Rugby League National Leagues Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Rugby League National Leagues (currently known as the LHF Healthplans National Leagues as a result of sponsorship) form the basis for rugby league competition in Great Britain below Super League. There are three leagues: Leagues One and Two are semi-professional, whilst League Three is "open"; professionalism is allowed, though most teams are in fact amateur.A play-off structure is used to determine the winners of League One, who are then eligible for promotion to Super League, being replaced by the team being relegated form that competition. One team is relegated from League One, being replaced by the team finishing top of League Two. There is also a play-off structure involving the second bottom team of League One and the team finishing behind the league leaders in League Two; this allows for a potential second promotion/relegation spot.
The play-offs for NL1 and NL2 are a top-six format, whilst the Nl3 play-offs involve 8 teams, and utilise the McIntyre System. In NL2 the position of "first place" in the play-off structure is taken by the team attempting to avoid relegation from NL1, as the top team is promoted automatically.
There is no promotion or relegation between Leagues Two and Three at the moment; current RFL policy is to expand the top two leagues gradually over time. When the 'gap' in playing standards between NL2 and NL3 is narrowed in 2007 or so, promotion and relegation will occur between these two divisions.
Most of the teams in NL3, as well as London Skolars of NL2, came from the TotalRLConference an organisation of regional amateur teams throughout England and Wales including areas that have not traditionally been rugby league strongholds. The reamining teams in NL1 and 2 had previously played in a single division containing all professional clubs below the Super League. This was known as the Northern Ford Premiership.
A cup competition, currently called the Arriva Trains Cup as a result of sponsorship from Arriva Trains Northern, is played for between NL1 and NL2 teams organised into regional conferences. A knock-out stage follows the group stage.
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2 Teams 3 See also 4 External links |
See Rugby League Championship Second Division and Rugby League Championship Third Division for full lists of lower league championship winners (1895-date).
National Leagues Results
| Season | League One Champions | Relegated from League One | League Two Champions | Also promoted to League One | League Three Champions |
| 2003 | Salford City Reds | Dewsbury Rams | Keighley Cougars | none | Warrington Woolston Rovers |
| 2004 | Leigh Centurions | Keighley Cougars | Barrow Raiders1 | none | Coventry Bears |
There are ten teams each in Leagues One and Two and 14 in League Three.
For 2005 season
Footnote
Teams
This is an Article on Rugby League National Leagues. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Rugby League National Leagues See also
External links