51 replies to this topic

[marklaspalmas]

So, I was reading this month's RLW and it said something along the lines of TIer 4 clubs being divided into six regions. Each region must run a Premier league, then after that, the structure is up to each individual region to organise.

Fair enough.

What are the regions?

I assume North West, Yorkshire, Cumbria are 3.

Midlands, North East, East, South East, LOndon, South West, South ????

How does it all work?

That 'abrighterleague website is rubbish, sorry. It's out of date and confusing.

Im a big RL fan, and I know we're in a transition period, so there will be some state of flux, but how confusing is this?

Anybody help? Bowes?

Ta.

[marklaspalmas]

Sorry, I forgot. I also assume Wales and Scotland are separate. Do they have Premier leagues too?

[Methven Hornet]

Sorry, I forgot. I also assume Wales and Scotland are separate. Do they have Premier leagues too?

Scotland now has North and Central divisions to reduce travelling and to reflect the way clubs seem to have developed into regional 'clusters' - west, east and north-east. Having said that, the Central is stronger so Aberdeen have chosen to compete in it, leaving their 'A' team in the northern division; likewise, Edinburgh Eagles 'A' will travel north for fixtures against similar strength opposition.

Central will have more play-off places available to reflect the difference in strength.

[bowes]

NW Men's League (premier, divisions 1-5, entrance)

Yorkshire Men's League (premier, groups 1-6, merit)

Cumberland League (divisions 1 and 2, officially BARLA)

North East League (premier and regional)

Midlands Rugby League (premier, division 1 west and east, division 2)

South West Rugby League (south west league and west of England league)

South Premier

East League (Championship and Merit)

London and South East League (Championship and Merit)

Wales Rugby League (North and South divisions)

Scotland Rugby League (North and Central divisions)

[marklaspalmas]

Ta.

So, If I understand it right, there are 266 Tier 4 teams spread over 11 regions.

North West
6+1 Divisions
91 Teams

NWML Premier Division
1 Ashton Bears
2 Bank Quay Bulls
3 Barrow Island
4 Blackbrook
5 Clock Face Miners
6 Golborne Parkside
7 Halton Simms Cross
8 Pilkington Recs
9 Widnes St Maries
10 Wigan St Cuthbert’s

NWML Division 1
11 Folly Lane
12 Haydock
13 Hindley
14 Leigh East
15 Rochdale Cobras
16 Roose Pioneers
17 Rylands
18 Shevington Sharks
19 Thatto Heath Crusaders
20 Walney Central
21 Wigan St Patricks
22 Woolston Rovers

NWML Division 2
23 Bold Miners
24 Chorley Panthers
25 Halton Farnworth Hornets
26 Haresfinch
27 Ince Rose Bridge
28 Latchford Albion
29 Leigh Miners Rangers
30 Leyland Warriors
31 Oldham St Annes
32 Rochdale Mayfield
33 Wigan Spring View
34 Wigan St Judes

NWML Division 3
35 Bamber Bridge
36 Bank Quay Bulls "A"
37 Blackbrook ARLFC "A"
38 Cadishead Rhinos
39 Heysham Atoms
40 Higginshaw ARLFC
41 Hindpool Tigers
42 St Helens Wildboars
43 Ulverston
44 Widnes St Maries "A"
45 Widnes West Bank

NWML Division 4
46 Accrington Panthers
47 Burtonwood Bridge
48 Eccles
49 Eccleston Lions
50 Folly Lane "A"
51 Newton Storm
52 Pilkington Recs "A"
53 Saddleworth Rangers
54 Waterhead
55 Wigan Riversiders
56 Wigan St Cuthberts "A"

NWML Division 5
56 Ashton Bears "A"
57 Bolton Mets
58 Bury Broncos
59 Chester Gladiators
60 Crosfields
61 Culcheth Eagles
62 Fitton Hill & Hathershaw Bulldogs
63 Hindley "A"
64 Little Hulton Reds
65 Portico Vine
66 Wigan Bulldogs
67 Woolston Rovers "A"

