Pro 12
The Pro12 (known as the RaboDirect Pro12 for sponsorship reasons, formerly known as the Celtic League & Magners League) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
Beginning in the 2001–02 season, the league was originally known as the Celtic League (Irish: An tSraith Cheilteach; Welsh: Y Gynghrair Geltaidd; Scots Gaelic: An Lìog Cheilteach; Italian: La Lega Celtica) and comprised teams from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The league was sponsored by Irish cider makers Magners from the 2006–07 season until 2010–11. At the start of the 2010–11 season, two new Italian entrants competed in the league. Following the end of Magners sponsorship, from the 2011–12 season the league will be sponsored by RaboDirect for four seasons. The "Pro12" was adopted to reflect that it now includes teams from outside the Celtic nations.
The league is one of the three major professional leagues in Europe, along with the English Aviva Premiership and the French Top 14.
Until the 2008–09 season the league champion was determined solely from league performance. However from the 2009–10 season, a play-off structure was re-introduced, similar to that used in the English Premiership.
Read more about Pro 12: Tournament Format, Corporate Organisation, Other Nations, Media Coverage, Broadcast Coverage History, Teams, 2012–13 Teams, Former Teams, Defunct Teams, History, Statistics, Play-offs
Famous quotes containing the word pro:
“It is sweet and honourable to die for one’s country.
[Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.]”
—Horace [Quintus Horatius Flaccus] (65–8 B.C.)