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Welsh Championship

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For the defunct tennis competition, see Welsh Championships.

WRU Admiral Championship
Founded2012
Country Wales
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toWelsh Premier Division
Relegation toWRU Division One East
WRU Division One East Central
WRU Division One West Central
WRU Division One West
Domestic cup(s)WRU Championship Cup
Current championsPontypool RFC (2022/23)
Most championshipsPontypool (3 Titles since 2012)
TV partnersBBC Wales, S4C, BBC Sport
WebsiteWRU National Championship
Current: 2024–25 WRU Championship

The WRU National Championship (or Admiral Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second tier of professional rugby union in Wales. The league was reformed by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) in 2012.

The current National Championship champions are Pontypool RFC, who won consecutive titles in 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Pontypool RFC went through the 2022/23 Season unbeaten as Champions, with Neath RFC in second place also being promoted.

History

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In 2012, the new division was formed from the restructuring of the Welsh Premier Division. The Premier Division was 'slimmed down' to 12 teams with Pontypool RFC and Tonmawr RFC relegated from the division. Tonmawr had already made the decision to opt out of the new league and would start the 2012–13 season in Division Six.

The National Championship is the second tier, which lies below the first tier Welsh Premier Division in Welsh club rugby. Above Welsh club rugby sides are the four regions, the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues, and Dragons, as part of regional rugby, who instead compete in the Pro14.

Restructuring process

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The teams for the league would be decided on three factors. Firstly, the holding of an 'A Licence' based on stadium criteria. The signing of a 'Participation Agreement' and judged on league results over the previous six seasons. It was originally decided that the Premiership would reduce in size to ten teams.[1] It was announced that four clubs, Pontypool, Tonmwar, Bridgend Ravens and Carmarthen Quins RFC had not achieved the required criteria to be included into the new league. However, pressure from Ospreys and Scarlets backers led to the league being extended to 12 teams with Bridgend and Carmarthen included.[2] Tonmawr, citing financial reasons, opted not to take part in the new league at all and re-entered themselves into Division Six.[3]

[edit]

The new league came under scrutiny in 2012 when Pontypool RFC launched a legal challenge to avoid being the only club relegated to the new division, which they ultimately lost on the grounds of 'meritocracy'.[4][5] Pontypool had finished 12th in the previous campaign, above rivals Bedwas RFC and level on points with historic rivals Newport RFC.

2024-25 season

[edit]
Main article: 2023–24 WRU Championship

Colour markers to represent the region each club belongs to:
Blue = Cardiff Rugby || Orange = Dragons || Black = Ospreys || Red = Scarlets

Championship East
TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
Beddau RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bedwas RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rumney RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
St Peter's RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Penallta RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Treorchy RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brynmawr RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Talywain RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ynysddu RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cambrian Welfare RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Aberdare RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mountain Ash RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Championship West
TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
Dunvant RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Trebanos RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Crymych RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ammanford RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ystalyfera RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Maesteg Harlequins RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tata Steel RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Llanelli Wanderers RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gorseinion RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gowerton RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Tondu RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Glynneath RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kenfig Hill RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2023-24 season

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Main article: 2023–24 WRU Championship
Championship East
TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
Bargoed RFC 22 20 0 2 898 374 524 131 49 19 0 99
Cardiff Met RFC 22 16 0 2 787 488 299 112 64 13 4 81
Cross Keys RFC 22 15 1 6 655 552 103 90 73 12 1 75
Ystrad Rhondda 22 15 0 7 659 547 112 100 72 14 3 75
Newbridge RFC 22 14 0 8 675 507 168 97 65 12 3 71
Beddau RFC 22 12 0 10 558 510 48 72 169 9 6 63
Bedwas RFC 22 12 0 10 550 612 -62 70 82 9 3 60
Rumney RFC 22 9 0 13 569 612 -43 73 81 9 8 53
The Wanderers 22 8 1 13 491 575 -84 61 85 5 6 45
St Peters RFC 22 4 0 18 504 700 -196 73 101 10 11 37
Penallta RFC 22 5 0 17 523 745 -222 70 107 7 3 28
Treorchy RFC 22 1 0 21 305 952 -647 42 143 3 4 9
Championship West
TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
Narberth RFC 22 21 0 1 954 304 650 139 41 17 1 102
Brecon RFC 22 20 0 2 791 401 390 114 51 17 1 98
Llangennech RFC 22 17 0 5 862 422 440 131 57 19 2 89
Bonymaen RFC 22 14 0 8 573 435 138 86 55 14 5 75
Newcastle Emlyn RFC 22 11 0 11 521 567 -46 70 75 7 3 54
Dunvant RFC 22 10 0 12 504 583 -79 69 81 8 4 52
Trebanos RFC 22 11 0 11 450 595 -145 49 83 5 2 51
Crymych RFC 22 9 0 13 539 597 -58 70 82 9 6 51
Ammanford RFC 22 7 0 15 483 680 -197 64 95 5 5 38
Ystalyfera RFC 22 6 1 15 432 745 -313 63 104 7 3 36
Maesteg Harlequins 22 5 1 16 408 767 -359 45 107 4 3 29
Tata Steel RFC 22 0 0 22 363 784 -421 47 116 3 5 8

