1 the Welsh Rugby Union National League Rules 2018
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THE WELSH RUGBY UNION NATIONAL LEAGUE RULES 2018-2019 1. Description: The Competition shall be called: i) In respect of the Premier Division, “The Principality Premiership”; and ii) In respect of the Championship, Divisions 1 to 3 and Divisions 1 to 3 North, “The WRU National Leagues”. 2. Interpretation: For the purposes of these National League Rules, the following terms have the meaning assigned to them: - ARTICLES shall mean the Articles of Association of the Union. - CLUB means a Club that is a member of the Union only and does not include Affiliated Organisations (as defined in the Articles) or any other entity which may be admitted to membership of the Union. - DISCIPLINARY REGULATIONS shall mean the disciplinary regulations of the Union for Season 2018-2019. - DISTRICT MEMBER shall have the definition given in the Articles. - PREMIER DIVISION CRITERIA shall mean the A Licence criteria for entry into and prerequisite to remaining in the Premier Division, and those Clubs seeking promotion from the Championship as set out in Annexure 1 to these National League Rules. - COMPETITIONS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE means the Committee appointed by the Board of Directors of the Union in accordance with the Articles which is a Sub Committee of the Community Sub Board. - UNION means The Welsh Rugby Union Limited. All other defined terms shall be interpreted in accordance with the Union’s Memorandum of Association and Articles. 3. Form The League comprises 26 Divisions, which shall be formed as follows: Premier Division - Up to 16 Clubs Championship - 12 Clubs Division 1 East - 12 Clubs Division 1 East Central - 12 Clubs Division 1 West Central - 12 Clubs Division 1 West - 12 Clubs 1 Division 2 East - 12 Clubs Division 2 East Central - 12 Clubs Division 2 West Central - 12 Clubs Division 2 West - 12 Clubs Division 3 East A - 12 Clubs Division 3 East B - 11 Clubs Division 3 East C - 11 Clubs Division 3 East D - 11 Clubs Division 3 East Central A - 12 Clubs Division 3 East Central B - 12 Clubs Division 3 East Central C - 9 Clubs Division 3 West Central A - 12 Clubs Division 3 West Central B - 12 Clubs Division 3 West Central C - 12 Clubs Division 3 West A - 11 Clubs Division 3 West B - 12 Clubs Division 1 North - 11 Clubs Division 2 North - 11 Clubs Division 3 North - 11 Clubs (to include 4 Second XV Teams) Note: the table below sets out the position regarding promotion and relegation at the end of the 2018- 2019 Season. Division Promotion and relegation at the Number of Clubs in Division end of 2018-2019 Season as of start of 2018-2019 Season Premier The top Club in the Division at the Up to 16 Clubs. end of the 2018-2019 Season will be declared the Champion Club. At the conclusion of the season, the Clubs finishing in the bottom 4 places will be relegated to the Championship. In addition, and subject to both qualifying Clubs meeting the A Licence Criteria, the Club finishing in 12th place will play the winner of the Championship in a single playoff match, staged at a neutral venue, to determine the 12th and final Club in the Premier Division for the 2019-2020 season, with the losing team playing in the Championship during the 2019- 20 season. 2 For the avoidance of doubt, if the Championship winner does not meet the necessary criteria to play in the Premier Division (see paragraph 2.1 of Annexure 1 to these National League Rules), there will be no playoff match and the 12th placed Club will remain in the Premier Division. Championship The top Club in the Division at the Up to 12 Clubs. end of the 2017/2018 Season will be declared the Champion Club The Champion Club will play a single playoff match against the Club finishing in 12th place in the Premier Division for the opportunity to be promoted to the Premier Division in the 2019- 2020 season subject to the club obtaining the necessary criteria to participate in the play-off fixture (see paragraph 2.1 of Annexure 1 to these National League Rules. The bottom four Championship Clubs will be relegated and will be placed into Division 1 as determined by the Union. Divisions 1 East, 1 East Central, 1 The top Club in each of Divisions Up to 12 Clubs in each Division West Central and 1 West 1 East, 1 East Central, 1 West (up to 48 Clubs in total). Central and 1 West will enter a playoff system to determine which two Division 1 Clubs will be promoted to the Championship. The playoff system will be played over two rounds, home (Match 1) and away (Match 2). Playoff 1 – Winners of Div 1 East v Div 1 East Central. Playoff 2 – Winners of Div 1 West v Div 1 West Central. 3 Match 2 – if the score is equal after 80 minutes then extra time of 10 minutes each way will be played. The winners of each playoff will be determined by the highest aggregate score of the two matches – Home and Away. If this is equal the winner will be determined by the number of tries, if this is equal it will be the number of converted tries. A kicking competition will be held in the same format as EPCR should the scores remain equal. The winners will then be promoted to the Championship Division for season 2018/2019. As regards relegation up to the bottom three clubs in each Division 1 will be relegated to Division 2. The Clubs remaining in Division 1 following both promotion to and relegation from the Championship and promotion from and relegation to Division 2 will be placed within the appropriate Division 1 for the Season 19-20 based on the optimum 12 clubs participating in the Division in line with Clause 4 below. Divisions 2 East, 2 East Central, 2 The top two Clubs in each of Up to 12 Clubs in each Division West Central and 2 West Divisions 2 East, 2 East Central, 2 (up to 48 Clubs in total). West Central and 2 West will be promoted to Division 1 level at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in each of Divisions 2 East, 2 East Central, and 2 West Central at the end of the 2018-2019 Season will be relegated to Division 3A level. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 2 West at the end of the 4 2018-2019 Season will be relegated to Division 3 West A or 3 West B, having taken geography into consideration. This may result in teams not affected by promotion or relegation still having to move across Divisions. Divisions 3 East A, 3 East B, 3 East The top two Clubs in Division 3 12 Clubs in Divisions 3 East A, and C and 3 East D East A will be promoted to up to 11 Clubs in 3 East B, 3 East Division 2 East at the end of the C and 3 East D (up to 45 Clubs in 2018-2019 Season. total). The top two Clubs in Division 3 East B will be promoted to Division 3 East A at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. The top two Clubs in Division 3 East C will be promoted to Division 3 East B at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. The top two Clubs in Division 3 East D will be promoted to Division 3 East C at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 3 East A will move to Division 3 East B at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 3 East B will move to Division 3 East C at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 3 East C will move to Division 3 East D at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Divisions 3 East Central A, 3 East The top two Clubs in Division 3 12 Clubs in each of Division 3 East Central B and 3 East Central C East Central A will be promoted Central A and 3 East Central B to Division 2 East Central at the and 9 Clubs in Division East end of the 2018-2019 Season. Central C (up to 35 Clubs in total). The top two Clubs in Division 3 East Central B will be promoted to Division 3 East Central A at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. The top two Clubs in Division 3 East Central C will be promoted 5 to Division 3 East Central B at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 3 East Central A will move to Division 3 East Central B at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Up to the bottom three Clubs in Division 3 East Central B will move to Division 3 East Central C at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. Division 3 West Central A, 3 West The top two Clubs in Division 3 Up to 12 Clubs in each Division Central B and 3 West Central C West Central A will be promoted (up to 36 Clubs in total). to Division 2 West Central at the end of the 2018-2019 Season. The top two Clubs in Division 3 West Central B will be promoted to Division 3 West Central A at the end of the 2018-2019 Season.