Champions Neath open with derby

Neath celebrate winning the title in 2004/5

Welsh Premier champions Neath RFC begin their defence with a home game against local rivals Llanelli on 3 September.

"We have created momentum and aim to continue," said coach Rowland Phillips.

The other opening games are Pontypool v Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale v Cardiff, Bedwas v Cross Keys, Llandovery v Maesteg, Carmarthen Quins v Aberavon, Bridgend v Swansea and Glamorgan Wdrs v Newport.

The league is called the Principality Building Society Premiership after a three-year sponsorship deal was agreed.

"The Principality Building Society Premiership is the 30-match tournament that will groom our stars of the future," said Welsh Rugby Union general manager Steve Lewis.

It is the tournament that is the essential breeding ground for our next wave of full-time professionals Welsh Rugby Union general manager Steve Lewis

"A successful, highly competitive and intense tournament is absolutely vital for the development and health of our game at the top level.

"Young players like Matthew Jones and Chris Czekaj - capped on the Wales tour to North America in June - proved they could make the big step up from the Premiership to the regional and international stage.

"Our Grand Slam winning under-21 players were a step ahead of their counterparts last season, in large part due to the players getting very competitive, regular rugby in the Premiership.

"It is the tournament that is the essential breeding ground for our next wave of full-time professionals and I am sure we are in for a top-quality season."

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Principality Building Society Premiership Fixtures 2005/6:

3 September:
Neath v Llanelli; Pontypool v Pontypridd; Carmarthen Quins v Aberavon; Ebbw Vale v Cardiff; Bridgend v Swansea; Bedwas v Cross Keys; Llandovery v Maesteg; Glamorgan Wdrs v Newport

10 September:
Newport v Swansea; Pontypridd v Neath; Llanelli v Ebbw Vale; Aberavon v Cardiff; Cross Keys v Llandovery; Bedwas v Maesteg; Carmarthen Quins v Pontypool; Bridgend v Glamorgan Wdrs

17 September:
Ebbw Vale v Swansea; Neath v Glamorgan Wdrs; Pontypool v Llandovery; Aberavon v Bedwas; Cross Keys v Llanelli; Maesteg v Pontypridd; Newport v Carmarthen Quins; Cardiff v Bridgend

24 September:
Llanelli v Pontypool; Bridgend v Bedwas; Ebbw Vale v Carmarthen Quins; Glamorgan Wdrs v Maesteg; Cross Keys v Swansea; Pontypridd v Aberavon; Llandovery v Newport; Cardiff v Neath

1 October:
Llanelli v Glamorgan Wdrs; Pontypool v Bridgend; Swansea v Cardiff; Maesteg v Ebbw Vale; Carmarthen Quins v Bedwas; Neath v Cross Keys; Llandovery v Pontypridd; Aberavon v Newport

8 October:
Swansea v Pontypridd; Newport v Neath; Cardiff v Llandovery; Cross Keys v Aberavon; Bedwas v Llanelli; Maesteg v Pontypool; Glamorgan Wdrs v Carmarthen Quins; Ebbw Vale v Bridgend

15 October:
Pontypridd v Llanelli; Bridgend v Cross Keys; Carmarthen Quins v Cardiff; Newport v Maesteg; Bedwas v Swansea; Pontypool v Aberavon; Glamorgan Wdrs v Llandovery; Ebbw Vale v Neath

22 October:
Swansea v Glamorgan Wdrs; Neath v Pontypool; Llanelli v Cardiff; Aberavon v Ebbw Vale; Llandovery v Bedwas; Cross Keys v Maesteg; Pontypridd v Carmarthen Quins; Newport v Bridgend

29 October:
Maesteg v Llanelli; Pontypridd v Newport; Aberavon v Swansea; Ebbw Vale v Bedwas; Bridgend v Carmarthen Quins; Cardiff v Cross Keys; Neath v Llandovery; Pontypool v Glamorgan Wdrs

4 November or Mid Week:
Swansea v Neath; Bedwas v Pontypool; Llandovery v Aberavon; Glamorgan Wdrs v Ebbw Vale; Llanelli v Bridgend; Cross Keys v Pontypridd; Carmarthen Quins v Maesteg; Cardiff v Newport

12 November:
Llanelli v Neath; Pontypridd v Pontypool; Aberavon v Carmarthen Quins; Cardiff v Ebbw Vale; Swansea v Bridgend; Cross Keys v Bedwas; Maesteg v Llandovery; Newport v Glamorgan Wdrs

18 November or Mid Week:
Maesteg v Swansea; Newport v Bedwas; Llanelli v Aberavon; Ebbw Vale v Pontypridd; Llandovery v Bridgend; Glamorgan Wdrs v Cross Keys; Neath v Carmarthen Quins; Pontypool v Cardiff

25 November or Mid Week:
Swansea v Llandovery; Pontypridd v Glamorgan Wdrs; Carmarthen Quins v Llanelli; Bedwas v Cardiff; Maesteg v Neath; Newport v Pontypool; Aberavon v Bridgend; Ebbw Vale v Cross Keys