NWML Entry Division
68 Adlington Rangers
69 Blackpool Sea Eagles
70 Blackpool Stanley
71 Burtonwood Buldogs
72 Bolton Union
73 Bridge Bar Bandits
74 Burnley & Pendle
75 Chester Gladiators" A"
76 Chorley Panthers "A"
77 Fleetwood Sharks
78 Halton Simms Cross "A"
79 Hindley "B"
80 Latchford Albion "A"
81 Liverpool Buccaneers
82 Liverpool City
83 Lymm RL
84 Mancunians RL
85 Manor Park
86 Orrell St James
87 Rochdale Cobras "A"
88 Skelmersdale Titans
89 Westhoughton Lions
90 Wigan St Cuthberts "B"
91 Wirral Warriors

Yorkshire
7+1 Divisions
43 Teams

Premier Division
1 Fryston
2 Cutsyke
3 West Hull A
4 Skirlaugh A
5 Deswbury Moor
6 Dudley Hill A
7 Siddall A
8 Hunslet Warriors A

Group 1
9 Ovenden
10 Elland
11 East Leeds
12 Milford
13 Stanningley

Group 2
14 Featherstone Lions
15 Shaw Cross
16 Oulton
17 Northallerton
18 Heworth

Group 3
19 East Hull
20 Hull Dockers
21 Holderness
22 York Acorn
23 York Lokos

Group 4
24 Leeds Akkies
25 Scar. Pirates
26 Scunthorpe Barb
27 Walton Warriors
28 West Bradford

Group 5
29 Stanley Rangers
30 Knot. Rockware
31 Westgate
32 Hillsboro
33 Normanton
34 Rotherham Giants

Group 6
35 Slaithwaite
36 Siddal B
37 Dudley Hill B
38 Dewsbury Celtic A
39 Greetland

Merit
40 Barnsley Broncos
41 Haworth Park
42 South Humberside Rabbitohs
43 Heavy Woollen Donkeys

Cumberland
2 Divisions
20 Teams

Division 1
1 Seaton Rangers
2 Seaton Rangers A
3 Wath Brow Hornets A
4 Kells
5 Hensingham
6 Maryport
7 Cockermouth
8 Broughton Red Rose
9 Distington
10 Glasson Rangers

Division 2
11 Frizington
12 Salterbeck Storm
13 Lowca
14 Flimby
15 Aspatria Hornets
16 Ellenborough Rangers
17 Great Clifton Lions
18 Kells A
19 Egremont Rangers A
20 Glasson Rangers A

North East
2 Divisions
16 Teams

North East Premier
1 Gateshead Storm
2 Gateshead Spartans
3 Sunderland
4 Peterlee
5 Wallsend
6 Jarrow
7 East Cumbria Crusaders

North East Regional
8 Cramlington
9 Durham Demons
10 Peterlee A
11 Winlaton
12 Whitley Bay
13 Miners
14 Redcar
15 Durham Tigers
16 Consett Steelers

Midlands
3+1 Divisions
25 Teams

Premier Division:
1 Coventry Bears A
2 Birmingham
3 Leicester
4 Northampton
5 Gloucestershire

Division 1 (West):
6 Coventry Dragons
7 Leamington
8 Telford
9 NEW Ravens
10 Wolverhampton

Division 1 (East)
11 Nottingham A
12 Northampton A
13 Leicester A
14 Sleaford

Division 2 (Merit):
15 Telford A
16 Bridgnorth Bulls
17 Birmingham A
18 Leamington A
19 Coventry Warriors
20 North Derbyshire
21 Hope Valley
22 Dronfield
23 Derby
24 Nottingham B
25 Leicester B

London & South East
Divisions
16 Teams

South East
1 •Greenwich Admirals
2 •Guildford Giants
3 •Medway Dragons
4 •Portsmouth Navy Seahawks
5 •Southampton Spitfires
6 •Sussex Merlins

