THE Rugby Football League is almost certain to admit a new Welsh professional club to play in the LHF Healthplan National League Two next season. The new club will be based in Bridgend, at the Brewery Field ground, and will be called the Celtic Crusaders.

Its application for membership of National League Two is expected to be accepted by the RFL Council when it meets on Wednesday 22 June.

The major shareholder is expected to be Leighton Samuel, who was previously the owner of the Celtic Warriors rugby union club based at the same venue. The Warriors were originally one of five major regional rugby union teams based in Wales, but Samuel was angered by their exclusion from the Celtic League a year ago, as the WRU rationalised the number of regional clubs it could support.

As an indication of the infrastructure that will support the new club, the local Brynteg School has recently won through to the final of the Powergen Schools competition at Under-12 level, and will play this season's Powergen Challenge Cup Final curtain raiser at the Millennium Stadium on 27 August.

Rugby League might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is professional sport and a rugby league side has been a long time coming in South Wales and it will probably be a huge success, I think I’ll give it a go.

How about you?