Rugby League Conference South West Division
Encyclopedia
The Rugby League Conference South West Division is a division in the Rugby League Conference
, an amateur rugby league
competition with sides from across Britain. At present it is competed for by teams in the South West of England though it has in previous times included teams from other parts of the UK.
For the 2011 season a Rugby League Conference West of England Division was created and administered by the South West Rugby League. There is also a Bristol Junior Rugby League
.
was founded in 1997 as the Southern Conference, a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and the English Midlands
.
The conference made the leap from 30 to 52 teams in 2003 and a South West Division appeared for the first time. It disappeared in 2004 as South West teams took part in the Western Division and Cardiff Demons joined the newly created Welsh Division
.
The Premier divisions saw a change in boundaries leaving the North Premier division covering a larger area to give the English Midlands
clubs their own premier division without having to face heartland teams, this left the West Midlands division with too few teams to run, resulting in a merged West Midlands and South West Division.
After a campaign by the RFL to form new clubs in the South West, a new South West division was created in 2007 for teams from the West Country
. By 2010, there were enough teams to have a South West conference split into two pools.
For the 2011 season, there will be an RLC South West division and also a new RLC West of England.
The RLC South West, RLC West of England are the lowest level on the Rugby League Conference pyramid for clubs in the South West of England.
The initial line-up for the 2011 season is:-
Each team has 10 games, five at home and five away. The two groups of four play each other home and away. Then each team will play all the other teams once, with two games at home and two away.
competition. It is competed for by RLC South West and RLC West of England teams and local student rugby league sides.
1 a one-off challenge match between Devon and Cornwall
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...
, an amateur 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...
competition with sides from across Britain. At present it is competed for by teams in the South West of England though it has in previous times included teams from other parts of the UK.
For the 2011 season a Rugby League Conference West of England Division was created and administered by the South West Rugby League. There is also a Bristol Junior Rugby League
Bristol Junior Rugby League
Bristol Junior Rugby League is a rugby league competition held at under-14 level with teams based in Bristol, Gloucestershire and North Somerset...
.
History
The Rugby League ConferenceRugby 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...
was founded in 1997 as the Southern Conference, a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and the English Midlands
English 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...
.
The conference made the leap from 30 to 52 teams in 2003 and a South West Division appeared for the first time. It disappeared in 2004 as South West teams took part in the Western Division and Cardiff Demons joined the newly created Welsh Division
Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
The Rugby League Conference Wales is the higher of two Welsh domestic leagues for the sport of rugby league. It forms a Premier division of the Rugby League Conference competition which covers all of Great Britain.-History:...
.
The Premier divisions saw a change in boundaries leaving the North Premier division covering a larger area to give the English Midlands
English 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...
clubs their own premier division without having to face heartland teams, this left the West Midlands division with too few teams to run, resulting in a merged West Midlands and South West Division.
After a campaign by the RFL to form new clubs in the South West, a new South West division was created in 2007 for teams from the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. By 2010, there were enough teams to have a South West conference split into two pools.
For the 2011 season, there will be an RLC South West division and also a new RLC West of England.
Rugby League Conference Pyramid
- RLC NationalRugby League Conference National DivisionThe Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
- RLC South PremierRugby League Conference South PremierThe Rugby League Conference South Premier is a division in the Rugby League Conference. It is the highest level of amateur rugby league in the South of England...
- RLC South West, RLC West of England
The RLC South West, RLC West of England are the lowest level on the Rugby League Conference pyramid for clubs in the South West of England.
