Newport, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool in new-look WRU league

The Gwent trio, who are all hunting spots in the Premiership play-offs, are among nine teams granted three-year licences by the Welsh Rugby Union for the revamped league that starts in September.

They are joined by Aberavon, Swansea and Bridgend from the Ospreys area, Carmarthen and Llandovery from the Scarlets plus Colwyn Bay-based RGC.

There is one spot still open meaning that there could yet be Cardiff representation, with Pontypridd and the Blue and Blacks options after Merthyr opted against entering.

Neath, meanwhile, have criticised the WRU after being overlooked for a spot.

WRU performance director Huw Bevan said: “We need ten teams in this league if it is to perform at its optimum level.

“Our clubs must also meet the criteria for a licence, to ensure that we are producing the sustainable and successful elite competition we need in Wales.

“This is why we are going back out to our clubs to search for a tenth team ready to join this exciting new competition.

“This new league represents the missing link in our senior men’s pathway, but it will also be the shop window for the traditional club game in Wales and all the history and heritage that brings.

“This is a hugely exciting development for Welsh rugby and we need to ensure we have the right building blocks in place to achieve our ambitious aims for this competition.

“The door is now open for another club to come to the table and we hope a number of further applications will be received to ensure a further thorough and competitive process.”

PROMISING: Ryan Woodman, who played for Newport, on the charge for the Dragons (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

The Gwent trio have all worked together with the Dragons in recent times, with academy prospects such as Ryan Woodman, Harri Ackerman, Ewan Rosser and Joe Westwood currently experiencing a first taste of professional rugby after getting experience in the Premiership.

There are currently six Dragons in action for Wales at the Under-20 Six Nations plus Ebbw Vale back rower Owen Conquer.

“This league will integrate our long-standing, ambitious and committed semi-professional clubs in Wales with the professional game,” said Bevan.

“It will support the development of high potential young professional players but also drive the quality of the domestic semi-professional game.

“The nine successful clubs can now forge ahead with the final stages of their business plans and lock in their playing and coaching teams for next season.

“We look forward to now establishing and activating the competition in what will be a new dawn for domestic men’s rugby in Wales.”

Clubs will receive an increase in investment from the Union and be required to work within a new salary cap while meeting ‘minimum operating expectations’.

“A lot of work went into our application and we are pleased to see the effort to showcase what the club has to offer has been recognised and rewarded,” read a Pooler statement.

“We look forward to testing ourselves at the highest level while continuing to develop our close relationship with the Dragons.”

“We are delighted to announce that our application to join the new EDL next season has been successful,” said the Black and Ambers.

“The club would like to thank everyone involved for their incredibly hard work during the process.”

“We are delighted to have been informed our application to join the newly formed EDC has been successful,” said Ebbw.

“Thank you to everyone involved in this process over the past months. We now look forward to preparing the club for the start of the new season.”

The trio will look to finish with a flourish in the Premiership with Newport and Ebbw looking good for the play-offs while Pooler are hoping to reignite their top-four chances.

The second-placed Black and Ambers travel to Merthyr on Thursday while the Steelmen, in third, head to Bridgend on Saturday and Pooler are at home to four-placed Cardiff and need to win to stay in the hunt.