2023–24 Celtic Challenge

Women's rugby union competition in Europe

2023–24 Celtic Challenge
Countries	Ireland Wales Scotland
Number of teams	6
Champions	Ireland Wolfhounds (1st title)
Runners-up	Scotland Edinburgh
Matches played	21
Official website
celticrugbycomp.com
← 2023 2024–25 →

The 2023–24 Celtic Challenge was the second season of the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border women's rugby union competition with teams from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The enlarged six team tournament featured a single round robin fixture series, after which the table was split in two. This was followed by three further 'play-off' rounds in a set of three double-header fixtures. Each team played a seven match season.

Teams and locations

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In December 2023, the six teams were confirmed.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Team	Country	Coach / Director of Rugby	Stadium	Location	Capacity
Brython Thunder	Wales	Wales Ashley Beck ^[5]	Parc y Scarlets	Llanelli	14,870
Brython Thunder	Wales	Wales Ashley Beck ^[5]	Eirias Stadium	Colwyn Bay	6,080
Clovers	Ireland	Ireland Denis Fogarty ^[6]	Donnybrook Stadium	Dublin	6,000
Clovers	Ireland	Ireland Denis Fogarty ^[6]	Musgrave Park	Cork	8,008
Edinburgh Rugby	Scotland	Scotland Claire Cruikshank^[7]	Edinburgh Rugby Stadium	Edinburgh	7,800
Glasgow Warriors	Scotland	Scotland Chris Laidlaw^[8]	Scotstoun Stadium	Glasgow	9,708
Gwalia Lightning	Wales	Wales Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin^[5]	Cardiff Arms Park	Cardiff	12,125
Wolfhounds	Ireland	Ireland Neil Alcorn^[6]	Musgrave Park	Cork	8,008
			Ravenhill Stadium	Belfast	18,196
			Donnybrook Stadium	Dublin	6,000

Table

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Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts
1	Ireland Wolfhounds	7	6	1	0	238	130	+108	38	22	6	0	32
2	Scotland Edinburgh Rugby	7	4	2	1	160	134	+26	26	22	5	0	25
3	Ireland Clovers	7	3	1	3	142	147	−5	23	23	2	1	17
4	Wales Gwalia Lightning	7	3	0	4	164	134	+30	20	22	3	2	17
5	Wales Brython Thunder	7	3	0	4	113	137	−24	20	22	3	1	16
6	Scotland Glasgow Warriors	7	0	0	7	87	222	−135	13	29	0	1	1

Source: ^{[citation needed ]}
Rules for classification: After Round 5, the table is split in two for the final two play-off rounds.^[9]

Regular season

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The fixtures were announced on 5 December 2023.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Round 1

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29 December 2023
13:00

Wolfhounds Ireland 21 - 15 Ireland Clovers (1 BP)

Try: Linda Djougang 63' c
Sarah Delaney 69' c
Eimear Corri 77' c
Con: Nikki Caughey (3) 63', 69', 77'
Cards: Keelin Brady yellow card 74' to 80' Report Try: Beth Buttimer 38' m
Ailsa Hughes 58' m
Clara Barrett 80+1' m

Musgrave Park, Cork
Referee: Joy Neville

30 December 2023
12:00

(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby Scotland 28 - 12 Scotland Glasgow Warriors

Try: Bell, McNamara (2), Fletcher
Con: Marlow (4) Report Try: McMillan, Tucker
Con: MacRae

Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 1,934
Referee: Hollie Davidson

1 January 2024
14:00

Gwalia Lightning Wales 20 - 5 Wales Brython Thunder

Try: K Williams, C Richards (2)
Con: Metcalfe
Pen: Metcalfe Report Try: M Davies

Rodney Parade, Newport ^[10]

Round 2

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6 January 2024
14:00

Edinburgh Rugby Scotland 17 - 27 Ireland Wolfhounds (1 BP)

Try: Emma Orr (2), Cieron Bell
Con: Briar McNamara Report Try: Sarah Delaney, Natasja Behan, Aoife Wafer (2), Brittany Hogan
Con: Dannah O’Brien

Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: Michael Todd

6 January 2024
14:00

Clovers Ireland 20 - 5 Wales Brython Thunder

Try: Ailsa Hughes, Ruth Campbell, Sadhbh McGrath
Con: Méabh Deely
Pen: Méabh Deely Report Try: Alex Callender

Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Michael Forrestal

7 January 2024
13:30

Gwalia Lightning Wales 36 - 19 Scotland Glasgow Warriors

Try: Hopkins (2), Richards, Hughes, Constable, Jones
Con: Metcalfe (3) Report Try: Bogan, Tucker (2)
Con: Macrae (2)

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Round 3

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13 January 2024
14:30

Glasgow Warriors Scotland 12 - 40 Ireland Wolfhounds (1 BP)

Try: Phaedra Snailham, Louise McMillan
Con: Lucy MacRae
Cards: Phaedra Snailham yellow card 75' to 80' Report Try: Sarah Delaney, Linda Djougang, Sophie Barrett, Katie Whelan, Katie Corrigan, Brittany Hogan
Con: Dannah O’Brien (2), Nikki Caughey (3)

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Referee: Sam O’Neil

14 January 2024
13:00

Clovers Ireland 19 - 17 Wales Gwalia Lightning (1 BP)

Try: Kate Flannery, Clare Gorman, Róisín Ormond
Con: Kate Flannery (2)
Cards: Alana McInerney yellow card 33' to 43', Beth Buttimer yellow card 52' to 62' Report Try: Gwennan Hopkins, Molly Reardon, Tess Evans
Con: Sian Jones

Musgrave Park, Cork
Referee: Kevin Coffey

14 January 2024
13:30

(1 BP) Brython Thunder Wales 17 - 22 Scotland Edinburgh Rugby (1 BP)

Try: Wakely, Tromans, A Williams
Con: A Williams
Cards: E Tromans yellow card Report Try: Muzambe, Mattinson, Walker, Bell
Con: Marlow

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Round 4

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27 January 2024
14:00

Glasgow Warriors Scotland 10 - 29 Ireland Clovers (1 BP)

Try: Izzy Hannay, Beth Blacklock Report Try: Méabh Deely, Dorothy Wall, Beth Buttimer, Ivana Kiripati, Brianna Heylmann
Con: Kate Flannery (2)

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Referee: Ciaran Stark

27 January 2024
19:30

(1 BP) Wolfhounds Ireland 41 - 10 Wales Brython Thunder

Try: Brittany Hogan, Sarah Delaney, Katie Corrigan (4), Niamh Marley
Con: Nikki Caughey (3) Report Try: Chloe Thomas-Bradley, Sioned Harries

Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast
Referee: Andrew Munce

28 January 2024
13:30

(1 BP) Gwalia Lightning Wales 19 - 20 Scotland Edinburgh Rugby (1 BP)

Try: Jones (2), Thicker
Con: Wilkins (2) Report Try: Whitehouse, Bell, Fletcher, Muzambe

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

Round 5

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3 February 2024
12:30

(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby Scotland 35 - 21 Ireland Clovers

Try: Molly Poolman, Millie Whitehouse, Emma Orr, Sarah Denholm, Lisa Thomson
Con: Nicole Marlow, Briar McNamara
Pen: Nicole Marlow, Briar McNamara Report Try: Alana McInerney, Niamh O’Dowd, Chisom Ugwueru
Con: Kate Flannery (2), Méabh Deely

Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: Rob McDowell

3 February 2024
14:30

(1 BP) Wolfhounds Ireland 36 - 24 Wales Gwalia Lightning (1 BP)

Try: Katie Heffernan, Katie Corrigan (3), Niamh Marley, Christy Haney
Con: Nikki Caughey (3) Report Try: Katie Thicker, Jenna De Vera, Caitlin Lewis, Rebecca De Filippo
Con: Robyn Wilkins (2)

Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Max Weston

3 February 2024
14:30

(1 BP) Brython Thunder Wales 22 - 12 Scotland Glasgow Warriors

Try: Callender (2), Williams, Singleton
Con: Wilkinson Report Try: Fraser (2)
Con: Ainsworth

Eirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay

Play-offs

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Unlike the inaugural competition, the 2023–24 competition will have a play-off stage. This involves splitting the teams into 2 tiers after the initial set of 5 rounds, the top 3 and the bottom 3. The teams will play the teams in their tier once more. The points from the all matches will count.^[1]^[11]^[12]

Round 6

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17 February 2024
13:00

(1 BP) Edinburgh Rugby Scotland 26 - 26 Ireland Wolfhounds (1 BP)

Try: Emma Orr (2), Cieron Bell, Alex Stewart
Con: Nicole Marlow (3) Report Try: Ellen Boylan, Christy Haney, Linda Djougang, Katie Corrigan
Con: Nikki Caughey (3)

Edinburgh Rugby Stadium, Edinburgh
Referee: David Young

17 February 2024
16:30

(1 BP) Glasgow Warriors Scotland 17 - 24 Wales Brython Thunder (1 BP)

Try: McLaren, Fraser
Con: MacRae (2)
Pen: MacRae Report Try: Harries,Thomas-Bradley, Wakely, Webb
Con: Wilkinson (2)

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Round 7

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24 February 2024
12:30

(1 BP) Gwalia Lightning Wales 43 - 5 Scotland Glasgow Warriors

Try: King, Wilkins, M Davies, Constable, Reardon, K Davies, Parry
Con: Wilkins (4) Report Try: Anderson

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast

24 February 2024
16:30

(1 BP) Wolfhounds Ireland 47 - 26 Ireland Clovers (1 BP)

Try: Katie Corrigan (3), Kelly McCormill, Hannah O’Connor, Katie Whelan (2)
Con: Nikki Caughey (6) Report Try: Róisín Ormond, Beth Buttimer, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Brianna Heylmann
Con: Kate Flannery (2), Nicole Fowley

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Referee: Andrew Mitchell

Round 8

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3 March 2024
12:30

Clovers Ireland 12 - 12 Scotland Edinburgh Rugby

Try: Gorman, Barrett
Con: Flannery Report Try: McNamara, Lloyd
Con: Marlow

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Referee: Jenny Davies

3 March 2024
15:30

Brython Thunder Wales 30 - 5 Wales Gwalia Lightning

Try: Tromans, A Williams, Wakely, Harries, Morgan
Con: Wilkinson
Drop: Harries Report Try: M Davies

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli

Notes

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References

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^ ^a ^b ^c "Thunder and Lightning set for Celtic Challenge". BBC Sport. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Celtic Challenge competition format confirmed alongside alignment of Scottish sides to Edinburgh Rugby & Glasgow Warriors". Scottish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Fixtures and Team Names for Celtic Challenge Announced". Irish Rugby. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Two new teams to represent Wales in expanded Celtic Challenge". Welsh Rugby Union. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Head coaches named for Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Irish Rugby | Celtic Challenge Kit Reveal and Coaching Teams Announced". Irish Rugby. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
^ "Claire Cruikshank to lead Edinburgh Rugby Women's Team". Edinburgh Rugby. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
^ "Glasgow Warriors announce coaching team for Celtic Challenge". Glasgow Warriors. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
^ "Irish Rugby | Clovers Progress To Top Three Play-Offs Despite Edinburgh Defeat" . Retrieved 4 February 2024.
^ "Celtic Challenge: Teams named for Gwalia Lightning v Brython Thunder". BBC Sport. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
^ "Clovers Progress To Top Three Play-Offs Despite Edinburgh Defeat". irishrugby.ie. 3 February 2023.
^ "Play Offs Explained". Celtic Challenge . 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

v t e Celtic Challenge
2024–25 teams	Ireland Wolfhounds Clovers Scotland Edinburgh Rugby Glasgow Warriors Wales Brython Thunder Gwalia Lightning
Seasons	2023 2023–24 2024–25
Former teams	Combined Provinces XV The Thistles Wales Development XV

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