While the four professional regions will do battle at Judgement Day VI on April 28, the next two weeks will also showcase the best that Welsh grassroots rugby has to offer, with schools, youth and senior club teams all eager to produce the game of their lives and make memories to last a lifetime.
Under 18 teams will be the first to take centre stage tomorrow (Wednesday). Boys’ school teams will compete for the National Vase, Plate and Cup trophies before an Emerging Wales Women face an England U18 Development XV in a first fixture of its kind at Principality Stadium.
It’s the turn of youth rugby on Saturday (21 April) with the Youth Bowl, Plate and Cup Finals. Current Cup champions Rumney will be hoping to defend their title with last year’s Bowl winners Treorchy standing in their way. In the Plate final, Pembroke have defeated Haverfordwest, Nelson and Cwmtwrch on their way to meet Tondu who beat Bridgend Athletic 2, Dunvant, Carmarthen Quins and Dolgellau on their march to the capital.
In the Bowl, Ystrad Rhondda are going for a League and Cup double having won their regional Youth Divison but will have to overcome St Julians HSOB who are in their second season back playing youth rugby after a number of years without a youth team.
On Saturday evening, Touch Rugby will be the name of the game with 20 winning teams from structured Touch Leagues from across Wales coming together for a National Finals event.
Senior rugby takes over the following weekend with the pinnacle of Welsh club rugby on Sunday 29 April with National Finals Day 24 hours after Judgment Day. The National Bowl and Plate will provide opportunities for community clubs to enjoy a day to remember and clinch some silverware to treasure while the finale of the day will see Newport and Merthyr battle it out for the coveted Cup trophy, Newport for the first time since 2001, and Merthyr looking to get their name on the Cup for the first time.
Junior teams return on Monday 30 April with the DC Thomas Cup Final, the Year 8 and Year 9 finals followed by a WRU Mixed Ability Festival. Mixed ability rugby is a key component of the WRU’s new Disability Rugby strategy and the evening will see the Llanelli Warriors, Swansea Gladiators and Cardiff Chiefs play three 30 minute games in a celebratory event which will showcase what mixed ability rugby is all about.
The series closes with U15s rugby – the district boys finals and the final of the girls’ schools U15 competition take place on Tuesday 1 May.
WRU Head of Rugby Participation Ryan Jones said, “ Playing at Principality Stadium is often a once in a lifetime opportunity and a dream that we are trying to make real for as many people as possible. It is important to us that everyone has a positive rugby experience and we’re delighted that so many players and teams from all aspects of our game will benefit from playing at Principality Stadium during this celebration of community rugby. Good luck to everyone involved.”
Wednesday 18 April U18 Schools Finals (boys) free entry
12 noon Circle IT Vase Final
Mountain Ash CS / St Johns CCS v Ysgol Greenhill Tenby
2.15pm WSS&C Plate Final 2.15pm
Ysgol Dyffryn Amman v Coleg Penybont
4.30pm Spirit of Youth Cup Final
Ysgol Brynteg v Ysgol Preseli
6.30pm U18 Emerging Wales Women v England Development XV
Saturday 21 April Youth Finals Day and Touch Finals. Fully ticketed event. Tickets £5 for adults, free to under 16s but a ticket must be obtained in order to gain entry to the stadium. Tickets will be available at WRU Store, Westgate Street)
11am WRU National Bowl Final St Julians HSOB v Ystrad Rhondda
1.15pm WRU National Plate Final Pembroke v Tondu
3.30pm WRU National Cup Final Rumney v Treorchy
Touch Rugby Finals 5.30 – 7.30pm
Saturday 28 April Judgement Day VI (wru.wales/tickets)
Sunday 29 April National Finals Day (wru.wales/tickets)
Monday 30 April (free entry)
DC Thomas Cup Final 12.30
Year 8 Final 2pm
Year 9 Final 4.30pm
Mixed Ability Rugby 5.30 – 8pm
Tuesday 1 May (free entry)
U15 District Schools Finals and U15 National Girls’ Schools Final
