The Wales national rugby union team represents the Welsh Rugby Union in men's international rugby union. Its governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played their first international against England. The team plays its home matches at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which replaced Cardiff Arms Park as the national stadium of Wales in 1999.
The Celtic Warriors were a rugby union team from Wales, who played in the 2003–04 Celtic League and the 2003–04 Heineken Cup following the introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales. They were effectively a temporary merger of Pontypridd RFC and Bridgend RFC. The Celtic Warriors played just one season before disbanding.
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby.
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions. The club was originally named the Llanelli Scarlets but was renamed at the start of the 2008–09 rugby season.
Rugby union in Wales is considered a large part of Welsh national culture. Rugby union is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) being formed in 1881. Wales are considered to be one of the most successful national sides in Rugby Union, having won the most Six Nations Championships, as well as having reached 3 World Cup semi finals in 1987, 2011 and 2019, having finished 3rd in the inaugural competition and having finished 4th in 2011 in a repeat of the first third place play-off. The Welsh team of the 1970s is considered to be arguably the greatest national team of all time, prompting many experts in the game to suggest that had the Rugby World Cup existed during this period, Wales would be amongst the list of World Cup winners. As of November 2021, they are ranked 8th in the world.
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, shortly after which relocating to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since.
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool, which plays in the WRU Premiership. Since the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003, Pontypool RFC is now a feeder club to the Dragons regional team. Pontypool play their home matches at Pontypool Park. Their traditional home kit is a red, white and black-hooped shirt and socks with white shorts, although they did gradually shift to wearing black shorts post-2003.
Abertillery Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Abertillery. According to their website, they were founded in 1883 by a coal miner named Doug Wallace who was a local resident who moved from Scotland in 1882, Wallace was known for his commitment for the club until he died in 1899 and will be remembered as a special part of the club even to do this day. Every year the club celebrates Wallace's life by competing in a cross country race with 100s of the locals competing in the last 10 years Mr Phelps has won the race 10 times and is now the all-time leading winner in the competition, in one year he run the race twice before anyone had cross the line for the first time.
Bonymaen Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in the village of Bon-y-maen, Swansea, South Wales. Bonymaen RFC currently play in the WRU Championship and are a feeder club for the Ospreys. also including teams from under 6s to the under 16s, youth, Bonymaen 2nds, Bonymaen 1sts and Bonymaen Ladies.
Bridgend Ravens are a semi-professional rugby union club based in Bridgend, South Wales.
Fleur De Lys RFC is a Welsh rugby union club based in south-east Wales and are a feeder club for Newport Gwent Dragons. The 1st XV Team currently play in Division 3 East
Beddau Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Beddau, South Wales. The present club was formed in 1951-52, but it can trace its roots to around 1900. Beddau RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for Cardiff Blues.
Penclawdd RFC is a Rugby Football Club representing the town of Penclawdd, Swansea, Wales, UK. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys. Players from the club are nicknamed the Donks.
Resolven Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Resolven in Wales and are a feeder club for the Ospreys.
The Welsh Rugby Union Division Three South West is a rugby union league in Wales.
Gilfach Goch Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Gilfach Goch, South Wales. Gilfach Goch RFC was established in 1889, has been a member of the Welsh Rugby Union since 1956 and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.
The Welsh Rugby Union Division Five South Central is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented for the 1995/96 season.
Pontyberem Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets.
RGC 1404, formerly "Gogledd Cymru", is a rugby union team founded in 2008 and based in Colwyn Bay, Conwy. They currently play in the Welsh Premier Division; after winning Division 1 East at the first attempt in 2012–13, they spent three seasons in the Welsh Championship before earning promotion to the Premier Division in 2015–16. They finished fourth in their first season in the top flight, but also won the WRU Challenge Cup for the first time. They play at Eirias Stadium, which has a capacity of just over 6,000.
Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship.
