Irish Universities Rugby Union

The magnificent old Cup was first contested in 1904, having been presented by the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, William Ward, Earl of Dudley, following a visit to Ireland by King Edward VII in 1903. While in Cork, the King indicated a desire to bestow a memento of the visit and when “a Cup for the rugger” was suggested, he entrusted the task to Lord Dudley.

In its early years, the Dudley Cup was contested between what were then the three Queen’s Colleges, Cork, Galway and Belfast. Trinity and UCD did not participate in the Dudley Cup until 1919/20 when UCD won it in their first season as a senior club. Trinity also played that season but did not do so again until, the Dudley Cup was revived in 1976 when Trinity won their first Dudley Cup.

Previously played in a traditional knock-out cup format, the growing success of university clubs in the All-Ireland League made it increasingly difficult to schedule Dudley Cup fixtures. In 2018, an innovative alternative was introduced; a challenge format similar to that used in New Zealand’s Ranfurly Shield. The Dudley Cup is now awarded to the winner of a match between the current holder and a challenger, with all participating teams getting a regular opportunity to play for the trophy. Where possible, AIL fixtures are designated as Dudley Cup challenges.

The Dudley Cup is played for now among the five senior grade University clubs playing in the AIL, namely University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin (playing as the Dublin University Football Club), Queen's University Belfast, MU Barnhall RFC and University College Cork. The current holders are University College Cork, who won the cup by defeating Queens University Belfast on 22 March 2025 by 28-29 at the Mardyke in Cork.

Combined Roll of Honour

UCD	24
UCC	22
QUB	15
DUFC	11
UG	2
MUB	1

Challenge Era

Challenge	Date	Holder	Score	Challenger	Venue
XIV	22 March 2025	QUB	28-29	UCC	UCC
XIII	01 March 2025	DUFC	14-33	QUB	DUFC
XII	25 January 2025	DUFC	24-21	UCC	DUFC
XI	30 March 2024	DUFC	22-13	UCD	DUFC
X	08 October 2022	DUFC	38-34	UCD	DUFC
IX	11 April 2022	DUFC	34-27	UCD	DUFC
VIII	11 Dec 2021	DUFC	48-8	UCC	DUFC
VII	08 October 2021	UCD	0-31	DUFC	UCD
VI	30 Nov 2019	UCC	10-24	UCD	UCC
V	23 Nov 2019	MUB	W/O	UCC	MUB
IV	16 Nov 2019	QUB	25-27	MUB	QUB
III	24 August 2019	QUB	41-35	DUFC	QUB
II	16 Nov 2018	UCD	24-29	QUB	QUB
I	06 October 2018	UCD	39-28	UCC	UCD

Original Format

Year	Winner
2017/18	No Competition
2016/17	UCD
2015/16	DUFC
2014/15	QUB
2013/14	UCD
2012/13	UCD
2011/12	UCD
2010/11	UCD
2009/10	UCD
2008/09	UCD
2004/09	No Competition
2003/04	UCD
2002/03	UCD
2001/02	UCD
2000/01	UCC
1999/00	UCD
1998/99	UCD
1997/98	UCC
1996/97	UCD
1995/96	UCC
1994/95	DUFC
1993/94	QUB
1992/93	UCD
1991/92	UCC
1990/91	DUFC
1989/90	UCD
1988/89	UCC
1987/88	UCD
1986/87	DUFC
1985/86	UCD
1984/85	UCD
1983/84	UCC
1982/83	UCD
1981/82	UCC
1980/81	UCC
1979/80	QUB
1978/79	UCC
1977/78	UCC
1976/77	UCD
1975/76	DUFC
1931/75	No Competition
1930/31	UCC
1929/30	NUIG
1928/29	UCD
1927/28	UCC
1926/27	UCC
1925/25	UCC
1924/25	UCC
1923/24	QUB
1922/23	QUB
1921/22	QUB
1920/21	QUB
1919/20	UCD
1914/19	No Competition
1913/13	UCC
1912/13	UCC
1911/12	UCC
1010/11	QUB
1909/10	UCC
1908/09	QUB
1907/08	QUB
1906/07	QUB
1905/06	UCC
1904/05	NUIG
1903/04	QUB

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