter-final |url=https://www.the42.ie/ulster-leinster-6-5709570-Mar2022/ |website=the42 |date=12 March 2022 |access-date=13 March 2022}}
2022/23Ulster 13Leinster 20bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (65){{cite web |title=Leinster ride out the storm to escape from Belfast with a seven-point win |url=https://www.the42.ie/ulster-leinster-8-5881444-Sep2022/ |website=the42 |date=30 September 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022}}
2022/23Leinster 38Ulster 29bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (66){{cite web |title=Fourteen-man Leinster storm back in second half to claim bonus-point win over Ulster |url=https://www.the42.ie/leinster-v-ulster-2-5937156-Dec2022/ |website=the42 |date=3 December 2022 |access-date=4 December 2022}}
2022/23Leinster 30Ulster 15bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (67)Champions Cup round of 16{{cite web |title=Leinster move through the gears to dismiss Ulster and march into last eight |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-41107315.html |website=Irish Examiner |date=April 2023 |access-date=1 April 2023}}
2023/24Leinster 21Ulster 22bgcolor="white"|Ulster (37){{cite web |title=Ulster show resilience to claim superb victory over Leinster |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2024/01/01/ulster-show-resilience-to-claim-superb-victory-over-leinster/ |website=Irish Times |access-date=1 January 2024}}
2023/24Ulster 23Leinster 21bgcolor="white"|Ulster (38){{cite web |title=John Cooney seals thrilling Ulster win over Leinster to secure URC playoff spot |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2024/05/18/john-cooney-seals-thrilling-ulster-win-over-leinster-to-secure-urc-playoff-spot/ |website=Irish Times |access-date=18 May 2024}}
2023/24Leinster 43Ulster 20bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (68)United Rugby Championship quarter-final{{cite web |title=Leinster power past Ulster to set up Bulls semi-final in Pretoria |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2024/06/08/leinster-power-past-ulster-to-set-up-bulls-semi-final-in-pretoria/ |website=Leinster rugby |access-date=11 June 2024}}
2024/25Ulster 20Leinster 27bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (69){{cite web |title=United Rugby Championship recap: Ulster 20-27 Leinster |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/united-rugby-championship/2024/1129/1483708-united-rugby-championship-ulster-v-leinster-updates/ |website=RTE |access-date=3 December 2024}}
2024/25Leinster 41Ulster 17bgcolor="013475"|Leinster (70){{cite web |title=Dan Sheehan’s hat-trick caps Leinster’s bonus-point victory over Ulster |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2025/04/19/dan-sheehans-hat-trick-caps-leinsters-bonus-point-victory-over-ulster/ |website=The Irish Times |access-date=19 April 2025}}

See also

References