History of the RL Merit League
Encyclopedia
The Midlands Merit League
was a summer rugby league
tournament in England
. In its final two years, it was known as the RL Merit League.
It was superseded by the Midlands Rugby League
, North West Merit League
and Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
.
(RFU), the governing body of rugby football
in England, over the issue of player expenses.
This led to the great schism which resulted in rugby becoming two separate sports: rugby union
administered by the RFU and rugby league
administered by the Rugby Football League
as the two games evolved different sets of rules.
Although rugby league spread overseas, sanctions by the RFU made it more difficult for the sport to expand beyond its "heartlands" in the traditional counties of Yorkshire
, Lancashire
and Cumberland
.
and South of England following the collapse of various non-heartland leagues. A further major factor leading to the creation of the Conference was the fact that the professional clubs had switched to a summer season the previous year and thus interest in the sport in the winter was decreased. The abandonment of amateurism by the rival sport of rugby union
in 1995 meant that it was now possible for rugby union players to play rugby league during their off-season without risking a ban from rugby union. This gave non-heartland clubs a larger player pool.
It was renamed the Rugby League Conference
in 1998 and began to expand; by 2005 there were 90 teams from across England and Wales competing in the Conference.
meant that it could be administered as part of the Rugby League Conference
set-up. Interest quickly gathered with 13 teams showing an interest in participating in the inaugural season - 8 eventually participated. The first ever game took place on April 8th 2006 at All Saints Sports College, Sheffield
, where the Sheffield Forgers
beat the Chesterfield Spires by 58 points to 8.
The first cross-league fixture was played in June 2007 when Nottingham Outlaws
Academy visited Northampton Casuals of the London League
. They also played a return fixture in July.
The 2007 season saw the introduction of the Midlands Junior League
as an informal under-15 league based on Merit League principles. In 2008 the junior competition featured under-14 and under-16 divisions.
The league was renamed Rugby League Merit League (RLML) for the 2008 season due to its increased geographical spread with teams from the North of England taking part. 2009 saw the largest ever entry, with over 30 teams split into two leagues; "Yorkshire and Humber" and "North West" with the Midlands Rugby League
becoming its own competition using Merit League rules. A year later the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
and North West Merit League
became competitions in their own right.
The Grand Final for 2006 was held between the top two teams in the table on Sunday 13th August and took place a week later at Hillsborough Arena, home of the Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks
. The final table (August 13th) was as follows:
In the Grand Final South Humber Rabbitohs
beat the Nottingham Outlaws
by 42 points to 18 and became the inaugural champions.
The Grand Final for 2007 was held between St Helens Wild Boars and the German Exiles on Saturday 18th August at Dore Moor, home of the Sheffield Tigers Rugby Union Club
and was won 46-22 by the Wild Boars. The inaugural Shield Final, on the same day, was between East Riding RLC and the Nottingham Outlaws
Academy and was won by East Riding by 32-26. These teams came through the play-off system to reach the final.
The final table (July 29th) was as follows:
Play-offs:
Championship semi-final
Sheffield Forgers 24-25 German Exiles
Shield
Chesterfield Spires 40-34 Barton Bulldogs
Nottingham Outlaws Academy 56-4 Shropshire Scorpions
East Riding RLC 64-6 Chesterfield Spires
FINALS:
St Helens Wild Boars 46-22 German Exiles
Shield: Nottingham Outlaws Academy 26-32 East Riding RLC
The final table (July 27th) was as follows:
Play-offs:
Championship semi-finals
Moorends-Thorne Marauders 'A' 44 Sheffield Forgers 22
Nottingham Outlaws 'A' 4 Wigan Riversiders 48
Shield semi-finals
Nottingham 30 German Exiles 24
Sheffield 36 Birmingham Bulldogs 24
FINALS: Sunday, August 17th 2008
GRAND FINAL: Moorends-Thorne Marauders 'A' 28 Wigan Riversiders 18
SHIELD: Nottingham Outlaws 34 Sheffield Forgers 32
.
The top four teams in the two pools played-off for the RL Merit League title.
(*) Parkside Hawks
moved into the RLC North Midlands division after 1 game
North West final: Huyton Bulldogs 36-12 Wigan Riversiders Eels
Yorkshire and the Humber final: Upton RL 30-22 Victoria Rangers
Grand final: Upton RL 52-24 Huyton Bulldogs
Midlands Merit League
The Midlands Merit League, was a summer rugby league tournament in England held between 2006 and 2009. It was a feeder league to the Rugby League Conference and had a season that runs from April to August...
was a summer rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
tournament in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In its final two years, it was known as the RL Merit League.
