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Welsh Premier Division

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For the association football league, see Welsh Premier League.
Welsh Premier Division
Founded
1995
Nation
 Wales
Relegation to
WRU Division One East
WRU Division One West
Number of teams
14
Level on pyramid
Level 1
2010-11 League Winners
Pontypridd
2010-11 League Play-Off Champions
Llanelli
2009-10 British and Irish Cup Play-Off Champions
Neath
Website
Principality Premiership

The Welsh Premier Division (also called the Principality Premiership for sponsorship reasons) is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for the 1990–91 season.

Contents

[edit] Competition history

For the 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons it was renamed the Welsh-Scottish League with the addition of Edinburgh and Glasgow alongside the Welsh teams.

Originally at the top tier of rugby in Wales, the league lost this status in 2003 with the implementation of the WRU's "Regional Rugby" plan, by which the country would be represented in top-level competitions (i.e., the Magners League and Heineken Cup) by five (now four) regionally-based sides. The clubs in the Premier Division became largely developmental sides for the regional teams.

Over succeeding years the league structure was to be changed in order to strengthen the structure of the semi-pro sides feeding the regions. Under the WRU's plan, playing records and facilities will be the main criteria in determining which clubs would stay in the Premiership.

In the 2005–06 season the Welsh Premier Division consisted of 16 clubs. Division One Champions Maesteg and runners-up Glamorgan Wanderers were promoted from Division 1 to join 14 clubs who played Premiership rugby the previous season. The clubs relegated down to Division 1 were Caerphilly, Llanharan and Newbridge, thus, reducing the division from 17 to 16 clubs.

For the 2006–07 season, the Welsh Premier Division was reduced once more to 14 teams. The 2006–07 league was won by Neath RFC, making it three wins in three years.

For the 2007–08 season, a new points system was adopted, following the same system used in the Magners League, where teams earn four points for a win and two for a draw, and can earn bonus points for either scoring four tries or losing by less than seven points.[1] The relegation rules also changed during the season, stating that if a team failed to meet ground and facility standards during the season, then that club would fall into the final place rather than the club that finished last through points.

British and Irish Cup Qualification

In 2009-10 the top six clubs from the 2008-09 season qualified for the new British and Irish Cup competition. A play-off system was added at the end of the season for the top eight sides to qualify for the following season's British and Irish Cup. Only six teams can qualify for this from the eight. These play-offs do not decide the League Championship, as the league leaders at the end of the regular 26 game season will be Champions.

At the start of the 2010-11 season it was announced that the Welsh Premiership title would be settled by a play-off at a neutral ground. At the end of the season, play-offs will involve the second and third placed teams meeting at a neutral venue, with the winners facing the team who finished top after the regular season in the final. Two-other play-off issues are also set to feature at the end of the campaign. The top five teams in the league will win automatic entry into the following season's British and Irish Cup with the sixth and final place decided by a play-off. This will see the teams finishing in 7th and 8th position meeting for the right to play the sixth-placed club.

Promotion from Division 1 was revamped from the 2010-11 season with play-offs taking place for this too. The bottom-placed team in the Welsh Premiership was grouped with the respective division winners in Division 1 East, North and West - provided they meet the Premiership criteria.

For the 2012-13 season the Premier Division will be reduced to 12 teams.

[edit] 2010-11 Season

[edit] 2010-11 Teams

Details: 2010-11 Principality Premiership

Locations of Premier League teams (2010-11) with colour marker showing which region they belong to

