South Wales Premiership

South Wales Premiership

Founded	2003
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 it was part of the Rugby League Conference but became standalone in 2012.

History

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:

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

Position in Pyramid

See also: British rugby league system

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

Teams

Eight teams will contest the 2024 season:

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

Format

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

Winners

See also: Rugby League Conference trophy winners

Source:

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

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

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

See also

• Rugby League in Wales
• Wales Rugby League

External links

• Official Wales Rugby League website