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Line 1: {{Short description\|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] --> ~~[[Image:Walesrugbyleague.jpg\|300px\|right\|thumb\|Logo of Wales RL]]~~ {{Sport overview ~~[[Rugby league]] is a popular sport in [[Wales]]. The governing body of the game in Wales is the [[Wales Rugby League]].~~ \| country = Wales \| sport = rugby league \| image = \| imagesize = \| union = [[Wales Rugby League]]<br>[[Rugby Football League]]{{efn\|Prior to the formation of Wales Rugby League (WRL) in 1995, rugby league in Wales was governed by the Rugby Football League (RFL) who have been the governing body for rugby league in all Great Britain since 1895. At present, the RFL is the official governing body for England only but shares control of certain aspects of the sport due to the continued use of the [[British rugby league system]] for domestic competition, in addition to acting as an advisor for other areas of rugby league in Wales.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://wrl.wales/brief-history \| title=Brief History – Wales Rugby League (WRL) \| date=10 January 2020 }}</ref>}} \| nickname = \| first = 1907 \| registered = \| national_list = [[Rugby League World Cup]] \| club_list = [[RFL League 1]]<br>[[Conference League South]]<br>[[North Wales Conference]]<br>[[South Wales Premiership]] }} [[Rugby league]] is a sport played in [[Wales]]. The governing body of the game in Wales is the [[Wales Rugby League]]. There is a long history of rugby league in Wales. Over the decades many hundreds of players have "gone north" to play for the leading [[England\|English]] clubs. Consequentially the national side, nicknamed the ''Dragons'', have often been a very strong force in the international game. There is a long but sporadic history of '''rugby league in Wales''' ({{langx\|cy\|rygbi'r gynghrair}}). Over the decades hundreds of Welsh players have played for the leading [[England\|English]] clubs. Consequently, the national side, nicknamed the Dragons, have often been a very strong force in the international game. ==History== ===Background=== [[Rugby union]] was an increasingly popular sport for Wales in the [[1890s]] and particularly in the [[south Wales\|south]] where its popularity was known to rival that of association football. The Welsh [[coal miner]]s shared the same [[working class]] ethos of the miners from the northern counties of England. The impending [[History of rugby league#The schism in Great Britain\|schism of 1895]] tore apart the English rugby union and in the early 1900s, the shock waves where being felt in Wales, though the [[Welsh Rugby Union]] were less strict in their interpretation of the amateur ethos and avoided a schism. [[Rugby football]] was an increasingly popular sport for Wales in the 1890s, and particularly in the [[south Wales\|south]] where its popularity surpassed that of [[Football (soccer)\|association football]]. The Welsh [[coal miner]]s shared the same [[working class]] ethos of the miners from the northern counties of [[England]]. The impending [[History of rugby league#The schism in England\|schism of 1895]] tore apart the English rugby union and in the early 1900s, the shock waves were being felt in rugby worldwide,{{Citation needed\|date=April 2010}} though there was little desire in Wales to embrace professionalism. Amateurism in Wales was seen as a means of holding together a community in which there were expectations by the public on their sportsman to not turn their back on international rugby.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Smith \|first=David \|author2=Williams, Gareth \|title=Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union \|year=1980 \|publisher=University of Wales Press\|page=96 \|___location=Cardiff \|isbn=0-7083-0766-3}}</ref> The Welsh took pride in the position rugby gave them in the sporting world, and therefore the [[Welsh Rugby Union]] saw little attraction in turning professional. Nonetheless, many Welsh players signed for English clubs. The [[Northern Union]]'s administrators began to ponder the possibilities of international competitions against an English representative side. The first attempt met with a lack of public interest, and the first scheduled Northern Union international, also became the first postponed Northern Union international. It was rescheduled for the [[5 April]], [[1904]]. The team opposing England was labelled Other Nationalities and consisted of Welshmen and a few [[Scotland\|Scots]]. The Other Nationalities proved too strong, defeating