Jump to content

North Premier

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jonesey95 (talk | contribs) at 15:44, 10 August 2020 (Fix Linter errors). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the football competition, see Northern Premier League.

North Premier
Current season or competition:
2019–20 North Premier
SportRugby Union
Instituted1987
Number of teams14
Country England
HoldersBlaydon (1st title) (2019–20
(promoted to National League 2 North)
Most titlesBradford & Bingley, Darlington Mowden Park, Huddersfield, Kendal, Morley, Preston Grasshoppers (2 titles)
Websiteclubs.rfu.com

North Premier (formerly known as National League 3 North) is a level five league in the English rugby union system.[1] It is one of four leagues at this level, with its counterparts; London & South East Premier, South West Premier and Midlands Premier. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union when the league was originally known as North Division 1. A further name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017-18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for what is a series of regional leagues.[1] The fourteen teams in the division are drawn from across northern England and is the highest regional rugby union league in the north of England.

The champion club is automatically promoted to National League 2 North and the runner-up meets the second placed team of Midlands Premier in a play-off, with the winner also gaining promotion.

Format

The fourteen teams in this league are drawn from across northern England with the league champions being promoted to National League 2 North and the runner-up going into a play-off with the second placed team from Midlands Premier with the winner also being promoted. The league's bottom three teams are relegated to either North 1 East or North 1 West depending on their geographic location.

The season runs from September to May and comprises twenty-six rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league table as follows:

  • 4 points are awarded for a win
  • 2 points are awarded for a draw
  • 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
  • 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
  • 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match

2019–20

Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Macclesfield who were relegated from National League 2 North, and Blackburn, Carlisle and Morpeth who were promoted into the division.[2][3][4][5] Last season's champions Hull were promoted into National League 2 North, while the relegated teams were Vale of Lune and Wilmslow who all drop down into North 1 West and Kendal Rugby Union Football Club, Kendal who were relegated to North 1 East.

Participating teams and locations

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

North Premier honours

In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was four, tier five leagues. The geographical area for teams in the north of England covered the ceremonial counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire Northumberland and Yorkshire There were eleven teams in the league and they played each other once, giving each team ten matches. The other tier five leagues were London Division One, Midlands Division One and South West Division One.[6] This system prevailed for five seasons, and in 1992–93 the number of teams increased from eleven to thirteen. The following season (1993–94) the league was reorganised and the four tier five leagues became two; National 5 North and National 5 South.[7] After three seasons, in 1996–97, a further reorganisation occurred, and there was a return to four, tier five leagues; with North Division One covering the area of northern England.[8] This system prevailed until 2009–10 when the number of teams was increased from twelve to fourteen and renamed National League Three North.

North Division 1 (1987–1993)

The original North Division 1 was a tier 5 league with promotion up to Area League 2 North and relegation down to North Division 2 (now split into two leagues known as North 1 East and North 1 West).

North Division One
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1987–88 11 10 Winnington Park Kendal Widnes, Middlesbrough [9]
1988–89 11 10 Kendal Tynedale West Park [9]
1989–90 11 10 Otley Harrogate No relegation [9]
1990–91 11 10 Aspatria Bradford & Bingley Halifax [10]
1991–92 11 10 Rotherham Tynedale Birkenhead Park [11]
1992–93 13 12 Bradford & Bingley Tynedale Lymm [12]

North Division 1 (1993–1996)

At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from North Division 1 and the top six from Midland Division 1 were combined to create National 5 North. This meant that North Division 1 dropped from a tier 5 league to a tier 6 league for the years that National 5 North was active.

North Division 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams
1993-94[13] 13 Wharfedale Sandal Hartlepool Rovers, Northern, Vale of Lune
1994-95 13 Sandal Stockton Durham City
1995-96 13 Manchester Macclesfield No relegation[a]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

North Division 1 (1996–2009)

For the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and North Division One returned to being a tier 5 league. Promotion was up to National 4 North (now known as National League 2 North), while relegation continued to North Division 2 until 2000–01, and then into either North 2 East and North 2 West (currently North 1 East / North 1 West) in subsequent seasons.

