Dragons vs Leinster welsh try Celtic League 9 may 2008
The 2007–08 Celtic League (known as the 2007–08 Magners League for sponsorship reasons) was the seventh
Celtic League season and the second with
Magners as title sponsor. The season began on 31 August 2007 and finished on the weekend beginning 10 May 2008. Some disruption to fixtures occurred as a result of the
2007 Rugby World Cup , which took place during September and October 2007.
The teams competing were the same as the previous season with one exception; only two Scottish teams participated, as the
Scottish Rugby Union scrapped the
Border Reivers region at the end of the
2006–07 season.
[3] As in previous seasons, the league was played on a home and away basis, with teams earning four points for a win, and a bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match. The losing team may also earn a bonus point if they lose by seven points or less. The losing bonus point system is intended to ensure that both teams compete fully in all matches.[
citation needed ]
The ten teams competing were the four Irish provinces:
Munster ,
Leinster ,
Connacht and
Ulster ; two Scottish regions:
Edinburgh Rugby and
Glasgow Warriors ; and four Welsh regions:
Llanelli Scarlets ,
Cardiff Blues ,
Ospreys and
Newport Gwent Dragons .
Teams
Team
Stadium
Capacity
City, Area
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Arms Park
12,500
Cardiff ,
Wales
Connacht
Galway Sportsgrounds
5,500
Galway ,
Republic of Ireland
Edinburgh
Murrayfield Stadium
12,464
[a]
Edinburgh ,
Scotland
Glasgow Warriors
Firhill Stadium
10,887
Glasgow ,
Scotland
Leinster
RDS Arena
18,500
Dublin ,
Republic of Ireland
Llanelli Scarlets
Stradey Park
10,800
Llanelli ,
Wales
Munster
Musgrave Park
8,300
Cork ,
Republic of Ireland
Newport Gwent Dragons
Rodney Parade
12,000
Newport ,
Wales
Ospreys
Liberty Stadium
20,500
Swansea ,
Wales
Ulster
Ravenhill
12,800
Belfast ,
Northern Ireland
Pre-season
Following the end of the
2006–07 Celtic League season, a number of controversial events occurred in Celtic rugby. Mike Phillips moved from the Cardiff Blues to the Ospreys, in a move that would earn him £180,000 a year. The Border Reivers was officially closed as a rugby club, and Edinburgh Rugby were almost expelled from the competition, because of a row with the Scottish Rugby Union.
As a result of increased revenue from governing bodies and TV rights, most clubs were able to expand their squads with the signing of several new players.
Table
Results
A provisional fixture list was released on 23 July 2007, with the opening game featuring Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys.
Welsh Round 1
All-Welsh Round 5 matches played early to allow Welsh teams to play in the
Anglo-Welsh Cup .
Cardiff Blues
17–15
Ospreys
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 9,187
Llanelli Scarlets
23–30
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 5,923
Welsh Round 2
All-Welsh Round 6 matches played early to allow Welsh teams to play in the
Anglo-Welsh Cup .
Newport Gwent Dragons
13–40
Cardiff Blues
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,673
Ospreys
9–14
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 10,143
Round 1
Connacht
22–7
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 1,141
Cardiff Blues
32–16
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 5,425
Ravenhill Attendance: 8,142
Leinster
23–8
Edinburgh
Report
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 9,630
Munster
26–16
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Musgrave Park Attendance: 3,400
Round 2
Newport Gwent Dragons
16–26
Munster
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 4,537
Llanelli Scarlets
34–11
Connacht
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 6,560
Cardiff Blues
19–30
Leinster
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 5,991
Murrayfield Attendance: 1,389
Ospreys
37–23
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 5,417
Round 3
Leinster
23–52
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 9,439
Edinburgh
13–13
Ospreys
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 1,326
Glasgow Warriors
16–15
Connacht
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,226
Munster
17–19
Cardiff Blues
Report
Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,075
Newport Gwent Dragons
31–11
Ulster
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 4,139
Round 4
Llanelli Scarlets
32–8
Ulster
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 6,480
Cardiff Blues
30–16
Connacht
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 6,921
Edinburgh
13–19
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 1,412
Glasgow Warriors
21–17
Leinster
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,580
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,740
Round 5
Connacht
14–14
Edinburgh
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 1,690
Glasgow Warriors
11–11
Munster
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,829
Ravenhill Attendance: 13,132
Round 6
Glasgow Warriors
25–6
Ulster
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,631
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 16,753
Munster
19–16
Edinburgh
Report
Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,300
Round 7
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 6,097
Sportsground Attendance: 2,541
Glasgow Warriors
17–5
Cardiff Blues
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,638
Munster
45–19
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,250
Edinburgh
27–17
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 1,638
Round 8
Connacht
10–6
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 1,145
Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,300
Ravenhill Attendance: 9,750
Round 9
Cardiff Blues
11–6
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 12,532
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 18,230
Musgrave Park Attendance: 6,125
Llanelli Scarlets
17–12
Ospreys
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 10,739
1872 Cup 1st round
Edinburgh
35–31
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 6,225
Welsh Round 3
All-Welsh Round 8 matches rescheduled to allow Welsh teams to play in the
Anglo-Welsh Cup .
