2002-03
The League is expanded to 16 teams with the introduction of a third Scottish side – the Borders, but the teams still only meet once during the season.
The tournament begins on 30 August 2002 with a newly introduced bonus point scheme awarding a try bonus point for four tries or more and a losing bonus point for sides defeated by seven points or less. There are four points available for a win and two for a draw.
The quarter-finals, between the top four finishers in each pool, follow in late November. The semis are in early January.
The second final takes place at Millennium Stadium on 1 February 2003 and sees Munster defeat Neath 37-17 in front of over 30,000 spectators.

2003-04
Wales introduce regional rugby, with their five new regions taking up their places in a 12 team league, playing each other home and away for the first time in a 22 week League lasting the entire season which begins on 5 September 2003.
A 12 team Celtic Cup competition is also intoduced with Ulster taking the spoils, beating Edinburgh 27-21 in the final at Murrayfield on 20 December.
The League title is won by Llanelli Scarlets on 14 May 2004 with a 23-16 victory over Ulster at Stradey Park taking the Welshmen four points clear at the top, the first time the champions are decided this way.

2004-05
The League loses a team with the demise of Welsh Region the Celtic Warriors. To correct the imbalance the remaining eleven teams will each have two weeks off during the league season beginning on 3 September 2004.
The Ospreys win the league title on 26 March 2005 when they beat Edinburgh 29-12 at the Gnoll with a match to spare.
The top eight sides in the league table at the end of the campaign qualify to play in the quarter-finals of the now end of season Celtic Cup, which is eventually won by Munster with a 27-16 victory over Llanelli Scarlets at Lansdowne Road on 14 May 2005.

2005-06
Because of the unevenness of an 11 team league, Celtic Rugby introduce a scoring system whereby free weekends are acknowledged with a four point “win”. The league season begins on 2 September 2005.
The league attendance record is smashed on five occasions throughout the season.
Ulster win the league title with a 19-17 victory against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium on 26 May 2006 in the final weekend of the season, pipping Llanelli Scarlets by a single point.

2006-07
On 19 July 2006 Magners Irish Cider are unveiled as the first ever tournament sponsors. The new Magners League begins on 1 September, the table decided without the additional points for the free weekend.
The league attendance record is raised twice more, culminating in a 48,000 sell-out for the “Last Stand” final game at the old Lansdowne Road on New Year’s Eve 2006 where Leinster beat Ulster 20-12.
The Ospreys take their second league title and the inaugural Magners one on 12 May 2007 on the final day of the season courtesy of a 24-16 win over Border Reivers at Netherdale after both Leinster and Cardiff Blues had come up just short with their challenge.

2007-08
The Magners League is now down to 10 teams with Scotland entering only two teams – Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby. This reduction allows for a  later start to the competition, - 22 September 2007 - to accommodate the Rugby World Cup.

A number of measures are introduced by Celtic Rugby to align the tournament with other professional rugby competitions, including the introduction of Television Match Officials and Citing Commissioners on matchdays.

After early dominance by Welsh teams, Leinster take over at the top of the table in late November and remain there to lift the Magners League title- their second league trophy -  on the penultimate weekend of the season, in front of a packed crowd at the RDS.

2008-09
In line with the decision of the IRB Council to implement a global trial beginning on August 1, 2008, Magners League games will incorporate the 13 Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) that have undergone on field experimentation in approved tournaments around the world over the last two years.

Previous Champions

2007/08 Leinster

2006/07 Ospreys

2005/06 Ulster

2004/05 Neath Swansea Ospreys

2003/04 Llanelli Scarlets

2002/03 Munster

2001/02 Leinster

Best Supported Team
In 2003/04, the season that League games were first played on a home and away basis, Celtic Rugby introduced an award for the ‘Best Supported Team’ recognising the team with the highest average gate over the season. Last season Leinster claimed the title for a second successive year, their average gates of 14,361 bettered only by three teams in European league rugby: Leicester Tigers, Stade Français and Toulouse.

2007/08 Leinster  14,361

2006/07 Leinster  11,892

2005/06 Ulster  9,182

2004/05 Ulster  6,693

2003/04 Ulster  6,850