Welsh Championship


The WRU National Championship is the third tier of professional rugby union in Wales. The league was reformed by the Welsh Rugby Union in 2012.

History

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 third tier, which lies below the second 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 United Rugby Championship.

Restructuring process

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. 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. Tonmawr, citing financial reasons, opted not to take part in the new league at all and re-entered themselves into Division Six.

2012 Pontypool legal challenge

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'. Pontypool had finished 12th in the previous campaign, above rivals Bedwas RFC and level on points with historic rivals Newport RFC.

2025–26 season

Clubs and locations

Colour markers to represent the region each club belongs to:

Blue = Cardiff Rugby || Orange = Dragons || Black = Ospreys || Red = Scarlets

ClubStadiumCapacityAreaPrevious season
Aberdare RFCYnys Stadium500Aberdare7th Championship East
Abertillery RFCAbertillery Park15,250Abertillery1st League 1 East
Bedwas RFCThe Bridge Field2,000Bedwas2nd Championship East
Bridgend Athletic RFCNewbridge FieldsBridgend1st League 1 West Central
Mountain Ash RFCParc Duffryn PennarMountain Ash9th Championship East
Penallta RFCYstrad Fawr200Ystrad Mynach5th Championship East
Rumney RFCRiverside Park250Rumney3rd Championship East
St. Joseph's RFCMaes Y Coed RoadCardiff1st League 1 East Central
St Peters RFCHarlequins Playing FieldsCardiff8th Championship East
Talywain RFCEmlyn ParkPontypool6th Championship East
Treorchy RFCThe OvalTreorchy10th Championship East
The WanderersMemorial Ground3,000Cardiff4th Championship East
Ynysddu RFCThe Welfare GroundYnysddu11th Championship East



ClubStadiumCapacityAreaPrevious season
Aberystwyth RFCPlascrugAberystwyth1st League 1 West
Ammanford RFCManor RoadAmmanford5th Championship West
Bonymaen RFCParc MawrBonymaen12th Admiral Premiership
Crymych RFCParc Lloyd ThomasCrymych9th Championship West
Dunvant RFCBroadacreDunvant4th Championship West
Glynneath RFCAbernant ParkGlynneath6th Championship West
Gorseinon RFCWelfare Ground1,200Gorseinon10th Championship West
Gowerton RFCAthletic Ground3,000Gowerton11th Championship West
Kenfig Hill RFCCroft Goch Playing FieldsKenfig Hill7th Championship West
Newcastle Emlyn RFCDôl WiberNewcastle Emlyn13th Admiral Premiership
Tata Steel RFCMargam Sports GroundPort Talbot2nd Championship West
Tondu RFCPandy ParkTondu3rd Championship West
Trebanos RFCThe ParkTrebanos8th Championship West

2024–25 season

Colour markers to represent the region each club belongs to:

Blue = Cardiff Rugby || Orange = Dragons || Black = Ospreys || Red = Scarlets



2023–24 season

Due to the creation of Super Rygbi Cymru, the Welsh Premiership underwent a reconstruction. The top five clubs from both Championships were promoted at the end of the 2023–24 season to join the three clubs not granted access to the Super Rygbi Cymru.

TEAMPLWDLPFPADIFFTFTATBLBPTS
Bargoed RFC2220028983745241314919099
Cardiff Met RFC2216027874882991126413481
Cross Keys RFC221516655552103907312175
Ystrad Rhondda2215076595471121007214375
Newbridge RFC221408675507168976512371
Beddau RFC221201055851048721699663
Bedwas RFC2212010550612-6270829360
Rumney RFC229013569612-4373819853
The Wanderers228113491575-8461855645
St Peter's RFC224018504700-19673101101137
Penallta RFC225017523745-222701077328
Treorchy RFC221021305952-64742143349



TEAMPLWDLPFPADIFFTFTATBLBPTS
Narberth RFC22210195430465013941171102
Brecon RFC2220027914013901145117198
Llangennech RFC2217058624224401315719289
Bonymaen RFC221408573435138865514575
Newcastle Emlyn RFC2211011521567-4670757354
Dunvant RFC2210012504583-7969818452
Trebanos RFC2211011450595-14549835251
Crymych RFC229013539597-5870829651
Ammanford RFC227015483680-19764955538
Ystalyfera RFC226115432745-313631047336
Maesteg Harlequins225116408767-359451074329
Tata Steel RFC220022363784-42147116358