National Conference League

Rugby league in the UK

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National Conference LeagueCurrent season, competition or edition:
2024 National Conference League

Sport| Rugby league
Founded| 1986; 38 years ago (1986)
(as BARLA National League)
Divisions| Premier Division
Division One
Division Two
Division Three
No. of teams| 49
Country|  England
Confederation| RFL
BARLA
Most recent
champion(s)|

* Premier Division: West Hull
* Division One: Kells
* Division Two: Heworth
* Division Three: East Leeds

TV partner(s)| ouRLeague
Level on pyramid| 4
Domestic cup(s)| Challenge Cup
Conference Challenge Trophy
BARLA National Cup
Official website| www.rugby-league.com/competitions/national/national-conference-league

The National Conference League (often abbreviated to the NCL) is an amateur rugby league competition in Great Britain. The competition is one of two fourth tier competitions in British rugby league and operates for amateur clubs based based in the sport's heartlands of Northern England.

The competition began in 1986 and was run by the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA). In 2012, the competition moved summer season in line with the professional game.[1] It is currently jointly run by BARLA and the Rugby Football League.

## History

[edit]

Main article: History of the National Conference League

The league was founded as the BARLA National League for the 1986–87 season with 10 teams: Dudley Hill, Egremont Rangers, Heworth, Leigh Miners Welfare (now Leigh Miners Rangers), Milford Marlins, Millom, Pilkington Recs, West Hull, Wigan St Patrick's and Woolston Rovers. The original NCL concept was one team per town.

The league added a second division in 1989, and expanded to three divisions (now named premier, first and second as opposed to first and second) along with a rebrand to the current name of National Conference League in 1993.

The NCL move to a summer season. A reorganisation by the RFL resulted Rugby League Conference National Division becoming a new NCL 3rd division. This became the Southern Conference League in 2013, the second of the two fourth division leagues.

## Structure

[edit]

The National Conference League consists of four divisions. Teams can be promoted and relegated through all four divisions, and teams can also be relegated from Division Three into the regional leagues. For the 2018 season, there are three divisions of 12 teams, whilst the bottom tier consists of 13 teams.

Although it is considered the tier below League 1, teams are not promoted and relegated between the amateur NCL and the professional game, although NCL teams the Challenge Cup.

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

|

Premier Division
12 clubs – 3 relegations

Division One
12 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations

Division Two
12 clubs – 3 promotions, 3 relegations

Division Three
13 clubs – 3 promotions, bottom 2 clubs seek re-election

### Play-offs

[edit]

The Premier Division play-offs follows a similar structure to that in the professional game. The Champions are decided in a top six play-off competition. In week 1 of the play-offs, the teams placed 3rd and 6th play each other as do the teams paced 4th and 5th, the winners qualify for the Elimination Semi-Final. In week 2 of the pay-offs, the teams that finished the regular season 1st and second play each other in the Qualifying Semi-Final and takes place on the same weekend. The winner of the Qualifying Semi-Final progresses to the Grand Final while the loser has another opportunity to get to the Grand Final by playing the winners of the Elimination Semi-Final in Week 3 of the play-offs.

The Division One, Division Two and Division Three play-offs are contested by the teams that finished 3rd to 6th during the regular season. The top two teams are promoted automatically. These Play-offs are straightforward knock-out competitions composed of two Semi-Finals, between the teams finishing 3rd and 6th in one and those that finished 4th and 5th on the other, before the winners contest the Final a week later. The winner of the Final is promoted.

## Clubs in 2024

[edit]

Premier Division  | Division One  | Division Two  | Division Three

|
|
|

Egremont Rangers | Clock Face Miners  | Barrow Island  | Bentley
Heworth | Crosfields  | Dewsbury Celtic | Beverley
Hunslet  | Dewsbury Moor Maroons  | Ellenborough  | Distington
Kells | Hull Dockers | Millom | Drighlington
Lock Lane | Ince Rose Bridge | Myton Warriors | East Leeds
Rochdale Mayfield | Leigh Miners Rangers | Normanton Knights | Eastmoor Dragons
Siddal | Oulton Raiders | Oldham St Annes  | Featherstone Lions
Thatto Heath Crusaders | Skirlaugh | Pilkington Recs | Hensingham
Wath Brow Hornets | Stanningley  | Saddleworth Rangers | Leigh East
West Bowling | Waterhead Warriors  | Shaw Cross Sharks  | Milford
West Hull | Wigan St Patricks | Thornhill Trojans | Seaton Rangers
York Acorn | Woolston Rovers | Wigan St Judes |

## Results

[edit]

