The Welsh Rugby Union announced today the ten
teams that will form the Principality Premiership Division of the game in Wales
from the start of the 2012/13 season.
The reformed ten team Division for the start of
the 2012/13 season will be: Aberavon, Bedwas, Cardiff, Cross Keys, Llandovery,
Llanelli, Neath, Newport, Pontypridd and Swansea.
The reforms are a result of an on-going, detailed
and extensive review of the Welsh domestic leagues that underpin the regional
structure. These changes, which also include the introduction of the newly
formed 14 team National Championship League, to commence next season, have had
input with representatives from the Regions, Division One and the Premiership.
Proposals were then ratified by the full Board of the WRU.
The review was based on the need to develop
player resources. The selection process was based on agreed criteria,
meritocracy over a six year period since the inception of the off field criteria
system and signatory to a participation between the clubs and the WRU, therefore
covering all aspects of the business.
The new Premiership clubs have all signed a
Participation Agreement and Rugby Charter which will safeguard rugby, player
welfare and the commercial strategies of all the teams involved.
The Premiership will continue to be supported by
Principality and will underpin the regions, whilst the National Championship
will sit at the peak of the community game and will therefore be supported by
SWALEC under the current agreement.
Former Premiership Clubs Bridgend, Tonmawr,
Pontypool and Carmarthan Quins move into the newly established National
Championship along with 10 teams promoted from Division 1 East and West. The
National Championship teams are Bargoed, Blackwood, Bonymaen, Bridgend,
Carmarthen, Ebbw Vale, Glamorgan Wanderers, Llanharan, Narbeth, Newbridge,
Pontypool, Tata Steel, Tonmawr & UWIC. Below the new National Championship
League, the existing SWALEC Division One East and Division One West will
continue in their present format.
As part of the Player Pathway initiative the flow
of players through Championship to Premiership Clubs and onwards to the four
professional Regions has been addressed and as a result the player permit system
currently in place will be relaxed to allow players to progress through the
pathway, being tested at varying levels of competition throughout their
development and to ensure players are allowed more game time at all
levels.
There will be promotion and relegation in the
National Championship and SWALEC Division 1 from 2012/13, although the four
displaced Premiership clubs will be safeguarded from relegation for the first
two seasons.
Those Clubs that have ambitions to play in the
Principality Premiership in future seasons will have the ability to apply and be
considered, however this will again be governed by a strict criteria assessing
both the on and off field business of the individual clubs.
Criteria can be amended by the WRU year on year
to ensure standards remain high and Welsh rugby continues to
progress.
The reform of the Premier Division has been put
in place to ensure the sustainability of the league going forward and the
quality of play in the semi-professional game in Wales.
WRU head of Rugby, Joe Lydon said, "The new
compact 10 team Premier Division is set to fulfil its crucial role of
underpinning the regional professional game but the format will, I believe,
enhance both the on and off field standards that all involved have worked so
hard to set and maintain.
"The key driver will continue to be player
development through quality of coaching and intensity of competition, while the
stability provided through enhanced WRU funding and the security of a fix term
period of two years, will allow the Welsh Principality Premier clubs the chance
to plan and build their respective business models in order to fulfil our
collective ambition of becoming world leaders in all aspects of
rugby.
"To further these ambitions the announced reforms
also focus on the introduction of the National Championship. These reforms focus
on club and community development with the newly created 12 team competition
becoming the pinnacle of domestic community rugby from next season.
"Whilst the pride and passion of on field
competition associated with Welsh Rugby will remain, these values will also be
recognised and rewarded in the continued enhancement of facilities and other
agreed criteria that place the club at the heart of the community game-
sustainable development that rewards our collective ambitions."
WRU Chairman David Pickering hailed the changes
as an important series of reforms which will help the game achieve a sustainable
future in Wales.
He said, "These reforms will create a Premier
Division which is fit for purpose and in good shape to deliver quality players
into the Regional structure in Wales.
"This has been a difficult but necessary process
and I applaud the good grace with which the clubs and the WRU Board have
delivered these bold changes.
"The process has been fully transparent and all
parties will now work extremely hard to ensure this process is implemented
effectively."
The Chairman of the Premier Division clubs, Chris
Clarke, of Cross Keys said, "Of course there are clubs which will be bitterly
disappointed at losing their Premiership status but we have to be realistic and
make tough decisions in the interests of Welsh rugby."
Rob Lewis sat on the Criteria Review Panel as the
representative of the Clubs in Division 1 West, "The creation of a new National
Championship Division underpinning the Premier Division should create another
level of quality rugby involving grass root clubs throughout Wales, which will
give a further opportunity for up and coming youngsters to play rugby regularly
at a highly competitive level. This can only be good for the long term
development of rugby in Wales.
"I am hopeful that the reduced Premier Division
and the new Championship Division will be a great success", said
Lewis.
Rob Butcher, who sat on the Criteria Review Panel
as the representative of Clubs in Division 1 East said, "The make-up of the
revised Premier Division and newly formed National Champions League has been
eagerly awaited and hotly debated over recent weeks, and must surely represent
the perfect opportunity for all concerned with Welsh Rugby to play their part in
ensuring that the most talented players in Wales are able to reach their full
potential within this revamped structure.
"The streamlined Premiership should now be able
to provide the Regions with the very best players on offer from what should be a
highly competitive division, whilst the National Championship will ensure that
the overwhelming majority of players at the all- important grassroots level will
be given a clear pathway towards the very top of the game in Wales.
"All in all, it's a good day for Welsh rugby with
the opening of the World Cup just days away."
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