2019–20 Indigo Group Premiership

The 2019–20 Indigo Group Premiership was the first season of the new format of the Welsh Premiership, the top tier of club rugby in Wales run by the Welsh Rugby Union. It was contested by twelve Welsh clubs following a reduction from sixteen teams at the end of the 2018–19 season.

2019–20 Indigo Group Premiership
Countries Wales
Date6 September 2019 – 7 March 2020 (cancelled)
ChampionsNONE
RelegatedNONE
Matches played100 (out of a scheduled 132)

The season was cancelled on 20 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Structure

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The structure was a traditional league. Each team would play each other team on a home and away basis for a total of 22 games. League points were awarded as such – 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw and 0 for a loss. Teams could also earn an additional bonus point by scoring four or more tries in a match and/or losing by less than seven points. One team would be relegated to the Welsh Championship at the end of the season, provided that the Welsh Championship winners met the criteria for an A Licence. The top 6 teams from the previous 2018–19 season would play against teams from the new Scottish Super 6 league in a cross-border competition in April and May 2020.[2]

Teams

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The top 12 teams that competed in the previous season took part again this season. Merthyr were the reigning champions and were aiming to win the league for the fourth year in succession.

Locations of the 2019–20 Indigo Group Premiership teams with colour markers to represent the region they belong to:

Orange = Dragons
Blue = Cardiff Blues
Black = Ospreys
Red = Scarlets

  • RGC acts as a de facto club representing North Wales
Club Stadium Capacity Area
Aberavon Talbot Athletic Ground 3,000 Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot
Bridgend Brewery Field 8,000 Bridgend
Cardiff Cardiff Arms Park 12,125 Cardiff
Carmarthen Quins Carmarthen Park 3,000 Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
Ebbw Vale Eugene Cross Park 8,000 Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent
Llandovery Church Bank Playing Fields 3,000 Llandovery, Carmarthenshire
Llanelli Parc y Scarlets 14,870 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Merthyr The Wern 4,500 Merthyr Tydfil
Newport Rodney Parade 11,676 Newport
Pontypridd Sardis Road 7,861 Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
RGC 1404 Eirias Stadium 6,000 Colwyn Bay, Conwy
Swansea St Helen's 4,500 Swansea

Standings

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2019–20 Indigo Group Premiership Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1 Cardiff 16 13 0 3 391 243 +148 50 29 7 2 61
2 Carmarthen Quins 17 10 3 4 372 278 +94 47 32 5 3 54
3 Aberavon 16 11 0 5 371 272 +99 45 32 4 5 53
4 Llandovery 16 9 2 5 344 285 +59 44 32 4 4 48
5 Pontypridd 18 10 0 8 391 373 +18 41 46 2 5 47
6 Merthyr 18 8 0 10 362 374 −12 45 40 5 7 44
7 RGC 1404 17 8 1 8 409 381 +28 54 50 5 4 43
8 Newport 15 7 0 8 294 273 +21 38 32 4 5 37
9 Swansea 17 7 0 10 246 292 −46 29 36 3 4 35
10 Llanelli 15 6 0 9 293 412 −119 38 52 2 1 27
11 Ebbw Vale 17 4 2 11 280 348 −68 28 41 1 6 27
12 Bridgend 18 3 0 15 271 493 −222 29 66 1 6 19
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: "Indigo Group Premiership". allwalessport.
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Number of tries scored
  3. Ratio between points for:points against

References

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