The Road to Principality series of community festivals and finals is set to be even bigger and better than last year's inaugural series.
Teams from all over Ospreylia are looking forward to a week-long celebration on the national stage. More than 100 teams from all over Wales, will participate in the community festival set to take place at the home of Welsh rugby, the Principality Stadium.
Kicking off with National Finals Day on Sunday 28 April when six community teams from every level of the WRU National Leagues will compete for the National Cup, Plate and Bowl titles, the week will see more than 1000 male and female players of all ages from clubs, schools, touch and mixed ability teams take to the hallowed turf of Principality Stadium to produce the performance of their lives in a series of finals and fun festivals. A young Wales Women Emerging side will also play England U18 Talent Development Group.
New elements this year include a whole day dedicated to inclusive rugby. For the first time there will be a Walking Rugby festival involving six walking rugby groups, six mixed ability teams will participate in a mixed ability rugby festival – a growth from the three teams that played at the venue last year. In addition, Cardiff Lions will play Swansea Vikings in an International Gay Rugby fixture refereed by Nigel Owens.
Welsh Schools Rugby Union finals including DC Thomas, Junior, Intermediate and Senior age groups will again take place at national stadium, along with the Youth Cup, Plate and Bowl Finals.
The Girls U15 and U18 Schools champions will be decided in a Principality Stadium final following a day-long National Girls U15s and U18s preliminary rounds at Cardiff Arms Park, and for the first time, the women’s Super Cup and Youth Cup Finals will take place at Principality Stadium – on Friday 3 May.
The week will conclude with the National Touch Rugby finals involving 20 finalist teams.
WRU Community Director Geraint John said, “Playing at Principality Stadium is a dream come true for any rugby player and for many of the participants of Road to Principality, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Fundamental to our rugby participation strategy is a flexible and inclusive approach to traditional club rugby and a range of initiatives which embrace the future by trialling new formats, playing environments, seasonal structures and collaborative partnerships to broaden the appeal of rugby union in Wales.
“We are thrilled that this inclusive approach will be reflected in the range of matches, festivals and finals which will form part of this exciting Road to Principality series, showcasing community rugby at its best.”
Full schedule (free entry unless stated):
Sunday 28th April - National Finals Day
WRU Bowl Final – 1pm Abergavenny v Oakdale
WRU Plate Final – 3-15pm Bonymaen v Brecon
WRU Cup Final – 5-35pm Cardiff v Merthyr
Monday 29 April Inclusion Festival
Walking Rugby Festival – 11am Aberystwyth, Cambrian, Cardiff, Cwmbran, Pontyclun, Pontypridd Walking Rugby groups
Riverside school festival – 1pm
Mixed ability festival 4-30pm - 6-30pm Cardiff Chiefs, Colwyn Bay Stingrays, Dragons All Stars, Llanelli Warriors, Newtown Dragons, Swansea Gladiators
International Gay Rugby match Cardiff Lions v Swansea Vikings
Tues 30 April Schools Finals and Wales Women Emerging v England U18 Development
WSRU Junior Group 10 a side Final – 11-30am Christ The King Cardiff v YGGG Llantrisant
WSRU Intermediate Group Year 8 Final – 12-45pm Ysgol Glantaf v Ysgol Y Gwyr
WSRU Intermediate Group Year 9 Final – 2-15pm Brynteg v Whitchurch
Wales Women Emerging v England U18 Talent Development Group – 6pm
Weds 1 May Schools Finals
WSRU Senior Group – U18s Plate Final – 11-30am Cwm Rhymni v Bro Dinefwr
WSRU Senior Group – U18s Vase Final – 1-30pm Bassaleg v Bro Myrddin
WSRU Senior Group – U18s Female Cup Final (10 a side) - 4-30pm (U18 Girls Qualifiers 10am-6pm Cardiff Arms Park)
WSRU Senior Group – U18s Male Cup Final 6pm Aberdare Community School v Coleg Sir Gar
Thurs 2 May Schools Finals
Girls U15s National Festival – Cardiff Arms Park
WSRU Junior Group – U11s DC Thomas Final – 12noon Pontypridd Schools v Cynon Valley Schools
WSRU Intermediate Group - Lawrence Miller Bowl - 1.15pm Aberavon Schools v Neath Schools
WSRU Intermediate GRoup - Morgan Grifiths Plate - 2.45pm Carmarthen Schools v Swansea Valley Schools
Girls U15s National Festival Final (10 a side) – 4-30pm
WSRU Intermediate Group – Dewar Shield Final – 6-15pm Cardiff Schools v Swansea Schools
Fri 3 May Women’s Super Cup and girls U18 Cup final (*semi-finals Sunday 14 April, see below semi-finals)
Girls National Youth Final – 5-30pm
Women’s Super Cup Final – 7-15pm
Tickets £5, free for U16s
Sat 4 May Male Youth Cup Finals and National Touch Finals (Youth Finals £5, free for u16s)
National Youth Bowl Final – 10-40am Resolven v Tenby United
National Youth Plate Final – 12-55pm Cardiff Quins v Penallta
National Youth Cup Final – 3-10pm Cardiff Met v Morriston
National Touch Finals – from 5-45pm
*The Women's Super Cup and Girls' U18 Youth finalists will be decided this Sunday 14 April (home venues).
Super Cup semi-finals:
Sunday 14 April Pontyclun v Seven Sisters; Bonymaen v Swansea
Youth U18 Cup semi-finals:
Sunday 14 April Cardiff Quins v Whitland; Haverfordwest v Pencoed