London & SE merit.
7 Barking & Dagenham Bulldogs
8 Buccaneers ( RAF Brize Norton )
9 Bucks Bulldogs
10 Fleet Mustangs
11 Hammersmith A
12 Medway Dragons
13 Newham Dockers
14 Staines Titans
15 South London Storm A
16 Mudchute Uncles

South
1 Division
6 Teams

Southern Premier
1 •Eastern Rhinos
2 •Elmbridge Eagles
3 •Hammersmith Hills Hoists
4 •London Skolars
5 •South London Storm
6 •West London Sharks

East
Divisions
11 Teams

East
1 Bedford Tigers
2 Bury Titans
3 Kings Lynn Black Knights
4 Milton Keynes Wolves
5 North Herts Crusaders
6 St. Ives Roosters

East Merit
7 Eastern Rhinos A
8 St Albans A
9 Bedford Tigers A
10 Hemel stags A
11 Norwich Saxons.

South West
2 Divisions
12 Teams

South West
1 South Dorset
2 Devon
3 East Devon
4 North Devon
5 Exeter
6 Plymouth

West of England
7 Gloucestershire A
8 Bristol A
9 Somerset
10 Wiltshire
11 Swindon
12 Oxford

Wales
2 Divisions
15 Teams

North:
1 Prestatyn & Rhyl Panthers
2 Conwy Celts
3 Montgomeryshire Marauders
4 Dee Valley Dragons
5 Wrexham Bradley Raiders

South:
6 Valley Cougars
7 Bridgend Blue Bulls
8 Titans (Machen)
9 Cardiff Demons
10 Torfaen Tigers
11 Bonymaen Broncos
12 Neath Port Talbot Steelers
13 Dyffryn Devils
14 Blackwood Bulldogs
15 Tydfil Wildcats

Scotland
2 Divisions
11 Teams

RLC Central
1 Aberdeen Warriors
2 Edinburgh Eagles
3 Easterhouse Panthers
4 Ayrshire Storm
5 East Lothian Hawks
6 Fife Lions

RLC North
7 Aberdeen Warriors (A)
8 Edinburgh (A)
9 Moray Eels
10 Moray Titans
11 Ross Sutherland

[bowes]

There's some slight amendments I'll make later though NW emerging clubs has had a rush of new sides and I can't work out how many are proper members and how many are sides looking for another game that won't be included in the final table.

[bowes]

Ta.

So, If I understand it right, there are 266 Tier 4 teams spread over 11 regions.

North West
6+1 Divisions
101 Teams

NWML Premier Division
1 Ashton Bears
2 Bank Quay Bulls
3 Barrow Island
4 Blackbrook
5 Clock Face Miners
6 Golborne Parkside
7 Halton Simms Cross
8 Pilkington Recs
9 Widnes St Maries
10 Wigan St Cuthbert’s

NWML Division 1
11 Folly Lane
12 Haydock
13 Hindley
14 Leigh East
15 Rochdale Cobras
16 Roose Pioneers
17 Rylands
18 Shevington Sharks
19 Thatto Heath Crusaders
20 Walney Central
21 Wigan St Patricks
22 Woolston Rovers

NWML Division 2
23 Bold Miners
24 Chorley Panthers
25 Halton Farnworth Hornets
26 Haresfinch
27 Ince Rose Bridge
28 Latchford Albion
29 Leigh Miners Rangers
30 Leyland Warriors
31 Oldham St Annes
32 Rochdale Mayfield
33 Wigan Spring View
34 Wigan St Judes

NWML Division 3
35 Bamber Bridge
36 Bank Quay Bulls "A"
37 Blackbrook ARLFC "A"
38 Cadishead Rhinos
39 Heysham Atoms
40 Higginshaw ARLFC
41 Hindpool Tigers
42 St Helens Wildboars
43 Ulverston
44 Widnes St Maries "A"
45 Widnes West Bank

