DAVIES HAILS CRUSADERS ELEVATION

The Bridgend-based club were one of 14 teams awarded licences to play in the elite competition from 2009-2011 by the Rugby Football League.

Davies, the Crusaders' club president, said: "This gives the Welsh public the opportunity to see top-class rugby league in Wales on a week-by-week basis, which is something that's never happened before. We missed the boat in both 1995 and 1998 when a Super League side could have been placed down here, but this decision more than makes up for it."

He added: "Now, more of an infrastructure is in place with teams at all levels in Wales from schoolboys upwards, which wasn't the case 10 years ago.

"When teams like Wigan, St Helens and the like have visited Wales in the past for one-off Super League games, they've always been well attended.

"The Welsh public love top-level sport and I'm sure that Celtic Crusaders will be a great success in Super League. I'd like to thank the RFL for giving us the opportunity."