North Division One
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1996–97 12 22 Sedgley Park Tynedale Bradford & Bingley [14]
1997–98 12 22 New Brighton Doncaster West Park Bramhope [15]
1998–99 12 22 Doncaster Northern Bridlington, Broughton Park [16]
1999–00 12 22 Tynedale Hull Ionians Widnes, Winnington Park [17]
2000–01 12 22 Darlington Mowden Park Blaydon Northern, Stockton [18]
2001–02 12 22 Halifax Hull Ionians Wigton, Middlesbrough, Bradford & Bingley [19]
2002–03 12 22 Darlington Macclesfield Sandal, West Hartlepool [20]
2003–04 12 22 Bradford & Bingley Cleckheaton Huddersfield, Aspatria, Driffield [21]
2004–05 12 22 Preston Grasshoppers Hull Ionians Sheffield, Liverpool St Helens, Vale of Lune [22]
2005–06 12 22 Morley West Park St Helens Whitchurch, Middlesbrough, Longton [23]
2006–07 12 22 Caldy Beverley New Brighton, Chester, Stockport [24]
2007–08 12 22 Kendal Huddersfield Penrith, Altrincham Kersal [25]
2008–09 12 22 Westoe Hull No relegation [26]

National League 3 North (2009–2017)

For the 2009–10 season North Division One was renamed as National League 3 North following a restructuring of the national leagues which led to changes at all levels.

National League 3 North
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2009–10 14 26 Morley Stockport West Hartlepool, Cleckheaton, West Park St Helens [27]
2010–11 14 26 Stockport Chester Rochdale, Billingham, Middlesbrough [28]
2011–12 14 26 Darlington Mowden Park Rossendale Morley, Altrincham Kersal, Beverley [29]
2012–13 14 26 Chester Harrogate West Hartlepool, Kendal, Birkenhead Park [30]
2013–14 14 26 Huddersfield Stockport Penrith, Percy Park, Bradford & Bingley [31]
2014–15 14 26 Sale FC Sandal Beverley, Westoe, Morley [32]
2015–16 14 26 Sheffield Tigers Wirral Huddersfield YMCA, Birkenhead Park, Burnage [33]
2016–17 14 26 Huddersfield Rossendale Stockport, Firwood Waterloo, Cleckheaton [34]
Green background are the promotion places.

North Premier (2017–present)

The division was renamed North Premier for the 2017–18 season in order to make it more obvious that this was a regional division and the top one in the north.

North Premier
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
2017-18 14 26 Preston Grasshoppers Hull Pocklington, Morley, Birkenhead Park [35]
2018-19 14 26 Hull Blaydon Wilmslow, Vale of Lune, Kendal [36]
2019–20 14 21[b] Blaydon Harrogate Ilkley, Morpeth, Carlisle [39]
2020–21 14 26
Green background are the promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the league runners-up of North Premier and Midlands Premier for the third and final promotion place to National League 2 North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage. As of the end of the 2019–20 season the northern teams have been stronger with twelve wins to the Midlands seven, while the home team has won thirteen times compared to the away teams six.