Season  | Premier Division  | Division One  | Division Two  | Division Three

|
|
|
|

1986–87  | Heworth | N/A  | N/A  | N/A
1987–88  | Milford Marlins
1988–89  | West Hull
1989–90  | Bradford Dudley Hill | Saddleworth Rangers
1990–91  | Leigh East | Barrow
1991–92  | Wigan St Patricks | West Hull
1992–93  | Saddleworth Rangers | Rochdale Mayfield
1993–94  | Woolston Rovers | Heworth | Oldham St Annes
1994–95  | Woolston Rovers (2)  | Millom | Eastmoor Dragons
1995–96  | Woolston Rovers (3)  | Beverley  | Wigan St Judes
1996–97  | West Hull (2)  | Askam  | Redhill
1997–98  | Egremont Rangers | Skirlaugh | Featherstone Lions
1998–99  | West Hull (3)  | Redhill  | Ideal Isberg
1999–00  | West Hull (4)  | Oulton Raiders | Eastmoor Dragons (2)
2000–01  | West Hull (5)  | Leigh East | Thatto Heath Crusaders
2001–02  | West Hull (6)  | West Bowling | Crosfield
2002–03  | Siddal | Thatto Heath Crusaders | Wath Brow Hornets
2003–04  | Siddal (2)  | Wath Brow Hornets | East Hull
2004–05  | Leigh Miners Rangers | Shaw Cross Sharks  | Ince Rose Bridge
2005–06  | Oulton Raiders | West Hull (2)  | Castleford Panthers
2006–07  | Skirlaugh | Rochdale Mayfield (2)  | Waterhead
2007–08  | East Hull | Wigan St Judes | Millom
2008–09 | Siddal (3)  | Wath Brow Hornets (2)  | Myton Warriors
2009–10  | Leigh East (2)  | Thatto Heath Crusaders | Eccles
2010–11 | Thatto Heath Crusaders | Oulton Raiders (2)  | Hunslet Warriors
2012 | Wath Brow Hornets | Egremont Rangers | East Leeds | Hemel Stags
2013 | West Hull (7)  | East Leeds | Normanton Knights  | Kells
2014 | West Hull (8)  | Oulton Raiders (3)  | Kells | Featherstone Lions
2015 | Leigh Miners Rangers (2)  | Kells | Millom (2)  | Hunslet Club Parkside
2016 | Siddal (4)  | Thatto Heath Crusaders (2)  | Hunslet Club Parkside | Crossfields
2017 | Thatto Heath Crusaders (2)  | Hunslet Club Parkside | Oulton Raiders | West Bowling
2018 | Hunslet Club Parkside | Thornhill Trojans | Stanningley  | Beverley
2019 | West Hull (9)  | Pilkington Recs | West Bowling | Woolston Rovers
2020 | Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 | Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 | Hunslet Club Parkside (2)  | Kells (2)  | Heworth | East Leeds
2023 | Hunslet ARLFC  | West Bowling (2)  | Waterhead Warriors  | Oldham St Annes

### Winners

[edit]

| PREMIER DIVISION

| Club  | Wins  | Winning years
1  | West Hull | 9 | 1988–89, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2013, 2014, 2019
2  | Siddal | 5 | 2002–03, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2016, 2017
3  | Woolston Rovers | 3 | 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96
4  | Leigh East | 2 | 1990–91, 2009–10
Leigh Miners Rangers | 2004–05, 2015
Hunslet Club Parkside | 2018, 2022
5  | Thatto Heath Crusaders | 1 | 2010–11
Wath Brow Hornets | 2012
Heworth | 1986–87
Milford Marlins | 1987–88
Bradford Dudley Hill | 1989–90
Wigan St Patricks | 1991–92
Saddleworth Rangers | 1992–93
Egremont Rangers | 1997–98
Oulton Raiders | 2005–06
Skirlaugh | 2006–07
East Hull | 2007–08
Hunslet ARLFC | 2023
| DIVISION ONE

| Club  | Wins  | Winning years
1  | Oulton Raiders | 3 | 2005–06, 2010–11, 2014
2  | West Hull | 2 | 1991–92, 2005–06
Rochdale Mayfield | 1992–93, 2006–07
Thatto Heath Crusaders | 2002–03, 2016
Wath Brow Hornets | 2003–04, 2008–09
Kells | 2015, 2022
3  | Saddleworth Rangers | 1 | 1989–90
Barrow | 1990–91
Heworth | 1993–94
Millom | 1994–95
Beverley | 1995–96
Askam | 1996–97
Skirlaugh | 1997–98
Redhill | 1998–99
Leigh East | 2000–01
West Bowling | 2001–02
Shaw Cross Sharks | 2004–05
West Hull | 2005–06
Wigan St Judes | 2007–08
Egremont Rangers | 2012
East Leeds | 2013
Hunslet Club Parkside | 2017
Thornhill Trojans | 2018
Pilkington Recs | 2019
| DIVISION TWO

