remaining meant that the 1998–99 Scottish Inter-District Championship was fought out in a three match 'Tri-Series' battle between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The combined sides did not fare better in Europe. Glasgow finished bottom of their group in the 1998–99 Heineken Cup. The SRU realised that Glasgow and Edinburgh needed more competition domestically than each other and so began a successful dialogue with the Welsh Rugby Union that resulted in both Scottish sides being entered in the WRU Challenge Cup in early 1999. Welsh-Scottish League era The WRU Challenge Cup was deemed a success and the SRU and WRU announced a new league system for the 1999-2000 season. The Welsh-Scottish League was essentially the Welsh Premier Division augmented by the Glasgow and Edinburgh sides. This meant the end of the Scottish Inter-District Championship although it did continue as before with the amateur district sides. The 1999-2000 season's Tri-Series was run without a sponsor. Glasgow won the title, but at a cost; they had beaten Edinburgh four times that season (including twice in the Tri-Series) and Edinburgh's only win was the 5th match, a dead rubber at the end of the Tri-Series. The fans didn't like the format and it was scrapped. The Welsh-Scottish League lasted three seasons. Although both Glasgow and Edinburgh finished no higher than mid-table for those three seasons, it did provide the Scottish sides with much needed competition. It was looked on as a successful model of co-operation between two rugby unions. The Irish Rugby Football Union began talks with the SRU and WRU about further extending the co-operation in a new Celtic League. Celtic League era The Celtic League began in truncated fashion in the autumn of 2001 with the addition of the four Irish provincial teams in two pools; Glasgow reached the semi-finals of the inaugural competition, but struggled thereafter. In its first year the Celtic League ran concurrently with the 2001–02 Welsh-Scottish League but fixture congestion meant that the Welsh-Scottish tournament was scrapped in favour of the new league. The new Celtic League was an instant success and the SRU took the opportunity to resurrect one of its disbanded districts in 2002. The Border Reivers were thus reborn for 2002–03 season. The Celtic League remained in its truncated 'pools' form for 2002–03 season before its expansion to a full league set-up the following season. This gave the SRU a one-off chance to revive the 2002–03