The Welsh Rugby Union Premiership, known as the Admiral Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for the 1990–91 season. There have been a number of title sponsors for the league since its inception but, in 2023 the sponsor changed to Admiral Group. The Premiership is the third tier of Welsh rugby union and the highest ranked division in the community game.

2025–26 season The teams are feeder clubs for the following regions: = Cardiff Rugby, = Dragons, = Ospreys, = Scarlets. Clubs and locations

Club Stadium Capacity Area Previous season Bargoed RFC Bargoed Park Bargoed 4th Premiership Beddau RFC Castellau Road Beddau 1st Championship East (Promoted) Brecon RFC The Watton Brecon 5th Premiership Cardiff Met RFC Cyncoed Campus Cardiff 9th Premiership Cross Keys RFC Pandy Park Crosskeys 6th Premiership Llanelli Wanderers RFC Stradey Park Avenue Llanelli 1st Championship West (Promoted) Llangennech RFC Llangennech Main Field Llangennech 7th Premiership Merthyr RFC The Wern Merthyr 1st Premiership (Champions) Narberth RFC Spring Gardens Narberth 11th Premiership Neath RFC The Gnoll Neath 3rd Premiership Newbridge RFC The Welfare Ground Newbridge 10th Premiership Pontypridd RFC Sardis Road Pontypridd 2nd Premiership Ystrad Rhondda RFC Gelligaled Road Rhondda 8th Premiership

Table POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS1Bargoed RFC0000 00000000 2 Beddau RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Brecon RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Cardiff Met RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Cross Keys RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 Llanelli Wanderers RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 Llangennech RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 Merthyr RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Narberth RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Neath RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Newbridge RFC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 012Pontypridd RFC00000000000013Ystrad Rhondda RFC000000000000

2024–25 season The 2024–25 Welsh Premier Division saw a much changed lineup after losing the vast majority of the teams from 2023–24 to the newly formed Super Rygbi Cymru. Merthyr won the title with 108 points.

The teams are feeder clubs for the following regions: = Cardiff Rugby, = Dragons, = Ospreys, = Scarlets. Table POS TEAM PL W D L PF PA DIFF TF TA TB LB PTS1Merthyr242103121739782017956213108 2 Pontypridd 24 18 0 6 781 473 308 114 67 16 3 91 3 Neath 24 17 1 6 696 614 82 104 88 15 3 88 4 Bargoed 24 16 1 7 667 506 161 98 71 14 3 83 5 Brecon 24 11 1 12 683 684 -1 94 94 13 4 63 6 Cross Keys 24 12 0 12 601 739 -138 78 106 11 3 62 7 Llangennech 24 11 0 13 627 613 14 90 87 13 4 61 8 Ystrad Rhondda 24 10 2 12 579 771 -192 84 111 111 2 57 9 Cardiff Metropolitan University 24 9 1 14 645 644 1 88 86 10 5 53 10 Newbridge 24 8 1 15 514 656 -142 73 82 9 6 49 11 Narberth 24 7 1 16 501 696 -195 70 102 8 6 4412Bonymaen247017520742-22269107874313Newcastle Emlyn244218478974-496651496329 Clubs and locations Club Stadium Capacity Area Previous season Bargoed RFC Bargoed Park Bargoed Bonymaen RFC Parc Mawr Bonymaen Brecon RFCThe Watton Brecon Cardiff Met RFC Cyncoed Campus Cardiff Cross Keys RFC Pandy Park Crosskeys Llangennech RFC Llangennech Main Field Llangennech Merthyr RFC The Wern Merthyr Narberth RFC Spring Gardens Narberth Neath RFC The Gnoll Neath Newbridge RFC The Clubhouse Newbridge Newcastle Emlyn RFC Dol Wiber Newcastle Emlyn Pontypridd RFC Sardis Road Pontypridd Ystrad Rhondda RFC Gelligaled Road Rhondda

Competition history Ahead of the 1990–91 season, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that the top 38 clubs would play in the Heineken National League, split into four divisions with the top ten teams forming the Premier League. Each club would play each other home and away in a double round-robin format. The ten teams that were part of the inaugural Premier Division were Abertillery, Cardiff, Bridgend, Glamorgan Wanderers. Llanelli, Neath, Newbridge, Pontypool, Pontypridd and Swansea.