the English 9 - 3. In [[1905]], England gained back some credibility with a 21 - 11 win. Nonetheless, many Welsh players signed for English clubs. The [[Rugby Football League\|Northern Union]]'s administrators began to ponder the possibilities of international competitions against an English representative side. The first attempt met with a lack of public interest, and the first scheduled Northern Union international, also became the first postponed Northern Union international, rescheduled for the 5 April 1904 at [[Central Park (Wigan)\|Central Park]], [[Wigan]]. Consisted of Welsh and [[Scotland\|Scottish]] players, the team opposing [[England national rugby league team\|England]] was labelled [[Other Nationalities rugby league team\|Other Nationalities]] and proved too strong, winning 9–3.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/5-april-1904/england-vs-other-nationalities.html \| title=England 3 lost to Other Nationalities 9 In 1908 a professional "All Blacks" rugby team from New Zealand (nicknamed the [[History of rugby league#The All Golds tour\|All Golds]] by Australian press) would tour England in what became the first set of international games played under the new NU rules. The All Golds had not played under the Northern Union rules and underwent a week of intensive training. Wales went on to defeat New Zealand 9-8. \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> The fixture took place again in 1905, England winning 26–11 on 2 January at [[Park Avenue (stadium)\|Park Avenue]], [[Bradford]],<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/2-january-1905/england-vs-other-nationalities.html \| title=England 26 def. Other Nationalities 11 \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> before a 3–3 draw when the fixture returned to Wigan on 1 January 1906.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/dates/1-january-1906/england-vs-other-nationalities.html \| title=England 3 drew with Other Nationalities 3 \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> In 1907, [[New Zealand national rugby league team\|New Zealand]] [[1907–08 New Zealand rugby tour of Australia and Great Britain\|toured England and Wales]]<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/all-blacks-tour-1907-08/summary.html \| title=All Blacks Tour 1907/08 ~~The Rugby Football League (RFL) took an entire round of Super League matches to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on the weekend of May 5-6 th, 2007. This was called [[Millennium magic]].~~ \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> in what became the first set of international games played under Northern Union rules, and featured the first appearance of what became the [[Wales national rugby league team]], a 9–8 victory over New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/all-blacks-tour-1907/game-29/wales-vs-new-zealand.html \| title=Wales 9 def. New Zealand 8 \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> ===First Welsh Clubs=== ~~==Welsh professional clubs==~~ In 1907, [[Ebbw Vale RLFC]] and [[Merthyr Tydfil RLFC]] joined the Northern Union, competing in the [[1907–08 Challenge Cup\|Challenge Cup]] and playing against the touring New Zealand team.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/all-blacks-tour-1907-08/summary.html \| title=All Blacks Tour 1907/08 Attempts to introduce professional rugby league for Welsh clubs have, to date, all failed. [[Merthyr Tydfil]] and [[Ebbw Vale]] joined for the 1907/8 season; followed closely behind [[Aberdare]], [[Barry, Wales\|Barry]], [[Mid-Rhondda]], and [[Treherbert]] joined in 1908/9. \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> In the [[1908–09 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1908-09]] season, a six-team [[Welsh League]] ran alongside the Northern Union's [[Rugby league county leagues\|Yorkshire and Lancashire Leagues]]. The [[1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain\|touring]] [[Australia national rugby league team\|Australian Kangaroos]] lost 14–13 to a league representative team at [[Merthyr Tydfil]] on 16 January 1909,<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/kangaroos-tour-1908/game-29/welsh-league-xiii-vs-australia.html \| title=Welsh League XIII 14 def. Australia 13 \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> and defeated [[Aberdare RLFC]], Merthyr Tydfil, [[Mid-Rhondda RLFC]], and [[Treherbert RLFC]] in touring fixtures.