As you will all undoubtedly be aware the RFU has restructured the league system for the 2022-2023 season on beyond. The has been imaginatively titles “The Future Competition Structure 2022/23 In Adult Rugby”. For those who want the details, these can be found at…
and at…
A quick summary of the key changes to the league tree is as follows…
The Premiership (level 1)
The Championship (Level 2)
One league at National 1 (Level 3)
Three leagues at National 2 (Level 4)
Six leagues at Regional 1(Level 5)
Twelve leagues at Regional 2 (Level 6)
Eighteen leagues at Counties 1 (Level 7)
Twenty-four leagues at Counties 2 (Level 8)
Thirty-seven leagues at Counties 3 to 5 (Level 9 and below)
For us here in the East Midlands, our leagues now look like this…
Regional 1 Midlands (Level 5)
Bridgnorth
Broadstreet
Bromsgrove
Burton
Derby
Dudley Kingswinford
Kenilworth
Lichfield
Nuneaton
Oundle
Stoke on Trent
Syston
Regional 2 Midlands East (Level 6)
Kettering
Leighton Buzzard
Lutterworth
Market Harborough
Newbold on Avon
Northampton Old Scouts
Old Laurentians
Old Northamptonians
Olney
Peterborough
Peterborough Lions
Towcestrians
Counties 1 Midland East (South) (Level 7)
Bourne
Bugbrooke
Dunstablians
Long Buckby
Market Bosworth
Northampton Casuals
Oakham
St Ives (Midlands)
Stamford
Stockwood Park
Vipers
Wellingborough
Counties 2 Midland East (South) (Level 8)
Biggleswade
Daventry
Huntingdon & District
Luton
Melton Mowbray
Northampton BBOB
Northampton Mens Own
Queens
Rushden & Higham
Spalding
St Neots
Stewarts & Lloyds
Counties 3 Midland East (South) (Level 9)
Bedford Swifts
Brackley
Deepings
Rugby Lions
South Leicester
Stamford College
Thorney
Cup Rugby – Level 5 and below
A cup competition with optional mid-season entry will be introduced per level for Level 5 and below to provide a varied diet of rugby with final league position determining the competition entered (e.g. Cup, Plate, or Bowl at respective levels).
Cup competitions will take place upon completion of the league season to avoid fixture clashes. The cup competition provides an opportunity for additional home games to compensate for lost home fixtures from the reduction in the league size.
The competition format will be determined such that pools will operate at Level 5 and top tier of Level 6, and with regional knockout waterfall competitions at the bottom tier of Level 6 and for Level 7 and below, all culminating in ‘Community Game Finals’ to celebrate community rugby at prestigious locations.