Nottingham Outlaws (rugby)
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Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. They were founded in 1999 and their first team plays in the Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier. They have a junior section and in 2006 launched an academy team, which plays in the Midlands Merit League. They play their home matches at the ground of Nottingham Moderns RUFC.
[edit] Rugby league in Nottingham
In the late 1980s an attempt was made to introduce semi-professional rugby league into Nottingham with the creation of Nottingham City RLFC, who replaced another Nottinghamshire team, the Mansfield Marksmen. In 1992-1993 they finished bottom of Division 3 of the Rugby League and were demoted to the National Conference League. They achieved the dubious honour of being the recipient of one of the widest margins of defeat in Rugby League history when they lost 138-0 to Barrow in 1994. Official records
In 1986 amateur rugby league arrived in Nottingham with the creation of the Nottingham Crusaders. The club played in the now defunct EMARLA league until 1999, when the Outlaws were formed. The Outlaws are members of the Rugby League Conference, playing in the summer, and after twice winning the East Midlands division they accepted an invitation to join the new Premier division in 2005. This was a step up in standard and included tough games against rugby league heartland sides in Hull Phoenix, Leeds Akkies, Bolton le-Moors and Dewsbury Celtic.
In 2006 the club competed in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference, finishing as league leaders and then winning the Midlands Grand Final against Coventry Bears. This set up a national semi-final against East Lancashire Lions, which they lost by 28-12. The Academy team reached the Merit League final but were beaten 42-18 by the South Humber Rabbitohs.
