The 2010/11 SWALEC National Leagues campaign will kick-off on 4 September with promotions, relegations and moves bringing a fresh outlook to each division.
Ebbw Vale start life in Division 1 East after their relegation from the Premier Division with a tough home fixture against a Llanharan outfit that finished last season only four points behind champions UWIC.
Treorchy, who were in the Premier Division back in 1996-97, are on a march back to former glories and they celebrate a return to Division 1 East by entertaining Blackwood at the Oval.
Last season’s Division 2 East champions, Gilfach Goch, face a difficult visit to the Welfare Ground where they will meet Newbridge on the opening weekend. The home club have had a change of coaches in readiness for the new season, bringing in former home-grown Wales back row international Andrew Gibbs and Jonathan Hawker.
After five seasons in Division 1 East, last season’s champions UWIC have elected to switch their talents to Division 1 West and they open against Whitland at Cyncoed.
Maesteg are another club out to restore former reputations and, after winning promotion from Division 2 West, they begin the new season at Llynfi Road against Bonymaen, although all eyes will be on their derby clash with arch-rivalsBridgend, which is scheduled for 18 September at the Brewery Field.
The last meeting between these clubs came in the Premier Division during the 2007-08 season.
Waunarlwydd, who finished behind Bridgend in Division 2 West, will play host to Llangennech on opening day.
Penarth rubbed shoulders with the top clubs in the old Merit Table and Heineken league days, but a drop in fortunes left them plummeting down the divisions. After being narrowly pipped to the Division 3 South East title by Tylorstown they are now on the way back and a visit to Penallta will signal their return to Division 2 East.
Tylorstown will launch their new campaign with a visit to local rivals Llantwit Fardre, while the two relegated clubs from Division 1 East, Tredegar and Caerphilly, will meet at The Recreation Ground on the opening day in the division below. Last season’s Division 3 East champions, Fleur de Lys, travel to Ynysybwl as they begin life in the upper echelons of the National League pyramid.
Newcastle Emlyn, Skewen and Tondu are the newly promoted clubs in Division 2 West while Cwmllynfell and Builth Wells drop down from Division 1 West.
It is not that long ago that Abertillery were producing players such as Alun Pask, Haydn Morgan and Allan Lewis for the Wales national team, but recent years have seen them drop from the premier division of the old Heineken Leagues to the very bottom division.
But they have re-grouped and are once again becoming a force to be reckoned with, in their new guise of Abertillery BG. Successive promotions have seen them move back up into Division 3 East and they will play relegated Newport Saracens on the opening day.
Division 4 East champions Risca will make the short trip to play Pill Harriers in their opening fixture, while Garndiffaith, who joined Newport Saracens in dropping down from Division 2 East, will be hopeful of an improvement in fortunes when they kick-off against Croesyceiliog.
Dunvant, who had a one-season stay in the Premier Division back in 1999-00, will be starting life down in Division 3 West in September after relegation from Division 2 West. They travel to Crymych for their first fixture in the division, while fellow relegated club Mumbles meet the Cocklemen of Penclawdd.
Also joining Division 3 West are newly promoted Tumble, who will start with a home fixture against Lampeter in their new life in Division 3 West. Morriston will provide tough opposition after they switched from Division 3 West to Division 3 South West and they travel to Brynamman on opening day.
Pencoed are the only club relegated into this division (3S/W) and they kick-off with a home fixture against Glynneath. Aberavon Green Stars and Taibach, the promoted clubs from Division 4 South West, play Seven Sisters and Nantyffyllon respectively.
The Division 4 South East champions Dowlais entertain relegated Abercynon in their new life in Division Three South East while Taffs Well, who finished one place behind Dowlais, make the short trip to Ashcroft Park to play Fairwater.
In the north, the newly crowned champions Nant Conwy will launch their defence at home with a mouthwatering clash against the team from whom they took the title, Caernarfon. The Division 2 North winners Bethesda have moved up to the top division while bottom club Denbigh are dropping down to take their place.
There will be a new addition in Division 2 North with Abergele joining the other nine clubs.
SWALEC NATIONAL LEAGUES
PROMOTIONSNEW DIVISION CLUB OLD DIVISION Premiership Tonmawr 1 West 1 East Gilfach Goch 2 East 1 East Treorchy 2 East 1 West Maesteg 2 West 1 West Waunarlwydd 2 West 2 West Newcastle Emlyn 3 West 2 West Skewen 3 South West 2 West Tondu 3 South West 2 East Tylorstown 3 South East 2 East Penarth 3 South East 2 East Fleur De Lys 3 East 3 West Tumble 4 West 3 West Pontarddulais 4 West 3 South West Aberavon GS 4 South West 3South West Taibach 4 South West 3 South East Dowlais 4 South East 3 South East Taffs Well 4 South East 3 East Abertillery BG 4 East 3 East Risca 4 East 4 West Neyland 5 West 4 West Aberaeron 5 West 4 South West Birchgrove 5 South West 4 South West Bridgend Sports 5 South Central 4 South East Barry 5 South East 4 East Senghenydd 5 South East 4 East Oakdale 5 East 4 East Blaenavon 5 East 1 North Bethesda 2 North RELEGATIONS
NEW DIVISION CLUB OLD DIVISION 1 East Ebbw Vale Premiership 2 East Caerphilly 1 East 2 East Tredegar 1 East 2 West Cwmllynfell 1 West 2 West Builth Wells 1 West 3 East Newport Saracens 2 East 3 South East Abercynon 2 East 3 East Garndiffaith 2 East 3 West Dunvant 2 West 3 West Mumbles 2 West 3 South West Pencoed 2 West 4 East Nelson 3 East 4 East Cwmbran 3 East 4 South East Treherbert 3 South East 4 South East Llandaff 3 South East 4 South West Briton Ferry 3 South West 4 South West Maesteg Quins 3 South West 4 West Cardigan 3 West 4 West Llanybydder 3 West 5 East Monmouth 4 East 5 South East Old Illtydians 4 East 5 South East Ferndale 4 South East 5 South Central Pontycymmer 4 South East 5 South Central Resolven 4 South West 5 South Central Tonna 4 South West 5 West Pembroke 4 West 5 West Burry Port 4 West 2 North Denbigh 1 North MOVES
NEW DIVISION CLUB OLD DIVISION 1 West UWIC 1 East 3 South East Gwernyfed 3 East 3 South West Morriston 3 West 5 South West New Dock Stars 5 West 5 West Llandybie 5 South West 5 South West Baglan 5 South Central 5 South East Wattstown 5 South Central 5 East Blackwood Stars 5 South East 3 North Rhosllanerchrogog 2 North 2 North Abergele 3 North
