Rugby League Conference: Difference between revisions

The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the TotalRL Conference as a result of sponsorship from totalrl.com) is a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England and Wales. In England there are eleven divisions (3 Premier: North, Midlands, South; and 8 Regional: North, North East, Cheshire, Yorkshire, North Midlands & South Yorkshire, South West & West Midlands, Central & East, South East) and in Wales there are two divisions (East and West).

Confusingly, the top (winter) league administered by BARLA is also titled conference: the National Conference League. Although many of the clubs are affiliated to BARLA, the RLC is run, not by them, but by the Rugby Football League.

The aim of the RLC is to provide regular fixture for new clubs based outside the 'heartland' of rugby league, although as the standards have raised it now also accepts teams from the 'heartlands'. The hope is that at least some of these clubs will eventually progress to become semi-professional clubs that could one day join the 'traditional' clubs in the national leagues. Several former RLC teams are now in National League Three whilst London Skolars have progressed far enough to now play in National League Two.

The Southern Conference League was a 10-team pilot league founded in 1997. It had grown out of the defunct Midlands and South West Amateur Rugby League (MASWARLA). It included some teams that were temporarily playing in the East Midland League (EMARLA), and some of the top teams in the London Amateur Rugby League (LARL). One team, West London, was a joint venture between two LARL clubs and Bedford Swifts were the first ever cross code club. North London Skolars were the winners of the first and only Southern Conference.

The Rugby League Conference was founded in 1998 with 14 teams. The East Midland League (EMARLA) and the North East League (NEARLA) were eventually absorbed, with the latter giving teams to the Northern Rugby League Summer Conference, which existed until 2000 before being incorporated into the Rugby League Conference. The best of the London League was gradually included, with the rest reforming as a summer merit league for new clubs, police/prison sides and second and third teams.

In 2002 London Skolars were accepted into National League two, the first club in eighty years to make the transition from the amateur ranks to the professional leagues.

Since 2005 there has been a competition called the RLC Premier which consists of four regional based divisions: North, Midlands (formerly Central), South and Wales. The North, Midlands and South divisions each feature the strongest teams in those areas whereas the Welsh Conference has two equal, regionally split divisions.

In 2006 a new league was founded as a feeder league to the RLC in the Midlands and South Yorkshire. The Midlands RL Merit League was based on the principles of the successful London League and consists of new clubs who are not ready for the full commitment of the Conference season together with RLC clubs' 'A' teams. It is hoped that other regions can set up merit leagues on a similar basis to the existing two.

From 2006 the Rugby League Conference provided administrative and promotional support to the Scottish domestic league as a pilot scheme which aims to have a Scottish division of eight teams as a full part of the Conference for the 2007 season.

In 2007, National League Three was rebranded Rugby League Conference National.

The top two teams in each Welsh division will enter the semifinals to determine the Welsh champions. Each of the three English Premier Divisions will feature a top three playoff series to determine the winner, each of whom will join the Welsh champion in the Harry Jepson Trophy semi finals.

Each RLC Regional Division will feature a top four playoff series with the winners entering the RLC Regional playoffs, although the North East winners have a bye to the semifinals, and will play their grand final as a quarter final. There is an optional RLC Shield for the teams that don't make their divisions' playoffs.

Due to their being a limit to the number of games that can be played in the Regional Divisions the eight team divisions are split into sub divisions for fixture purposes. In the South West/West Midlands and the Cheshire Divisions the teams in each half play each other twice, and play the teams in the other half once giving ten fixtures.

In the North and North East Division teams play their half of the division twice, and two teams from the other half twice, giving twelve fixtures.

All other divisions (including the two Welsh divisions) will simply play home and away, with the exception of the Midlands and South Premier Divisions, where teams will play one team from the other division home and away to make fourteen fixtures.

After the end of the RLC season a series of games between the different English regions (as defined by Sport England) are held. These regional teams draw upon players from the clubs in their region. After this a selection is made for the England Lionhearts who represent England in a competition against national amateur sides from Wales (players drawn from Welsh RLC teams), Scotland and Ireland (players from their own national amateur championship).

(formerly National League Three)

• Bramley Buffaloes
• Cottingham Phoenix
• Dewsbury Celtic
• East Lancahire Lions
• Featherstone Lions
• Gateshead Storm
• Hemel Stags
• Huddersfield Underbank Rangers
• Leeds Akkies
• Warrington Wizards

• 2003 Warrington Woolston Rovers (as National League three)

• 2004 Coventry Bears (as National League three)

• 2005 Bradford Dudley Hill (as National League three)

• 2006 Bramley Buffaloes (as National League three)

• 1998 Crawley Jets

• 1999 Chester Wolves

• 2000 Crawley Jets

• 2001 Teesside Steelers

• 2002 Coventry Bears

• 2003 Bridgend Blue Bulls

• 2004 Widnes Saints

• 2005 Bridgend Blue Bulls

• 2006 South London Storm

• 2002 South London Storm

• 2003 Bolton Le Moors (now East Lancashire Lions)

• 2004 Cardiff Demons

• 2005 Blackpool Sea Eagles

• 2006 Not contested

• 2005 Wetherby Bulldogs

• 2006 Liverpool Buccaneers

• Rugby League National Leagues
• National Conference League

• Official website
• Club directory on official site
• Official tables