National League 3 North

National League 3 North
Sport Rugby Union
Instituted 1987
Number of teams 14
Country  England
Holders Sheffield Tigers (2015–16
(promoted to National League 2 North)
Most titles Darlington Mowden Park, Morley (2 titles)
Website clubs.rfu.com

National League 3 North (formerly the North Division One) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of four leagues at this level, with its counterparts; National League 3 London & SE, National League 3 Midlands and National League 3 South West. The fourteen teams are drawn from across northern England. 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 formally known as North Division One.

National League 3 North is the highest regional rugby union league in the north of England. The champion club is automatically promoted to National League 2 North. The runner-up meets the second placed team of National League 3 Midlands in a play-off with the winner also gaining promotion.

The current champions are Sheffield Tigers, winning the league by 16 points over second-placed Wirral. Three clubs are relegated, Huddersfield YMCA to North 1 East and Birkenhead Park and Burnage, both to North 1 West .

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 National League 3 Midlands 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:

2016–17

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Huddersfield and Sandal who were relegated from National 2 North while Doncaster Phoenix, Morley and Kendal were promoted into the league. Sheffield Tigers were promoted as champions into National 2 North while Burnage and Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. were relegated to North 1 East and Birkenhead Park dropped to North 1 West. In order to address a league imbalance, 7th placed Sheffield were level transferred to National League 3 Midlands.

Participating teams and locations

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Billingham Greenwood Road Billingham, County Durham 9th
Cleckheaton Moorend Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire 10th
Doncaster Phoenix Castle Park 5,000 Doncaster, South Yorkshire Promoted from North 1 East (champions)
Firwood Waterloo St Anthony's Road 9,000 (200 seats) Blundellsands, Merseyside 4th
Huddersfield Lockwood Park 1,500 Huddersfield, South Yorkshire Relegated from 2015–16 National League 2 North (16th)
Hull Ferens Ground Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire 5th
Ilkley Stacks Field Ilkley, West Yorkshire 8th
Kendal Mint Bridge Kendal, Cumbria Promoted from North 1 West (champions)
Lymm Crouchley Lane Lymm, Cheshire 3rd
Morley Scatcherd Lane Morley, West Yorkshire Promoted from North 1 East (playoff)
Rossendale Marl Pits Rossendale, Lancashire 6th
Sandal Milnthorpe Green Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire Relegated from 2015–16 National League 2 North (14th)
Stockport The Memorial Ground 500 Stockport, Greater Manchester 11th
Wirral The Memorial Ground Clatterbridge, Wirral 2nd (lost playoff)

2015–16

Sheffield Tigers, are the champions, winning the league by 16 points. It was Sheffield's second promotion to National 2 North; in 2010–11 they won promotion via the play-off (as Midland representatives), beating Chester. Wirral, the second-placed team lost their play-off match against Hinckley and remain in this league for next season. Three clubs are relegated, Huddersfield YMCA to North East 1, and Birkenhead Park and Burnage, both to North West 1 .

Participating clubs and locations

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They were joined by two teams relegated from National League 2 North, Hull and Stockport; and by three promoted teams, Birkenhead Park, Ilkley and Sheffield. The teams leaving the league were the 2014–15 champions, Sale who were promoted to National League 2 North, along with the runner-up Sandal, the play-off winner against Hinckley; Morley, South Shields West and Beverley were all relegated to North 1 East.

2015-16 Merseyside National League 3 North clubs
Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Billingham Greenwood Road Billingham, County Durham 7th
Birkenhead Park Birkenhead Park Birkenhead, Wirral promoted from North 1 West (champions)
Burnage Varley Park Stockport, Greater Manchester 11th
Cleckheaton Moorend Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire 6th
Firwood Waterloo St Anthony's Road 9,000 (200 seats) Blundellsands, Merseyside 4th
Huddersfield YMCA Laund Hill Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 8th
Hull Ferens Ground Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire relegated from 2014–15 National League 2 North (15th)
Ilkley Stacks Field Ilkley, West Yorkshire promoted from North 1 East (champions)
Lymm Crouchley Lane Lymm, Cheshire 9th
Rossendale Marl Pits Rossendale, Lancashire 5th
Sheffield Abbeydale Park 1,000 (100 seats) Sheffield, South Yorkshire promoted from North 1 East (via play-off)
Sheffield Tigers Dore Moor Sheffield, South Yorkshire 3rd
Stockport The Memorial Ground 500 Stockport, Greater Manchester relegated from 2014–15 National League 2 North (16th)
Wirral Memorial Ground Clatterbridge, Wirral 10th

