2023–24 Celtic Challenge

The 2023–24 Celtic Challenge was the second season of the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border women's rugby union competition with teams from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The enlarged six team tournament featured a single round robin fixture series, after which the six team table is split in two. This is followed by three further 'play-off' rounds in a set of three double-header fixtures. Each team will therefore play a seven match season.

2023–24 Celtic Challenge
Countries Ireland
 Wales
 Scotland
Number of teams6
ChampionsIreland Wolfhounds (1st title)
Runners-upScotland Edinburgh
Matches played21
Official website
celticrugbycomp.com
← 2023

Teams and locations

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In December 2023, the six teams were confirmed.[1][2][3][4]

Team Country Coach /
Director of Rugby
Stadium Location Capacity
Brython Thunder   Wales   Ashley Beck[5] Parc y Scarlets Llanelli 14,870
Eirias Stadium Colwyn Bay 6,080
Clovers   Ireland   Denis Fogarty[6] Donnybrook Stadium Dublin 6,000
Musgrave Park Cork 8,008
Edinburgh Rugby   Scotland   Claire Cruikshank[7] Edinburgh Rugby Stadium Edinburgh 7,800
Glasgow Warriors   Scotland   Chris Laidlaw[8] Scotstoun Stadium Glasgow 9,708
Gwalia Lightning   Wales   Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin[5] Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff 12,125
Wolfhounds   Ireland   Neil Alcorn[6] Musgrave Park Cork 8,008
Ravenhill Stadium Belfast 18,196
Donnybrook Stadium Dublin 6,000

Table

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2023–24 Celtic Challenge table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1   Wolfhounds 7 6 1 0 238 130 +108 38 22 6 0 32
2   Edinburgh Rugby 7 4 2 1 160 134 +26 26 22 5 0 25
3   Clovers 7 3 1 3 142 147 −5 23 23 2 1 17
4   Gwalia Lightning 7 3 0 4 164 134 +30 20 22 3 2 17
5   Brython Thunder 7 3 0 4 113 137 −24 20 22 3 1 16
6   Glasgow Warriors 7 0 0 7 87 222 −135 13 29 0 1 1
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: After Round 5, the table is split in two for the final two play-off rounds.[9]

Regular season

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The fixtures were announced on 5 December 2023.[1][2][3][4]

Round 1

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29 December 2023
13:00
Wolfhounds  21 - 15  Clovers (1 BP)
Try: Linda Djougang 63' c
Sarah Delaney 69' c
Eimear Corri 77' c
Con: Nikki Caughey (3) 63', 69', 77'
Cards: Keelin Brady   74' to 80'
ReportTry: Beth Buttimer 38' m
Ailsa Hughes 58' m
Clara Barrett 80+1' m
Musgrave Park, Cork
Referee: Joy Neville
30 December 2023
12:00
(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby  28 - 12  Glasgow Warriors
Try: Bell, McNamara (2), Fletcher
Con: Marlow (4)
ReportTry: McMillan, Tucker
Con: MacRae
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 1,934
Referee: Hollie Davidson
1 January 2024
14:00
Gwalia Lightning  20 - 5  Brython Thunder
Try: K Williams, C Richards (2)
Con: Metcalfe
Pen: Metcalfe
ReportTry: M Davies
Rodney Parade, Newport[10]

Round 2

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6 January 2024
14:00
Edinburgh Rugby  17 - 27  Wolfhounds (1 BP)
Try: Emma Orr (2), Cieron Bell
Con: Briar McNamara
ReportTry: Sarah Delaney, Natasja Behan, Aoife Wafer (2), Brittany Hogan
Con: Dannah O’Brien
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: Michael Todd
6 January 2024
14:00
Clovers  20 - 5  Brython Thunder
Try: Ailsa Hughes, Ruth Campbell, Sadhbh McGrath
Con: Méabh Deely
Pen: Méabh Deely
ReportTry: Alex Callender
Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Michael Forrestal
7 January 2024
13:30
Gwalia Lightning  36 - 19  Glasgow Warriors
Try: Hopkins (2), Richards, Hughes, Constable, Jones
Con: Metcalfe (3)
ReportTry: Bogan, Tucker (2)
Con: Macrae (2)
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Round 3

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13 January 2024
14:30
Glasgow Warriors  12 - 40  Wolfhounds (1 BP)
Try: Phaedra Snailham, Louise McMillan
Con: Lucy MacRae
Cards: Phaedra Snailham   75' to 80'
ReportTry: Sarah Delaney, Linda Djougang, Sophie Barrett, Katie Whelan, Katie Corrigan, Brittany Hogan
Con: Dannah O’Brien (2), Nikki Caughey (3)
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Referee: Sam O’Neil
14 January 2024
13:00
Clovers  19 - 17  Gwalia Lightning (1 BP)
Try: Kate Flannery, Clare Gorman, Róisín Ormond
Con: Kate Flannery (2)
Cards: Alana McInerney   33' to 43', Beth Buttimer   52' to 62'
ReportTry: Gwennan Hopkins, Molly Reardon, Tess Evans
Con: Sian Jones
Musgrave Park, Cork
Referee: Kevin Coffey
14 January 2024
13:30
(1 BP) Brython Thunder  17 - 22  Edinburgh Rugby (1 BP)
Try: Wakely, Tromans, A Williams
Con: A Williams
Cards: E Tromans  
ReportTry: Muzambe, Mattinson, Walker, Bell
Con: Marlow
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Round 4

