South Wales Premiership

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Football league

South Wales PremiershipFounded| 2003

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Country|  Wales
Number of teams| 8
Level on pyramid| 5
Promotion to| National Conference League via application to RFL
Domestic cup(s)| Challenge Cup
Current champions| South Wales Jets

The South Wales Premiership is the league for amateur rugby league clubs in southern Wales. Previously named the RLC Welsh Premier, it is ond of numerous leagues in the fifth tier of the British rugby league system.

## History[edit]

See also: History of the Rugby League Conference

The Rugby League Conference (RLC) was founded in 1997 as the Southern Conference, a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and English Midlands.

The RLC first expanded into Wales in 2001 when Cardiff Demons joined the South West division.

In 2003, the RLC expanded with the creation of the Welsh Premier division. This division had 6 teams in the inaugural season and marked the first all Welsh rugby league division.

The Welsh Premier division was split into two divisions East Wales and West Wales in 2006, though this decision was reversed for the following season.

The Welsh Conference Junior League began in 2009.

In 2010, due to the growth of the sport, a Championship division was formed which would function at one tier lower than the present Premier division. This Championship division featured teams from South Wales.

The RLC Welsh Championship division was given a re-structure following four West Wales clubs not fulfilling fixtures. Amman Valley Rhinos, Dinefwr Sharks, Swansea/Llanelli Dragons and West Wales Wild Boars were omitted and replaced with newly formed Dyffryn Devils.

In 2012 the league became the South Wales Premiership with the lower Championship division being abolished. 2012 also saw the creation of the North Wales Conference. This was part of large restructure of the RLC as the Conference League South was created.

From 2023, the winners of the competition will play the winners of the North Wales Conference for a place in the Challenge Cup. Due to logistical issues 2023 Champions (in their debut season), South Wales Jets were allocated the Welsh League place in the Challenge Cup

Source:[1][2]

For the 2024 season, JES Group was announced as the competition's principle sponsor.[3]

## Position in Pyramid[edit]

See also: British rugby league system

* 1: Super League
* 2: Championship
* 3: League 1
* 4: Conference League South
* 5: South Wales Premiership

## Teams[edit]

Eight teams will contest the 2024 season:[4]

* Aberavon Fighting Irish
* Bridgend Blue Bulls
* Cynon Valley Cavaliers
* Rhondda Outlaws
* South Wales Jets
* South Wales Saints
* Swansea Rams
* Torfaen Tigers

## Format[edit]

The competition is played as a single round robin with one loop fixture, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs.[4][3]

## Winners[edit]

See also: Rugby League Conference trophy winners

Source:[5]

RLC Welsh Premier era

* 2003: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2004: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2005: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2006: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2007: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2008: Valley Cougars
* 2009: Blackwood Bulldogs
* 2010: Valley Cougars
* 2011: Bridgend Blue Bulls

South Wales Premiership era

* 2012: Bonymaen Broncos
* 2013: Torfaen Tigers
* 2014: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2015: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2016: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2017: Valley Cougars
* 2018: Valley Cougars
* 2019: Rhondda Outlaws
* 2020: Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
* 2021: Bridgend Blue Bulls
* 2022: Rhondda Outlaws
* 2023: South Wales Jets

### Shield/Plate winners[edit]

The South Wales Premiership has, on occasion, held a shield/plate competition for clubs who failed to reach the playoffs:

* 2004: Cardiff Demons
* 2005: Newport Titans
* 2009: Newport Titans
* 2010: NPT Steelers
* 2011: Bonymaen Broncos
* 2014: Valley Cougars

## Junior league[edit]

The South Wales Premiership also operates at under-17, under-15, and under-13 age groups.

## See also[edit]

* Rugby League in Wales
* Wales Rugby League

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Wales Celebrates 20 Years of League Action".
2. ^ "20th anniversary fixtures revealed for South Wales men's league – Wales Rugby League (WRL)". 3 April 2023.
3. ^ a b "JES Group announced as principal league partner - Wales Rugby League (WRL)". 30 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
4. ^ a b "Rugby League in Wales: 'Sky is the limit' - Richard Hibbard". BBC Sport. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
5. ^ "South Wales Clubs History - Wales Rugby League (WRL)". 18 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

## External links[edit]

* Official Wales Rugby League website

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Wales

Federation:|

* Wales Rugby League

National teams:|

* Welsh national team
* results
* Wales women's national rugby league team
* Wales A
* Other Nationalities
* Wheelchair national team

International competitions:|

* Rugby League World Cup
* Home Nations Championship
* Rugby League European Cup

Domestic competitions:|

* Welsh Conference
* North Wales Conference
* Challenge Cup
* League 1

Professional clubs|

* North Wales Crusaders
* Celtic Crusaders
* South Wales Scorpions
* West Wales Raiders

Domestic teams|

* Blackwood Bulldogs
* Bonymaen Broncos
* Borderer Boars
* Bridgend Blue Bulls
* Cardiff Demons
* Conwy Celts
* Dee Valley Dragons
* Dyffryn Devils
* Flintshire Falcons
* Prestatyn and Rhyl Panthers
* Torfaen Tigers
* Titans RLFC
* Valley Cougars
* Wrexham Bradley Raiders

* Sports portal
* Wales portal

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Great Britain

Nations and regions|

* Rugby league in England
* Rugby league in Scotland
* Rugby league in Wales
* Rugby league in Cornwall
* Rugby league in Lancashire
* Rugby league in Yorkshire

Federations|

* Rugby Football League
* BARLA
* Scotland Rugby League
* Wales Rugby League

National teams|

* Great Britain
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

Women's national teams|

* Great Britain
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

Leagues|

* Super League
* Championship
* League 1
* National Conference League
* Cumbria Men's League
* Cumberland League
* East Rugby League
* London & South East Men's League
* Midlands Rugby League
* North East Rugby League
* North West Men's League
* South West Rugby League
* Yorkshire Men's League
* Pennine League
* Hull & District League
* London Mens League
* Southern Conference League
* Scottish National League
* North Wales Conference
* South Wales Premiership
* Women's Super League
* Women's Championship
* Wheelchair Super League
* Wheelchair Championship

Cups|

* Challenge Cup
* 1895 Cup
* Yorkshire Cup
* Conference Challenge Trophy
* BARLA National Cup
* BARLA Yorkshire Cup
* BARLA Cumbria Cup
* Cumberland County Cup
* Women's Challenge Cup
* Wheelchair Challenge Cup

Former
competitions|

* RFL Championship
* Premiership
* Divisional Premiership
* Rugby League Conference
* Lancashire Cup
* Lancs/Yorks League
* Regal Trophy
* Charity Shield
* BBC2 Floodlit Trophy
* Independent Television Floodlit Trophy
* Trans-Pennine Cup
* Championship Cup
* Conference League South
* BARLA Lancashire Cup
* Captain Morgan Trophy
* County Championship
* League 1 Cup
* Women's Rugby League Conference
* Women's Rugby League
* Women's Super League South

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