All-Ireland League (rugby union)
| All-Ireland League | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sport | Rugby union |
| Instituted | 1990 |
| Number of teams | 50 |
| Nations |
 Ireland
|
| Holders | Clontarf (2015-16) |
| Most titles | Shannon RFC (9 titles) |
| Website | www.irishrugby.ie |
The All-Ireland League (AIL), known for sponsorship reasons as the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League, is the national league system for the 50 senior rugby union clubs in Ireland, covering both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The league was inaugurated in the 1990–91 season.
The league is the second highest level of rugby union in Ireland, as professional teams representing the four provinces of Ireland play in the Pro12.
Division 1 sides are allowed to field only two professional players in their matchday sides, and only one may be a forward. Professional players may not participate in Division 2 matches. Foreign professional players may not play in the League.
The All-Ireland League has been dominated by teams from Limerick (Garryowen, Shannon, Young Munster) who have won 13 out of 23 titles. Teams from Munster have won 17 out of 23. The All-Ireland League was not sponsored in the initial season, but was sponsored for six years by Insurance Corporation of Ireland. The League was sponsored by Allied Irish Banks from 1998 to 2010.Ulster Bank has sponsored the league since 2010.
The All-Ireland League (AIL) was introduced in the 1990-91 season with two divisions after almost five years of discussion and consultation with clubs, Division 1 with 9 clubs and Division 2 with 10 clubs. The AIL League was expanded to four divisions in 1993/94, with small variations in the numbers of teams per division in subsequent seasons. In season 2000-01 the All-Ireland League was restructured to three divisions, each with 16 teams. In 2004 the I.R.F.U. produced a blueprint which involved scrapping the AIL League as it existed and re-introduction of a provincial league system in 2005-06 before Christmas which would act as qualifiers for a curtailed three division AIL structure in the second half of the season. This model did not receive the support of clubs or rugby pundits. In 2007 the IRFU agreed that the structure of the AIL League would remain as three divisions with 16 clubs each for seasons 2008/09 and 2009/10. In Season 2009-10 Division 1 was split into 1A and 1B with eight teams in each as a trial and then continued in season 2010-11. In season 2011-12 Division 1A and 1B had 10 clubs each and Divisions 2 and 3 were reformatted as Divisions 2A and 2B with 16 clubs in each division.
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