It was superseded by the Midlands Rugby League
Midlands Rugby League
The 3vSport.com Midlands Rugby League is a summer rugby league tournament in the Midlands region of England. It is a feeder league to the Rugby League Conference and a successor league to the Midlands Merit League...
, North West Merit League
North West Merit League
The North West Merit League is a rugby league competition for clubs in the North West of England. It is a feeder league for the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
and Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
The Yorkshire & Humber Merit League is a rugby league competition for clubs in Yorkshire and the Humber. It is a feeder league for the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
.
Background
In 1895, several clubs in the North of England broke away from the Rugby Football UnionRugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
(RFU), the governing body of rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
in England, over the issue of player expenses.
This led to the great schism which resulted in rugby becoming two separate sports: rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
administered by the RFU and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
administered by the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
as the two games evolved different sets of rules.
Although rugby league spread overseas, sanctions by the RFU made it more difficult for the sport to expand beyond its "heartlands" in the traditional counties of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
.
Earlier non-heartland competitions and the Rugby League Conference
The Southern Conference League began as a 10-team pilot league in 1997 for team in the English MidlandsEnglish Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and South of England following the collapse of various non-heartland leagues. A further major factor leading to the creation of the Conference was the fact that the professional clubs had switched to a summer season the previous year and thus interest in the sport in the winter was decreased. The abandonment of amateurism by the rival sport of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in 1995 meant that it was now possible for rugby union players to play rugby league during their off-season without risking a ban from rugby union. This gave non-heartland clubs a larger player pool.
It was renamed the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
in 1998 and began to expand; by 2005 there were 90 teams from across England and Wales competing in the Conference.
Midlands Merit League and its successors
The Midlands Merit League was founded in late 2005 to support this growth in non-heartland areas. Originally intended as a stand-alone league, support from the Rugby Football LeagueRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
meant that it could be administered as part of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
set-up. Interest quickly gathered with 13 teams showing an interest in participating in the inaugural season - 8 eventually participated. The first ever game took place on April 8th 2006 at All Saints Sports College, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, where the Sheffield Forgers
Sheffield Forgers
Sheffield Forgers RLFC was a rugby league club in Sheffield, England. It has an Open Age team that plays in the summer in the Rugby League Conference and the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and in the winter in the Pennine League It is also developing a junior section.-Foundation:The genesis of the...
beat the Chesterfield Spires by 58 points to 8.
The first cross-league fixture was played in June 2007 when Nottingham Outlaws
Nottingham Outlaws (rugby)
Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at...
Academy visited Northampton Casuals of the London League
London League (rugby league)
The London, South and East Merit League is a rugby league competition founded in 1965. It is also known as the London League , London & South East Merit League, London Amateur Rugby League and London Merit League ....
. They also played a return fixture in July.
The 2007 season saw the introduction of the Midlands Junior League
Midlands Junior League
The Midlands Junior League is an age group rugby league competition for club in the English Midlands. It is run by the Midlands Rugby League.Many of the teams taking part also run open-age sides in the Rugby League Conference or Midlands Rugby League....
as an informal under-15 league based on Merit League principles. In 2008 the junior competition featured under-14 and under-16 divisions.
The league was renamed Rugby League Merit League (RLML) for the 2008 season due to its increased geographical spread with teams from the North of England taking part. 2009 saw the largest ever entry, with over 30 teams split into two leagues; "Yorkshire and Humber" and "North West" with the Midlands Rugby League
Midlands Rugby League
The 3vSport.com Midlands Rugby League is a summer rugby league tournament in the Midlands region of England. It is a feeder league to the Rugby League Conference and a successor league to the Midlands Merit League...
becoming its own competition using Merit League rules. A year later the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
Yorkshire & Humber Merit League
The Yorkshire & Humber Merit League is a rugby league competition for clubs in Yorkshire and the Humber. It is a feeder league for the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
and North West Merit League
North West Merit League
The North West Merit League is a rugby league competition for clubs in the North West of England. It is a feeder league for the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
became competitions in their own right.