NWML Division 4
46 Accrington Panthers
47 Burtonwood Bridge
48 Eccles
49 Eccleston Lions
50 Folly Lane "A"
51 Newton Storm
52 Pilkington Recs "A"
53 Saddleworth Rangers
54 Waterhead
55 Wigan Riversiders
56 Wigan St Cuthberts "A"

NWML Division 5
56 Ashton Bears "A"
57 Bolton Mets
58 Bury Broncos
59 Chester Gladiators
60 Crosfields
61 Culcheth Eagles
62 Fitton Hill & Hathershaw Bulldogs
63 Hindley "A"
64 Little Hulton Reds
65 Portico Vine
66 Wigan Bulldogs
67 Woolston Rovers "A"

NWML Entry Division
68 Adlington Rangers
69 Blackpool Sea Eagles
70 Blackpool Stanley
71 Burtonwood Bridge A
72 Bolton Union
73 Bridge Bar Bandits
74 Burnley & Pendle
75 Chester Gladiators" A"
76 Chorley Panthers "A"
77 Fleetwood Sharks
78 Halton Simms Cross "A"
79 Hindley "B"
80 Latchford Albion "A"
81 Liverpool Buccaneers
82 Liverpool City
83 Lymm RL
84 Mancunians RL
85 Manor Park
86 Orrell St James
87 Rochdale Cobras "A"
88 Skelmersdale Titans
89 Westhoughton Lions
90 Wigan St Cuthberts "B"
91 Wirral Warriors
92 Wigan St Patrick's B
93 Wigan Bulldogs A
94 Bury Broncos A
95 Bolton Mets A
96 Crosby St Mary's
97 Little Hulton Reds A
98 Ince Rose Bridge A (B?)
99 Bamber Bridge (A?)
100 Leigh East B
101 Wigan Riversiders A

Yorkshire
7+1 Divisions
47 Teams

Premier Division
1 Fryston
2 Cutsyke
3 West Hull A
4 Skirlaugh A
5 Deswbury Moor
6 Dudley Hill A
7 Siddal A

Group 1
8 Hunslet Warriors A
9 Ovenden
10 Elland
11 East Leeds
12 Milford
13 Stanningley

Group 2
14 Featherstone Lions
15 Shaw Cross
16 Oulton
17 Northallerton
18 Heworth

Group 3
19 East Hull
20 Hull Dockers
21 Holderness
22 York Acorn
23 York Lokos

Group 4
24 Leeds Akkies
25 Scar. Pirates
26 Scunthorpe Barb
27 Sheffield Hillsborough
28 West Bradford
29 Rotherham Roosters

Group 5
30 Walton Warriors
31 Stanley Rangers
32 Knot. Rockware
33 Westgate
34 Normanton

Group 6
35 Slaithwaite
36 Siddal B
37 Dudley Hill B
38 Dewsbury Celtic A
39 Greetland

Merit
40 Barnsley Broncos
41 Haworth Park
42 South Humberside Rabbitohs
43 Heavy Woollen Donkeys
44 Eastmoor
45 Knaresbrough
46 Barton Bulldogs
47 Moldgreen

Cumberland
2 Divisions
20 Teams

Division 1
1 Seaton Rangers
2 Seaton Rangers A
3 Wath Brow Hornets A
4 Kells
5 Hensingham
6 Maryport
7 Cockermouth
8 Broughton Red Rose
9 Distington
10 Glasson Rangers

Division 2
11 Frizington
12 Salterbeck Storm
13 Lowca
14 Flimby
15 Aspatria Hornets
16 Ellenborough Rangers
17 Great Clifton Lions
18 Kells A
19 Egremont Rangers A
20 Glasson Rangers A

