South Wales Jets and Cardiff Demons have entered into a new partnership that will bring the Demons under the Jets banner.
The Demons travel to Wigan Warriors this Saturday in their first match of this year’s Women’s Challenge Cup competition, their 50th competitive game as a club since their formation in 2021.
But this club name will continue for just one more season, with the club adopting the South Wales Jets title immediately following their final match of 2026.
However, the side will be featured on the Jets’ official website from today, and they will wear Jets off-field gear this season.
Cardiff Demons have become Wales’ success story in women’s rugby league. Winning their first ten matches, they won the southern league’s Grand Final in 2021 and 2022. In 2025, they were promoted to the National Championship, where they reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Featherstone Rovers.
The club has also been very successful in producing international stars. Of the 64 players that the club fielded between 2021 and 2025, a total of 30 have played for Wales.
Formed in 2023 with a men’s open-age side, the Penallta-based South Wales Jets have since grown into the largest rugby league club in Wales. Undefeated in the regular season for their first two years, South Wales Jets’ men’s side won the Wales Rugby League Grand Final in their first season. Last season, boosted by nine junior squads, they had 372 players turning out for the club, with their U13s side winning the Welsh title.
In addition, last year they founded Wales’ first dedicated girls side, playing at U14 level, and this year, they started up a wheelchair side, who have already tasted success, winning the Welsh League in 2026 with a 100% record.
Demons’ head coach Ian Newbury said: “I think that we’ve built something pretty special that we’ve started from scratch, built it up and had five seasons of a women’s only club. But for the future, we need sustainability.
Jets’ chairman Liam Price said: “Ian Newbury and the Cardiff Demons have done an exceptional job over the past five years, building a successful side, winning honours, and developing a strong group of international players, often with limited resources.
“At the Jets, our ambition is to build on that success, strengthen the programme even further, and support the journey towards Super League. We firmly believe that becoming part of a larger organisation like the Jets will provide the platform, structure, and backing needed to take the Demons to the next level.
“This now gives us a clear and structured pathway for female players, from under 13s right the way through to senior rugby.
“That’s something that hasn’t existed before at this level in Wales, and it’s a huge step forward for the game. We want to keep growing, keep improving, and keep creating opportunities for the next generation.”
