Conference League South

Conference League South
Country England
Founded 2013
Number of teams 6
Level on pyramid 4
Promotion to National Conference League Division 3
Domestic cup(s) Challenge Cup
Current champions Sheffield Hallam Eagles
(2013)
2014

The Conference League South is a British rugby league division in the RFL's tier 3. It is the highest level of amateur rugby league in the South of England and the English Midlands.

Despite the similarities of its name, it is not the same as the Southern Conference League, which was the previous name of the now defunct Rugby League Conference.

History

The Conference League South was founded in 2013 as a result of restructuring of the community game which saw the Rugby League Conference (RLC) broken up into regional leagues covering Britain and the heartlands National Conference League (NCL) move to a summer season. Some RLC sides joined a newly formed National Conference League Division 3 for a single season and applied for full membership of the NCL the following season.

The Conference League South was created for sides outside the rugby league heartlands of the North of England that wanted a higher standard of rugby league than the Midlands Rugby League Premier Division or the South Premier but were not yet ready to join the NCL.

The six clubs in the inaugural season . Bristol Sonics, Nottingham Outlaws and St Albans Centurions joined from National Conference League Division 3; Leicester Storm and Northampton Demons were elevated from the premier division of Midlands Rugby League and Sheffield Hallam Eagles joined as a new side after the collapse of the Championship reserve under-23 division.

The second season will see Northampton Demons and St Albans Centurions replaced with Oxford Cavaliers and Valley Cougars. Oxford Cavaliers failed to complete the season

Community game pyramid

Conference League South is the highest level of amateur rugby league outside the National Conference League. It is a tier 3 league in the rugby league pyramid. Below the Conference, there are the tier 4 regional leagues for the South of England and the English midlands.

Participating teams

2015 season

Club Founded Location RLC Honours
Bristol Sonics 2002 Bristol, Avon West Midlands Division: 2007, 2008 Midlands Premier: 2011
Coventry Bears A 1998 Coventry, West Midlands
Gloucestershire Warriors 1997 Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Leicester Storm 1986 Leicester, Leicestershire Central Division: 1997 South Midlands Division: 2004
Nottingham Outlaws 1999 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire North Midlands Division: 2003, 2004 Midlands Premier: 2006, 2008 Harry Jepson Trophy: 2008
Oxford Cavaliers 1996 Oxford, Oxfordshire RLC West of England Champions: 2012
Sheffield Hallam Eagles 2012 Sheffield, South Yorkshire Conference League South: 2013
The Raiders RL 2014 Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
Torfaen Tigers 2003 Cwmbran, Torfaen South Wales Premier: 2013
Valley Cougars 2001 Treharris, Mid Glamorgan Conference League South: 2013 RLC Welsh Premier: 2008, 2010 2013

The sides will play each other three times with a 'magic round' staged at a neutral venue as part of the 15-week regular season. After a top-four play-off the overall winner will be determined in the Grand Final, a game which is set to be staged as a double-header alongside the Harry Jepson Trophy Final.

Past winners

League Standings

Teams 2013 2014 2015
Bristol Sonics2nd 6th
Coventry BearsN/AN/A
Gloucestershire WarriorsN/AN/A
Leicester Storm4th 4th
Northampton Demons 5th N/AN/A
Nottingham Outlaws3rd 3rd
Oxford CavaliersN/A5th
Sheffield Hallam Eagles1st 1st
St Albans Centurions 6th N/AN/A
The Raiders RLN/AN/A
Torfaen TigersN/AN/A
Valley CougarsN/A2nd

Key

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

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