Celtic League Back On Track

The Celtic League will go ahead in September after the Irish, Scottish and Welsh rugby unions shook hands on a new four-year deal for the competition in London on Friday.

The three Welsh Region teams were originally expelled from the competition last month (May 31) for joining a new Anglo-Welsh Cup with teams from England’s Guinness Premiership.

However a compromise has been reached, with the Anglo-Welsh Cup being accomodated into the regular Celtic League season. The heightened possibility of bringing Italians teams into the Celtic League for the 2006/07 season will be up for discussion next May.

A statement, issued by the Celtic League following the meeting at the Heathrow hotel, read: “As a consequence of a very positive and productive meeting in London today the Celtic League Association confirms that the three unions have reached agreement to accommodate the proposed Anglo-Welsh Cup competition in the 2005-06 season.”

The League guarantees the Irish provinces 20 games per season.

The League’s Association is due to make another statement later today.