English rugby union system: Difference between revisions

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Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.

Women's Rugby union in England consists of 26 leagues,^[1] which includes a national semi-professional league at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system, with the exception of the Women's Premiership.^[2]

History

Historically, there were no leagues allowed as these were seen as a sign of professionalism. In the 1970s the RFU allowed the creation of regional merit leagues with the most significant ones being the North, Midlands, South West and London merit leagues. In 1984 the RFU approved the creation of two national merit tables where clubs had to play a minimum of eight games against the clubs in their division. 1985 saw the creation of a third national merit league. In 1987 this was formed into a true national league system.

Recent restructures

The format and competitiveness of the leagues has changed greatly since the leagues were first formed^[3] and the latest widespread and global restructuring of the leagues was announced in November 2008, for implementation from the 2009–10 season. Under this new structure, the top league remains the 12-team Gallagher Premiership. The second tier league has been rebranded and restructured; as the RFU Championship which has replaced the old National Division One. This league also has 12 teams, and like the Premiership, is professional. Beneath the two professional leagues, the National Leagues have been restructured to include a new 16 team National League 1, 16 team National League 2 South and 16 team National League 2 North. The four top regional leagues are now part of National League 3 at level five.

For the 2017-18 season, the National League 3 leagues have been renamed to have Premier as part of their title in order to make a distinction between regional rugby union and the National Leagues above.^[4] Other changes that season would see London 3 North East be replaced by two new leagues - London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex - with teams transferred depending on location.

Level 1: Premiership Rugby

Premiership Rugby is the top level league in England, containing the best 12 professional clubs. The premiership still includes strict ground criteria and a salary cap that must be met by all participants. Promotion and relegation remains between the top two divisions with the bottom side being relegated at the end of the season, providing the promoted club meets the ground criteria. The promoted club will no longer be the top team in the RFU Championship after the 22 match first phase; the champions being decided by a play-off system which is hoped to bring to an end a select number of clubs bouncing between the leagues. (For example, each season between 2005–06 and 2008–09 saw the club relegated to National Division One earning promotion to the Premiership the following season, and also either the promotion or relegation of Leeds Carnegie.) Debate still continues over the question of promotion and relegation, but with the strict criteria and now a fully professional Championship providing the replacement financial fears are reduced.

Level 2: RFU Championship

The new RFU Championship was formed in 2009–10 to provide a second tier of professional competition. The former National Division One was decreased from 16 clubs to 12 to accommodate the new fixture structure. For the first three seasons this included:

a first phase of 22 regular season games
for the top eight teams, a second group phase, with the teams split into two groups; the top two teams in each group advanced to promotion play-offs, with the winner earning promotion provided they met Premiership entry standards
for the bottom four teams, a separate group phase, without a play-off, to determine the relegation place
participation in a new British and Irish Cup with Irish, Scottish and Welsh clubs
a minimum of 32 games per season

Starting with the 2012–13 season, the second group stage was discontinued. The top four teams at the end of the home-and-away season entered play-offs to determine the league champion, which earned promotion providing Premiership entry standards were met. The bottom team at the end of home-and-away season was relegated to, and replaced by the champions of, the third tier National Division One.

From 2017–18 through to at least 2019–20, the championship play-off has been eliminated. The regular-season champions now earn automatic promotion (again, assuming that they meet Premiership standards). Relegation criteria did not change.

Levels 3-5: National Leagues

The new National League structure includes:

Level 3: National League 1

The former National Division Two was renamed and increased from 14 to 16 teams. This resulted in a 30-game season on a home and away basis. The champions are promoted to the level 2 RFU Championship, and the three bottom sides are relegated to the level 4 National League 2 North or National League 2 South depending on geographical location.

Level 4: National League 2 South and National League 2 North

The previous National Division Three leagues became National League 2, keeping the same structure as previous except for being increased to 16 teams each. The two league champions are promoted, with the two runners-up meeting in a promotion play-off to decide the third promoted team. The bottom three in each league are relegated to their respective regional division. A new element is that the champions will meet in a National Final.

Level 5: National League 3

The former top regional leagues became the lowest level of the national league structure, increasing in size from 12 to 14 teams. The leagues are:

The four champions are promoted to either the National League 2 North or National League 2 South, the four runners up enter play-offs to decide the other two promoted sides. The four champions clubs also meet in a knock-out national finals competition.

Regional leagues

With the restructuring, levels 6–12 became the new regional system. There are now 8 regional Division 1 leagues, which are connected to the national leagues by promotion and relegation.

The system

The table below shows the current structure of the system. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which differs from its historic name) and number of clubs is given. At levels 1–3, each division promotes to the national division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the national division(s) that lie directly below it. Below that level, clubs relegate to the nearest local league. ^[5]