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27 January 2024
14:00
Glasgow Warriors  10 - 29  Clovers (1 BP)
Try: Izzy Hannay, Beth BlacklockReportTry: Méabh Deely, Dorothy Wall, Beth Buttimer, Ivana Kiripati, Brianna Heylmann
Con: Kate Flannery (2)
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Referee: Ciaran Stark
27 January 2024
19:30
(1 BP) Wolfhounds  41 - 10  Brython Thunder
Try: Brittany Hogan, Sarah Delaney, Katie Corrigan (4), Niamh Marley
Con: Nikki Caughey (3)
ReportTry: Chloe Thomas-Bradley, Sioned Harries
Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast
Referee: Andrew Munce
28 January 2024
13:30
(1 BP) Gwalia Lightning  19 - 20  Edinburgh Rugby (1 BP)
Try: Jones (2), Thicker
Con: Wilkins (2)
ReportTry: Whitehouse, Bell, Fletcher, Muzambe
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Round 5

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3 February 2024
12:30
(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby  35 - 21  Clovers
Try: Molly Poolman, Millie Whitehouse, Emma Orr, Sarah Denholm, Lisa Thomson
Con: Nicole Marlow, Briar McNamara
Pen: Nicole Marlow, Briar McNamara
ReportTry: Alana McInerney, Niamh O’Dowd, Chisom Ugwueru
Con: Kate Flannery (2), Méabh Deely
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: Rob McDowell
3 February 2024
14:30
(1 BP) Wolfhounds  36 - 24  Gwalia Lightning (1 BP)
Try: Katie Heffernan, Katie Corrigan (3), Niamh Marley, Christy Haney
Con: Nikki Caughey (3)
ReportTry: Katie Thicker, Jenna De Vera, Caitlin Lewis, Rebecca De Filippo
Con: Robyn Wilkins (2)
Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Max Weston
3 February 2024
14:30
(1 BP) Brython Thunder  22 - 12  Glasgow Warriors
Try: Callender (2), Williams, Singleton
Con: Wilkinson
ReportTry: Fraser (2)
Con: Ainsworth
Eirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay

Play-offs

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Unlike the inaugural competition, the 2023–24 competition will have a play-off stage. This involves splitting the teams into 2 tiers after the initial set of 5 rounds, the top 3 and the bottom 3. The teams will play the teams in their tier once more. The points from the all matches will count.[1][11][12]

Round 6

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17 February 2024
13:00
(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby  26 - 26  Wolfhounds (1 BP)
Try: Emma Orr (2), Cieron Bell, Alex Stewart
Con: Nicole Marlow (3)
ReportTry: Ellen Boylan, Christy Haney, Linda Djougang, Katie Corrigan
Con: Nikki Caughey (3)
Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: David Young
17 February 2024
16:30
(1 BP) Glasgow Warriors  17 - 24  Brython Thunder (1 BP)
Try: McLaren, Fraser
Con: MacRae (2)
Pen: MacRae
ReportTry: Harries,Thomas-Bradley, Wakely, Webb
Con: Wilkinson (2)
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Round 7

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24 February 2024
12:30
(1 BP) Gwalia Lightning  43 - 5  Glasgow Warriors
Try: King, Wilkins, M Davies, Constable, Reardon, K Davies, Parry
Con: Wilkins (4)
ReportTry: Anderson
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
24 February 2024
16:30
(1 BP) Wolfhounds  47 - 26  Clovers (1 BP)
Try: Katie Corrigan (3), Kelly McCormill, Hannah O’Connor, Katie Whelan (2)
Con: Nikki Caughey (6)
ReportTry: Róisín Ormond, Beth Buttimer, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Brianna Heylmann
Con: Kate Flannery (2), Nicole Fowley
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Referee: Andrew Mitchell

Round 8

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3 March 2024
12:30
Clovers  12 - 12  Edinburgh Rugby
Try: Gorman, Barrett
Con: Flannery
ReportTry: McNamara, Lloyd
Con: Marlow
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Referee: Jenny Davies
3 March 2024
15:30
Brython Thunder  30 - 5  Gwalia Lightning
Try: Tromans, A Williams, Wakely, Harries, Morgan
Con: Wilkinson
Drop: Harries
ReportTry: M Davies
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Thunder and Lightning set for Celtic Challenge". BBC Sport. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Celtic Challenge competition format confirmed alongside alignment of Scottish sides to Edinburgh Rugby & Glasgow Warriors". Scottish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Fixtures and Team Names for Celtic Challenge Announced". Irish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Two new teams to represent Wales in expanded Celtic Challenge". Welsh Rugby Union. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Head coaches named for Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Irish Rugby | Celtic Challenge Kit Reveal and Coaching Teams Announced". Irish Rugby. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Claire Cruikshank to lead Edinburgh Rugby Women's Team". Edinburgh Rugby. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Glasgow Warriors announce coaching team for Celtic Challenge". Glasgow Warriors. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Irish Rugby | Clovers Progress To Top Three Play-Offs Despite Edinburgh Defeat". Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Celtic Challenge: Teams named for Gwalia Lightning v Brython Thunder". BBC Sport. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Clovers Progress To Top Three Play-Offs Despite Edinburgh Defeat". irishrugby.ie. 3 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Play Offs Explained". Celtic Challenge. 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.