Final league table

National League 3 North 2015–16
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Loss bonus Points
1 Sheffield Tigers (C) 26 22 0 4 984 314 670 17 4 109
2 Wirral 26 19 0 7 677 486 191 13 4 93
3 Lymm 26 15 1 10 635 482 153 11 6 79
4 Firwood Waterloo 26 17 1 8 590 537 53 11 2 78
5 Hull 26 15 0 11 653 454 199 9 9 78
6 Rossendale 26 14 1 11 720 613 107 13 3 74
7 Sheffield 26 14 2 10 595 502 93 9 4 73
8 Ilkley 26 14 1 11 571 609 –38 7 5 70
9 Billingham 26 12 0 14 614 594 20 10 6 64
10 Cleckheaton 26 11 0 15 508 646 –138 6 4 54
11 Stockport 26 8 1 17 588 770 –182 10 7 51
12 Huddersfield YMCA (R) 26 7 1 18 546 813 –267 10 7 47
13 Birkenhead Park (R) 26 6 0 20 519 739 –220 7 10 41
14 Burnage (R) 26 4 0 22 359 1000 –641 1 3 20
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 27 April 2016
Source: "National League 3 North". England Rugby. 

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 Midland, and National League 3 North participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 North. The team with the best playing record, in this case Hinckley, host the match and their opponents are Wirral.

Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Loss bonus Points
Hinckley (P) 26 22 1 3 790 343 447 16 2 108
Wirral 26 19 0 7 677 486 191 13 4 93
30 April 2016
15:00
Hinckley 33 – 20 Wirral
Report
Leicester Road
Attendance: 650

2014–15

Participating clubs

2013–14

Participating clubs

2012–13

Participating clubs

2009–10

Participating clubs

Inaugural clubs (first season as National 3 North)

2008–09

Final league table

2008–09 North Division 1 Final League Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points Diff Points
Westoe RFC 22 19 0 3 737 264 473 38
Hull R.U.F.C. 22 18 0 4 702 241 461 36
Morley R.F.C. 22 16 0 6 497 222 275 32
Sheffield Tigers RUFC 22 15 0 7 495 307 118 30
Birkenhead Park 22 14 1 7 373 331 42 29
Middlesbrough 22 11 0 11 477 421 56 22
West Hartlepool 22 9 0 13 356 420 –64 18
Stockport R.U.F.C 22 8 0 14 414 520 –106 16
Beverley 22 8 0 14 311 425 –114 16
Cleckheaton 22 5 1 16 293 654 –361 11
West Park St Helens 22 5 0 17 273 599 –326 10
Darlington RFC 22 3 0 19 254 769 –524 6

National League 3 North 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] 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 One
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1987–88 11 10 Winnington Park Kendal Widnes, Middlesbrough [4]
1988–89 11 10 Kendall Tynedale West Park [4]
1989–90 11 10 Otley Harrogate Birkenhead Park in last place (no relegation) [4]
1990–91 11 10 Aspatria Bradford & Bingley Halifax [5]
1991–92 11 10 Rotherham Tynedale Birkenhead Park [6]
1992–93 13 12 Bradford & Bingley Tynedale Lymm [7]

The top six teams from North Division One and the top six from Midland Division One were combined to create National 5 North. North Division One was now the name of a tier six league and was one of two feeder leagues for National 5 North, the other being Midland Division One.

National Five North
Season No of teams No of matches Champions Runners–up Relegated teams Reference
1993–94 13 12 Rotherham Preston Grasshoppers Durham City, Bradford & Bingley [8]
1994–95 13 12 Walsall Kendal Barkers Butts, Hereford [9]
1995–96 13 12 Wharfedale Worcester Broughton Park [10]

National 5 North was split and renamed Midland Division One and North Division One, and the top four divisions increased in size. Wharfedale was promoted to National Division Three and all of the other teams, bar Broughton Park, were transferred to the tier four, National 4 North.[10]

