Wales Rugby League’s North Wales Men’s League will be a five-team competition this season, with Flintshire Falcons looking to defend their crown when it kicks off on Saturday 20 May.
The Falcons will travel to new side Clwyd Cobras that day, with Conwy Celts, Bangor Buffaloes returning, and Wrexham Crusaders moving to the Welsh structure after spending time in an English league.
All five sides will play two home and two away games, followed by play-offs, which will result in a Grand Final that will be played on Sunday 30 July in Colwyn Bay as a curtain raiser to the Celtic Shield/League 1 match between North Wales Crusaders and Cornwall.
The winners of the North Wales Grand Final will then go into a challenge match against the South Wales champions, with the victors of that game becoming Wales’ entrants into the RFL Challenge Cup competition and will play in the 100th men’s Challenge Cup game to feature a Welsh side.
Mark Jones, General Manager for Wales Rugby League, said: “It’s wonderful to again see expansion in North Wales, with the extra team in this year’s men’s league.
“It’s no surprise that rugby league continues to grow in the north. The North Wales Crusaders Foundation, in association with Wales Rugby League, continues to produce excellent results at all levels and I’m sure this will be reflected in the support for the Men’s League in 2023, which will have its final before a Crusaders’ first team match.
“Good luck to all sides involved and we look forward to the North v South playoff at the end of the season.”
GROUNDS
Bangor Buffaloes – Bethesda RFC & Menai Bridge
Clwyd Cobras – Flint High School
Conwy Celts – Llandudno RFC
Flintshire Falcons – Shotton RFC
Wrexham Crusaders – Rhos RFC
The full fixtures are as follows…
Saturday 20 May
Clwyd Cobras v Flintshire Falcons
Saturday 3 June
Conwy Celts v Flintshire Falcons*
Bangor Buffaloes v Clwyd Cobras
Saturday 10 June
Wrexham Crusaders v Bangor Buffaloes
Saturday 17 June
Wrexham Crusaders v Conwy Celts
Flintshire Falcons v Bangor Buffaloes
Saturday 24 June
Clwyd Cobras v Wrexham Crusaders
Bangor Buffaloes v Conwy Celts
Saturday 8 July
Conwy v Clwyd Cobras
Flintshire Falcons v Wrexham Crusaders
Saturday 15 July – Play-offs Week 1
2nd v 5th
3rd v 4th
*1st position automatically in the Final
Saturday 22 July – Play-offs Week 2
Semi-Final – Winner of 2nd/5th v Winner of 3rd/4th
Plate Final – Loser of 2nd/5th v Loser of 3rd/5th
Sunday 30 July – North Wales Grand Final
*Conwy Celts v Flintshire Falcons on Saturday 3 June will be held in Flintshire due to ground unavailability.
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
