Rugby league in Ireland

The Blues competed against touring teams from Britain, scoring a number of victories over British amateur opposition.

[citation needed] A student's framework was also established with teams representing Ireland at the Student's Rugby League World Cup in Australia in 1992 and the UK in 1996 comprising Ireland based and UK based players.

In 1996 the tournament was based in Warrington, England and several members of the Irish national champion Dublin Blues represented the Ireland Student Team against USA, Western Samoa, New Zealand, Japan and Wales.

[citation needed] In 1995 Ireland formed its first competitive team to play against the USA in Washington DC on St. Patrick's Day.

Some of the players involved in the State of Origin series from both regions over the next few years included some of the original players with Rugby League in Ireland: Eric Doyle, Phelim Comerford, Rickey Smith, Innes Gray, Brian Carney, Sean Cleary, Gavin Gordon, Conor O'Sullivan, Garret Molloy, Mick Molloy, Alan Cuffe, Rody Corrigan, Phelim Dolan, Dan McCartney, Mark Cashen and Mick Browne.

From Leinster there were Dublin-based Dublin Blues, North Side Saints, Tallaght Tigers,[2] Churchtown Warriors, Seapoint Sharks and Bray-based East Coast Panthers.

[citation needed] Northside Saints and Cork Bulls had a number of successes, but the long-established Dublin Blues were always pre-eminent and there or thereabouts when it came to the trophy presentations.

Ireland finished 2nd again in the student's 4 nations tournament in 2023 beating Wales and Scotland in a strong showing for the team.

The BBC covers the Rugby League Challenge Cup from the rounds in which the top clubs enter.

Manchester based Channel M show some National League and amateur rugby on their Code XIII programme.

Since its formation in 1997, winners of the RLI Premiership have been eligible to play in the Rugby Football League's Challenge Cup.