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 [11]
1997–98 12 22 New Brighton Doncaster West Park Bramhope [12]
1998–99 12 22 Doncaster Northern Bridlington, Broughton Park [13]
1999–00 12 22 Tynedale Hull Ionians Widnes, Winnington Park [14]
2000–01 12 22 Darlington Mowden Park Blaydon Northern, Stockton [15]
2001–02 12 22 Halifax Hull Ionians Wigton, Middlesbrough, Bradford & Bingley [16]
2002–03 12 22 Darlington Mowden Park Macclesfield Sandal, West Hartlepool [17]
2003–04 12 22 Bradford & Bingley Cleckheaton Huddersfield, Aspatria, Driffield [18]
2004–05 12 22 Preston Grasshoppers Hull Ionians Sheffield, Liverpool St Helens, Vale of Lune [19]
2005–06 12 22 Morley West Park St Helens Whitchurch, Middlesbrough, Longton [20]
2006–07 12 22 Caldy Beverley New Brighton, Chester, Stockport [21]
2007–08 12 22 Kendal Huddersfield Penrith, Altrincham Kersal [22]
2008–09 12 22 Westoe Hull Darlington Mowden Park in last place (no relegation). [23]

The division was renamed 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 [24]
2010–11 14 26 Stockport Chester Rochdale, Billingham, Middlesbrough [25]
2011–12 14 26 Darlington Mowden Park Rossendale Morley, Altrincham Kersal, Beverley [26]
2012–13 14 26 Chester Harrogate West Hartlepool, Kendal, Birkenhead Park [27]
2013–14 14 26 Huddersfield Stockport Penrith, Percy Park, Bradford & Bingley [28]
2014–15 14 26 Sale Sandal Beverley, Westoe, Morley [29]
2015–16 14 26 Sheffield Tigers Wirral Huddersfield YMCA, Birkenhead Park, Burnage [30]
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 National League 3 North and National League 3 Midlands for the third and final promotion place to National League 2 North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage and the home team has won twelve of the sixteen ties. As of the end of the 2015–16 season the Northern teams have been far stronger with twelve wins to the Midlands four.

    National League 3 (North v Midlands) promotion play-off results
    Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance Reference
    2000–01 Blaydon 31–12 Leicester Lions (M) Crow Trees, Swalwell, County Durham [31]
    2001–02 Hull Ionians 35–22 Walsall (M) Brantingham Park, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire [32][33]
    2002–03 Luctonians (M) 3–17 Macclesfield Mortimer Park, Kingsland, Herefordshire 1,000 [34][35]
    2003–04 Cleckheaton 23–10 Kettering (M) Cleckheaton Sports Club, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire 900 [36][37]
    2004–05 Hull Ionians 19–18 Kettering (M) Brantingham Park, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire [38][39]
    2005–06 Bedford Athletic (M) 17–24 West Park St Helens Putnoe Woods, Bedford, Bedfordshire [40][41][42]
    2006–07 Beverley 7–3 Dudley Kingswinford (M) Beaver Park, Beverley, East Yorkshire [43][44]
    2007–08 Huddersfield 22–7 Luctonians (M) Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire [45][46]
    2008–09 Hull 40–15 Chester (M) Ferens Ground, Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire [47][48]
    2009–10 Stockport 10–18 Luctonians (M) The Memorial Ground, Stockport, Greater Manchester 350 [49][50]
    2010–11 Sheffield Tigers (M) 16–14 Chester Dore Moor, Sheffield, South Yorkshire [51][52]
    2011–12 Dudley Kingswinford (M) 36–27 Rossendale Heath Brook, Kingswinford, West Midlands 1,000 [53][54]
    2012–13 Sutton Coldfield (M) 13–28 Harrogate Roger Smoldon Ground, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 650 [55][56][57]
    2013–14 Stockport 52–22 Sutton Coldfield (M) The Memorial Ground, Stockport, Greater Manchester [58][59]
    2014–15 Sandal 20–10 Hinckley (M) Milnthorpe Green, Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 200 [60][61]
    2015–16 Hinckley (M) 33–20 Wirral Leicester Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire 650 [62][63]
    Green background represent the promoted teams. (M) stands for the Midlands teams.

