The Rugby League National Leagues (currently known as the LHF Healthplan National Leagues as a result of sponsorship) form the basis for rugby league competition in Great Britain below Super League. There are three leagues: Leagues One and Two are semi-professional, whilst League Three is "open"; professionalism is allowed, though most teams are in fact amateur. Sponsorship can refer to several concepts: A sponsors support of an event, activity, person, or organization. ... Rugby league is a team sport played by two teams of 17 players, with 13 on the field at any one time and 4 on the bench (reserves). ... The engage Super League logo Super League (Europe) is the only full-time professional rugby league competition operating in the northern hemisphere. ... A professional provides a service in exchange for payment in accordance with established protocols for licensing, ethics, procedures, standards of service and training/certification. ... The word amateur has at least two connotations. ...

Structure

A play-off structure is used to determine the winners of League One, who are then eligible for promotion to Super League, being replaced by the team being relegated from that competition. One team is relegated from League One, being replaced by the team finishing top of League Two. There is also a play-off structure involving the second bottom team of League One and the five teams finishing behind the league leaders in League Two; this allows for a potential second promotion/relegation spot.

The play-offs in each National League division are a top-six format. In National League Two the position of "first place" in the play-off structure is taken by the team attempting to avoid relegation from NL1, as the top team is promoted automatically. A play-off structure involving the top six teams has been used to determine the winners of the Super League competition in British rugby league since 2000. ...

There is no promotion or relegation between Leagues Two and Three at the moment; current RFL policy is to expand the top two leagues gradually over time. When the 'gap' in playing standards between League Two and League Three is narrowed, promotion and relegation may be considered between these two divisions, however off-field standards may prevent the possibility. As yet no clubs have been admitted to League Two from League Three, however Bramley Buffaloes and Hemel Stags have promotion as a long term aim. Bramley Buffaloes are a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in Yorkshire, England. ... Hemel Stags are a rugby league team based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. ...

A cup competition, the National League Cup, is played for by all clubs in Leagues one and Two; in 2005 four League Three clubs were also admitted, in 2006 five League Three teams have been admitted. The teams are organised into regional conferences, with knock-out stages following from the group stage. The National League Cup is a rugby league competition for clubs in Great Britains National Leagues. ...

It is thought that the national leagues will be split into two separate competitions from 2007 for sponsorship reasons, with NL1 being one and NL2 and NL3 being two divisions (without promotion and relegation) of another.

History and future development

Most of the clubs in Leagues One and Two had previously played in a single division containing all professional clubs below the Super League. This was known as the Northern Ford Premiership. Within British rugby league there have been periods when the Championship has been divided into two divisions, with promotion and relegation between the two. ...

At the end of the 2005 an extra team was relegated from Super League in order to accommodate Les Catalans. In turn an additional team was relegated from National League One; thus the number of teams in this division remained at ten. In order to "even up" the numbers a new team will be admitted into the League Two, increasing this division to twelve teams. This side was announced on June 22, 2005, to be a Welsh team called Celtic Crusaders based on the old rugby union team Celtic Warriors. Les Catalans are a French rugby league club from the town of Perpignan in the south of France. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... The Celtic Crusaders are a rugby league club based in Bridgend, Wales. ... A scrum Rugby union (often referred to as rugby, union or football) is one of the two codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league. ... The Celtic Warriors were a regional Rugby Union team from Wales, playing in the Celtic League and European Rugby Cup/European Rugby Shield. ...

National League Three

Many of the teams in League Three, as well as London Skolars of League Two, came from the Rugby League Conference, an organisation of regional amateur teams throughout England and Wales including areas that have not traditionally been rugby league strongholds. Of the other League Three clubs three (Bradford Dudley Hill, Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks and Warrington Wizards) came from the National Conference League and one (Huddersfield Underbank Rangers) came from the Pennine League. The NCL is an amateur league now confined to the traditional areas of the game, though London Skolars and Hemel Stags have played in the competition in the past (as have the now defunct Nottingham City and Northampton Knights). The Pennine League is a regional league run by BARLA with teams mostly based in Yorkshire that is one of the feeder leagues to the NCL. London Skolars are a rugby league team based at the New River Stadium in the Haringey area of north London. ... The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the TotalRL Conference as a result of sponsorship from totalrl. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Motto: (Welsh for Wales for ever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056  Area    - Total 20,779 km² (3rd... Bradford Dudley Hill Rugby League Club is a UK rugby league Team based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, now playing in the prestigious National Conference League. ... Hillsborough Hawks ARLFC is a rugby league club based in Sheffield, England. ... Warrington Wizards are an English Rugby League club who play their matches at Wilderspool Stadium, formerley known as Woolston Rovers and Warrington Woolston Rovers. ... The National Conference League is the top league in the pyramid of amateur rugby leagues run by the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA). ... London Skolars are a rugby league team based at the New River Stadium in the Haringey area of north London. ... Hemel Stags are a rugby league team based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. ... Nottingham Outlaws are a rugby league club from the city of Nottingham, England. ...

One League Three club, Bramley Buffaloes, was admitted directly to the league as a new club, though they can also be considered as a reincarnation of the previous Bramley club, which had long played in the professional leagues. Bramley Buffaloes are a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in Yorkshire, England. ...

During the 2005 season Carlisle Centurions and Birmingham Bulldogs failed to complete the season, and Coventry Bears and Essex Eels resigned after the season. This left 8 teams, and initially the idea of a regionalised National League Three was floated. However this was opposed strongly by competing teams, particularly those in the south, who felt the standards would drop drastically. Coventry Bears are a rugby league club, formed in 1995. ...

