The Spanish Rugby League Association’s (AERL) plans to launch provincia leagues underpinning the natoinal championship becomes a reality on 30 May when the Andalusian Regional League kicks off in southern Spain. The competition comprises teams from the three provinces of Cordoba, Seville and Malaga and will play on six dates for a total of 12 matches until the end of July.

Miguel Angel Mudarra, President of AERL Andalucia, said, "We are really proud of the work we have done at club level to organise the first regional rugby league championship in Spain. The work of the last couple of months has been huge, both at the organisational, logistical level as well as increasing the training given to our referees. We believe it will be an exciting and very competitive championship and I wouldn’t like to predict a winner."

The first round will start with the matches between Córdoba Phoenix versus Mineros Peñarroya and on the same day Bandoleros Ronda versus Coria Samurais. The AERL has concentrated a lot of its focus on Andalusia this year, running coaching and match officials courses to prepare the local rugby league community, which now totals six teams, only one less than the Valencian Region, the birthplace of Spanish rugby League.

Aitor Dàvila, general secretary of AERL and RLEF level 1 coach educator, said, "Andalucia is already the second biggest regions in terms of the number of players and clubs and the championship we're announcing today is evidence of the game’s progress in the south. Andalusia, like Valencia, is witnessing rapid development and interest and with the best possible level of coaches and referees, thanks to the help of the RLEF. From the AERL’s point of view, we have high hopes for the future in this championship."

Javier Vergara, director of the Andalusian competition, said, "Today we have the honour to announce the first regional league in our country, and I would like to thank our clubs, the volunteers as well as the AERL and RLEF. The Western Development League the AERL launched with southern and Madrid clubs, and the coach and referee courses run in our region laid the foundations of this competition and as our President said, we all hope they will be very competitive. "

Besides the four participants in the Andalucía Regional League, Sevilla RLFC and Tercios XIII Tomares, both development teams, complete the southern Spanish group.

Andalusian Regional League fixtures
1^st round 30 May: Fénix vs Mineros; Samurais vs Bandoleros
2^nd Round 7 June: Bandoleros vs Fénix; Mineros vs Samurais
3^rd Round 13 June: Mineros vs Bandoleros; Fénix Samurais
4^th Round 20 June: Mineros vs Fenix; Bandoleros vs Samurais
5^th Round 27 June: Samurais vs Mineros; Bandoleros vs Fénix
6^th Round 4 July: Bandoleros vs Mineros; Samurais vs Fenix