Season 2006
The 2006 competition operated on a merit table basis with teams organizing fixtures amongst themselves. The first fixtures were in April, with the final date for games to be included in the league table being Sunday 13th August.The Grand Final for 2006 was held between the top two teams in the table on Sunday 13th August and took place a week later at Hillsborough Arena, home of the Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks
Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks
Hillsborough Hawks RLFC is a rugby league club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The Open Age team plays winter rugby in the Pennine League...
. The final table (August 13th) was as follows:
| Position | Club | Played | H-Win | H-Draw | A-Win | A-Draw | Lost | Def. | Pts For | Pts Agst | Pair | Long | Points | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Lincolnshire in England. They play in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... |
7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 386 | 100 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 3.28571 |
| 2 | Nottingham Outlaws Nottingham Outlaws (rugby) Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at... 'A' |
7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 320 | 103 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 2.7143 |
| 3 | East Riding RLC Haworth Park Haworth Park are a rugby league team based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They play in the Yorkshire Premier division of the Rugby League Conference with their A-team taking part in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... |
10 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 320 | 164 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 2.4 |
| 4 | Scunthorpe Braves Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians are a rugby league team based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. They play in the Yorkshire Regional Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Scunthorpe Braves were formed in formed in 2006... |
8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 274 | 238 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 2.0 |
| 5 | Telford Trojans | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 149 | 232 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1.0 |
| 6 | Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers RLFC was a rugby league club in Sheffield, England. It has an Open Age team that plays in the summer in the Rugby League Conference and the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and in the winter in the Pennine League It is also developing a junior section.-Foundation:The genesis of the... |
8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 158 | 432 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0.75 |
| 7 | Chesterfield Spires | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 150 | 496 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0.7 |
| 8 | Lincoln City Knights Lincoln City Knights Lincoln City Knights were a rugby league team based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. They played in the Rugby League Conference.-History:Lincoln City Knights joined the North Midlands Division of the Rugby League Conference in 2005... 'A' |
4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 94 | 86 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1.0 |
In the Grand Final South Humber Rabbitohs
South Humber Rabbitohs
South Humber Rabbitohs RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Lincolnshire in England. They play in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:...
beat the Nottingham Outlaws
Nottingham Outlaws (rugby)
Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at...
by 42 points to 18 and became the inaugural champions.
Season 2007
The 2007 season followed the previous year's format, but 2007 also included play-offs and a Shield competition. The regular season closed at the end of July with the play-offs in August culminating in Finals day on August 18th.The Grand Final for 2007 was held between St Helens Wild Boars and the German Exiles on Saturday 18th August at Dore Moor, home of the Sheffield Tigers Rugby Union Club
Sheffield Tigers RUFC
Sheffield Tigers Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They currently play in the North 1 in the English league system.Formed in 1932 they celebrate their 75th season of Rugby in 2007...
and was won 46-22 by the Wild Boars. The inaugural Shield Final, on the same day, was between East Riding RLC and the Nottingham Outlaws
Nottingham Outlaws (rugby)
Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at...
Academy and was won by East Riding by 32-26. These teams came through the play-off system to reach the final.