10 December:
Newport v Llanelli; Bridgend v Pontypridd; Swansea v Pontypool; Cardiff v Maesteg; Cross Keys v Carmarthen Quins; Neath v Bedwas; Llandovery v Ebbw Vale; Aberavon v Glamorgan Wdrs

17 December:
Swansea v Ebbw Vale; Glamorgan Wdrs v Neath; Llandovery v Pontypool; Bedwas v Aberavon; Llanelli v Cross Keys; Pontypridd v Maesteg; Carmarthen Quins v Newport; Bridgend v Cardiff

24 December:
Carmarthen Quins v Llandovery; Bedwas v Pontypridd; Llanelli v Swansea; Cardiff v Glamorgan Wdrs; Neath v Aberavon; Pontypool v Ebbw Vale; Maesteg v Bridgend; Newport v Cross Keys

31 December:
Llandovery v Llanelli; Pontypridd v Cardiff; Swansea v Carmarthen Quins; Glamorgan Wdrs v Bedwas; Bridgend v Neath; Cross Keys v Pontypool; Aberavon v Maesteg; Ebbw Vale v Newport

7 January, 2006:
Swansea v Newport; Neath v Pontypridd; Ebbw Vale v Llanelli; Cardiff v Aberavon; Llandovery v Cross Keys; Maesteg v Bedwas; Pontypool v Carmarthen Quins; Glamorgan Wdrs v Bridgend

21 January:
Pontypool v Llanelli; Bedwas v Bridgend; Carmarthen Quins v Ebbw Vale; Maesteg v Glamorgan Wdrs; Swansea v Cross Keys; Aberavon v Pontypridd; Newport v Llandovery; Neath v Cardiff

28 January:
Pontypridd v Swansea; Neath v Newport; Llandovery v Cardiff; Aberavon v Cross Keys; Llanelli v Bedwas; Pontypool v Maesteg; Carmarthen Quins v Glamorgan Wdrs; Bridgend v Ebbw Vale

11 February:
Glamorgan Wdrs v Llanelli; Bridgend v Pontypool; Cardiff v Swansea; Ebbw Vale v Maesteg; Bedwas v Carmarthen Quins; Cross Keys v Neath; Pontypridd v Llandovery; Newport v Aberavon

18 February:
Llanelli v Pontypridd; Cardiff v Carmarthen Quins; Cross Keys v Bridgend; Swansea v Bedwas; Maesteg v Newport; Llandovery v Glamorgan Wdrs; Aberavon v Pontypool; Neath v Ebbw Vale

4 March:
Glamorgan Wdrs v Swansea; Pontypool v Neath; Cardiff v Llanelli; Ebbw Vale v Aberavon; Bedwas v Llandovery; Maesteg v Cross Keys; Carmarthen Quins v Pontypridd; Bridgend v Newport

17 March or Mid Week:
Llanelli v Maesteg; Newport v Pontypridd; Swansea v Aberavon; Bedwas v Ebbw Vale; Carmarthen Quins v Bridgend; Cross Keys v Cardiff; Llandovery v Neath; Glamorgan Wdrs v Pontypool

25 March:
Neath v Swansea; Pontypool v Bedwas; Aberavon v Llandovery; Ebbw Vale v Glamorgan Wdrs; Bridgend v Llanelli; Pontypridd v Cross Keys; Maesteg v Carmarthen Quins; Newport v Cardiff

1 April:
Llanelli v Newport; Pontypridd v Bridgend; Pontypool v Swansea; Maesteg v Cardiff; Carmarthen Quins v Cross Keys; Bedwas v Neath; Ebbw Vale v Llandovery; Glamorgan Wdrs v Aberavon

8 April:
Swansea v Maesteg; Bedwas v Newport; Aberavon v Llanelli; Pontypridd v Ebbw Vale; Bridgend v Llandovery; Cross Keys v Glamorgan Wdrs; Carmarthen Quins v Neath; Cardiff v Pontypool

15 April:
Llandovery v Carmarthen Quins; Pontypridd v Bedwas; Swansea v Llanelli; Glamorgan Wdrs v Cardiff; Aberavon v Neath; Ebbw Vale v Pontypool; Bridgend v Maesteg; Cross Keys v Newport

22 April:
Llanelli v Carmarthen Quins; Cardiff v Pontypridd; Llandovery v Swansea; Bedwas v Glamorgan Wdrs; Neath v Bridgend; Pontypool v Cross Keys; Maesteg v Aberavon; Newport v Ebbw Vale

29 April:
Llanelli v Llandovery; Glamorgan Wdrs v Pontypridd; Carmarthen Quins v Swansea; Cardiff v Bedwas; Neath v Maesteg; Pontypool v Newport; Bridgend v Aberavon; Cross Keys v Ebbw Vale

*Fixtures, dates and times subject to late change

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