2011 Structure
Both leagues follow a top 3 play-off format. Those finishing 2nd and 3rd in their respective leagues will play each other on August 6th for a place in the Grand Final where they meet the league leaders on August 14th. The winners of each division's Grand Final compete in the South West Rugby League final on August 21st. The South West champions will then appear in the national semi-final on September 4th.The initial line-up for the 2011 season is:-
| Club | Founded | Location | RLC Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devon Sharks Devon Sharks Devon Sharks are a rugby league team based in Torquay, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Devon Sharks were formed in 2006 out of Newton Abbot RFC as part of an initiative from the Rugby Football League to form new clubs for the Rugby League... |
2008 | Torquay Torquay Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
RLC South West: 2009 |
| East Devon Eagles East Devon Eagles East Devon Eagles are a rugby league team based in Exmouth, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:... |
2006 | Exmouth Exmouth Exmouth is a town in Devon. It may also refer to:Places*Exmouth Peninsula in Southern Chile*Exmouth, Western AustraliaPeople*Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth , a British naval officerShips... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
RLC South West: 2008, 2010 |
| Exeter Centurions Exeter Centurions Exeter Centurions are a rugby league team based in Exeter, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Exeter Centurions were formed by Basingstoke Beasts founder Joe Catcheside.... |
2007 | Exeter Exeter Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
|
| North Devon Raiders | 2009 | Barnstaple Barnstaple Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
|
| Plymouth Titans Plymouth Titans Plymouth Rugby League Football Club is a rugby league club based in Plymouth.The club is a member of the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference, playing home matches at Horsham Fields, Plymouth.-History of rugby league in the South West:... |
1985 | Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
RLC South West: 2007 |
| Somerset Vikings Somerset Vikings Somerset Vikings RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Somerset in England. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.The team play at North Petherton rugby club... |
2003 | North Petherton North Petherton North Petherton is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of the Somerset Levels.The town has a population of 5,189... , Somerset Somerset The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the... |
RLC Western: 2004 RLC South West: 2011 |
| South Dorset Giants South Dorset Giants South Dorset Giants are a rugby league team based in Weymouth, Dorset. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:South Dorset Giants were founded in 2008 at Weymouth RFC's Monmouth Avenue ground... |
2008 | Weymouth, Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974... |
|
| South Somerset Warriors South Somerset Warriors South Somerset Warriors are a rugby league team based in Yeovil, Somerset. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:... |
2010 | Yeovil Yeovil Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140... , Somerset Somerset The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the... |
|
| Group A |
|---|
| Exeter Centurions |
| Somerset Vikings |
| South Dorset Giants |
| South Somerset Warriors |
| Group B |
|---|
| East Devon Eagles |
| Devon Sharks |
| North Devon Raiders |
| Plymouth Titans |
Each team has 10 games, five at home and five away. The two groups of four play each other home and away. Then each team will play all the other teams once, with two games at home and two away.
RLC West of England
The initial line-up for the 2011 season is:-| Club | Founded | Location | RLC Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Sonics Bristol Sonics Bristol Sonics are a rugby league club based in Bristol in the South West of England.The Sonics play in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference. Bristol Sonics A play in the RLC West of England.- 2002-2004: Early Days :... 'A' |
2002 | Bristol Bristol Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007... |
|
| Gloucestershire Warriors Gloucestershire Warriors Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Gloucestershire in England. They play in the RLC West of England division of the Rugby League Conference and in 2006 made their debut in the Challenge Cup.-History:... |
1997 | Gloucester Gloucester Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham.... |
RLC Western: 1999 RLC South West: 2005 RLC West Midlands and South West: 2006 RLC West of England: 2011 |
| Oxford Cavaliers Oxford Cavaliers The Oxford Cavaliers are a rugby league team based in Oxford. They play in the RLC West of England.In their brief history Oxford Cavaliers have managed to supply players to professional clubs, such as Mike Castle and Corey Simms to the London Skolars, Darrell Griffin to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats,... |
1995 | Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... |
|
| Swindon St George Swindon St George Swindon St George are a rugby league team playing in the RLC West of England.The kit consists of white shirts with a red St George's Cross over the front and back, red shorts with white trim down the side and red socks.-History:... |
2007 | Swindon Swindon Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east... , Wiltshire Wiltshire Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers... |
|
| Wiltshire Wyverns Wiltshire Wyverns Wiltshire Wyverns is a rugby league based in Corsham, Wiltshire. They play in the Rugby League Conference West of England division.-History:Wiltshire Wyverns was established by Nick Westaway in March 2010 and played three friendly fixtures during the 2010 season. The club was accepted into the... |
2010 | Corsham Corsham Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham .... , Wiltshire Wiltshire Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers... |
|
South West Cup
The South West cup is a knock-out competition played for by members of the South West Division. It was originally known as the Devon Cup.- 2006: East Devon Eagles (as Devon Cup)
- 2007: East Devon Eagles (as Devon Cup)
- 2008: Plymouth Titans (as Devon Cup)
- 2009: East Devon Eagles
- 2010: Devon Sharks
- 2011: Plymouth Titans
South West Nines
The South West Nines is a rugby league ninesRugby league nines
Rugby league nines is a version of rugby league football played with nine players on each side. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some differences in rules and shorter games. Nines is usually played in festivals, as its shorter game play allows for a tournament to be...
