ASDA National Leagues: Fixtures announced

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Former Premiership outfit Pontypool will kick-off their new life in the ASDA National League Division 1 East with an away trip to Ystrad Rhondda when the new season starts on September 2.

Pontypool were relegated along with Carmarthen Quins at the end of last season, while Maesteg just averted the drop by beating Division 1 champions Bonymaen in a play-off match. The Quins join Bonymaen in the newly configured Division 1 West and also start their season with an away assignment at Whitland.

With the Premiership reducing to 14 teams next season, the ASDA Division 1has been split into East and West with 12 teams in each section. The winners of each title will gain automatic promotion into the Premiership at the end of the 2006/07 campaign, provided they meet the criteria for entry to the Principality Premiership.

There were 16 teams in the First Division last season and they have been joined by the two relegated Premiership teams, the top three teams from Division 2 East (Bargoed, Newport Saracens and Abercynon) and the top three teams in Division 2 West (Dunvant, Bridgend Athletic and Loughor).

 Last season Division Two East and West both contained 14 teams. This season 12 clubs will contest each division. The removal of three promoted clubs and two relegated clubs left nine teams in each and they were joined by Abergavenny (3 East champions), Treherbert and Ynysybwl (3 South East champions) in East, and Cwmavon, Penclawdd (3 West champions) and Tonna (3 South West champions) in West.

Newport HSOB and Penallta have been promoted to 3 East while Risca and Old Illtydians now find themselves in Four East after relegation. Joining them in that division will be Five East champions Machen, also Llandaff and Llandaff North who are re-united after both played in Four South East last term.

Five East will consist of 11 teams with Cardiff clubs St Alban’s and St Joseph’s switching to Five South East. Oakdale are relegated from Four East to Five East after a difficult season that resulted in just one victory..

Aberystwyth finished in second place in 3 West last season and will be hoping to go one better this year. Tenby United and Hendy go down to Four West and Pontarddulais (4 West champions) and Ammanford are moved up.

Burry Port’s excellent season has been rewarded with promotion to 4 West along with Llanybydder who finished second in Five West.

Five West will be reduced to 12 teams after losing the three promoted clubs while gaining the relegated Llandybie, Cefneithen and Fishguard from 4 West. Betwsa, Gowerton and Swansea Uplands have switched to 5 South west.

Alltwen and Resolven drop from 3 South West to Four South West but 13 clubs will contest the higher division this season. Four South West champions Heol y Cyw move up a rung

Five South West champions BP Llandarcy will be looking to continue their good form in Four South West.

Three clubs were relegated from 3 South East, Abercwmboi, Barry and Aberdare and each will be playing in 4 South East this term alongside Porth, the unbeaten Five South East champions.

Ten clubs will operate in 5 South East with Canton making a welcome re-appearance.

5 South Central will re-appear this season made up of 11 clubs from last season’s 5 South East and South West divisions together with relegated clubs Aberavon Green Stars and Maesteg Celtic. Blaengarw will also be making a come-back.

Once again Llangefni will be the only North Walian side playing outside the North leagues. They will be in Three West after a good season last year that saw them finish in fourth spot.  Four North will have 11 teams with Llandudno (Five North champions) and Wrexham being promoted and Dolgellau and Bethesda dropping into Five North. There will also be 11 teams in Five North with a place being taken up by new club, Caereinion OBRA.

All divisions will begin on Saturday, 2 September.