The final table (July 29th) was as follows:
| Position | Club | Played | H-Win | H-Draw | A-Win | A-Draw | Lost | Def. | Pts For | Pts Agst | Pair | Long | Points | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Helens Wild Boars | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 276 | 78 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 3.6666 |
| 2 | Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers RLFC was a rugby league club in Sheffield, England. It has an Open Age team that plays in the summer in the Rugby League Conference and the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and in the winter in the Pennine League It is also developing a junior section.-Foundation:The genesis of the... |
10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 532 | 98 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 3.0 |
| 3 | German Exiles | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 206 | 73 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 3.0 |
| 4 | Nottingham Outlaws Nottingham Outlaws (rugby) Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at... 'A' |
6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 240 | 146 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 2.5 |
| 5 | East Riding RLC Haworth Park Haworth Park are a rugby league team based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They play in the Yorkshire Premier division of the Rugby League Conference with their A-team taking part in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 214 | 144 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 2.0 |
| 6 | Shropshire Scorpions | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 223 | 246 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 1.4444 |
| 7 | Chesterfield Spires | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 202 | 340 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 1.25 |
| 8 | Barton Bulldogs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 58 | 254 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1.0 |
| 9 | Wolverhampton Warlords Wolverhampton RLFC Wolverhampton RLFC are a rugby league team based in the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. They currently play in the Midlands Rugby League... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 334 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.8 |
| 10 | Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers is a rugby league club in Nantwich, Cheshire. They play in the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference and run a second team in the North West Merit League.-History:... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 64 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 11 | Leeds Akkies Leeds Akkies Leeds Akkies are a rugby league team based in The Old Modernians Sports Club, Cookridge Lane, Leeds, LS16 7ND, West Yorkshire. They play in the Yorkshire Regional division of the Rugby League Conference, their A side plays in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:Leeds Akademiks were founded... 'B' |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 58 | 148 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 12 | South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Lincolnshire in England. They play in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... 'A' |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians are a rugby league team based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. They play in the Yorkshire Regional Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Scunthorpe Braves were formed in formed in 2006... 'A' |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 136 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.3333 |
Play-offs:
Championship semi-final
Sheffield Forgers 24-25 German Exiles
Shield
Chesterfield Spires 40-34 Barton Bulldogs
Nottingham Outlaws Academy 56-4 Shropshire Scorpions
East Riding RLC 64-6 Chesterfield Spires
FINALS:
St Helens Wild Boars 46-22 German Exiles
Shield: Nottingham Outlaws Academy 26-32 East Riding RLC
Season 2008
The Grand Final for 2008 was held on Sunday 17th August at The Sycamores, home of Leeds Akkies RLFC.The final table (July 27th) was as follows:
| Position | Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Def. | Pts For | Pts Agst | Long | Points | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moorends-Thorne Marauders 'A' | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 350 | 116 | 1 | 23 | 2.88 |
| 2 | Nottingham Outlaws Nottingham Outlaws (rugby) Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the National Division. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Rugby League. They play their home matches at... 'A' |
8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 286 | 178 | 1 | 23 | 2.88 |
| 3 | Wigan Riversiders Wigan Riversiders Wigan Riversiders are a rugby league team based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The first team play in the North West Premier division of the Rugby League Conference; the second team play in the North West regional division under the name Wigan Riversiders Eels; and the third play in the... |
12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 542 | 210 | 2 | 34 | 2.83 |
| 4 | Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers RLFC was a rugby league club in Sheffield, England. It has an Open Age team that plays in the summer in the Rugby League Conference and the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and in the winter in the Pennine League It is also developing a junior section.-Foundation:The genesis of the... 'A' |
11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 432 | 294 | 0 | 29 | 2.64 |
| 5 | Birmingham Bulldogs Birmingham Bulldogs Birmingham RLFC are a rugby league team based in Birmingham. They play in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Birmingham Bulldogs were founded in 1989... 'A' |
10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 306 | 269 | 1 | 23 | 2.30 |
| 6 | South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Lincolnshire in England. They play in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... |
11 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 338 | 324 | 1 | 23 | 2.09 |
| 7 | German Exiles | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 234 | 152 | 0 | 12 | 2.00 |
| 8 | Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers is a rugby league club in Nantwich, Cheshire. They play in the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference and run a second team in the North West Merit League.-History:... |
9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 230 | 282 | 1 | 16 | 1.77 |
| 9 | North Derbyshire Chargers North Derbyshire Chargers North Derbyshire Chargers RLFC are a rugby league club who play in the Midlands Rugby League at open age and junior level. Shortly after formation a merger was agreed with the Chesterfield Spires club.-History of rugby league in North Derbyshire:... |