Level	League(s)/Division(s) v t e
1	Premiership Rugby 10 clubs
2	RFU Championship 12 clubs
3	National League 1 14 clubs
4	National League 2 North 14 clubs					National League 2 East 14 clubs										National League 2 West 14 clubs
5	Regional 1 North East 12 clubs			Regional 1 North West 12 clubs		Regional 1 South East 12 clubs					Regional 1 South Central 12 clubs					Regional 1 South West 12 clubs				Regional 1 Midlands 12 clubs
6	Regional 2 North 12 clubs		Regional 2 North East 12 clubs		Regional 2 North West 12 clubs	Regional 2 Anglia 12 clubs		Regional 2 South East 12 clubs			Regional 2 Thames 12 clubs			Regional 2 South Central 12 clubs		Regional 2 South West 12 clubs		Regional 2 Severn 12 clubs		Regional 2 Midlands West 12 clubs		Regional 2 Midlands North 12 clubs		Regional 2 Midlands East 12 clubs
7	Counties 1 Cumbria 12 clubs	Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland 12 clubs		Counties 1 Yorkshire 12 clubs	Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire 12 clubs	Counties 1 Eastern Counties 12 clubs	Counties 1 Essex 12 clubs	Counties 1 Kent 12 clubs	Counties 1 Hampshire 12 clubs	Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex 12 clubs		Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex 12 clubs	Counties 1 Southern North 12 clubs		Counties 1 Southern South 12 clubs	Counties 1 Western West 12 clubs	Counties 1 Western North 12 clubs		Counties 1 Midlands West (South) 12 clubs		Counties 1 Midlands West (North) 12 clubs	Counties 1 Midlands East (North) 12 clubs	Counties 1 Midlands East (South) 12 clubs
8	Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland Counties 2 Yorkshire					Counties 2 Eastern Counties Counties 2 Essex Counties 2 Kent Counties 2 Hampshire Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex Counties 2 Surrey Counties 2 Sussex							Counties 2 Cornwall Counties 2 Devon Counties 2 Gloucestershire North Counties 2 Gloucestershire South Counties 2 Somerset Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South						Counties 2 Midlands West (West) Counties 2 Midlands West (East) Counties 2 Midlands East (North) Counties 2 Midlands East (South)
9	Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland Counties 3 Yorkshire					Counties 3 Kent Counties 3 Hampshire Counties 3 Herts/Middlesex Counties 3 Surrey							Counties 3 Cornwall Counties 3 Devon North & East Counties 3 Devon South & West Counties 3 Gloucestershire North Counties 3 Gloucestershire South Counties 3 Somerset North Counties 3 Somerset South Counties 3 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North Counties 3 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts Central Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts North Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts South						Counties 3 Midlands West (North) Counties 3 Midlands West (South) Counties 3 Midlands West (East) Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Counties 3 Midlands East (South)
10	Counties 4 Yorkshire					Counties 4 Kent Counties 4 Hampshire Counties 4 Surrey							Counties 4 Gloucestershire North Counties 4 Gloucestershire South Counties 4 Somerset North Counties 4 Somerset South Counties 4 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North Counties 4 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South						Counties 4 Midlands West (North) Counties 4 Midlands West (South)
11	n/a					Counties 5 Kent Counties 5 Surrey							n/a						n/a

References

^ RFU League Tables https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1782&division=21825&season=2019-2020#results. Retrieved 21 April 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ England Rugby https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-confirms-process-for-next-phase-of-tyrrells-premier-15s. Retrieved 21 April 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990-91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.
^ "Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues". Oxfordshire RFU. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
^ https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/browse-competitions

External links

http://www.scrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/86076.html (Explains new structure)
https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/final-league-positions-for-community-game-confirmed-qazxsw (shows Level 2-5 Women's structure)

[1] RFU League Tables https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1782&division=21825&season=2019-2020#results. Retrieved 21 April 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[2] England Rugby https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-confirms-process-for-next-phase-of-tyrrells-premier-15s. Retrieved 21 April 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[Williams-3] Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990-91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.

[National_3_Renamed-4] "Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues". Oxfordshire RFU. Retrieved 16 July 2017.

[5] ttps://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/browse-competitions

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@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ===Recent restructures===
-The format and competitiveness of the leagues has changed greatly since the leagues were first formed<ref name=Williams>{{cite book|title=Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990-91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co Ltd|location=Windsor|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell}}</ref> and the latest widespread and global restructuring of the leagues was announced in November 2008, for implementation from the 2009–10 season. Under this new structure, the top league remains the 12-team [[English Premiership (rugby union)|Aviva Premiership]]. The second tier league has been rebranded and restructured; as the [[RFU Championship]] which has replaced the old National Division One. This league also has 12 teams, and like the Premiership, is [[professional]]. Beneath the two professional leagues, the National Leagues have been restructured to include a new 16 team [[National League 1]], 16 team [[National League 2 South]] and 16 team [[National League 2 North]]. The four top regional leagues are now part of National League 3 at level five.
+The format and competitiveness of the leagues has changed greatly since the leagues were first formed<ref name=Williams>{{cite book|title=Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990-91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co Ltd|location=Windsor|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell}}</ref> and the latest widespread and global restructuring of the leagues was announced in November 2008, for implementation from the 2009–10 season. Under this new structure, the top league remains the 12-team [[English Premiership (rugby union)|Gallagher Premiership]]. The second tier league has been rebranded and restructured; as the [[RFU Championship]] which has replaced the old National Division One. This league also has 12 teams, and like the Premiership, is [[professional]]. Beneath the two professional leagues, the National Leagues have been restructured to include a new 16 team [[National League 1]], 16 team [[National League 2 South]] and 16 team [[National League 2 North]]. The four top regional leagues are now part of National League 3 at level five.
 For the 2017-18 season, the National League 3 leagues have been renamed to have Premier as part of their title in order to make a distinction between regional rugby union and the National Leagues above.<ref name="National 3 Renamed">{{cite web|url=http://oxfordshirerfu.pitchero.com/news/renaming-of-rfu-national-3-leagues-18926/|title=Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues|publisher=Oxfordshire RFU|accessdate=16 July 2017 }}</ref>  Other changes that season would see [[London 3 North East]] be replaced by two new leagues - [[London 3 Eastern Counties]] and [[London 3 Essex]] - with teams transferred depending on location.