Ospreys
22–3
Cardiff Blues
Report
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 16,509
Newport Gwent Dragons
15–13
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 6,782
Round 10
Connacht
20–18
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 1,681
Cardiff Blues
10–11
Edinburgh
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 6,125
Glasgow Warriors
16–18
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,798
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 13,385
Round 11
Llanelli Scarlets
30–7
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 6,190
Murrayfield Attendance: 4,100
Ulster
38–13
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Ravenhill Attendance: 9,246
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,396
Leinster
24–17
Cardiff Blues
Report
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 14,322
Round 12
Newport Gwent Dragons
10–10
Edinburgh
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 4,734
Connacht
10–16
Leinster
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 3,851
Glasgow Warriors
9–6
Ospreys
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,058
Ulster
20–8
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Ravenhill Attendance: 8,869
Cardiff Blues
25–22
Munster
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 11,269
Round 13
Llanelli Scarlets
35–17
Cardiff Blues
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 8,045
Edinburgh
38–8
Connacht
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 2,506
Leinster
34–18
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 11,730
Musgrave Park Attendance: 7,500
Round 14
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 9,087
Sportsground Attendance: 5,368
Edinburgh
0–20
Cardiff Blues
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 2,395
Llanelli Scarlets
10–24
Leinster
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 7,407
Newport Gwent Dragons
14–20
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,949
Round 15
Ravenhill Attendance: 9,248
Cardiff Blues
35–26
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 10,216
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 18,500
1872 Cup 2nd round
Glasgow Warriors
23–14
Edinburgh
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 4,731
Round 16
Newport Gwent Dragons
11–13
Connacht
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,748
Edinburgh
15–13
Leinster
Report
Murrayfield Attendance: 3,138
Glasgow Warriors
25–23
Llanelli Scarlets
Report
Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,012
Cardiff Blues
30–17
Ulster
Report
Cardiff Arms Park Attendance: 6,500
Musgrave Park Attendance: 7,500
Rearranged fixtures
Ospreys
16–3
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 9,166
Round 10 match postponed from 4 January because of adverse weather conditions at Ravenhill.
Ravenhill Attendance: 12,300
Round 17
Connacht
11–39
Cardiff Blues
Report
Sportsground Attendance: 1,463
Ospreys
18–19
Edinburgh
Report
Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,625
Llanelli Scarlets
23–24
Munster
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 7,020
Ulster
24–35
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Ravenhill Attendance: 6,592
Leinster
41–8
Newport Gwent Dragons
Report
Royal Dublin Society Attendance: 17,260
Rearranged fixture
Round 15 match postponed from 12 April because of the Ospreys' participation in the
Anglo-Welsh Cup final .
Newport Gwent Dragons
18–10
Ospreys
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 6,308
Round 18
Sportsground Attendance: 1,463
Newport Gwent Dragons
31–26
Leinster
Report
Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,112
Ulster
17–26
Cardiff Blues
Report
Ravenhill Attendance: 9,672
Munster
18–21
Glasgow Warriors
Report
Musgrave Park Attendance: 5,360
Llanelli Scarlets
12–29
Edinburgh
Report
Stradey Park Attendance: 7,338
Leading scorers
Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under
IRB eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps. Players may hold one or more non-IRB nationalities.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Broadcast rights
Television rights for the league were split between three broadcasters:
BBC Wales ,
S4C and
Setanta Sports . BBC Wales and S4C continued to cover the Celtic League until the end of the 2009–10 season.
[4]
Notes
^ Although Murrayfield's full capacity is 67,800, only the lower section of the West Stand, with a capacity of 12,464, is generally opened for Edinburgh fixtures.
References
Seasons
Celtic League Pro12 Pro14 United Rugby Championship
Teams
Grounds Grand Finals Player movements