History
The Connacht Branch of the IRFU was founded in 1885 and is currently made up of 19 clubs. Connacht was the first ever Irish provincial team to win in France and England in 1997. Connacht were quarter-finalists in the European Challenge Cup in 1997–98. In 2001–02 Connacht made it to the semi-finals of the Celtic League, but only reached the quarters in 2002–03.
The 2003–04 season was the most successful in the province's history. Their efforts in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup took them to within touching distance of the final. Only a try from Harlequins' Will Greenwood 12 minutes from time in the second leg of the semi-final denied them a place in the final. Harlequins went on to win the final at Reading's Madejski Stadium. They also got to the semi-final of the Celtic Cup. The 2004–05 season saw Connacht continue their form in the European Challenge Cup, reaching the semi-finals where they were knocked out again over two legs by the eventual winners, Sale Sharks.
Until the 2005–06 season, the IRFU automatically entered Connacht in the European Challenge Cup each year rather than the Heineken Cup, regardless of its result in the Celtic League (now Pro12). Starting with the 2004–05 season, the IRFU agreed to use the Celtic League table as its sole criterion for determining which Irish teams would enter the next season's Heineken Cup. In that season, Connacht finished last among the competition's four Irish sides, which placed them in the 2005–06 European Challenge Cup. They played in the European Challenge Cup in every season through 2010–11.
Connacht made their first-ever Heineken Cup appearance in 2011–12, thanks to Leinster winning the 2011 Heineken Cup Final. By competition rules, the winner of the Heineken Cup receives an automatic berth in the following year's competition, which passes to another team from that country if the winner is already qualified by domestic performance (with exceptions that do not apply to Ireland). As Leinster were qualified through the Celtic League, Connacht claimed the extra berth. They will make a return trip to the Heineken Cup for 2012–13 because Leinster, which had secured qualification through the 2011–12 Pro12, won the 2012 Heineken Cup Final.
Read more about this topic: Connacht Rugby
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