[edit] Table

KEY
Champions
Qualified for Play-Offs
Relegated
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1 Wales Pontypridd RFC 26 23 1 2 767 382 385 92 40 11 2 107
2 Wales Neath RFC 26 21 0 5 733 426 307 84 38 12 4 100
3 Wales Llanelli RFC 26 19 0 7 869 486 383 101 60 11 4 91
4 Wales Aberavon RFC 26 17 0 9 804 633 171 90 63 11 4 83
5 Wales Swansea RFC 26 12 1 13 761 470 91 101 81 15 6 72
6 Wales Cross Keys RFC 26 13 1 12 635 543 92 62 56 6 8 68
7 Wales Newport RFC 26 14 1 11 620 657 -37 71 77 6 2 66
8 Wales Tonmawr RFC 26 12 2 12 614 651 -37 65 63 8 5 65
9 Wales Cardiff RFC 26 10 2 14 611 613 -2 65 60 7 8 59
10 Wales Bedwas RFC 26 11 0 15 532 665 -133 52 77 4 6 54
11 Wales Carmarthen Quins RFC 26 9 0 17 518 710 -192 55 79 4 3 43
12 Wales Pontypool RFC 26 7 1 18 584 718 -134 57 78 3 5 38
13 Wales Llandovery RFC 26 6 1 19 511 734 -223 57 88 4 7 37
14 Wales Glamorgan Wanderers RFC 26 3 0 23 489 1067 -578 55 146 5 4 21
Correct as of 2011-05-07


[edit] 2009-10 Season

[edit] 2009-10 Teams

Details: 2009-10 Principality Premiership

Locations of Premier League teams (2009-10) with colour marker showing which region they belong to

[edit] Table

KEY
Champions
Qualified for Play-Offs
Relegated
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1 Wales Neath RFC 26 21 0 5 927 532 395 125 53 18 2 104
2 Wales Swansea RFC 26 19 1 6 780 527 253 101 60 15 3 96
3 Wales Newport RFC 26 18 0 8 685 470 215 81 47 9 5 86
4 Wales Pontypridd RFC 26 16 1 9 682 521 161 82 58 11 4 81
5 Wales Aberavon RFC 26 14 4 8 709 617 92 82 70 10 3 77
6 Wales Llanelli RFC 26 14 2 10 663 565 98 76 64 11 6 77
7 Wales Cardiff RFC 26 15 2 9 612 473 120 66 46 7 4 75
8 Wales Llandovery RFC 26 12 1 13 636 621 15 71 68 6 4 60
9 Wales Carmarthen Quins RFC 26 11 0 15 515 562 −47 52 61 3 5 52
10 Wales Cross Keys RFC 26 9 1 16 502 550 −48 49 49 2 7 47
11 Wales Bedwas RFC 26 8 0 18 516 792 −276 53 100 5 7 44
12 Wales Glamorgan Wanderers RFC 26 7 0 19 461 657 −196 47 88 2 10 40
13 Wales Pontypool RFC 26 7 0 19 464 891 −427 52 113 5 3 36
14 Wales Ebbw Vale RFC 26 5 0 21 312 687 −375 23 82 1 7 28
Correct as of 2010-04-21


[edit] 2008-09 Season

[edit] 2008-09 Teams

Details: 2008-09 Principality Premiership

[edit] 2008-09 Table

Team Pld W D L PF PA TF TA Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1 Cardiff RFC 26 20 0 6 681 509 80 50 10 3 93
2 Newport RFC 26 18 0 8 746 424 84 42 13 5 90
3 Aberavon RFC 26 17 0 9 691 481 80 53 12 4 84
4 Llanelli RFC 26 17 0 9 614 525 65 57 5 5 78
5 Pontypridd RFC 26 16 2 8 611 467 76 51 6 3 77
6 Neath RFC 26 15 1 10 634 498 76 47 7 7 76
7 Glamorgan Wanderers 26 13 1 12 496 565 52 59 6 3 63
8 Swansea RFC 26 10 2 14 617 576 69 65 6 8 58
9 Cross Keys RFC 26 9 1 16 476 679 53 77 2 6 46
10 Ebbw Vale RFC 26 8 3 15 397 543 41 61 1 5 44
11 Bedwas RFC 26 8 1 17 476 622 53 74 2 6 42
12 Llandovery RFC 26 8 1 17 389 547 35 66 0 8 42
13 Pontypool RFC 26 9 0 17 475 674 48 81 2 3 41
14 Bridgend Ravens 26 7 2 17 454 647 47 75 1 8 41
Correct as of 2009-05-10


