National Conference League Division Three

Last updated

National Conference League Division Three
Current season, competition or edition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2024 National Conference League season
Sport Rugby league
Founded2012;12 years ago (2012)
No. of teams10
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Most recent
champion(s)
East Leeds
(2nd title)
Most titles East Leeds
(2 titles)
Level on pyramid7
Promotion to National Conference League Division Two
Relegation toRegional leagues
Domestic cup(s) Challenge Cup
BARLA National Cup

The National Conference League Division Three is the fourth level of the National Conference League and sits in the seventh tier of the British rugby league system.

Contents

It is the entry league for the NCL and sits above the Conference League South although there is no promotion and relegation between the two or the regional leagues. Any club wanting to compete in the NCL has to send an application to the league.

Background

In 2011, NCL clubs voted to switch from playing in winter to summer [1] which resulted in a reorganisation of the amateur pyramid. The current summer competition, the Rugby League Conference, was to be scrapped with its National Division effectively become part of the NCL while most of its regional divisions would continue as they were.

NCL Division Three was the NCLs most geographically diverse division with six out of the ten clubs competing being located outside the north of England. There was no promotion in the leagues first season, only a top six playoff was played to determine the winners. Of the ten clubs who competed in the first season only two, Coventry Bears and Underbank Rangers, returned the following season.[ citation needed ]

Clubs in 2025

ClubFoundedLocation
Bentley1963 Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Beverley 1883 Beverley, Hull, East Yorkshire
Distington Distington, Cumbria
Eastmoor Dragons1873 Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Featherstone Lions 1994 Featherstone, West Yorkshire
Leigh East 1977 Leigh, Greater Manchester
Millom 1873 Millom, Cumbria
Milford Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Myton Warriors 1997 Hull, East Yorkshire
Saddleworth Rangers 1930 Saddleworth, Greater Manchester
Seaton Rangers1890 Seaton, Workington, Cumbria

Results

SeasonWinnersRunners upPlayoff WinnerScorePlayoff Runner upBottom team
2012 Hemel Stags Underbank Rangers Hemel Stags 17-10 Underbank Rangers South Wales Hornets
2013 Kells Pilkington Recs No playoff held Peterlee Pumas
2014 Featherstone Lions Blackbrooke Underbank Rangers 20-6Crosfield Peterlee Pumas
2015 Hunslet Club Parkside Thornhill Trojans Stanningley 20-17Drighlington Eastmoor Dragons
2016 Crossfields Drighlington Drighlington 32-18 Woolston Rovers Gateshead Storm
2017 West Bowling Stanningley Dewsbury Moor 16-10 Woolston Rovers Waterhead Warriors
2018 Beverley Barrow Island Clock Face Miners 16-12 Millom Stanley Rangers
2019 Woolston Rovers Hunslet Warriors Dewsbury Celtic 30-16 Heworth Salford City Roosters
2020 Tournament curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Tournament restructured due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 East Leeds Waterhead WarriorsShaw Cross Sharks30-18Oldham St Annes Eastmoor Dragons
2023 Oldham St AnnesEllenborough Millom 20-6 Leigh East Seaton Rangers
2024 East Leeds (2)Hensingham Drighlington 17-10Distington Featherstone Lions

Winners

ClubWinsRunners upWinning years
East Leeds 202022, 2024
Hemel Stags 102012
Kells 12013
Featherstone Lions 12014
Hunslet Club Parkside 12015
Crosfield12016
West Bowling 12017
Beverley 12018
Woolston Rovers 12019

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References

  1. "Rugby-League.com". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 11 December 2019.