<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/kangaroos-tour-1908-09/summary.html \| title=Kangaroos Tour 1908/09 \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> Ebbw Vale were the sole Welsh club for [[1911–12 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1911–12]], resigning at the end of that season. Aberdare, Barry, and Mid-Rhondda dropped out after that season, with Treherbert following the next year. Merthyr Tydfil lasted until 1910/11, and Ebbw Vale was the last of these to leave, after 1911/12. The next Welsh club was [[Pontypridd]], who joined in 1926/27; only to dropped out after 8 games of the 1927/8 season. A [[Cardiff]] club participated in the 1951/2 season, but disbanded after that season. ===Inter-War and Post-War=== Following in the footsteps of [[Fulham F.C.]] (who founded the RL team that is now [[Harlequins Rugby League]]), [[Cardiff City F.C.]] decided to enter a team for the 1981/2 season. The [[Cardiff City RLFC\|Blue Dragons]], as they were known, shared [[Ninian Park]] with the Bluebirds until the 1983/4 season, when the club went into liquidation. They were then moved to Bridgend for the 1984/5 season, where they placed on the bottom of the table, and were expelled after the season for failing to obtain a home ground. The final professional rugby league club was [[South Wales RLFC]], who placed 6th in the [[Rugby League Championship Third Division\|Second Division]] in 1996. Because of small crowds, the club withdrew from the league before the next season. From 1949 to 1955 a Welsh league was run by the Welsh commission but it was disbanded due to lack of interest and finance. Founder members were Neath, Cardiff, Llanelli, Bridgend, Ystradgynlais, Aberavon, Amman Vale and Blaina. ~~In [[2006]] a new professional team, [[Celtic Crusaders]] entered the [[Rugby League National Leagues]] in League Two.~~ Harsh economic times in the 1980s meant that rugby union players such as [[Jonathan Davies (rugby, born 1962)\|Jonathan Davies]] and [[Scott Gibbs]] "went north" to play professional rugby league in order to earn a living. This flow of players was halted when rugby union became professional in 1995. ~~==Governing body==~~ ===21st Century=== ~~In 1907 The ''Welsh Northern Union'' was formed in [[Wrexham]], but the Northern Union refused it affiliation as they wanted the body located in the South of Wales and the WNU soon folded.~~ In the early 21st century rugby league gained in popularity in Wales,<ref>{{cite news In 1926 The RFL formed a Welsh commission in an attempt to convert rugby union clubs to rugby league. The [[Wales Rugby League]] achieved governing body status in 2005 and employed its first professional chairman, Mark Rowley, in 2006. \| last = O'Connell \| first = Anthony \| title = Young Steelers win in play-offs \| work = Neath Guardian \| place =UK \| publisher = walesonline.co.uk \| date = 7 August 2008 \| url = http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/grassroots/neath-sport/2008/08/07/rugby-league-young-steelers-win-in-play-offs-91466-21465997/ \| access-date = 4 December 2009}}</ref> with matches between teams in the Welsh Premier division generally drawing crowds of around 300 spectators. With the growth of the [[Rugby League Conference]] throughout England, the RFL and its WRL arm set up an amateur club, the [[Cardiff Demons]] who joined the Central South Division of the [[Rugby League Conference]] in 2001. The Demons, who were mainly made up of former players from the university [[Cardiff Metropolitan University\|UWIC]] rugby league club, were quite successful and instantly saw interest from other parts of Wales grow. ~~==Competitions==~~ In 2002, two former students of [[Swansea University]] decided to set up a local club called the Swansea Bulls, now Swansea Valley Miners (Neville Price), with a view to playing friendly matches against the Demons and other touring clubs. Peter Thomas and Gareth Jones, both former Welsh student internationals, started an amateur team out of the Morriston RFC ground with a mixture of university and local union players. Junior teams soon started playing league and one team, coached by Neville Price, was coached by the [[Bradford Bulls]] team coaches on a weekend tour. Briefly during the 1908-09 season, there were sufficient numbers of clubs to run a separate Welsh section of the competition, alongside the Northern Union's [[Rugby league county leagues\|Yorkshire and Lancashire Leagues]]. ===First All-Welsh Competition=== ~~From 1949 to 1955 a Welsh league was run by the Welsh commission but it was disbanded due to lack of interest and finance.