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (eds.). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92 (4th ed.). Taunton: Football Directories. ISBN 1 869833 15 5.
    2. ↑ 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.
    3. ↑ Mick Cleary, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 (26th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishers. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
    4. 1 2 3 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.
    5. ↑ Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill. Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92. Taunton: Football Directories. pp. 207–342. ISBN 1 869833 15 5.
    6. ↑ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 170–185. ISBN 0 7472 7907 1.
    7. ↑ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 151–167. ISBN 0 7472 7891 1.
    8. ↑ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 163–179. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
    9. ↑ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 179–195. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
    10. 1 2 Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 150–163. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
    11. ↑ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 87–100. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
    12. ↑ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 84–98. ISBN 0 7472 7653 6.
    13. ↑ "North 1 1998–1999". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    14. ↑ "North 1 1999–2000". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    15. ↑ "North 1 2000–2001". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    16. ↑ "North 1 2001–2002". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    17. ↑ "North 1 2002–2003". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    18. ↑ "North 1 2003–2004". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    19. ↑ "North 1 2004–2005". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    20. ↑ "North 1 2005–2006". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    21. ↑ "North 1 2006–2007". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    22. ↑ "North 1 2007–2008". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    23. ↑ "North 1 2008–2009". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
    24. ↑ "National League 3 North 2009–2010". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    25. ↑ "National League 3 North 2010–2011". Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    26. ↑ "National League 3 North 2011–2012". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    27. ↑ "National League 3 North 2012–2013". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    28. ↑ "National League 3 North 2013–2014". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    29. ↑ "National League 3 North 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    30. ↑ "National League 3 North 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    31. ↑ "North Play Offs 2000–2001". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    32. ↑ "North Play Offs 2001–2002". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    33. ↑ "Rugby Union: Errors end Walsall's hopes of rapid return; Hull Ionians 35 Walsall 22.". The Birmingham Post. 13 May 2002.
    34. ↑ "North Play Offs 2002–2003". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    35. ↑ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Luctonians VS Macclesfield". Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2003.
    36. ↑ "North Play Offs 2003–2004". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    37. ↑ "Cleckheaton 23 Kettering 10". Telegraph & Argus. 26 April 2004.
    38. ↑ "North Play Offs 2004–2005". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    39. ↑ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Hull Ionians v Kettering". Rugby Statbunker. 30 April 2005.
    40. ↑ "Midland Play Offs 2005–2006". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    41. ↑ "Well done to West Park on their fine achievement". Liverpool Echo. 3 May 2006.
    42. ↑ "North/Mid Play off Match overview Bedford Athletic VS West Park St Helens". Rugby Statbunker. 29 April 2006.
    43. ↑ "North Play Offs 2006–2007". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    44. ↑ "DUDLEY-KO'D". Worcester News. 3 May 2007.
    45. ↑ "North Play Offs 2007–2008". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    46. ↑ "Rugby Union: WE'RE GOING UP! Joy as Huddersfield clinch National III berth RUGBY UNION PLAY-OFF.". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 26 April 2008.
    47. ↑ "North Play Offs 2008–2009". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    48. ↑ "Hull clinch promotion". Hull Daily Mail. 27 April 2009.
    49. ↑ "North Play Offs 2009–2010". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    50. ↑ "STOCKPORT FALL AT THE FINAL FENCE". Stockport RUFC. 8 May 2010.
    51. ↑ "North Play Offs 2010–2011". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    52. ↑ "Promotion party as wind-swept Tigers blow away rivals in play-off thriller". The Star. 17 May 2011.
    53. ↑ "North Play Offs 2011–2012". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    54. ↑ "Dudley Kingswinford 36 Rossendale 27". Dudley Kingswinford RFC. 28 April 2012.
    55. ↑ "North Play Offs 2012–2013". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    56. ↑ "Rugby Union: Harrogate secure promotion at Sutton Coldfield". Harrogate Advertiser. 27 April 2013.
    57. ↑ "Where are you going - where did you go? RUGBY UNION". Non League Matters. 27 April 2013.
    58. ↑ "North Play Offs 2013–2014". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    59. ↑ "Sutton's promotion hopes are shattered by solid Stockport". Royal Sutton Coldfield Observer. 1 May 2014.
    60. ↑ "North Play Offs 2014–2015". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    61. ↑ "Hinckley go down fighting". Hinckley RFC. 25 April 2015.
    62. ↑ "North Play Off 2015–2016". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
    63. ↑ "Hinckley gain promotion to N2N in final countdown". Hinckley RFC. 30 April 2016.
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