Four clubs will be promoted from the Championship to the new 16-team Premiership at the end of the season, providing they have attained the WRU A Licence, and providing clubs retain the A Licence, the semi-professional league will be ring-fenced for three seasons.
Pre-season preparation is well underway for all Championship clubs, and some have recruited strongly for the new season.
The opening weeks of the campaign include some key battles between the top teams from last season.
Champions Bargoed begin the defence of their title at home to Beddau, promoted as One East Central champions, before travelling to Colwyn Bay to face RGC 1404 in Round Two.
Bargoed coach Dai Lynch said, “There will be no easy games. Beddau and Newcastle Emlyn who have been promoted will be keen to prove a point and make a big impression from the off. We want to do as well as last year if possible, but we are fully prepared for a much tougher challenge this time around. I certainly don’t think it’s going to be a case of us, or anyone else ending up as runaway winners. Most clubs have strengthened their squads considerably for this crunch season at the end of which you will either be a Premiership club for three years or have to wait until the next chance comes along.
“We have lost a couple of key players for us – our outside half Josh Prosser who has gone to Cross Keys and our top ball carrier Geraint Edmonds who has gone to Bedwas. That is part of our role to develop players for the next level, but they will be hard to replace.
“Everything came together for us last season. We were an established side, our first few games went well and we hit all our small targets to help us win the league at the end of the season. We have developed from within, and we will be concentrating on doing as well as we can on the pitch. We want to achieve the A Licence but that is outside our control as players and coaches.”
Last year’s runners up Swansea kick off the season at home against Cardiff Met before travelling to Pontypool Park.
Team manager Paul Whapham said, “We have brought a few Swansea boys who have been playing Premiership rugby back to the club, to add strength to last year’s squad. For example, Rhodri Wells returns from Llandovery, Rory Gallagher has joined from Carmarthen Quins, Richard Thomas from Llanelli, Neil White from Aberavon and Ian Brooks from Llandovery.
“We also want to develop local talent and a number of young players from local feeder clubs have joined us, and we will hopefully develop them into Premiership players, should we be promoted.
“Our ambition this season is the same as last year – to win the league and go up on merit. It’s going to be really tough, and a couple more sides may still achieve A Licences. Merthyr and Pontypool have clearly strengthened, amongst others. However, we have a strong, settled side which we believe can challenge the best there is in the division and we hope to cause a few upsets too.
“The opening fixtures of the Championship show how strong the league is and should be a good advert of the division.”
Third placed Merthyr begin their second SSE SWALEC Championship campaign at home to Bridgend Athletic before travelling to Beddau and then hosting RGC in Round 3.
The squad at the Wern has been bolstered by the likes of Andy Powell, Tau Filise, David Bishop and Matthew Jarvis.
Head coach Lee Jarvis said, “It was good to finish third in the Championship last season, to see where we were, despite not really having a strong set-piece.
“Our recruitment for next season has been focused on strengthening the set-piece. Our aim is to again finish in the top four and gain promotion to the Premiership.
“Secondly, we would love to challenge for the league title and, hopefully, win it. We know that’s going to be hard because Pontypool have recruited quite well, Bargoed won the title last season and Swansea are in there. Our other priority is to develop players for the Blues.”
RGC, who have finished second and fourth in their Championship campaigns, travel to Newbridge first up before hosting the champions Bargoed at Parc Eirias.
RGC General Manager Rupert Moon is aware of the historic opportunity for the North Wales Development Region. However, he insists the region will not lose sight of its core aims.
“Our priority is the sustainable development of the rugby region at all levels, and both on and off the field,” said Moon.
“Our firm focus is to develop our academy players into the first team. We have four players in the Wales Under 18 development squad travelling to South Africa, two of whom have already represented our senior, RGC side.
“We will strive to be the best we can possibly be, and if we make it into the four promoted sides, that will be an historic achievement, but we will continue to develop at the right pace for our set-up. Phil Davies will head up our coaching team and key to that structure will be the development of young coaches.”
Full SSE SWALEC Championship and League structure below:
SSE Swalec Championship
Championship
SSE Swalec Division One
1 East Central
1 East
1 North
1 West
1 West Central
SSE Swalec Division 2
2 East Central
2 East
2 North
2 West Central
2 West
SSE Swalec Division 3
3 East A
3 East B
3 East C
3 East D
3 East Central A
3 East Central B
3 East Central C
3 North
3 West A
3 West B
3 West C
3 West Central A
3 West Central B
3 West Central C