~~ The following year in 2003, the RLC expanded, creating the Welsh Premier Division (now the [[South Wales Premiership]]). The inaugural competition had six open-age sides. Domestically, Welsh rugby league is now largely integrated with [[Rugby League in England\|English]] competitions. Amateur Welsh teams form a division in the [[Rugby League Conference]], this division being one of the four "Premier Divisions" of the conference. Celtic Crusaders represent Wales at the professional level within the RFL's structures. InThe ~~2007,[[Super~~record ~~League~~attendance ~~(Europe)\|Super~~for ~~League]]~~any isrugby ~~taking~~league ~~[[Millennium~~game ~~Magic\|an~~in ~~entire~~Wales ~~round~~was set in 2005, with 74,213 onattending the ~~road~~[[2005 Challenge Cup\|Challenge Cup]] tofinal at the [[Millennium Stadium]], ~~in [[~~Cardiff]]. The [[Rugby Football League]] (RFL) took an entire round of [[Super League]] matches to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in May 2007. This was called [[Magic Weekend\|Millennium Magic]]. ~~==Popularity==~~ [[Crusaders Rugby League\|Celtic Crusaders]], based at Brewery Field, Bridgend, joined [[Super League]] in [[2009 Super League season\|2009]]. A second Welsh team then joined the RFL professional leagues in 2010, [[South Wales Scorpions]], playing at [[The Gnoll]] in [[Neath]]. Crusaders were liquidated after finishing bottom in [[2011 Super League season\|2011]], replaced at the same ground by [[North Wales Crusaders]], and relegated to [[RFL League One]]. With the Rugby League Conference’s growth throughout England, the RFL and its WRL arm, setup an amateur club, the Cardiff Demons. The Demons, who were mainly made up of former players from the university UWIC rugby league club were quite successful and instantly saw interest from other parts of Wales grow. In 2012 the [[North Wales Conference]] was formed. After two years of just one club, the RFL saw that it was time to expand, letting in six more open-aged sides to form a component of the Rugby League conference. There were then 7 rugby league teams in the Welsh division (with another club North Wales Coasters playing in one of the English divisions due to travelling logistics) of the Rugby League Conference, however in 2006 Blackwood Bulldogs, West Wales Sharks (based in Llanelli) and Pembroke Panthers (based in Tenby) were added. The Welsh division was then divided into two sections Eastern and Western each consisting of five teams, although Pembrokeshire Panthers didn't play a match. Matches between them generally draw crowds of around 300 spectators. South Wales moved to [[Llanelli]] become the [[West Wales Raiders]] in [[2018 League 1 season]]. West West Wales withdrew from the league after 2022, leaving the Crusaders as Wales' sole professional rugby league team, now based at [[Eirias Stadium]], [[Colwyn Bay]]. ~~During the reconstruction of Wembley stadium the Challenge Cup final was played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and one year a reported 15,000 tickets were sold in Wales.~~ In recent years, due to the increase in popularity of league in Wales, there have been efforts to present the [[South Wales Premiership]] and [[North Wales Conference]] as first tier competitions within Wales and not just a fifth tier UK league. As of 2023, winners of both sides will play in the first all Welsh grand final for a place in the Challenge Cup, previously only available to South Welsh teams.<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> ~~===Media===~~ ==Governing body== There are two weekly rugby league newspapers [http://www.totalrl.com/online/index.htm Rugby League Express] and [http://www.league-weekly.com/ League Weekly] and two monthly magazines, [http://www.totalrl.com/rlworld/latest.php Rugby League World] and Thirteen Magazine. These cover the sport world-wide and across the UK. As most British rugby league takes place in the North of England, the coverage tends to reflect this. These publications are usually only available by subscription in Wales though Rugby League Express can be bought at outlets in South Wales. In 1907, the Welsh Northern Union was formed in [[Wrexham]], but the [[Northern Rugby Football Union\|Rugby Football League]] refused affiliation as they wanted the body located in [[South Wales]], and the WNU soon folded. [[BBC Sport]] programmes such as the ''Super League Show '' and ''Rugby League Raw'' are not broadcast in Wales despite the BBC owning the rights to do so. The Super League Show can, however, be viewed over the internet anywhere in the UK. Highlights of [[Celtic Crusaders]] games are