The WRU Challenge Cup (currently known as the WRU Premiership Cup, formally called the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, is Wales' premier knockout rugby union competition and is organised by the Welsh Rugby Union. As of 2022, it has been divided into separate Cup competitions Premiership Cup, Championship Cup, Division 1 Cup etc. as well as the Bowl and Plate editions for other lower divisions. The competition is now seen as the top cup prize for the community game, separate from the Super Rygbi Cymru competitions.
On 26 February 2007, the WRU agreed a new £1 million three-year sponsorship deal with SWALEC, who had previously sponsored the event from the 1992–93 season until the 1998–99 season; the Cup was renamed the SWALEC Cup once again. The SWALEC Cup is a three-tier competition with Cup, Plate and Bowl winners. In the inaugural year, the SWALEC Plate was contested by clubs that were knocked out of the SWALEC Cup in the first two rounds, while the SWALEC Bowl was contested by clubs that were eliminated in the first round of the Plate competition.The Swalec Cup, Bowl and Plate rules 2008/09 In its second year, the WRU directly split the three competitions, with teams from Divisions 4–6 competing for the Bowl, teams from Divisions 2–3 competing for the Plate, and teams from the Premiership and Division 1 competing for the Cup.
The current WRU Premiership Cup holders are Neath RFC who beat Merthyr 32–21 at the Millennium Stadium on 12 April 2026.
Past winners YearWinnersScoreRunners-upFinal venue 1972 Neath 15–9 Llanelli Cardiff Arms Park 1973 Llanelli 30–7 Cardiff 1974 Llanelli 12–10 Aberavon 1975 Llanelli 15–6 Aberavon 1976 Llanelli 16–4 Swansea 1977 Newport 16–15 Cardiff 1978 Swansea 13–9 Newport 1979 Bridgend 18–12 Pontypridd 1980 Bridgend 15–9 Swansea 1981 Cardiff 14–6 Bridgend 1982 Cardiff 12–12(Cardiff win on try count) Bridgend 1983 Pontypool 18–6 Swansea 1984 Cardiff 24–19 Neath National Stadium 1985 Llanelli 15–14 Cardiff 1986 Cardiff 28–21 Newport 1987 Cardiff 16–15(after extra time) Swansea 1988 Llanelli 28–13 Neath 1989 Neath 14–13 Llanelli 1990 Neath 16–10 Bridgend 1991 Llanelli 24–9 Pontypool 1992 Llanelli 16–7 Swansea 1993 Llanelli 21–18 Neath 1994 Cardiff 15–8 Llanelli 1995 Swansea 17–12 Pontypridd 1996 Pontypridd 29–22 Neath 1997 Cardiff 33–26 Swansea 1998 Llanelli 19–12 Ebbw Vale Ashton Gate 1999 Swansea 37–10 Llanelli Ninian Park 2000 Llanelli 22–12 Swansea Millennium Stadium 2001 Newport 13–8 Neath 2002 Pontypridd 20–17 Llanelli 2003 Llanelli 32–9 Newport 2004 Neath 36–13 Caerphilly 2005 Llanelli 25–24 Pontypridd 2006 Pontypridd 26–25 Neath 2007 Llandovery 20–18 Cardiff 2008 Neath 28–22 Pontypridd 2009 Neath 27–21 Llanelli 2010 Llanelli 20–8 Carmarthen 2011 Pontypridd 35–24 Aberavon 2012 Cross Keys 32–19 Pontypridd 2013 Pontypridd 34–13 Neath 2014 Pontypridd 21–8 Cross Keys 2015 Bridgend 19–15 Pontypridd 2016 Llandovery 25–18 Carmarthen 2017 RGC 1404 15–11 Pontypridd 2018 Merthyr 41–7 Newport 2019 Cardiff 25–19 Merthyr 2020scope="col" colspan="3" 2021scope="col" colspan="3" 2022 Newport 25–21 Aberavon 2023 Cardiff 13–10 Newport 2024 Llandovery 20–18 Merthyr 2025 Pontypridd 43–12 Cross Keys 2026 Neath 32–21 Merthyr
Total finals by club TeamWinnersRunners-upLlanelli146Cardiff94Neath77Pontypridd76Llandovery30Swansea37Bridgend33Newport34Merthyr13Cross Keys12Pontypool11RGC 140410Aberavon04Carmarthen Quins02Caerphilly01Ebbw Vale01
Sponsorship Period Sponsor Name1971–1977WRU Challenge Cup1977–1992SchweppesSchweppes Cup1992–1999SWALECSWALEC Cup1999–2000WRU Challenge Cup2000–2003Principality Building SocietyPrincipality Cup2003–2008Konica MinoltaKonica Minolta Cup2008–2016SWALECSWALEC Cup2016–2019WRU National Cup2019–2021SpecsaversSpecsavers Cup2021–2024Indigo GroupIndigo Group Premiership Cup2024–presentWRU Premiership Cup
References
External links SWALEC Cup website Konica Minolta Cup: A Brief History
See also Welsh Premier Division Welsh Rugby Union Rugby union in Wales Konica Minolta