RFU confirm league structure for National League Rugby for 2024-25
Macclesfield are set to play in National Two West in 2024-25
©Gareth Lyons
The RFU have confirmed the league structure for National League Rugby for 2024-25.
The winners of National Two North (Rotherham Titans), National Two East (Esher) and National Two West (Dings Crusaders) have all moved into National One.
Cinderford and Taunton Titans - who were relegated from the third tier - have both dropped into National Two West for 2024-25.
Joining National Two North from level five for next season will be Regional 1 North East champions Harrogate.
Joining National Two East from level five for next season will be Regional 1 Midlands champions Oxford Harlequins as well as Regional 1 South East winners Colchester and Regional 1 South Central winners Havant.
Joining National Two West from level five for next season will be Regional 1 South West champions Devonport Services and Regional 1 North West winners Macclesfield.
Chester will move from National Two West into National Two North for 2024-25.
The leagues have been produced by the RFU using the following principle:
- Clubs are allocated to leagues at National level after promotion and relegation issues are finalised and in accordance with the principles set out by the Future Competitions Strategy prior to the 22/23 season.
- This means clubs are clustered using a mapping tool that minimises travel distance and time travelled. There will still be some outliers in this structure but it has been planned to ensure the majority of clubs are travelling less distance. It does mean that some clubs change leagues at the same level, and will play a number of different clubs to those they met last season.
Confirmed leagues for 2024/25
National One: Birmingham Moseley, Bishop’s Stortford, Blackheath, Darlington MP, Dings Crusaders, Esher, Leicester Lions, Plymouth Albion, Rams, Richmond, Rosslyn Park, Rotherham Titans, Sale FC, Sedgley Park.
National Two North: Billingham, Chester, Fylde, Harrogate, Hull, Hull Ionians, Leeds Tykes, Lymm, Otley, Preston Grasshoppers, Sheffield, Sheffield Tigers, Tynedale, Wharfedale.
National Two East: Barnes, Bury St Edmunds, Canterbury, Colchester, Dorking, Guernsey, Havant, Henley, Old AlbanianS, Oxford Harlequins Sevenoaks, Tonbridge Juddians, Westcombe Park, Worthing.
National Two West: Bournville, Camborne, Cinderford, Clifton, Devonport Services, Exeter University, Hinckley, Hornets, Loughborough Students, Luctonians, Macclesfield, Old Redcliffians, Redruth, Taunton Titans.
League Fixtures for the 2024-25 season will be published by the 14th of June. They will be live on the Fixtures and Results section of www.englandrugby.com by this date.
