Wales

Site: http://www.warfl.co.uk/

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_rules_football_in_Wales

Teams: 6

Format: Eurofooty (9-aisde)

National Side: Cymru Red Dragons

EU Cup results:

Australian rules football was first played in Wales in 1944 when the 462 Squadron played against the second Sunderland Squadron formed teams based on State of Origin (Victoria vs Western Australia) to play a match at Pembroke Dock.^[1]
However in recent times regular competition began with the formation of Aussie Rules Wales on 1 September 2006 by Bryce Stone who comes from Adelaide in South Australia and has recent Welsh heritage. Three teams were formed in 2007 being Cardiff Double Blues, South Cardiff Panthers and Swansea Magpies and competed in a 9-a-side format with modified rules in the Welsh division (WAFL) of the ARUK National league. Also the Swindon Devils from England’s West Country competed as a guest fourth side. The season concluded with the Swindon Devils defeating South Cardiff by 71 points to win the inaugural (and only) WAFL Premiership.

Aussie Rules Wales then ceased trading in January 2008 and was replaced by the independently-run WARFL which seeks to become the national governing body of the sport in Wales.

The inaugural WARFL Premiership season kicked off in May 2008, with the Cardiff Double Blues, South Cardiff Panthers and Swansea Magpies competing in 9 rounds in 9-a-side format with full AFL rules. The Cardiff Double Blues eventually defeated South Cardiff Panthers by 94 points to win the inaugural 2008 WARFL Premiership. South Cardiff Panthers’ David James was awarded best on ground.

In 2009 Gwent Tigers based in Newport joined the league in a 12 round competition with the 9-a-side format unchanged.

Also that year the WARFL introduced a pre-season competition known as the Cymru Clwb Cup played at Waunarlwydd RFC in Swansea where the three foundation clubs competed. The Cardiff Double Blues won the tournament winning both of their round robin matches.

At the end of the Premiership South Cardiff Panthers played Swansea Magpies at Llandaff Fields in Cardiff where South Cardiff won by two points to win their first Premiership after being runners up in 2007 and 2008. Swansea Magpies’ Matthew Hopkins was awarded best on ground.

2010 saw further expansion of the league with the Vale Warriors based at Barry RFC entering. The second Cymru Clwb Challenge was played at Llandaff Fields with all WARFL clubs playing except for Gwent Tigers who did not field a team due to player unavailability. South Cardiff Panthers won all their matches winning the competition with Cardiff Doubles Blues player Rhys Morgan awarded player of the tournament.

That year the league ran as a 10 round competition with each team playing 8 matches and having 2 byes and continuing in the 9-a-side format. On the 24th July the top of the league South Cardiff Panthers played against Swansea Magpies at Barry RFC where South Cardiff won by 71 points to be the first club in WARFL history to win consecutive Premierships. South Cardiff Panthers’ ruckman Chris James was awarded best on ground.

The Bridgend Eagles based at Heol y Cyw RFC is scheduled to enter the WARFL in 2011.