competition. It is competed for by RLC South West and RLC West of England teams and local student rugby league sides.
- 2007 East Devon Eagles
- 2008 Exeter University
- 2009 Exeter University
- 2010 Exeter University
South West County Championship Festival
In 2010, a one-off match was played between Devon and Cornwall with Devon winning 44-20. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/9002824.stm This made national news on the BBC and was widely covered by the rugby league press. The first South West County Championship took place on the May Bank Holiday weekend in 2011 at Aretians RFC in Bristol.- 2010 Devon 1
- 2011 Hampshire
1 a one-off challenge match between Devon and Cornwall
Participating teams by season
- 2003: Bristol Sonics, Cardiff Demons, Gloucestershire Warriors, Oxford Cavaliers, Somerset Vikings, Worcestershire Saints
- 2005: Bristol Sonics, Gloucestershire Warriors, Oxford Cavaliers, Plymouth, Somerset Vikings, Thames Valley
- 2007: Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions, Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings 'A'
- 2008: Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions, Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings,
- 2009: Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions, Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings, South Dorset Giants
- 2010: Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions, North Devon Raiders, Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings, South Dorset Giants, South Somerset Warriors
- 2011 Devon Sharks, East Devon Eagles, Exeter Centurions, North Devon Raiders, Plymouth Titans, Somerset Vikings, South Dorset Giants, South Somerset Warriors
West of England
- 2011 Bristol Sonics 'A', Gloucestershire Warriors, Oxford Cavaliers, Swindon St George, Wiltshire Wyverns
Winners
- 2003 Cardiff DemonsCardiff DemonsCardiff Demons RLFC are a rugby league side who play out of St. Albans RFC in the east of Cardiff, Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
- 2005 Gloucestershire WarriorsGloucestershire WarriorsGloucestershire Warriors RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Gloucestershire in England. They play in the RLC West of England division of the Rugby League Conference and in 2006 made their debut in the Challenge Cup.-History:...
- 2007 Plymouth TitansPlymouth TitansPlymouth Rugby League Football Club is a rugby league club based in Plymouth.The club is a member of the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference, playing home matches at Horsham Fields, Plymouth.-History of rugby league in the South West:...
- 2008 East Devon EaglesEast Devon EaglesEast Devon Eagles are a rugby league team based in Exmouth, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
- 2009 Devon SharksDevon SharksDevon Sharks are a rugby league team based in Torquay, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Devon Sharks were formed in 2006 out of Newton Abbot RFC as part of an initiative from the Rugby Football League to form new clubs for the Rugby League...
- 2010 East Devon EaglesEast Devon EaglesEast Devon Eagles are a rugby league team based in Exmouth, Devon. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
- 2011 Somerset VikingsSomerset VikingsSomerset Vikings RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Somerset in England. They play in the South West Division of the Rugby League Conference.The team play at North Petherton rugby club...