[edit] 2007-08 Season

[edit] 2007-08 Teams

[edit] 2007-08 Table

2007-2008 Principality Welsh Premiership League Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points difference Bonus Points Points
Neath RFC 26 19 1 6 697 381 +316 15 93
Cardiff RFC 26 18 1 7 544 449 +95 6 80
Pontypridd RFC 26 16 1 9 523 411 +112 11 77
Swansea RFC 26 16 2 8 547 487 +60 8 76
Ebbw Vale RFC 26 15 2 9 499 430 +69 10 74
Aberavon RFC 26 15 1 10 591 571 +20 10 72
Newport RFC 26 12 0 14 441 462 −21 12 60
Bedwas RFC 26 11 2 13 499 474 +25 12 60
Llanelli RFC 26 10 4 12 527 468 +59 12 60
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC 26 10 2 14 439 451 −12 11 55
Cross Keys RFC 26 10 1 15 430 475 −45 9 51
Bridgend Ravens 26 9 1 16 397 515 −118 9 47
Llandovery RFC 26 7 0 19 384 684 −300 5 33
Maesteg RFC 26 4 2 20 415 674 −259 6 26
Correct as of 2008-05-18


[edit] 2006-07 Season

[edit] 2006-07 Teams

[edit] 2006-07 Table

2006-07 Principality Welsh Premiership League Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points difference Points
Neath RFC 26 17 2 7 704 473 +231 53
Ebbw Vale RFC 26 16 3 7 557 503 +54 51
Newport RFC 26 16 2 8 619 480 +139 50
Pontypridd RFC 26 16 1 9 543 504 +39 49
Llanelli RFC 26 12 2 12 629 509 +120 38
Glamorgan Wanderers RFC 26 12 2 12 577 602 -25 38
Aberavon RFC 26 12 2 12 603 615 -12 38
Cardiff RFC 26 12 1 13 601 580 +21 37
Swansea RFC 26 12 0 14 487 611 -124 36
Bedwas RFC 26 11 1 14 446 524 -78 34
Bridgend Ravens 26 11 0 15 461 508 -47 33
Maesteg RFC 26 10 0 16 531 596 -65 30
Cross Keys RFC 26 9 2 15 485 528 -43 29
Llandovery RFC 26 7 0 19 482 692 -210 21
Correct as of 2007-04-18


[edit] Past Premier Division winners

[edit] Premier Division champions by season

1990-91 Neath

1991-92 Swansea

1992-93 Llanelli

1993-94 Swansea

1994-95 Cardiff

1995-96 Neath

1996-97 Pontypridd

1997-98 Swansea

1998-99 Llanelli

1999-2000 Cardiff

2000-01 Swansea

2001-02 Llanelli

2002-03 Bridgend

2003-04 Newport

2004-05 Neath

2005-06 Neath

2006-07 Neath

2007-08 Neath

2008-09 Cardiff

2009-10 Neath

2010-11 Llanelli

[edit] Premier Division Wins by Club

Rank Club Titles Years
1 Neath 7 1991, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010
2 Llanelli 4 1993, 1999, 2002, 2011
3 Swansea 4 1992, 1994, 1998, 2001
= Cardiff 3 1995, 2000, 2009
5 Bridgend 1 2003
= Newport 1 2004
= Pontypridd 1 1997

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Welsh Rugby Union National League Rules 2008-09

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Welsh Premier Division 2011-12
Governing body
National teams
National team competitions
Regional and club teams
Regional and club competitions
Previous competitions
Related articles
Top-level rugby union club competitions
Continental - Transnational
First tier leagues (Europe)
First tier leagues (outside Europe)
Tier 1
  • Welsh Premier Division
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Tier 5
Tier 6
Tier 7
Northern leagues
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Welsh_Premier_Division&oldid=473418476"
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