11 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 293 | 410 | 1 | 15 | 1.44 |
| 10 | Chester Gladiators Chester Gladiators Chester Gladiators Rugby League Football Club is a rugby league club in Chester, England. They play in the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference, North West Counties and the North West Merit League.-History:... |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 84 | 204 | 3 | 10 | 2.00 |
| 11 | Wolverhampton Warlords Wolverhampton RLFC Wolverhampton RLFC are a rugby league team based in the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. They currently play in the Midlands Rugby League... |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 80 | 138 | 1 | 7 | 1.75 |
| 12 | Telford Raiders Telford Raiders Telford Raiders ARLFC are a rugby league club based in the town of Telford in Shropshire, England. Their first team plays in the Midlands Regional division of the Rugby League Conference and they have a development team in the Midlands Rugby League as well as an active junior development... 'A' |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 94 | 184 | 1 | 7 | 1.75 |
| 13 | East Riding Haworth Park Haworth Park are a rugby league team based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They play in the Yorkshire Premier division of the Rugby League Conference with their A-team taking part in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... 'A' |
5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 132 | 158 | 0 | 8 | 1.60 |
| 14 | Barton Bulldogs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 148 | 0 | 3 | 1.00 |
| 15 | Redditch Ravens Redditch Ravens North East Worcestershire Ravens, also known as NEW Ravens, are a rugby league club based in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. They play in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference and Midlands Rugby League.-History:... 'A' |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 16 | Scarborough Pirates Scarborough Pirates Scarborough Pirates RLFC were a rugby league club based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. They played their home games at Scarborough F.C.'s McCain Stadium.-History:... 'A' |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 1.00 |
| 17 | Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians are a rugby league team based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. They play in the Yorkshire Regional Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Scunthorpe Braves were formed in formed in 2006... 'A' |
7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 66 | 320 | 0 | 5 | 0.71 |
Play-offs:
Championship semi-finals
Moorends-Thorne Marauders 'A' 44 Sheffield Forgers 22
Nottingham Outlaws 'A' 4 Wigan Riversiders 48
Shield semi-finals
Nottingham 30 German Exiles 24
Sheffield 36 Birmingham Bulldogs 24
FINALS: Sunday, August 17th 2008
GRAND FINAL: Moorends-Thorne Marauders 'A' 28 Wigan Riversiders 18
SHIELD: Nottingham Outlaws 34 Sheffield Forgers 32
Season 2009
2009 saw the largest ever entry, with over 30 teams split into two leagues; "Yorkshire and Humber" and "North West" with Midlands teams joining the newly created Midlands Rugby LeagueMidlands Rugby League
The 3vSport.com Midlands Rugby League is a summer rugby league tournament in the Midlands region of England. It is a feeder league to the Rugby League Conference and a successor league to the Midlands Merit League...
.
The top four teams in the two pools played-off for the RL Merit League title.
| Yorkshire and Humber |
|---|
| Barnsley RL |
| Barton Bulldogs |
| East Riding Rangers Haworth Park Haworth Park are a rugby league team based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They play in the Yorkshire Premier division of the Rugby League Conference with their A-team taking part in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... A |
| Guiseley Rangers |
| Junior Saracens |
| Parkside Hawks (*) |
| Rotherham Giants Rotherham Giants Rotherham Giants are a rugby league team based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, playing in the Yorkshire Premier of the Rugby League Conference. They play their home matches at Herringthorpe Stadium... A |
| Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians Scunthorpe Barbarians are a rugby league team based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. They play in the Yorkshire Regional Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Scunthorpe Braves were formed in formed in 2006... A |
| Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers Sheffield Forgers RLFC was a rugby league club in Sheffield, England. It has an Open Age team that plays in the summer in the Rugby League Conference and the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and in the winter in the Pennine League It is also developing a junior section.-Foundation:The genesis of the... |
| South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs South Humber Rabbitohs RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Lincolnshire in England. They play in the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League.-History:... |
| Upton RL |
| Victoria Rangers |
| North West |
|---|
| Bury Broncos |
| Chester Gladiators Chester Gladiators Chester Gladiators Rugby League Football Club is a rugby league club in Chester, England. They play in the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference, North West Counties and the North West Merit League.-History:... |
| Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers Crewe & Nantwich Steamers is a rugby league club in Nantwich, Cheshire. They play in the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference and run a second team in the North West Merit League.-History:... |
| German Exiles |
| Huyton Bulldogs |
| Mancunian RL |
| Northwich Stags |
| Tallaght Tigers |
| Wigan Riversiders Eels Wigan Riversiders Wigan Riversiders are a rugby league team based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The first team play in the North West Premier division of the Rugby League Conference; the second team play in the North West regional division under the name Wigan Riversiders Eels; and the third play in the... |
(*) Parkside Hawks
Parkside Hawks
Parkside Hawks are a rugby league team based in Hunslet, Leeds. They play in the Yorkshire division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Parkside Hawks were formed in 2009 as a joint venture between Hunslet Parkside and Hunslet Hawks...
moved into the RLC North Midlands division after 1 game
North West final: Huyton Bulldogs 36-12 Wigan Riversiders Eels
Yorkshire and the Humber final: Upton RL 30-22 Victoria Rangers
Grand final: Upton RL 52-24 Huyton Bulldogs