Rugby League Conference South Premier

The Rugby League Conference South Premier is a division in the Rugby League Conference. It is the highest level of amateur rugby league in the South of England. It was first contested in 2005.

Many of the clubs run juniors in the London Junior League.

Contents

History

The Rugby League Conference was born in 1997 as the Southern Conference.

The Premier Division were set up in 2005 for teams who had achieved a certain playing standard and where able to travel further afield to find stronger opposition. The new Premier Divisions included the North Premier, the South Premier, the Central Premier and the Welsh Premier.

Prior to the 2005 season National League Three side South London Storm announced that they were joining the South Premier; the other founder members came from the Conference regional divisions.

After the 2006 season with other teams withdrawing from National League Three, St Albans Centurions also decided to join the Premier South.

Rugby League Conference Pyramid

The South Premier is the highest level of amateur rugby league in the South of England. Above the South Premier is the National Division and below are several regional divisions (East, London & South and South West. Below the regional divisions is the London League.

Other Premier divisions are the Midlands, Welsh, Yorkshire and North West.

2011 Structure

Club Founded Location RLC Honours
Eastern Rhinos 1992 Colchester, Essex Eastern Division: 1999, 2001
Hainault Bulldogs 2007 Dagenham, Essex Eastern Division: 2008
Hammersmith Hills Hoists 2008 Hammersmith, London -
London Skolars A 1995 Wood Green, Haringey Harry Jepson Trophy: 1997
Eastern Division: 1997
RLC Challenge Cup: 2004
St Albans Centurions 1996 St Albans, Hertfordshire Eastern Division: 2005
South Premier: 2007, 2010
Harry Jepson Trophy: 2007, 2010
South London Storm 1997 Thornton Heath, Croydon South Premier: 2005, 2006, 2009
Harry Jepson Trophy: 2006
RLC Shield: 2002
West London Sharks 1997 Isleworth, Hounslow South Division: 2004
South Premier: 2008, 2009

Teams play each other on a home-and-away basis. Each Premier division then has its own play-off series to determine the champion with the five divisional winners entering the national play-offs. The winner of the national play-offs is awarded the Harry Jepson Trophy.

Past League Standings

Teams 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Bedford Tigers x x x x 6th x
Eastern Rhinos 3rd 2nd 5th 3rd 4th 4th
Elmbridge Eagles 2 x 5th 6th 7th 9th x
Essex Eels x DNF x x x x
Greenwich Admirals 6th x x x x x
Hainault Bulldogs x x x x 8th 6th
Hammersmith Hills Hoists x x x x x 2nd
Kent Ravens x x 7th DNF x x
London Skolars A 3 4th 4th 3rd 6th 7th 8th
Luton Vipers 5th DNF x x x x
Portsmouth Navy Seahawks x x x 5th 5th 7th
St Albans Centurions x x 1st 4th 3rd 1st
South London Storm 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 5th
West London Sharks 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd

Key

DNF Did not complete the season
x Did not participate
Divisional winner
Qualified for divisional play-off
Finished bottom

Grand Finals

Year Winner Defeated Score Venue
2005 South London Storm West London Sharks 24-8 Storm Park
2006 South London Storm Ipswich Rhinos 52-10 Storm Park
2007 St Albans Centurions South London Storm 18-10 Twickenham Stoop
2008 West London Sharks South London Storm 24-20 Grasshoppers RFC
2009 West London Sharks South London Storm 26-16 Storm Park
2010 St Albans Centurions West London Sharks 54-4 Cotlandswick
2011 Hammersmith Hills Hoists

Titles

National Play-offs

Year Team Opponent Result Game Venue
2005 South London Storm Bridgend Blue Bulls 18-34 National Semi-Final Cheltenham
2006 South London Storm Bridgend Blue Bulls 32-12 National Semi-Final Hemel
2006 South London Storm East Lancs Lions 30-0 Grand Final Coventry
2007 St Albans Centurions Bridgend Blue Bulls 42-16 National Semi-Final
2007 St Albans Centurions Coventry Bears 28-20 Grand Final
2008 West London Sharks Valley Cougars 32-30 National Semi-Final
2008 West London Sharks Nottingham Outlaws 8-28 Grand Final Derby

See also

External links