Aberavon face Merthyr in the 2017 Principality Premiership final at the Talbot Athletic Ground on Sunday 21st May (KO 3.30pm), with the Tier Two final between Neath and Newport taking place at the Gnoll on Saturday night (KO 7.30pm).
And it has now been confirmed that the winners will be defending their Principality Premiership title for one more year.
The member-owned organisation first lent its Welsh brand to the domestic league’s top division in 2005, and is now set to complete 13-seasons directly supporting the national game’s semi-professional league, before standing down as title sponsor of the competition.
In addition, and in a significant boost to the grass roots game, Principality Building Society will also assume title sponsorship of the WRU National Youth Leagues for 2017/2018 – to be known as the Principality Youth Leagues.
The National Youth Leagues play-off final also takes place this weekend, featuring Bridgend Athletic and Rumney Youth, at Ystrad Mynach on Friday 19th May (KO 7pm), with the competition seen as a vital part of the community pathway.
This partnership supports the national game at all levels in communities across the country and sponsoring the National Youth Leagues – which involves 145 teams of 16-18 year olds across Wales – is a natural fit.
Julie-Ann Haines, Customer Director at the Principality, said:
“We are delighted to extend our successful sponsorship of the WRU Premiership for one more season. We have been proud sponsors for the past 12 seasons but have decided that this will be our final year. The feedback we have from our Members is that they want us to invest in grassroots rugby. So next year we will also be sponsoring the National Youth Leagues, supporting the health and wellbeing of young people across Wales.
“We are at the start of a 10-year partnership to support rugby in Wales, which includes the naming rights of the iconic home of Welsh rugby. This partnership is about investing in the development of rugby, providing opportunities for people to prosper through sport and creating memorable and unrivalled experiences for our members and communities. We look forward to building on this successful partnership in years to come.”
Principality is a brand with a passion for sport and its management see the WRU, as an organisation proud of its involvement with Welsh business and the community, as providing the perfect partnership.
WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips said: “Everyone involved in Welsh rugby’s semi-professional league will be delighted by the prospect of another year of Principality Premiership action and, perhaps even more significantly, we welcome Principality Building Society on board as the new title sponsors of the WRU National Youth Leagues.
“Principality’s commitment to Welsh Rugby plays a vital role in helping us to safeguard the future of our national game and their direct interest in the grass roots and community end of the game is particularly significant.
“The Principality Premiership is in an exciting phase of development at the moment and Principality’s commitment to a further year of sponsorship offers increased stability for yet another season.
“More generally as a long term partner to Welsh Rugby, Principality’s commitment to the health and well being of the nation is no better represented than in their support of the new Principality Youth Leagues in 2017/18 and we thank them for their continued investment.”
