THE GREEN light has been given to a series of changes aimed at improving the standard of the Premiership.

From next season a permit system to draft an unlimited number of regional or academy players to clubs in the top flight will be introduced.

The aim is to ensure that the best emerging players get regular rugby to develop their skills and experience while linking as many regional players with their original clubs in a bid for continuity.

Although no specific player age limit is being introduced the clubs are being asked to focus on selecting squads featuring a high number of players aged under 25.

Development teams involving Academy, Regional and potentially Premiership Division players for up to six games per side will be introduced next season including some cross-border fixtures.

There will no longer be automatic promotion for the winners of the Division One play-off -they will now face the bottom side from the Premiership in a winner-takes-all clash.

The current limit of two foreign or non Wales qualified players per Principality Premiership squad will be maintained unless individual clubs have written consent from the WRU to alter the number.

WRU head of rugby development Nigel Davies said: "The talent pathway which leads through to the regions and the national squads cannot afford to miss any player with the potential to succeed.

"The Premiership must remain a vital part of that pathway with the right facilities on and off the field to create a robust semi-professional environment."

All the changes proposed following the WRU Principality Premiership Review have been agreed by the Board of Directors of the Welsh Rugby Union at a meeting in the Millennium Stadium today(Thursday April the 24th).

This is the first of three reviews, commissioned last year by Roger Lewis, the WRU Group Chief Executive, to be approved by the WRU Board.

The chairman of the Principality Premiership Clubs, Chris Clarke, said: "Through open discussion we have resolved all the issues and reached decisions which have the best interests of rugby at heart.

"There is already some great rugby played in our division and these changes will definitely serve to improve standards even further.

"All of us involved in the division remain passionate about its value to Welsh rugby as a whole and we are committed to ensuring it flourishes in the future.

"The clubs in the Premiership represent the backbone and the history of the game in Wales and we have a duty of care to ensure it remains powerful going forward."