Dewsbury Celtic applied for promotion from the Rugby League Conference Premier Division and were accepted as the 9th team. In a shock move Featherstone Lions, just a month after failing to finish the season in the National Conference League, were accepted to National League Three to give it ten members for the 2006 season. Dewsbury Celtic is a rugby league club in the town of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. ... The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the TotalRL Conference as a result of sponsorship from totalrl. ... The National Conference League is the top league in the pyramid of amateur rugby leagues run by the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA). ...

While some feel these changes are a step backwards due to there being less expansion teams involved, many feel it will finally give the league some much needed stability, and help raise the standards.

All four teams that resigned from National League Three have rejoined the Rugby League Conference at either Premier Division or Regional Division level, with Carlisle entering as a new club merged with former Cumberland League club Carlisle Saints. The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the TotalRL Conference as a result of sponsorship from totalrl. ...

In the 2006 season Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks withdrew, and Bradford Dudley Hill are joining the National Conference League and have stated their intention not to enter National League Three in 2007. This leaves the long term future of the league in doubt, although it is still expected to run in the same national format in 2007. Hillsborough Hawks ARLFC is a rugby league club based in Sheffield, England. ...

Results

See Rugby League Championship Second Division and Rugby League Championship Third Division for full lists of lower league championship winners (1895-date). Within British rugby league there have been periods when the Championship has been divided into two divisions, with promotion and relegation between the two. ... During certain periods Britain’s Rugby League Championship has been divided into three divisions, with promotion and relegation between each level. ...

Salford City Reds are a British professional rugby league club based in Salford near Manchester. ... Dewsbury Rams RLFC are a rugby league team based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. ... Keighley Cougars are a semi-professional rugby league team from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. ... Warrington Wizards are an English Rugby League club who play their matches at Wilderspool Stadium, formerley known as Woolston Rovers and Warrington Woolston Rovers. ... Leigh Centurions are a professional rugby league club based in Leigh in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. ... Keighley Cougars are a semi-professional rugby league team from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. ... Barrow Raiders are a British rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. ... Coventry Bears are a rugby league club, formed in 1995. ... Castleford Tigers are one of the most famous rugby league teams in England. ... Barrow Raiders are a British rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. ... Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league team, based at Post Office Road in Featherstone, West Yorkshire in England. ... York City Knights are a British rugby league team hailing from York. ... Bradford Dudley Hill Rugby League Club is a UK rugby league Team based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, now playing in the prestigious National Conference League. ... Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR are a British rugby league club. ... Oldham Roughyeds are a British Rugby league club, founded in 1876 and currently playing in the League One of the National Leagues. ... York City Knights are a British rugby league team hailing from York. ... Dewsbury Rams RLFC are a rugby league team based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. ... Sheffield Eagles RLFC are a rugby league team based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. ... Bramley Buffaloes are a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in Yorkshire, England. ...

Footnote

1. Denotes that championship was not decided using a play-off; league position alone determined the title-holder.

Teams for 2007

There are ten teams in league one, twelve in league two and likely between eight and ten in league three. Note that League Three entries are not yet confirmed.

Batley Bulldogs Batley Bulldogs are one of the oldest clubs still in existence, they were formed way back in 1880 as a result of various local sports clubs joining forces. ... Castleford Tigers are one of the most famous rugby league teams in England. ... Dewsbury Rams RLFC are a rugby league team based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. ... Doncaster Lakers are a British rugby league club, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire. ... Halifax RLFC are a Rugby League club formed in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. ... Leigh Centurions are a professional rugby league club based in Leigh in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. ... Rochdale Hornets are a British Rugby League Football Club. ... Sheffield Eagles RLFC are a rugby league team based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. ... Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league team playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. ... Widnes Vikings are a professional rugby league club based in Widnes (formerly part of Lancashire, now considered part of Cheshire). ... Barrow Raiders are a British rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. ... Blackpool Panthers are a rugby league team based in Blackpool, Lancashire. ... The Celtic Crusaders are a rugby league club based in Bridgend, Wales. ... Featherstone Rovers are a professional rugby league team, based at Post Office Road in Featherstone, West Yorkshire in England. ... Gateshead Thunder team shirt Gateshead Thunder are a rugby league team from Gateshead in Tyne and Wear. ... Albert Goldthorpe of Hunslet Hawks with All Four Cups in 1908 Hunslet Hawks were a British rugby league team. ... Keighley Cougars are a semi-professional rugby league team from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. ... London Skolars are a rugby league team based at the New River Stadium in the Haringey area of north London. ... Oldham Roughyeds are a British Rugby league club, founded in 1876 and currently playing in the League One of the National Leagues. ... Swinton Lions traditional shirt design Swinton Lions are a British rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. ... Workington Town is a rugby league team playing in Workington in West Cumbria. ... York City Knights are a British rugby league team hailing from York. ... Bramley Buffaloes are a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in Yorkshire, England. ... Dewsbury Celtic is a rugby league club in the town of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. ... Hemel Stags are a rugby league team based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. ... St Albans Centurions are a rugby league team based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. ... Warrington Wizards are an English Rugby League club who play their matches at Wilderspool Stadium, formerley known as Woolston Rovers and Warrington Woolston Rovers. ...

See also

• Super League
• Rugby League Conference
• Northern Ford Premiership
• National League Cup

The engage Super League logo Super League (Europe) is the only full-time professional rugby league competition operating in the northern hemisphere. ... The Rugby League Conference (RLC) (also known as the TotalRL Conference as a result of sponsorship from totalrl. ... Within British rugby league there have been periods when the Championship has been divided into two divisions, with promotion and relegation between the two. ... The National League Cup is a rugby league competition for clubs in Great Britains National Leagues. ...

External links

• results and tables from totalrl.com