shown on the rugby union programme ScrumV. The BBC covers the [[Challenge Cup]] from the rounds in which the top clubs enter. In 1926, the newly renamed Rugby Football League formed a Welsh commission in an attempt to convert rugby union clubs to rugby league, but only succeeded in creating a single new club, [[Pontypridd RLFC\|Pontypridd]]. [[BBC Radio Five Live]] and [[BBC Five Live Sports Extra]] carry commentary from a selection of Super League matches each week. [[GTFM]] carries a weekly rugby league spot throughout the season on their Saturday afternoon "The Season Ticket" show. The [[Wales Rugby League]] was formed in 1995 and recognised at that time as the governing body of rugby league in Wales by the Rugby Football League, the [[British Amateur Rugby League Association]] and the [[Welsh Sports Association]]. [[Wales Rugby League]] achieved governing body status in 2005 and employed its first professional chairman, [[Mark Rowley (rugby union)\|Mark Rowley]], in 2006. [[Sky Sports\|Sky]] has the rights to show live Super League games; one or two live matches are broadcast often fronted by [[Mike Stephenson]] and [[Eddie Hemmings]]. Sky also hold the rights to show the [[Rugby League Tri-Nations]] live, whilst highlights are shown on BBC Sport. Australia's [[National Rugby League]] and State of Origin were shown until 2005-06 season when [[Setanta Sports]] outbid Sky for the rights. Wales became the 12th full member of the [[Rugby League International Federation]] following a meeting of the Federation board in Melbourne in May 2010. ~~Manchester based [[Channel m\|Channel M]] show some National League and amateur rugby on their Code XIII programme.~~ ==~~The~~Welsh ~~national~~professional ~~team~~clubs== [[File:Celtic Crusaders test.jpg\|thumb\|300px\|[[Crusaders Rugby League\|Celtic Crusaders]] (black) are the only Welsh club to have competed in the [[Super League]], having done so between 2009 and 2011.]] There have been various attempts to introduce professional rugby league to Wales throughout the 20th century. [[Merthyr Tydfil]] and [[Ebbw Vale RLFC\|Ebbw Vale]] joined for the [[1907–08 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1907–08]] season; followed closely behind [[Aberdare RLFC\|Aberdare]], [[Barry RLFC\|Barry]], [[Mid-Rhondda RLFC\|Mid-Rhondda]] and [[Treherbert RLFC\|Treherbert]] a year later. The [[1908–09 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1908–09]] season saw the six clubs grouped into the first [[Welsh League]], played alongside the Northern Union League. Aberdare, Barry and Mid-Rhondda all lasted a single season, and Treherbert's resignation after the [[1909–10 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1909–10 season]] season signalled the end of the Welsh League. Merthyr Tydfil resigned from the NRFU after the [[1910–11 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1910–11 season]], with Ebbw Vale, the sole remaining Welsh club, resigning after the [[1911–12 Northern Rugby Football Union season\|1911–12]] season. The next Welsh club was [[Pontypridd]], who joined in [[1926–27 Northern Rugby Football League season\|1926]]; only to drop out after early the [[1927–28 Northern Rugby Football League season\|following]] season. [[Cardiff RLFC]] participated in [[1951–52 Northern Rugby Football League season\|1951–52]], but disbanded after that season. Following the example of [[Fulham FC]] (who founded the RL team that is now [[London Broncos]]), [[Cardiff City FC]] entered a team in [[1981–82 Rugby Football League season\|1981]]. The [[Cardiff City Blue Dragons\|Blue Dragons]] shared [[Ninian Park]] with the Bluebirds until 1984, when the club went into liquidation after three successive mid-table finishes in the [[Rugby Football League Championship Second Division\|second division]]. The club moved to [[Brewery Field]], [[Bridgend]] for the [[1984–85 Rugby Football League season\|1984–85 season]], finishing bottom, and were expelled before the start of the next season for failing to obtain a home ground. [[South Wales RLFC (1995)\|South Wales]] finished sixth in the [[Rugby Football League Championship Third Division\|Second Division]] in their sole season in the [[1996 RFL Division Two\|third division]] in 1996. [[Crusaders Rugby League\|Celtic Crusaders]] joined [[RFL League One\|second division]] in 2006 based at Brewery Field, Bridgend. After winning the division in 2007, the club were admitted to [[Super League]] in [[2009 Super League season\|2009]]. After finishing bottom in a competition where relegation was removed, Crusaders