North East
2 Divisions
17 Teams

North East Premier
1 Gateshead Storm
2 Gateshead Spartans
3 Sunderland
4 Peterlee
5 Wallsend
6 Jarrow
7 East Cumbria Crusaders

North East Regional
8 Cramlington
9 Durham Demons
10 Peterlee A
11 Winlaton
12 Whitley Bay
13 Miners
14 Redcar
15 Durham Tigers
16 Consett Steelers
17 Hartlepool

Midlands
3+1 Divisions
23 Teams

Premier Division:
1 Coventry Bears A
2 Birmingham
3 Leicester
4 Northampton
5 Gloucestershire

Division 1 (West):
6 Coventry Dragons
7 Leamington
8 Telford
9 NEW Ravens
10 Wolverhampton

Division 1 (East)
11 Nottingham A
12 Northampton A
13 Leicester A
14 Sleaford

Division 2 (Merit):
15 Telford A
16 Bridgnorth Bulls
17 Birmingham A
18 Leamington A
19 Coventry Warriors
20 North Derbyshire
21 Hope Valley
22 Dronfield
23 Nottingham B

London & South East
Divisions
15 Teams

South East
1 •Greenwich Admirals
2 •Guildford Giants
3 •Medway Dragons
4 •Portsmouth Navy Seahawks
5 •Southampton Spitfires
6 •Sussex Merlins

London & SE merit.
7 Barking & Dagenham Bulldogs
8 DAISNAID
9 Southampton Spitfires A
10 Fleet Mustangs
11 Hammersmith A
12 Medway Dragons
13 Newham Dockers
14 South London Storm A
15 Mudchute Uncles

South
1 Division
6 Teams

Southern Premier
1 •Eastern Rhinos
2 •Elmbridge Eagles
3 •Hammersmith Hills Hoists
4 •London Skolars
5 •South London Storm
6 •West London Sharks

East
Divisions
11 Teams

East
1 Bedford Tigers
2 Bury Titans
3 Kings Lynn Black Knights
4 Milton Keynes Wolves
5 North Herts Crusaders
6 St. Ives Roosters

East Merit
7 Eastern Rhinos A
8 St Albans A
9 Bedford Tigers A
10 Hemel stags A
11 Norwich Saxons.

South West
2 Divisions
12 Teams

South West
1 South Dorset
2 Devon
3 East Devon
4 North Devon
5 Exeter
6 Plymouth

West of England
7 Gloucestershire A
8 Bristol A
9 Somerset
10 Wiltshire
11 Swindon
12 Oxford

Wales
2 Divisions
13 Teams

North:
1 Prestatyn & Rhyl Panthers
2 Conwy Celts
3 Montgomeryshire Marauders
4 Dee Valley Dragons
5 Wrexham Bradley Raiders

South:
6 Valley Cougars
7 Bridgend Blue Bulls
8 Titans (Machen)
9 Cardiff Demons
10 Bonymaen Broncos
11 Dyffryn Devils
12 Blackwood Bulldogs
13 Tydfil Wildcats

Scotland
2 Divisions
11 Teams

RLC Central
1 Aberdeen Warriors
2 Edinburgh Eagles
3 Easterhouse Panthers
4 Ayrshire Storm
5 East Lothian Hawks
6 Fife Lions

RLC North
7 Aberdeen Warriors (A)
8 Edinburgh (A)
9 Moray Eels
10 Moray Titans
11 Ross Sutherland

276 teams I make it, though expect it will work out different

Edited by bowes, 12 April 2012 - 12:45 PM.

[marklaspalmas]

Thanks Bowes.

A couple of questions, for you or others, if you don't mind...

1. Which are the six premier divisions? NW, Cumb, Yorks, NE, Midalnds & South? Why not South West premier? or East? or Scotland & Wales? NOt strong enough?

2. Why not have the South Premier and LOndon & South East as one region, not two? Or does South premier also cover East region clubs too?

3. Why have Yorkshire divvied up into such small groups?

4. The merit divisions are just leftovers, and as such have no fixture structure?

[bowes]

Thanks Bowes.

