The 2018–19 Pro14 (also known as the Guinness Pro14 for sponsorship reasons) is the eighteenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League.

Leinster were the defending champions, having won the 2017–18 final at the Aviva Stadium to take their fifth title in the competition's various iterations and seal a domestic league and European Cup double, becoming only the sixth team to do so and the first from the Pro14.

[7] To ensure a competitive balance, the teams are distributed approximately evenly between the conferences based upon their performance in the previous season.

The fourth ranked eligible team in each conference meet in a play-off match with the winner taking the seventh Champions Cup place.

[17][18] The team's all-time leading scorer Johnny Sexton was named as captain in August 2018, with Rhys Ruddock as his vice-captain.

[19] The team also had a new backs coach following the departure of Girvan Dempsey, who signed with English Premiership side Bath in May 2018.

It was announced in October 2017 that he would leave the province at the end of the 2017–18 season,[22] with French Top 14 side Racing 92 later being confirmed as his next club.

[26] However the Scottish Rugby Union insisted that McFarland must serve the nine-month notice period in his contract before joining Ulster, which would have left the province without a head coach until January 2019.

[29] Another addition to the coaching staff was long-serving squad member and Ireland international Jared Payne, who was forced to retire in May 2018 due to a head injury suffered on the 2017 Lions tour.

It was announced in March 2018 that incumbent captain Francois Venter would leave the team at the end of the season, joining English side Worcester Warriors.

[45] For the first time in eight seasons, the side came into the campaign with a new captain, with Justin Tipuric replacing Alun Wyn Jones in the role.

[46] This was Wayne Pivac's final season in charge of the Scarlets, as it was announced in July 2018 that he would succeed Warren Gatland as Wales head coach.

[131] Pro14 2018–19 14-man referee elite squad: (number of matches refereed):[132] Note: Additional referees are used throughout the season, selected from a select development squad that includes; Craig Evans (2) and Adam Jones (0) – both WRU, Sam Grove-White (3), Ben Blain (2), Keith Allen (1) – SRU and Joy Neville (1) – IRFU The 2018–19 Pro14 Dream Team is:[133] The 2018–19 Pro14 season award winners are:[134] Note: Flags to the left of player names indicate national team as has been defined under World Rugby eligibility rules, or primary nationality for players who have not yet earned international senior caps.