Lancashire clubs proposing to resign from RFU Clubs Championship
The proposal has come about due to certain clubs at Level 7, 8 and 9 having to travel upwards of six-hour round trips within the RFU Leagues
©England Rugby
A meeting held at Wigan RUFC on 2nd May has resulted in 24 Lancashire Clubs proposing to resign from the RFU English Clubs Championship.
At the demand of several clubs, a two league structure has been developed to accommodate these clubs and assist them in playing more local rugby against clubs within Lancashire RFU.
The Lancashire RFU have not persuaded clubs, they have only provided a conduit to what clubs asked them to help with.
The clubs who intend to resign are all either level 7, 8 & 9. There will be promotion/relegation between these two league, but not out of them as they lie outside the RFU structure.
These ‘Lancashire Leagues’ for club first XVs will be deemed by the RFU to be of Merit table format and therefore clubs will:-
• Retain either their voting or none voting membership of the Union
• Be held accountable to the Rules & Regulations of the RFU
• Covered by insurance policies put in place for all clubs in the Union.
• Be eligible to apply for any funding streams available to all clubs within the Union without prejudice.
• Be eligible for assistance from area & local RFU staff.
An organising committee of five members from the clubs involved has been formed and they will set down regulations for the league going forwards.
Clubs will also be Subject to the same disciplinary regulations as for all clubs in the Union, locally under the jurisdiction of the Lancashire Disciplinary Committee. As a Constituent Body of the RFU Lancashire, it will continue to support all our clubs whether in the Lancashire leagues or remaining in the RFU English Clubs Championship.
Lancashire Clubs resigning from the RFU English Clubs Championship: Aldwinians Ashton under Lyne Birchfield Bury Burnley Clitheroe Didsbury Toc H Eagle Eccles Garstang Heaton Moor Littleborough Liverpool Collegiate Liverpool St. Helens Manchester Medics North Manchester Oldham Ormskirk Thornton Cleveleys* Trafford MV Tyldesley West Park St. Helens Widnes Wigan
* Joining from the NW Intermediate Leagues