A couple of questions, for you or others, if you don't mind...

1. Which are the six premier divisions? NW, Cumb, Yorks, NE, Midalnds & South? Why not South West premier? or East? or Scotland & Wales? NOt strong enough?

Premier division doesn't have the status it used to have so there's no reach answer. 9 regions each have a representative in the HJ Trophy: Wales, Scotland, North East, West Midlands, East Midlands, London, East, South East and South West are each given a place in the HJ Trophy. How that is decided is up to each region. Though WCE wrote the article so only he can say what he had in mind when he wrote there are 6 premier divisions.

2. Why not have the South Premier and LOndon & South East as one region, not two? Or does South premier also cover East region clubs too?

The same governing body runs both but South Premier is open to East clubs hence I listed it separately. It may just be an interim measure as if there's a Conference South at tier 3 then the Midlands and South Premiers would likely be dissolved leaving more localised leagues behind. London & South East is due to be split into the 2 regions from 2013 all going to plan.

3. Why have Yorkshire divvied up into such small groups?

Incompetence on the management behalf, lack of clubs and clubs wanting different season lengths. I think they couldn't do division 1 west and east as they couldn't find 2 clubs prepared to join the 3 York and 3 Hull clubs. They've also only given clubs 14 games, presumably now 12 in premier.

4. The merit divisions are just leftovers, and as such have no fixture structure?

Sort of, but more a case of clubs that can't or don't want to commit to a full fixture programme for whatever reason. Many of them would fold in a proper league

Edited by bowes, 12 April 2012 - 01:40 PM.

[marklaspalmas]

Many thanks for your time.

I really hope it all goes well.

[bowes]

Many thanks for your time.

I really hope it all goes well.

Some will, some won't. NW and Cumberland is much the same as winter though more teams in the former from merit. Yorkshire will be farcical. The rest of the country is either steady progress or consolidation. Midlands premier is a bit small for my liking but noone else was ready and if we get Conference South it can go.

[bowes]

Drop Elland A from Group 1 to emerging division (merit). Add Scarborough Pirates A and Myton Warriors A to emerging but scrap Barton Bulldogs.

It's a shame the 2 Castleford clubs dropped their A teams out otherwise all A teams would be summer.

[Methven Hornet]

Scotland
2 Divisions
11 Teams

RLC Central
1 Aberdeen Warriors
2 Edinburgh Eagles
3 Easterhouse Panthers
4 Ayrshire Storm
5 East Lothian Hawks
6 Fife Lions

RLC North
7 Aberdeen Warriors (A)
8 Edinburgh (A)
9 Moray Eels
10 Moray Titans
11 Ross Sutherland

As I understand it Ross Sutherland are called Caledonian Crusaders. They will play at the ground of Ross Sutherland RUFC in Invergordon, Easter Ross.

There is no merit league as such in Scotland but there are a couple of teams willing to play games against any club that can raise an 'A' team, namely Bannockburn and Victoria Knights.

[chuffer]

No Derby any more?

[marklaspalmas]

It's a shame the 2 Castleford clubs dropped their A teams out otherwise all A teams would be summer.

This refers to Yorkshire only, no? Have Eastmoor, Normanton and Fryston A all moved to summer?

[bowes]

This refers to Yorkshire only, no? Have Eastmoor, Normanton and Fryston A all moved to summer?

Fryston don't have A team and the other 2 have.

Millom and Askam not yet but I expect they will by 2013.

[tim2]

No Derby any more?

No, they've been gone for a couple of years. They had hoped to reform but it doesn't appear to be happening.

[bowes]

No Derby any more?

Only at juniors. Open age folded in 2010.

Edited by bowes, 12 April 2012 - 04:59 PM.

[bowes]

Coventry Warriors appear to have folded.

[tim2]

Coventry Warriors appear to have folded.

Where did you get that from?