For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons, the winners of every Shield were decided on the basis of all 18 common season video games performed, and also assured qualification for the European Rugby Champions Cup, no matter their overall league position. Derby games have become a tradition in all five member nations over this holiday interval, with most dwelling groups reaching bumper crowds for the matches. In addition, the winners of the each Shield would be decided by the video games performed amongst the teams inside their regional group, reaffirming its status as a specifically national championship. In Scotland, the 'nationwide' trophy is taken into account to be the 1872 Cup performed solely between the two Scottish clubs, often as a double header over the Christmas and New Year durations. However, since the beginning of the 2023-2024 season, this was now not the case and the highest eight teams within the league would qualify for Europe no matter Shield place.
As a result of travelling distance between Europe and South Africa, home South African games are at all times played on a Saturday, allowing visiting teams to have a seven-day turnaround between fixtures, including 5 "clean days" that do not involve any travel. Should the draw see European groups play each South African groups away, the schedule will see the away group play the 2 matches again-to-again across two weeks, acting as a "mini-tour". In Ireland, Wales and South Africa, this shield (the URC Irish Shield, URC Welsh Shield and URC South African Shield respectively) features as an informal nationwide championship title for the principle skilled sides, while in Scotland and Italy's shared Pool maintenance specialists, it is going to be a joint regional trophy. The concept is comparable How to Find Good Scottsdale Pool Remodeling ContractorsFind the best Miami Pool Builders Divisional Championships within the NFL which are additionally loosely geographically primarily based. On 24 September 2021, URC confirmed that the highest facet in every regional Affordable Pool services California after the top of the 18-recreation common season could be awarded a trophy, a regional Shield.
URC clubs have gained the Champions Cup on seven occasions, Leinster four occasions, Munster twice and Ulster as soon as. These matches comprised the annual Judgement Day double-header on the Millennium Stadium. The Challenge Cup has come again to the league four occasions, as soon as with Leinster, twice with Cardiff Rugby and as soon as with Sharks. Statistics don't include these from Celtic Cup or Rainbow Cup matches. Record match attendance in league historical past. Figures for 2001-02 are incomplete. Figures for 2002-03 are incomplete. The season was suspended in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. The decline in common attendance following the 2009-10 season coincided with the entry of two Italian groups into the Pro12. The first senior match to take place at the Aviva Stadium. The 2003-04 season was the primary that didn't embody a knockout stage so no showpiece closing and hence a decline in common attendance. This was the final rugby match at Lansdowne Road earlier than it was redeveloped as the Aviva Stadium.
This, mixed with the continued uncertainty surrounding the future of the European Cup, meant that there have been concerns over the long run business viability of the tournament. The new system noticed a complete of seven groups, with one place now being reserved for the best-ending Pro12 workforce from each of 4 participating nations and three different qualifiers based solely on league position. Under the previous format, the Pro12 supplied a minimum of 10 teams, with Scotland and Italy offering two groups every, and Ireland and Wales both offering three. Glasgow had a late surge to complete 2nd overtaking Munster and Ulster in the process. The RaboDirect title sponsor was replaced by Guinness. In the end Leinster topped the table, having led for a lot of the season. With the Heineken Cup being replaced by the 20-crew European Rugby Champions Cup in the 2014-15 season, the Pro12 desk had a greater affect on qualification. However, regardless of all off-discipline points it was a profitable season with a brand new high for both complete attendance and for a single game (51,seven-hundred for Leinster v Munster).