| Rugby union in Wales | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Wales |
| Governing body | Welsh Rugby Union |
| National team(s) | Wales |
| Registered players | 79,800 [1] |
| Clubs | 300+ [2] (system) |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
Rugby union in Wales (Welsh: undeb rygbi) 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.[3] Wales are considered to be one of the most successful national sides in Rugby Union, having won the most Six Nations Championships after England, 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 one of the greatest national teams of all time. As of November 2021, they are ranked 8th in the world.
The Wales national team play at the WRU-owned Principality Stadium, and compete annually in the Six Nations Championship, as well as having competed at every Rugby World Cup. Wales are ranked as a tier-1 nation by World Rugby. Wales also competes as one of the 15 "core teams" in the annual World Rugby Sevens Series, and won the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
The main domestic competition in Wales is the United Rugby Championship (formerly called Pro 14, and before that the Celtic League). Four regional sides (Ospreys, Cardiff, Scarlets, and Dragons) represent Wales in the competition, which also includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and South Africa. The regional sides also compete in the Europe-wide European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup.
Beneath the URC, club rugby is represented by over 200 WRU affiliated clubs who play in the Welsh Premier Division and the lower Welsh Divisional leagues. Prominent clubs include Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Llanelli, Bridgend, Neath, Pontypool, Pontypridd, and England-based London Welsh.
As of February 2019 the Welsh Rugby Union are reviewing the number of regions, with potential consolidation for funding two or three super teams.
- ^ "International Rugby Board - WALES". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
- ^ "Experience international rugby in Cardiff".
- ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881-1981, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pp41 ISBN 0-7083-0766-3