North Premier v Midlands Premier promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance Reference
2000–01 Blaydon (N) 31–12 Leicester Lions (M) Crow Trees, Swalwell, County Durham [40]
2001–02 Hull Ionians (N) 35–22 Walsall (M) Brantingham Park, Brantingham, East Riding of Yorkshire [41][42]
2002–03 Luctonians (M) 3–17 Macclesfield (N) Mortimer Park, Kingsland, Herefordshire 1,000 [43][44]
2003–04 Cleckheaton (N) 23–10 Kettering (M) Cleckheaton Sports Club, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire 900 [45][46]
2004–05 Hull Ionians (N) 19–18 Kettering (M) Brantingham Park, Brantingham, East Riding of Yorkshire [47][48]
2005–06 Bedford Athletic (M) 17–24 West Park St Helens (N) Putnoe Woods, Bedford, Bedfordshire [49][50][51]
2006–07 Beverley (N) 7–3 Dudley Kingswinford (M) Beaver Park, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire [52][53]
2007–08 Huddersfield (N) 22–7 Luctonians (M) Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire [54][55]
2008–09 Hull (N) 40–15 Chester (M) Ferens Ground, Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire [56][57]
2009–10 Stockport (N) 10–18 Luctonians (M) The Memorial Ground, Stockport, Greater Manchester 350 [58][59]
2010–11 Sheffield Tigers (M) 16–14 Chester (N) Dore Moor, Sheffield, South Yorkshire [60][61]
2011–12 Dudley Kingswinford (M) 36–27 Rossendale (N) Heath Brook, Kingswinford, West Midlands 1,000 [62][63]
2012–13 Sutton Coldfield (M) 13–28 Harrogate (N) Roger Smoldon Ground, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 650 [64][65][66]
2013–14 Stockport (N) 52–22 Sutton Coldfield (M) The Memorial Ground, Stockport, Greater Manchester [67][68]
2014–15 Sandal (N) 20–10 Hinckley (M) Milnthorpe Green, Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 200 [69][70]
2015–16 Hinckley (M) 33–20 Wirral (N) Leicester Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire 650 [71][72]
2016–17 Rossendale (N) 31–32 Sheffield (M) Marl Pits, Rawtenstall, Lancashire 413 [73]
2017–18 Hull (N) 22-31 Peterborough Lions (M) Ferens Ground, Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire [74]
2018–19 Luctonians (M) 31–17 Blaydon (N) Mortimer Park, Kingsland, Herefordshire 1,757 [75]
2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Harrogate (N) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background represent the promoted teams. (M) stands for the Midlands teams while (N) stands for the Northern teams.