Club  | Wins  | Winning years
Eastmoor Dragons | 2 | 1994–95, 1999–00
Millom | 2 | 2007–08, 2015
Oldham St Annes | 1 | 1993–94
Wigan St Judes | 1 | 1995–96
Redhill | 1 | 1996–97
Featherstone Lions | 1 | 1997–98
Ideal Isburgs | 1 | 1998–99
Thatto Heath Crusaders | 1 | 2000–01
Crosfield | 1 | 2001–02
Wath Brow Hornets | 1 | 2002–03
East Hull | 1 | 2003–04
Ince Rose Bridge | 1 | 2004–05
Castleford Panthers | 1 | 2005–06
Waterhead | 1 | 2006–07
Myton Warriors | 1 | 2008–09
Eccles | 1 | 2009–10
Hunslet Warriors | 1 | 2010–11
East Leeds | 1 | 2012
Normanton Knights | 1 | 2013
Kells | 1 | 2014
Hunslet Club Parkside | 1 | 2016
Oulton Raiders | 1 | 2017
Stanningley | 1 | 2018
West Bowling | 1 | 2019
Heworth | 1 | 2022
| DIVISION THREE

Club  | Wins  | Winning years
Hemel Stags | 1 | 2012
Kells | 1 | 2013
Featherstone Lions | 1 | 2014
Hunslet Club Parkside | 1 | 2015
Crosfield | 1 | 2016
West Bowling | 1 | 2017
Beverley | 1 | 2018
Woolston Rovers | 1 | 2019
East Leeds | 1 | 2022

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal
* United Kingdom portal

* Conference League South
* Conference Challenge Trophy

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Rugby-League.com". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 11 December 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* BARLA official website
* NCL Founder Member Millom RLFC
* NCL Member Brighouse Rangers RLFC

* v
* t
* e

National Conference League

History

Seasons|

* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Clubs|

| Premier Division|

* Hull Dockers
* Hunslet ARLFC
* Kells
* Leigh Miners Rangers
* Lock Lane
* Rochdale Mayfield
* Siddal
* Thatto Heath Crusaders
* Wath Brow Hornets
* West Hull
* Wigan St Patricks
* York Acorn

|

Division One|

* Clock Face Miners
* Crosfields
* Egremont Rangers
* Featherstone Lions
* Heworth
* Ince Rose Bridge
* Oulton Raiders
* Pilkington Recs
* Skirlaugh
* Stanningley
* Thornhill Trojans
* West Bowling

Division Two|

* Barrow Island
* Dewsbury Celtic
* Dewsbury Moor Maroons
* East Leeds
* Milford Marlins
* Myton Warriors
* Normanton Knights
* Saddleworth Rangers
* Shaw Cross Sharks
* Wigan St Judes
* Woolston Rovers
* Waterhead Warriors

Division Three|

* Bentley
* Beverley
* Drighlington
* Eastmoor Dragons
* Ellenborough Rangers
* Hensingham
* Leigh East
* Millom
* Oldham St Annes
* Seaton Rangers

See also: Conference Challenge Trophy

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Great Britain

Nations and regions|

* Rugby league in England
* Rugby league in Scotland
* Rugby league in Wales
* Rugby league in Cornwall
* Rugby league in Lancashire
* Rugby league in Yorkshire

Federations|

* Rugby Football League
* BARLA
* Scotland Rugby League
* Wales Rugby League

National teams|

* Great Britain
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

Women's national teams|

* Great Britain
* England
* Scotland
* Wales

Leagues|

* Super League
* Championship
* League 1
* National Conference League
* Cumbria Men's League
* Cumberland League
* East Rugby League
* London & South East Men's League
* Midlands Rugby League
* North East Rugby League
* North West Men's League
* South West Rugby League
* Yorkshire Men's League
* Pennine League
* London Mens League
* Southern Conference League
* Scottish National League
* North Wales Conference
* South Wales Premiership
* Women's Super League
* Women's Championship
* Wheelchair Super League
* Wheelchair Championship

Cups|

* Challenge Cup
* 1895 Cup
* Yorkshire Cup
* Conference Challenge Trophy
* BARLA National Cup
* BARLA Yorkshire Cup
* BARLA Cumbria Cup
* Cumberland County Cup
* Women's Challenge Cup
* Wheelchair Challenge Cup

Former
competitions|

* RFL Championship
* Premiership
* Divisional Premiership
* Rugby League Conference
* Lancashire Cup
* Lancs/Yorks League
* Regal Trophy
* Charity Shield
* BBC2 Floodlit Trophy
* Independent Television Floodlit Trophy
* Trans-Pennine Cup
* Championship Cup
* Conference League South
* BARLA Lancashire Cup
* Captain Morgan Trophy
* County Championship
* League 1 Cup
* Women's Rugby League Conference
* Women's Rugby League
* Women's Super League South

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