moved to the [[Racecourse Ground]], [[Wrexham]]. A second Welsh team then joined the RFL professional leagues in 2010, [[South Wales Scorpions]], playing at [[The Gnoll]] in [[Neath]]. both Welsh clubs made their respective league's playoffs in 2010, and both were eliminated in the opening round. Crusaders were liquidated after finishing bottom in [[2011 Super League season\|2011]], replaced at the same ground by [[North Wales Crusaders]], and relegated to [[RFL League One]]. The new Crusaders club won the division and promotion in [[2013 Championship 1\|2013]], but were relegated the following year due to a division restructure. South Wales were renamed the Ironmen in [[2017 League 1 season\|2017]], and moved to [[Llanelli]] to become the [[West Wales Raiders]] in [[2018 League 1 season]]. West Wales withdrew from the league after the [[2022 League 1 season]], winning only two matches since their rebranding, and leaving the Crusaders as Wales' sole professional rugby league team. Crusaders currently play home matches at [[Eirias Stadium]] in [[Colwyn Bay]]. ===Current RFL and BARLA teams=== The following is a list of current Welsh rugby league clubs along with the league they play in: ;Men's [[North Wales Crusaders]] ([[RFL League 1\|League 1]]) [[Conwy Celts]], [[Dee Valley Dragons]], [[Flintshire Falcons]], [[Prestatyn and Rhyl Panthers]], [[Wrexham Bradley Raiders]] ([[North Wales Conference]]) Aber Valley Wolves, Aberavon Fighting Irish, [[Bridgend Blue Bulls]], Cardiff Blue Dragons, Cynon Valley Cavaliers, South Wales Jets, [[Torfaen Tigers]], Rhondda Outlaws ([[South Wales Premiership]]) ;Women's [[Cardiff Demons]] ([[RFL Women's Championship]]) ==Competitions and League System== {{main\|British rugby league system}} ===Senior=== Club rugby league in Wales is played in a full [[British rugby league system\|British league system]] operated by the [[Rugby Football League]]. The [[South Wales Premiership\|South Wales Conference]] and [[North Wales Conference]] are the highest tier exclusive Welsh division of the league system and are currently 5th tier in the [[British rugby league system#Pyramid\|league pyramid]]. Wales currently has one professional club which competes in the RFL, [[North Wales Crusaders]]. ===Junior=== Wales's junior competition is the Welsh Conference Junior League. In 2011 there was a North Wales Under 12 league. In the [[Gillette National Youth League\|Conference Youth League]] there were two Welsh sides: North Wales Crusaders and CPC Bears. ==National team== [[File:Wales v Cook Islands 2013 RLWC (1).jpg\|thumb\|[[Wales national rugby league team\|Wales]] vs [[Cook Islands national rugby league team\|The Cook Islands]] at the [[2013 Rugby League World Cup]]]] {{Main\|Wales national rugby league team}} {{see also\|Great Britain national rugby league team}} Wales participated in the first ever rugby league international, defeating New Zealand 9–8 at [[Ynys (Aberdare)\|Athletic Ground]], [[Aberdare]] on 1 January 1908 in front of 15,000 spectators, the winning try scored by former [[Wales national rugby union team\|Wales]] rugby union international [[David Jones (rugby)\|Dai Jones]].<ref>{{cite web \| url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/all-blacks-tour-1907/game-29/wales-vs-new-zealand.html \| title=Wales 9 def. New Zealand 8 The national side, nicknamed the ''Dragons'', have often been one of the stronger sides in international rugby league and have also provided a number of players for the [[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]] team. The two great eras of Welsh Rugby League coincide with the playing careers of [[Jim Sullivan]], [[Jonathan Davies]] and [[John Deveraux (rugby player)\|John Deveraux]]. They compete in the [[Rugby League European Nations Cup]] and the [[Rugby League World Cup]]. \| access-date=25 May 2025 \| website=Rugby League Project}}</ref> The national side, nicknamed the ''Dragons'', have often been one of the stronger sides in international rugby league and have also provided a number of players for the [[Great Britain national rugby league team\|Great Britain]] team. The two great eras of Welsh Rugby League coincide with the playing careers of [[Jim Sullivan (Welsh rugby league)\|Jim Sullivan]] and Jonathan Davies. They compete in the [[Rugby League European Nations Cup]] and the [[Rugby League World Cup]]. There is a very successful ''Wales A'' team selected from domestic Welsh players, which competes in the [[Amateur Four Nations competition]]. Wales have only ever lost two matches in this tournament and have won the title in all four years of its existence. The [[Wales A national rugby league team\|Wales Dragonhearts]] team is selected from domestic Welsh players, and won the [[Rugby League Amateur Four Nations]] eight times between 2002 and the final tournament in 2013. Wales also play in regular international tournaments at under 19, under 15 and student level. ==Media== [[BBC Sport]] own the rights to broadcast a highlights package called the [[Super League Show]] which was first broadcast in Wales in 2008. Prior to this it had only been broadcast in the North of England.