London Mens League
Current season or competition:
2023 London Mens League season
SportRugby league
Formerly known asRugby League Conference South Premier Division
Instituted2005
Country England
ChampionsLondon Chargers A (2023)
Related competitionLondon Merit League, London & South East Men's League

The London Mens League, is a division in rugby league's tier 5. It was the highest level of amateur rugby league in the South of England until the creation in 2012 of Southern Conference League. It was first contested in 2005 as the South Premier division of the Rugby League Conference but is currently a standalone league run by London Rugby League.

Many of the clubs also run juniors in the London Junior League.

History

The Rugby League Conference was born in 1997 as the Southern Conference.

The Premier Division was set up in 2005 for teams who had achieved a certain playing standard and were able to travel further afield to find stronger opposition. The new Premier Divisions included the North Premier, the South Premier, the Central Premier and the Welsh Premier.

Prior to the 2005 season National League Three side South London Storm announced that they were joining the South Premier; the other founder members came from the Conference regional divisions.

After the 2006 season with other teams withdrawing from National League Three, St Albans Centurions also decided to join the Premier South.

In 2012 it became a standalone league and St Albans Centurions returned to playing nationally in National Conference League division three

Clubs

Team Founded Home Ground
Brixton Bulls 2004 Streatham-Croydon RFC
Eastern Rhinos A 1992 Colchester RFC
Elmbridge Eagles 1985 Old Cranleighans
London Chargers A 2013 Chiswick RFC
London Skolars A 1995 New River Stadium
Medway Dragons 2007 Garrison Stadium
Royal Artillery
West Warriors A 2014 Wasps FC

Community game pyramid

League Standings

Teams 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Bedford Tigers xxxx6thxxxx
Eastern Rhinos3rd2nd5th3rd4th4th3rd3rd4th
Elmbridge Eagles 2 x5th6th7th9thxx5th6th
Essex Eels xDNFxxxxxxx
Greenwich Admirals6thxxxxxxxx
Hainault Bulldogs xxxx8th6thDNFxx
Hammersmith Hills Hoists xxxxx2nd1st2nd1st
Hemel Stags A xxxxxxxx5th
Kent Ravensxx7thDNFxxxxx
London Skolars A 3 4th4th3rd6th7th8th5th51st3rd
Luton Vipers 5thDNFxxxxxxx
Portsmouth Navy Seahawks xxx5th5th7thxxx
St Albans Centurionsxx1st4th3rd1st2ndxx
South London Storm1st1st2nd2nd1st5th6th4thx
South West London Chargers4xxxxxxxx2nd
West London Sharks2nd3rd4th1st2nd3rd4thDNFx
  • 1 competed as Ipswich Rhinos between 2005 and 2009
  • 2 competed as Kingston Warriors between 2005 and 2007 and Elmbridge in 2008.
  • 3 competed as Haringey Hornets in 2006
  • 4 a merger of South London Storm and West London Sharks
  • 5 midseason replacements for Hainault Bulldogs

Key

DNF Did not complete the season
x Did not participate
Divisional winner
Qualified for divisional play-off
Finished bottom

2023

Regular Season
POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Brixton Bulls1082033219413816
2Medway Dragons107302602263414
3Wests Warriors A105502982485010
4London Chargers A10550224238-149
5London Skolars A10460220280-607
6Elmbridge Eagles10190160308-1481
Deductions
  • London Chargers A - 1 Point
  • London Skolars A - 1 Point
  • Elmbridge Eagles - 1 Point
Playoffs

Semi Finals

  • Brixton Bulls 2 - 4 London Chargers A
  • Venue - Streatham & Croydon RFC
  • Date - 5th August 2023
  • Kick Off - 2:30pm
  • Medway Dragons 22 - 20 Wests Warriors A
  • Venue - Anchorians Sports Club
  • Date - 5th August 2023
  • Kick Off - 2:30pm

Final

  • Medway Dragons 16 - 38 London Chargers A
  • Venue - London Skolars RLFC
  • Date - 19th August 2023
  • Kick Off - 2:30pm

Grand Finals

Year Winner Defeated Score Venue
2005 South London Storm West London Sharks 24–8 Storm Park
2006 South London Storm Ipswich Rhinos 52–10 Storm Park
2007 St Albans Centurions South London Storm 18–10 Twickenham Stoop
2008 West London Sharks South London Storm 24–20 Grasshoppers RFC
2009 West London Sharks South London Storm 26–16 Storm Park
2010 St Albans Centurions West London Sharks 54–4 Cotlandswick
2011 Hammersmith Hills Hoists St Albans Centurions 18-16 Hemel Hempstead
2012 Hammersmith Hills Hoists Eastern Rhinos 46-8
2013 South West London Chargers Hammersmith Hills Hoists 20-10 Chiswick RFC
2014 South West London Chargers Eastern Rhinos 46-6 Wasps RFC
2015 South West London Chargers London Skolars A 32-12 Old Blues RFC
2016 Brixton Bulls Richmond Warriors
2017 Hammersmith Hills Hoists London Chargers 25-18 New River Stadium
2018 Hammersmith Hills Hoists London Chargers 20-8
2019 West Warriors A London Skolars A 38-22 New River Stadium
2020 No competition due to COVID-19
2021 Medway Dragons Brixton Bulls 38-18 Rosslyn Park RFC
2022 Brixton Bulls Elmbridge Eagles 34-30 New River Stadium
2023 London Chargers A Medway Dragons 38-16 London Skolars

Titles

London Mens League Champions
Position Team Number of Wins Years
1 = Hammersmith Hills Hoists 4 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018
1 = London Chargers 4 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023
3 = Brixton Bulls 2 2016, 2022
3 = St Albans Centurions 2 2007, 2010
3 = West London Sharks 2 2008, 2009
3 = South London Storm 2 2005, 2006
7 = Medway Dragons 1 2021
7 = West Warriors 1 2019

London Cup

  • 2013: South West London Chargers

National play-offs

Year Team Opponent Result Game Venue
2005 South London Storm Bridgend Blue Bulls 18–34 National Semi-final Cheltenham
2006 South London Storm Bridgend Blue Bulls 32–12 National Semi-final Hemel
2006 South London Storm East Lancs Lions 30–0 Grand Final Coventry
2007 St Albans Centurions Bridgend Blue Bulls 42–16 National Semi-final
2007 St Albans Centurions Coventry Bears 28–20 Grand Final
2008 West London Sharks Valley Cougars 32–30 National Semi-final
2008 West London Sharks Nottingham Outlaws 8–28 Grand Final Derby

See also

References

    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.