AIB League

The AIB League is the national league system for the 48 senior rugby union clubs in Ireland, covering both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. However it is not the highest level of rugby union in Ireland, as teams representing the four Provinces of Ireland play against Scottish and Welsh teams in the Magners League.

The league was inaugurated in the 1990–91 season. It was not sponsored in the initial season, but was sponsored for six years by Insurance Corporation and since the beginning of 1998 by Allied Irish Banks. For sponsorship reasons it is the known as the AIB League.

It has been dominated by teams from Limerick City.

The IRFU has announced that the current structure of three divisions of sixteen teams will continue for at least the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/irish/6645089.stm|title=BBC report on league structure review|accessdate=2007-05-13]

Previous Winners

1991 Cork Constitution
1992 Garryowen
1993 Young Munster
1994 Garryowen
1995 Shannon
1996 Shannon
1997 Shannon
1998 Shannon
1999 Cork Constitution
2000 St. Mary's College
2001 Dungannon
2002 Shannon
2003 Ballymena
2004 Shannon ^[a]
2005 Shannon
2006 Shannon ^[b]
2007 Garryowen
2008 Cork Constitution

NOTES:

^[a] Cork Constitution won the most points, they were defeated by Shannon in the final.

^[b] Garryowen won the most points, they were defeated by Shannon in the semi-final who went on to beat Clontarf in the final.

Total wins by club

* Shannon 8
* Garryowen 3
* Cork Constitution 3
* Young Munster 1
* St. Mary's College RFC 1
* Dungannon 1
* Ballymena 1

AIB League Division 1 Season 2007-08

* Ballymena
* Blackrock College RFC
* Clontarf
* Cork Constitution
* Dolphin
* Dungannon RFC
* Galwegians
* Garryowen
* Greystones RFC
* Lansdowne FC
* Old Belvedere
* St. Mary's College RFC
* Shannon
* Terenure College RFC
* University College Dublin
* U.L. Bohemians (University of Limerick Bohemians)

AIB League Division 2 Season 2007-08

* Ballynahinch
* Barnhall
* Bective Rangers
* Belfast Harlequins
* Buccaneers
* Clonakilty
* D.L.S.P. (De La Salle Palmerston)
* Dublin University
* Highfield
* Malone
* Old Crescent
* Suttonians
* Thomond
* University College Cork R.F.C.
* Wanderers
* Young Munster

AIB League Division 3 Season 2007-08

_{See also: AIB Division Three}

* Ards
* Banbridge
* Bruff
* City of Derry
* Connemara
* Galway Corinthians RFC
* County Carlow FC
* Instonians
* Midleton
* Naas
* Nenagh Ormond
* Old Wesley
* Queen's University
* Rainey Old Boys
* Sundays Well
* Waterpark

Championship Deciders

* In each division the club finishing on top after the League series will receive a Union plaque but is not deemed the champion club of that division. Champions of each division are decided on a play-off of the top four clubs. First plays Fourth & Second plays Third. The winners then meet in a final.
* If a match is tied at the end of 80 minutes the following criteria determine the winner:
** Extra time of ten minutes each way will be played.
** If still tied, the club that has scored the most tries in the game will be the winner.
** If still tied, the club that finished in the higher position in the league during the season will be the winner.

Promotion & Relegation

DIVISION ONE
* The bottom two clubs will be relegated.

DIVISION TWO
* The top two clubs will be promoted into Division One.
* The bottom two clubs will be relegated.

DIVISION THREE
* The top two clubs will be promoted into Division Two.
* The club finishing bottom of Division Three will be relegated and replaced by the winner of the Round Robin competition.
* The club finishing second last in the division will play off with the club finishing runner-up in the Round Robin for a place in the third division.
* (The teams competing in the Round Robin competition are the winners of the Connacht, Leinster, Munster & Ulster Provincial Junior Leagues).

External links

* [http://www.sportsline.ie/aib/leagueindex.htm Official results service]

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