For the 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons, it was reformatted as the Welsh-Scottish League with the addition of Edinburgh and Glasgow alongside the Welsh teams; and run jointly by the Scottish Rugby Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.

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 Celtic League (now URC) 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 Celtic 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. 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, it was announced that the Premier Division would be reduced to 10 teams. The teams for the league would be decided on three factors: the holding of an 'A Licence' based on stadium criteria; the signing of a 'Participation Agreement'; and league results over the previous six seasons. It was announced that four clubs, Pontypool, Tonmawr, Bridgend and Carmarthen 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. Tonmawr, citing financial reasons, opted not to take part in the new league at all and re-entered themselves into Division Six. Pontypool launched a legal challenge to avoid being the only team relegated but lost the case.

The 2024–25 Welsh Premier Division saw a much-changed lineup after losing the vast majority of the teams from the previous year's competition to the newly formed Super Rygbi Cymru.

League sponsors Season Sponsor 2019–2023The Indigo Group 2023-Admiral Insurance

Past Premier Division winners Premier Division champions by season 1990–2000

Season Champions 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 1999–00 Cardiff * 2000–2010 Season Champions 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 2010–2020 Season Champions 2010–11 Llanelli 2011–12 Pontypridd 2012–13 Pontypridd 2013–14 Pontypridd 2014–15 Pontypridd 2015–16 Ebbw Vale 2016–17 Merthyr 2017–18 Merthyr 2018–19 Merthyr 2019–20 Championship withheld 2020–2030 Season Champions 2020–21 Season cancelled 2021–22 Cardiff 2022–23 Llandovery 2023–24 Llandovery 2024–25 Merthyr 2025–26 2026–27 2027–28 2028–29 2029–30 * = Welsh-Scottish League winners

Premier Division wins by club Rank Club Titles Years1 Neath 7 1991, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 2 Pontypridd 5 1997, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 3 Cardiff 4* 1995, 2000, 2009, 2022 Llanelli 4 1993, 1999, 2002, 2011 Swansea 4 1992, 1994, 1998, 2001 Merthyr 4 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025 7 Llandovery 2 2023, 2024 8 Bridgend 1 2003 Newport 1 2004 Ebbw Vale 1 2016 * = Cardiff RFC were leading the 2019–20 table before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the championship was withheld. Current members of the Premiership in Italics

WRU pyramid structure

LevelRegionsURC 4 clubsEDCSuper Rygbi Cymru 10 clubs1WRU Admiral Premiership 13 clubs2WRU Admiral Championship West 13 clubsWRU Admiral Championship East 13 clubs3Division 1 West 10 clubsDivision 1 West Central 10 clubsDivision 1 North 12 clubsDivision 1 East Central 10 clubsDivision 1 East 10 clubs4Division 2 West 10 clubsDivision 2 West Central 10 clubsDivision 2 North 10 clubsDivision 2 East Central 10 clubsDivision 2 East 10 clubs5Division 3 West 10 clubsDivision 3 West Central 10 clubsDivision 3 North West 9 clubsDivision 3 North East 8 clubsDivision 3 East Central 10 clubsDivision 3 East 10 clubs6Division 4 West A 9 clubsDivision 4 West B 10 clubsDivision 4 West Central 10 clubsDivision 4 East Central 10 clubsDivision 4 East 10 clubs7Division 5 West Central 10 clubsDivision 5 East Central 10 clubsDivision 5 East 9 clubs8Division 6 East Central 9 clubsDivision 6 East 8 clubs

See also

WRU Challenge Cup United Rugby Championship British and Irish Cup List of Welsh rugby union teams WRU National Leagues

References