Wales Rugby League’s new schools competition for 2020 kicks off this month with the first round of games in a straight knock-out tournament.
The winners of each year then go through to the national knock-out rounds with the Year 7 national final being at Wembley Stadium.
The WRL have held Champion Schools tournaments over the past couple of decades, but for the first time, the schools are being linked to the community clubs in Wales, with each club adopting one or more schools to help increase their participation when the summer leagues starts.
The competition kicks off with a Year 7 fixture next Tuesday 14th January, when Ysgol Gyfun Gymareg Glantaf host Y Pant Comprehensive School (kick-off 3pm).
Other first round fixture dates and times will be confirmed from next week.
Peter Tiffin, WRL’s development officer, said: “With so much talent in Wales, the link between schools and clubs was an area we identified that needed a little more attention.
“The clubs are growing from strength to strength, so we knew they could support the new competition this year.
“We’ve had 14 schools entering and they’ll be participating from years 7 all the way up to 11. Each school has also been put under a community club to support each other moving forward.
“It’s an exciting time for the sport in Wales. We have so many ideas and so much support that we can organise competitions like this.
“The Rugby Football League have also been fantastic in showing their full support for the competition and have given 25 tickets for the Coral Challenge Cup Final at Wembley to each school who enters the competition.”
WRL CHAMPION SCHOOLS FIRST ROUND FIXTURES
YEAR 7
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (Cardiff) v Y Pant Comprehensive School (Llanharry)
Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dir v Pencoed Comprehensive School
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (Cardiff) v Monmouth Comprehensive School
St John the Baptist School, Aberdare – Bye
YEAR 8
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (Cardiff) v Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (Cardiff)
Aberdare Community School v Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni Y Gwyndy (Caerphilly)
Y Pant Comprehensive School (Llanharry) v Ysgol Gyfun y Strade (Llanelli)
Monmouth Comprehensive School v Brynteg Comprehensive School (Bridgend)
Croesyceiliog School (Cwmbran) – Bye
YEAR 9
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (Cardiff) v Brynteg Comprehensive School (Bridgend)
Aberdare Community School v Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (Cardiff)
Monmouth Comprehensive School v Y Pant Comprehensive School (Llanharry)
St John the Baptist School, Aberdare v Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni Y Gwyndy (Caerphilly)
Ysgol Gyfun y Strade (Llanelli) v Croesyceiliog School (Cwmbran)
YEAR 10
Caerleon Comprehensive School v Aberdare Community
Brynteg Comprehensive School (Bridgend) v Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (Cardiff)
Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni Y Gwyndy (Caerphilly) v Monmouth Comprehensive School
Pencoed Comprehensive School v Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (Cardiff)
YEAR 11
Monmouth Comprehensive School and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern (Cardiff) have already progressed to the national knock-out stages.