<ref name="SLS">{{cite news \| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7238707.stm \| title=Super League Show to get repeat \| publisher=BBC Sport \| date=2008-02-11 \| access-date=2008-02-11}}</ref> [[Rugby League Raw]] is not broadcast in Wales despite the BBC owning the rights to do so. The BBC covers the Rugby League [[Challenge Cup]] from the rounds in which the top clubs enter. Highlights of [[Crusaders Rugby League\|Crusaders]] games were shown on the rugby union programme ScrumV and their home games can be seen on Y Clwb Rygbi 13 on [[S4C]]. The BBC covers the Rugby League [[Challenge Cup]] from the rounds in which the top clubs enter. [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] and [[BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra]] carry commentary from a selection of Super League matches each week. ''GTFM'' carries a weekly rugby league spot throughout the season on their Saturday afternoon "The Season Ticket" show. Live [[Super League]] and [[National Rugby League]] games are shown on [[Sky Sports]] Arena with highlights also being shown on the channel.<ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/superleague \|title=Super League on TV \| Listings \| UK \| Sky Sports \|access-date=2022-01-13 \|archive-date=2021-03-27 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327191553/https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/superleague \|url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|url=https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/nrlonsky \|title=NRL on Sky Sports \| Listings \| UK \| \|access-date=2022-01-13 \|archive-date=2021-03-28 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328170648/https://www.rugbyleagueontv.com/nrlonsky \|url-status=dead }}</ref> From the 2022 season, 10 live [[Super League]] games per season will be shown on [[Channel 4]], the first time the league will be shown on terrestrial television.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000f1wn/episodes/guide\|title = BBC One - Super League Show, 2020 - Episode guide}}</ref> [[RFL Championship\|Championship]] games are shown on [[Premier Sports]], with one game a week being aird.<ref>{{cite web \|title=Monday night rugby league set for return from 2022 \|url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/monday-night-rugby-league-set-for-return-from-2022-43950/ \|website=Rugby League News \|access-date=1 January 2022 \|date=6 October 2021}}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal\|Sports\|Wales}} * [[Rugby league in the British Isles]] * [[British Rugby League Hall of Fame]] * [[List of Wales national rugby league team players]] * [[Wales national rugby league team match results]] ==Notes== [[Millennium Magic]] {{Notelist}} [[British Rugby League Hall of Fame]] [[Sport in the United Kingdom]] [[Cardiff Demons]] [[Celtic Crusaders]] [[Rugby union in Wales]] ==~~External links~~References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== * [http://www.cymrurl.com Wales Rugby League] {{cite book [http://www.ianlovell.com/ WRL official photographer] \| last = Gate * [http://www.rl1895.com/1904.htm First RL International] \| first = Robert \| title = Gone North: Welshmen in Rugby League: Volume 1 \| publisher = R. Gate \| year = 1986 \| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=urRmAAAACAAJ \| isbn = 9780951119006}} ==External links== {{Commons category\|Rugby league in Wales}} * [http://www.cymrurl.com/ Wales Rugby League] * {{usurped\|1=[https://archive.today/20120204062114/http://www.rl1895.com/1904.htm First RL International]}} * [http://rlwc2000.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=1385&p=2&stid=8066264 Wales History] * [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=156165195271 South Wales Thunder RL] {{~~International~~ Rugby League Wales links}} {{Rugby league in Europe}} {{Rugby League Playing Nations links}} {{Great Britain rugby league links}} {{Wales topics}} [[Category:Rugby league in Wales\|* ]]