RFU Rules and Regulation

12 Jul 2024 | 2 min

Regulation 6 – Appendix 1 – England Rugby Women’s League Structure

League 

Name

L
e
v
e
l
  Promotion/
Relegation
from
each
league
Championship 1 2 1 2 ▼ 2
Championship 2 3 1 2 3 4

▲1 

▼ 2

National
Challenge 1
4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

 

  2

National
Challenge 2
5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

 1

  2

National Challenge 3 6 Entry Dependent   1

 

1. Structure of League Competitions - Season 23-24: 

Subject to the provisions of this Appendix 1, in the 2023-2024 Season there shall be: 

  • • at Level 1 a league named Premiership Women's Rugby comprising ten Clubs; 
  • • at Level 2 two leagues named Championship 1 each comprising ten Clubs; 
  • • at Level 3 four leagues named Championship 2 each comprising between eight and ten Clubs; 
  • • at Level 4 eight leagues named National Challenge 1 each comprising between six and ten Clubs; 
  • • at Level 5 sixteen leagues named National Challenge 2 each comprising between six and ten Clubs;
  •  • at Level 6 named National Challenge 3, such number of leagues as determined by the Organising Committee, each comprising no more than ten teams. 

2. The following principles shall apply: 

  • a. teams from the same Club shall not be permitted to play together in the same leagues; 
  • b. the Structure of League Competitions for Season 24-25 and the principles of promotion and relegation set out below may be varied by the Committee at any time and any variations will be notified to Clubs as soon as reasonably practicable. 

3. Principles of Promotion

  •  a. All league winners (with the exception of Championship 1) will be automatically promoted unless they inform the Organising Committee that they wish to decline promotion before the deadline set out above. RFU REGULATION 6 – ADULT COMPETITIONS (APPENDIX 1) Effective from 1 August 2023 

4. Principles of Relegation 

  • a. At Levels 2 and 3 (Championship 1 & 2), the bottom two teams will be relegated at the end of the season, subject to whether or not teams have already withdrawn/been removed during the season; 
  • b. At Level 4 (National Challenge 1), there will be a minimum of 1 side and a maximum of 2 sides relegated at the end of the season, subject to whether or not teams have already withdrawn/been removed during the season. Please note that the lowest (as per Best Playing Record) 2nd bottom placed team may also be relegated. 
  • c. At Level 5 (National Challenge 2), there may be a minimum of 1 side and a maximum of 2 sides relegated at the end of the season, subject to whether or not teams have already withdrawn/been removed during the season. Please note that the lowest (as per Best Playing Record) 2nd bottom placed team may also be relegated. This will be determined by RFU Governance Standing Committee upon entries for the following season.
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