- North West Merit League
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North West Merit League Sport Rugby league football Instituted 2010 Number of teams 12 Country England Holders Ashton Bears A (2010) Website www.northwestrl.co.uk Related competition Rugby League Conference The North West Merit League is a rugby league competition for clubs in the North West of England. It is a feeder league for the Rugby League Conference.
Contents
History
Main article: History of the Midlands Merit LeagueThe Midlands Merit League was founded in late 2005 to support the growth of rugby league in non-heartland areas. Originally intended as a stand-alone league, support from the Rugby Football League meant that it could be administered as part of the Rugby League Conference set-up. Interest quickly gathered with 13 teams showing an interest in participating in the inaugural season - 8 eventually participated. The first ever game took place on April 8, 2006 at All Saints Sports College, Sheffield, where the Sheffield Forgers beat the Chesterfield Spires by 58 points to 8.
The league was renamed Rugby League Merit League (RLML) for the 2008 season due to its increased geographical spread with teams from the North of England taking part. 2009 saw the largest ever entry, with over 30 teams split into two leagues; "Yorkshire and Humber" and "North West" with the Midlands Rugby League becoming its own competition using merit league rules.
In 2010 the Yorkshire & Humber Merit League and North West Merit League became separate competitions.
In 2012 the North West Merit League will become the development division of the North West Men's League [1].
Rugby League Conference Pyramid
See also: British rugby league system- RLC National
- RLC North West Premier
- RLC North West
- North West Merit League
The North West Merit League is the lowest level on the Rugby League Conference pyramid for clubs in the North West of England.
2011 structure
- The following teams participated
Accrington & Leyland Lions A Ashton Bears Bamber Bridge ARLFC Blackpool Stanley ARLFC Bolton Ruffians Bridge Bar Bandits Burnley & Pendle RLFC Bury Broncos Chester Gladiators A East Lancashire Vikings A Ellesmere Port Fleetwood Sharks Little Hulton Reds Lymm RL Mancunians RL Rochdale Cobras 'A' Salford City Roosters Salford Central Wigan Riversiders Eels Participating teams by season
- 2010: Accrington Panthers, Ashton Bears, Burnley & Pendle, Chester Gladiators A, Crewe & Nantwich Steamers A, East Lancashire Vikings, Ellesmere Port, Little Hulton Reds, Mancunians RL A, Wigan Riversiders B
Teams provided to the Rugby League Conference
- 2011: East Lancashire Vikings
Past winners
Midlands Merit League Championship
2006 South Humber Rabbitohs 42-18 Nottingham Outlaws Academy 2007 St Helens Wild Boars 46-22 German Exiles Midlands Merit League Shield
2007 East Riding RLC 32-26 Nottingham Outlaws Academy 2008 Nottingham Outlaws Academy 34-32 Sheffield Forgers RL Merit League
2008 Moorends-Thorne Marauders ML 28-18 Wigan Riversiders 2009 North West pool Huyton Bulldogs 36-12 Wigan Eels 2009 Grand final Upton RL 52-24 Huyton Bulldogs North West Merit League
2010 Ashton Bears A 33 - 30 East Lancashire Vikings See also
External links
Rugby League in Great Britain and Ireland Nations Federations National Teams Leagues Super League · Championship · Championship 1 · National Conference League · CMS Yorkshire league · North West Counties · Pennine League · Cumberland League · Hull & District League · Barrow & District League · Rugby League Conference · North West Merit League · Yorkshire & Humber Merit League · North Wales League · Midlands Rugby League · London League · Eastern Merit LeagueCups Challenge Cup · National League Cup · BARLA National Cup · Yorkshire County Cup · Lancashire County Cup · Cumbria County Cup · Cumberland County CupFormer
CompetitionsCategories:
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