2022-23 season

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Main article: 2022–23 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
1 Pontypool RFC 26 26 0 0 1286 292 994 193 34 25 0 129
2 Neath RFC 26 23 0 3 973 342 631 147 41 24 3 119
3 Bargoed RFC 26 22 0 4 883 399 484 133 53 19 1 108
4 Ystrad Rhondda 25 17 1 7 739 428 311 109 56 14 4 88
5 Narberth RFC 26 15 0 11 734 518 216 102 72 13 5 74
6 Cardiff Met RFC 26 14 0 12 770 765 5 108 112 13 1 70
7 Bedwas RFC 26 13 0 13 673 657 16 94 96 14 3 65
8 Cross Keys RFC 26 11 0 15 700 723 -23 101 100 14 4 62
9 Beddau RFC 25 11 0 14 514 571 -57 74 80 9 4 57
10 Maesteg Harlequins 26 9 1 16 447 793 -346 50 116 5 1 44
11 The Wanderers 26 8 0 18 526 870 -344 76 124 11 2 41
12 Trebanos RFC 26 6 0 20 404 751 -347 55 115 4 4 24
13 Ystalyfera RFC 26 5 0 21 390 899 -509 58 129 4 1 21
14 Tata Steel RFC 26 0 0 26 266 1297 -1031 32 204 1 0 -3

2021-22 season

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Main article: 2021–22 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
1 Bargoed RFC (C) 13 12 0 1 368 158 210 51 19 8 0 56
2 Neath RFC 13 11 0 2 382 246 136 52 27 7 2 53
3 Pontypool RFC 11 9 0 2 441 100 341 61 11 9 1 46
4 Bedwas RFC 12 9 0 3 290 234 56 38 29 4 1 41
5 Narberth RFC 12 7 0 5 307 214 93 36 27 4 3 35
6 Cardiff Met RFC 13 7 0 6 355 297 58 48 42 4 2 34
7 Cross Keys RFC 11 5 0 6 196 224 -28 25 28 2 4 26
8 Maesteg Harlequins 12 5 0 7 226 265 -39 26 36 2 3 25
9 Ystrad Rhondda RFC 10 4 0 6 136 219 -83 20 29 2 1 19
10 The Wanderers 12 4 0 8 212 384 -172 29 55 1 1 18
11 Trebanos RFC 10 3 0 7 150 253 -103 18 35 0 1 13
12 Tata Steel RFC 12 1 0 11 199 433 -234 25 61 2 2 8
13 Ystalyfera RFC 8 1 0 7 126 199 -73 14 25 1 2 7
14 Beddau RFC 9 1 0 8 90 252 -162 12 31 1 0 5

2020–21 season

[edit]

Cancelled due to COVID-19

2019–20 season

[edit]
Main article: 2019–20 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS
1 Pontypool RFC (C) 16 16 0 0 746 136 610 112 18 14 0 78
2 Bargoed RFC 16 14 1 1 663 148 515 96 16 14 1 73
3 Bedwas RFC 17 13 0 4 478 236 242 65 29 10 3 65
4 Cardiff Met RFC 18 13 1 4 528 393 135 75 56 9 0 63
5 Neath RFC 17 8 0 9 344 413 -69 44 55 5 4 41
6 Narberth RFC 16 8 1 7 339 335 4 41 47 4 1 39
7 Cross Keys RFC 17 8 0 9 316 395 -79 39 52 3 3 38
8 The Wanderers 16 8 0 8 233 340 -107 24 43 1 2 35
9 Maesteg Harlequins 16 8 0 8 235 370 -135 25 44 2 0 34
10 Ystrad Rhondda RFC 16 6 0 10 270 350 -80 31 41 3 4 31
11 Beddau RFC (R) 16 4 0 12 220 506 -286 29 75 2 1 19
12 Trebanos RFC (R) 16 2 2 12 175 336 -161 21 45 0 6 18
13 Tata Steel RFC (R) 16 2 1 13 232 521 -289 29 68 1 4 15
14 Ystalyfera RFC (R) 17 2 0 15 204 504 -300 23 65 0 5 13

2018–19 season

[edit]
Main article: 2018–19 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Pontypool RFC 15 15 0 0 529 203 326 73
2 Ystrad Rhondda RFC 18 14 0 4 449 362 87 65
3 Narberth RFC 17 14 0 3 389 260 129 63
4 Cardiff Met RFC 19 12 1 6 475 328 147 59
5 Bedlinog RFC 16 6 1 9 276 350 -74 33
6 Maesteg Harlequins RFC 13 7 0 6 234 289 -55 29
7 Trebanos RFC 15 5 0 10 288 330 -42 29
8 Newbridge RFC 18 5 1 12 308 436 -128 28
9 Tata Steel RFC 14 4 0 10 349 378 -29 26
10 Beddau RFC 17 4 0 13 320 422 -102 26
11 Rhydyfelin RFC 15 4 1 10 235 337 -102 24
12 Newcastle Emlyn RFC 15 4 0 11 273 430 -157 21

