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
- National Conference League
- Conference League South
- South Premier, Midlands Rugby League Premier Division
- East Men's League, London & South East Men's League, Midlands Rugby League Division One, South West Rugby League, West of England Rugby League
- London, South East and East Entrance League, Midlands Rugby League Division Two
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.
- NB: Oxford Cavaliers failed to complete the season.
Past winners
- 2013 Sheffield Hallam Eagles
- 2014 Valley Cougars
League Standings
Teams | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bristol Sonics | 2nd | 6th | ||
Coventry Bears | N/A | N/A | ||
Gloucestershire Warriors | N/A | N/A | ||
Leicester Storm | 4th | 4th | ||
Northampton Demons | 5th | N/A | N/A | |
Nottingham Outlaws | 3rd | 3rd | ||
Oxford Cavaliers | N/A | 5th | ||
Sheffield Hallam Eagles | 1st | 1st | ||
St Albans Centurions | 6th | N/A | N/A | |
The Raiders RL | N/A | N/A | ||
Torfaen Tigers | N/A | N/A | ||
Valley Cougars | N/A | 2nd | ||
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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