Number of league titles

Notes

  1. ^ Due to RFU restructuring of the English league structure there would be no relegation this season.
  2. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom the RFU cancelled all rugby below the Premiership with most clubs in North Premier having played 21 games, and a best playing record formula was used to decide the final table.[37][38]
  3. ^ Currently known as South Shields Westoe.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues". Oxfordshire RFU. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Macc down but leaders march on". The RugbyPaper. No. 551. 7 April 2019. p. 32.
  3. ^ "Scarborough RUFC battle hard but edged out in play-off at Blackburn". The Scarborough News. 27 April 2019.
  4. ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  5. ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  6. ^ Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (eds.). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92 (4th ed.). Taunton: Football Directories. ISBN 1 869833 15 5.
  7. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95 (23rd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 163–179. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
  8. ^ Mick Cleary, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 (26th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishers. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
  9. ^ a b c Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd. pp. 213–326. ISBN 1 873057 024.
  10. ^ Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill. Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92. Taunton: Football Directories. pp. 207–342. ISBN 1 869833 15 5.
  11. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 170–185. ISBN 0 7472 7907 1.
  12. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 151–167. ISBN 0 7472 7891 1.
  13. ^ "Sheet1 - Wharfedale". Wharfedale RUFC. Wharfedale RUFC. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  14. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 87–100. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
  15. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 84–98. ISBN 0 7472 7653 6.
  16. ^ "North 1 1998–1999". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  17. ^ "North 1 1999–2000". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  18. ^ "North 1 2000–2001". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  19. ^ "North 1 2001–2002". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  20. ^ "North 1 2002–2003". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  21. ^ "North 1 2003–2004". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  22. ^ "North 1 2004–2005". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  23. ^ "North 1 2005–2006". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  24. ^ "North 1 2006–2007". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  25. ^ "North 1 2007–2008". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  26. ^ "North 1 2008–2009". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  27. ^ "National League 3 North 2009–2010". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  28. ^ "National League 3 North 2010–2011". Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  29. ^ "National League 3 North 2011–2012". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  30. ^ "National League 3 North 2012–2013". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  31. ^ "National League 3 North 2013–2014". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  32. ^ "National League 3 North 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  33. ^ "National League 3 North 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  34. ^ "National League 3 North 2016–2017". England Rugby. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  35. ^ "North Premier 2017–2018". England Rugby. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  36. ^ "North Premier 2018–2019". England Rugby. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  37. ^ "Following government advice, the RFU will suspend all rugby activity in England, at both professional and community level". England Rugby. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  38. ^ "RFU". www.englandrugby.com. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  39. ^ "Men's level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  40. ^ "North Play Offs 2000–2001". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  41. ^ "North Play Offs 2001–2002". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  42. ^ "Rugby Union: Errors end Walsall's hopes of rapid return; Hull Ionians 35 Walsall 22". The Birmingham Post. 13 May 2002.
  43. ^ "North Play Offs 2002–2003". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  44. ^ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Luctonians VS Macclesfield". Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2003.
  45. ^ "North Play Offs 2003–2004". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  46. ^ "Cleckheaton 23 Kettering 10". Telegraph & Argus. 26 April 2004.
  47. ^ "North Play Offs 2004–2005". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  48. ^ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Hull Ionians v Kettering". Rugby Statbunker. 30 April 2005.
  49. ^ "Midland Play Offs 2005–2006". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  50. ^ "Well done to West Park on their fine achievement". Liverpool Echo. 3 May 2006.
  51. ^ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Bedford Athletic VS West Park St Helens". Rugby Statbunker. 29 April 2006.
  52. ^ "North Play Offs 2006–2007". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  53. ^ "DUDLEY-KO'D". Worcester News. 3 May 2007.
  54. ^ "North Play Offs 2007–2008". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  55. ^ "Rugby Union: WE'RE GOING UP! Joy as Huddersfield clinch National III berth RUGBY UNION PLAY-OFF". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 26 April 2008.
  56. ^ "North Play Offs 2008–2009". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  57. ^ "Hull clinch promotion". Hull Daily Mail. 27 April 2009.[permanent dead link]
  58. ^ "North Play Offs 2009–2010". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  59. ^ "STOCKPORT FALL AT THE FINAL FENCE". Stockport RUFC. 8 May 2010.
  60. ^ "North Play Offs 2010–2011". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  61. ^ "Promotion party as wind-swept Tigers blow away rivals in play-off thriller". The Star. 17 May 2011.
  62. ^ "North Play Offs 2011–2012". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  63. ^ "Dudley Kingswinford 36 Rossendale 27". Dudley Kingswinford RFC. 28 April 2012.
  64. ^ "North Play Offs 2012–2013". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  65. ^ "Rugby Union: Harrogate secure promotion at Sutton Coldfield". Harrogate Advertiser. 27 April 2013.
  66. ^ "Where are you going - where did you go? RUGBY UNION". Non League Matters. 27 April 2013.
  67. ^ "North Play Offs 2013–2014". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  68. ^ "Sutton's promotion hopes are shattered by solid Stockport". Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer. 1 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  69. ^ "North Play Offs 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  70. ^ "Hinckley go down fighting". Hinckley RFC. 25 April 2015.
  71. ^ "North Play Off 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  72. ^ "Hinckley gain promotion to N2N in final countdown". Hinckley RFC. 30 April 2016.
  73. ^ "National 3 round up". The RUGBYPaper. No. 450. Rugby Paper Ltd. 30 April 2017. p. 33.
  74. ^ "MATCH REPORT: Lions roar to promotion play-off victory". Peterborough Today. 28 April 2018.
  75. ^ "Luctonians 31 v 17 Blaydon". Luctonians Sports Club. 27 April 2019.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Premier&oldid=972170361"