Correct as of 26 February 2019

2017–18 season

[edit]
Main article: 2017–18 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Pontypool RFC (C) 22 22 0 0 926 239 687 107
2 Narberth RFC 22 14 1 7 595 439 156 72
3 Trebanos RFC 22 14 0 8 501 335 166 69
4 Tata Steel RFC 22 13 0 9 546 483 63 66
5 Newbridge RFC 22 12 0 10 460 461 -1 58
6 Bedlinog RFC 22 10 2 10 480 501 -21 58
7 Rhydyfelin RFC 22 10 0 12 391 435 -44 49
8 Newcastle Emlyn RFC 22 9 1 12 470 633 -163 47
9 Beddau RFC 22 8 0 14 379 543 -164 43
10 Cardiff Met RFC 22 7 2 13 473 638 -165 40
11 Skewen RFC (R) 22 7 0 15 351 535 -184 34
12 Glynneath RFC (R) 22 3 0 19 292 622 -330 17

"r" denotes relegation to the WRU Division One East or WRU Division One West

2016–17 season

[edit]
Main article: 2016–17 WRU Championship
POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Pontypool RFC (C) 22 21 0 1 805 279 526 98
2 Narberth RFC 22 17 0 5 649 362 287 81
3 Tata Steel RFC 22 14 0 8 578 451 127 70
4 Beddau RFC 22 14 0 8 535 397 138 70
5 Newcastle Emlyn RFC 22 10 1 11 411 504 -93 54
6 Cardiff Met RFC 22 10 0 12 435 562 -127 46
7 Newbridge RFC 22 9 0 13 403 534 -131 45
8 Glynneath RFC 22 10 0 12 339 488 -149 44
9 Bedlinog RFC 22 8 1 13 407 440 -33 44
10 Skewen RFC 22 8 1 13 314 418 -104 41
11 The Wanderers (R) 22 7 1 14 405 490 -85 41
12 Dunvant RFC (R) 22 2 0 20 434 790 -356 16

2015–16 season

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POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Merthyr RFC 26 24 0 2 1192 289 903 118
2 Swansea RFC 26 22 1 3 859 402 457 108
3 Bargoed RFC 26 19 1 6 779 401 378 97
4 RGC 1404 RFC 26 19 0 7 928 460 468 96
5 Pontypool RFC 26 19 1 6 794 428 366 94
6 Beddau RFC 26 10 1 15 537 567 -30 52
7 Cardiff Met RFC 26 9 0 17 631 828 -197 51
8 Tata Steel RFC 26 11 0 15 622 787 -165 50
9 Narberth RFC 26 8 1 17 564 710 -146 48
10 Newcastle Emlyn RFC 26 10 0 16 538 668 -130 47
11 Newbridge RFC 26 9 0 17 501 686 -185 47
12 Glynneath RFC 26 9 0 17 461 767 -306 45
13 Bridgend Athletic RFC 26 9 1 16 362 648 -286 43
14 Llanharan RFC 26 1 0 25 277 1404 -1127 7

2014–15 season

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POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Bargoed RFC 26 25 0 1 958 362 596 124
2 Swansea RFC 26 22 0 4 909 386 523 107
3 Merthyr RFC 26 19 0 7 671 452 219 89
4 RGC 1404 RFC 26 15 0 11 848 436 412 83
5 Pontypool RFC 26 16 0 10 639 483 156 77
6 Narberth RFC 26 15 1 10 542 562 -20 70
7 Cardiff Met RFC 26 14 0 12 648 533 115 66
8 Bridgend Athletic RFC 26 14 0 12 496 465 31 65
9 Tata Steel RFC 26 12 0 14 486 651 -165 58
10 Glynneath RFC 26 9 0 17 532 653 -121 43
11 Newbridge RFC 26 7 1 18 479 777 -298 39
12 Llanharan RFC 26 6 0 20 475 663 -188 33
13 Tondu RFC 26 4 0 22 461 717 -256 30
14 Blackwood RFC 26 3 0 23 368 1372 -1004 20

Winners

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Season Winners
2012-13 Ebbw Vale RFC
2013-14 Ebbw Vale RFC
2014-15 Bargoed RFC
2015-16 Merthyr RFC
2016-17 Pontypool RFC
2017-18 Pontypool RFC
2018-19 Pontypool RFC
2019-20 Pontypool RFC
2020-21 COVID-19
2021-22 Bargoed RFC
2022-23 Pontypool RFC

References

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  1. ^ "Premier Division to be Reduced to ten teams". Bbc.co.uk. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Bridgend & Carmarthen Quins set for Welsh Premiership reprieve". Bbc.co.uk. 25 November 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Tonmawr drop out of league". Thisissouthwales.co.uk. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Pontypool 'not good' enough for league". Bbc.co.uk. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Pontypool lose legal challenge". Bbc.co.uk. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
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