{{Short description|Rugby league for amateur clubs}} {{update|date=September 2021}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox football league |name = South Wales Men's League |logo = |pixels = |country = {{WAL}} |other countries = |founded = 2003 |teams = 8 |promotion = |relegation = |levels = 6 |domest_cup = Challenge Cup |league_cup = |confed_cup = |champions = Aberavon Fighting Irish |runners-up = South Wales Jets |current winners in 2024 season = Aberavon Fighting Irish |most_champs = Bridgend Blue Bulls (10) |season = |website = www.wrl.wales |current = 2024 }}
The '''South Wales Men's League''' is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in South Wales. The competition was formed in 2003 as the '''RLC Welsh Premier'''. Following the 2012 restructure of amateur rugby league in Great Britain, it was renamed the '''South Wales Premiership'''.
==History== {{see also|History of the Rugby League Conference}} The Rugby League Conference (RLC) was founded in 1997 as the ''Southern Conference'', a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and English Midlands.
The RLC first expanded into Wales in 2001 when Cardiff Demons joined the South West division.
In 2003, the RLC expanded with the creation of the Welsh Premier division. This division had 6 teams in the inaugural season and was the first all-Welsh rugby league division.
The Welsh Premier division was split into two divisions, East Wales and West Wales, in 2006, though this split was reversed{{clarify|date=October 2024}} for the following season.
The Welsh Conference Junior League began in 2009.
In 2010, due to the growth of the sport, a Championship division was formed which would function at one tier lower than the present Premier division. This Championship division featured teams from South Wales.<ref>{{cite web |title=RL Conference breaks 100 team barrier |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/rl-conference-breaks-100-team-barrier |website=Love Rugby League |access-date=17 April 2023 |date=12 April 2010}}</ref>
The RLC Welsh Championship division was restructured after four West Wales clubs failed to fulfil their fixtures. Amman Valley Rhinos, Dinefwr Sharks, Swansea/Llanelli Dragons and West Wales Wild Boars were omitted and replaced with newly formed Dyffryn Devils.
In 2012 the league became the South Wales Premiership, with the lower Championship division being abolished. 2012 also saw the creation of the North Wales Conference. This was part of large restructure of the RLC as the Conference League South (CLS) was created.
In 2017, the competition was renamed as the South Wales Premier League, and saw three Conference League South teams return to the competition with the CLS not running that year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/1413/new-season-new-league-in-south-wales | title=New Season, New League in South Wales }}</ref>
From 2023, the winners of the competition will{{Fix|text=out of date?}} play the winners of the North Wales Conference for a place in the Challenge Cup. Due to logistical issues 2023 Champions (in their debut season), South Wales Jets were allocated the Welsh League place in the Challenge Cup.
'''Source:'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2253/wales-celebrates-20-years-of-league-acti | title=Wales Celebrates 20 Years of League Action }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wrl.wales/20th-anniversary-fixtures-revealed-for-south-wales-mens-league | title=20th anniversary fixtures revealed for South Wales men's league – Wales Rugby League (WRL) | date=3 April 2023 }}</ref>
For the 2024 season, JES Group was announced as the competition's principal sponsor.<ref name="WRLMay24">{{Cite web |date=2024-05-30 |title=JES Group announced as principal league partner — Wales Rugby League (WRL) |url=https://wrl.wales/jes-group-announced-as-principal-league-partner |access-date=2024-06-05 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Position in Pyramid== {{see also|British rugby league system}}
* 1: Super League * 2: Championship * 3–5: National Community Rugby League * '''6: South Wales Men's League'''
==Teams== Eight teams will contest the 2024 season:<ref name="2024Launch">{{Cite web |date=2024-05-31 |title=Rugby League in Wales: 'Sky is the limit' - Richard Hibbard |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/articles/c3ggq0zgn1qo |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-gb}}</ref> *Aberavon Fighting Irish *Bridgend Blue Bulls *Cynon Valley Cavaliers *Rhondda Outlaws *South Wales Jets *South Wales Saints *Swansea Rams *Torfaen Tigers
==Format== The competition is played as a single round robin with one loop fixture, the top four teams qualify for the playoffs.<ref name="2024Launch" /><ref name="WRLMay24"/>
==Winners== {{see also|Rugby League Conference trophy winners}}
'''Source:'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-18 |title=South Wales Clubs History — Wales Rugby League (WRL) |url=https://wrl.wales/mens-league-history |access-date=2024-06-05 |language=en-US}}</ref>
;RLC Welsh Premier era * 2003: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2004: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2005: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2006: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2007: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2008: Valley Cougars * 2009: Blackwood Bulldogs * 2010: Valley Cougars * 2011: Bridgend Blue Bulls ;South Wales Premiership era * 2012: Bonymaen Broncos * 2013: Torfaen Tigers * 2014: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2015: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2016: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2017: Valley Cougars * 2018: Valley Cougars * 2019: Rhondda Outlaws * 2020: ''Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic'' * 2021: Bridgend Blue Bulls * 2022: Rhondda Outlaws * 2023: South Wales Jets * 2024: Aberavon Fighting Irish
===Shield/Plate winners===
The South Wales Premiership has, on occasion, held a shield/plate competition for clubs who failed to reach the playoffs:
* 2004: Cardiff Demons * 2005: Newport Titans * 2009: Newport Titans * 2010: NPT Steelers * 2011: Bonymaen Broncos * 2014: Valley Cougars
===Second Tier=== During the RLC era, a second tier competition was held for a brief period called the "RLC Wales Regional". Winner were: *2010: Neath Port Talbot Steelers *2011: Bonymaen Broncos
==Junior league== The South Wales Premiership also operates at under-17, under-15, and under-13 age groups.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
==See also== {{Portal|Sports|Wales}} *Rugby League in Wales *Wales Rugby League
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/ Official Wales Rugby League website]
{{Rugby League Wales links}} {{British Rugby League links}}
Category:Rugby league in Wales Category:Rugby League Conference Category:Sports leagues established in 2003 Category:Rugby league competitions in the United Kingdom