Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 2 Midlands West (North) | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1992 | (as Midlands West 2)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Telford Hornets (3 titles) |
Website | England RFU |
Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the West Midlands region including Shropshire, Staffordshire, parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands and occasionally Cheshire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to it to adopt the name Midlands 3 West (North) and again following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it was known, briefly as Counties 2 Midlands West (North), before the league was split East/West giving rise to its current name.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Counties 2 Midlands West (North) or Counties 2 Midlands West (South) depending on location. Relegated teams typically drop to Midlands 4 West (North). Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
Departing were Newport (Salop) 2XV and Willenhall, both promoted. Handsworth (11th) and Rugeley (12th) were relegated.
Joining were Harborne, Longton, Trentham and Walsall II.
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The league name changed from Counties 2 Midlands West (North) to Counties 2 Midlands West (West) with a corresponding adjustment in the make up of the competing sides.
Departing were Burntwood and Harborne, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands West (North). Aldridge (12th) and Cleobury Mortimer (11th) were relegated. Veseyans left on a level transfer to Counties 2 Midlands West (East).
Joining on a level transfer, were Bromyard and Tenbury from Counties 2 Midlands West (East) together with Rugeley, Willenhall and Stourbridge Lions.
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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review [1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Midlands West (North).
Departing were Edwardians, Telford Hornets and Shrewsbury, all promoted to Counties 1 Midlands West (North). Also leaving were Eccleshall (11th) and Linley & Kidsgrove (7th).
Joining were Bridgnorth II, Luctonians III, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Newport (Salop) 2XV.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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Teams in Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 West, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands West 2. Promotion was to Midlands West 1 and relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1992–93 | 13 | Nuneaton Old Edwardians | Aston Old Edwardians | Handsworth | [2] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North, meaning that Midlands 2 West dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands West 1 while relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Old Laurentians | Newport (Salop) | No relegation | [3] | |||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Luctonians | Kenilworth | Coventry Welsh, Dunlop | [4] | |||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Selly Oak | Malvern [b] | No relegation [c] | [5] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands West 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands West 1 while relegation was to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1996–97 | 17 | Telford Hornets | Woodrush | Trinity Guild, Newcastle (Staffs), Rugby St Andrews | [6] | |||||||||
1997–98 | 17 | Shrewsbury | Evesham | Coventry Saracens | [7] | |||||||||
1998–99 | 17 | Newcastle (Staffs) | Birmingham Exiles | Manor Park, GPT Coventry, Warley | [8] [d] | |||||||||
1999–00 | 17 | Kidderminster Carolians [e] | Old Yardleians [f] | No relegation [g] | [9] [h] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands West 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 West (North) [i] and relegation to either North Midlands 1 or Staffordshire 1 [j] .
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2000–01 | 10 | Bridgnorth | Lordswood Dixonians | Warley, Edwardians | [10] | |||||||||
2001–02 | 10 | Burntwood | Willenhall | Wheaton Aston, Cleobury Mortimer, Handsworth | [11] | |||||||||
2002–03 | 10 | Telford Hornets | Old Saltleians | No relegation | [12] | |||||||||
2003–04 | 10 | Wednesbury | Newport (Salop) | Handsworth, Uttoxeter | [13] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
At the start of the 2004–05 season Midlands 4 West (North) remained at tier 8 of the league system, with promotion continuing to Midlands 3 West (North). However, the restructuring of the leagues below meant that relegation was now to either North Midlands (North) [k] or Staffordshire [l]
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2004–05 | 10 | Newcastle (Staffs) | Ludlow | Yardley & District, Selly Oak | [14] | |||||||||
2005–06 | 10 | Old Saltleians | Burntwood | No relegation [m] | [15] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
At the start of the 2006–07 season Midlands 4 West (North) remained at tier 8 of the league system, with promotion continuing to Midlands 3 West (North). The cancellation of the Staffordshire league meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (North).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2006–07 | 12 | Leek | Lordswood Dixonians | Old Griffinians, Aldridge | [16] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 12 | Old Halesonians | Bournville | Telford Hornets, Harborne | [17] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 12 | Willenhall | Shrewsbury | Cleobury Mortimer | [18] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 West (North) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) and relegation to Midlands 4 West (North) (formerly Midlands 5 West (North)).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 12 | Leek | Tamworth | Bloxwich | [19] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Burntwood | Moseley Oak | Bishop's Castle & Onny Valley, Telford Hornets | [20] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 12 | Veseyans | Wolverhampton | Harborne, Uttoxeter | [21] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 12 | Willenhall | Stourbridge Lions | Cleobury Mortimer, Eccleshall | [22] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 12 | Veseyans | Shrewsbury | Market Drayton, Yardley & District | [23] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 12 | Handsworth | Harborne | Aston Old Edwardians, Uttoxeter | [24] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 12 | Tamworth | Newcastle (Staffs) | Bloxwich, Wednesbury | [25] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 12 | Ludlow | Cleobury Mortimer | Eccleshall, Clee Hill | [26] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 12 | Telford Hornets | Stafford | Barton-Under-Needwood, Willenhall | [27] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 12 | Shrewsbury | Burntwood | Cannock, Trentham | [28] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 12 | Uttoxeter | Old Saltleians | Willenhall, Wednesbury | [29] | |||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
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Counties 2 Midlands West (East) (formerly Midlands 3 West (South)) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the West Midlands region including clubs from parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and sometimes Oxfordshire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 West (North) and Midlands 4 West (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to it to adopt the name Midlands 3 West (South). Further restructuring followed in the wake of the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it was known, briefly as Counties 2 Midlands West (South), before the league was split East/West giving rise to its current name.
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Staffordshire/Warwickshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league, with teams from Staffordshire and Warwickshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands West 2 and relegated teams dropped to either Staffordshire 1 or Warwickshire 1. The division was cancelled at the end of the 1999–00 campaign due to nationwide league restructuring by the RFU, with the majority of teams transferred into the newly introduced Midlands 4 West (North) or Midlands 4 West (South).
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Warwickshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Warwickshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 West (South) and relegated sides dropped to Warwickshire 2. Warwickshire 1 was cancelled at the end of the 2005–06 season with the majority of teams transferred into the newly introduced Midlands 5 West (South).
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North Midlands (South) 2 was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Birmingham, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to North Midlands 1 and since the cancellation of North Midlands 3 at the end of the 2003–04 season there was no relegation. North Midlands (South) 2 was itself cancelled at the end of the 2005–06 campaign and the majority of teams transferred to the newly introduced Midlands 6 West (South-West).
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