Women's Rugby League Conference

Rugby league for female teams

Women's Rugby League Conference
Sport	Rugby league
Instituted	2008
Ceased	2011
Replaced by	RFL Women's Rugby League
Number of teams	28
Country	England
Champions	Warrington (2011)
Website	rugbyleagueconference.co.uk

The Women's Rugby League Conference was a rugby league for female teams in Britain that ran from 2008 to 2011.

The men's equivalent is the Rugby League Conference.

History

The Southern Conference League began as a 10-team pilot league for male rugby league teams in the Midlands and South of England in 1997. It changed its name to the Rugby League Conference in 1998 and expanded to cover the whole of Great Britain.

The first Women's Rugby League Conference began in 2008.^[1]

In 2011, the RFL held meetings with women's clubs in Yorkshire and the North West to discuss the establishment of the RFL Women's Rugby League which would begin in March 2012.^[2]

Competing teams by season

In 2009 the following teams played in the Conference:^[3]

National Division: Bradford Thunderbirds, Copeland Wildcats, Coventry Bears, Nottingham Outlaws, Wakefield Panthers, West London Sharks
North West Division: Chorley Panthers, Halton, Hillside Hawks, Macclesfield, Warrington Wolves
Yorkshire Division: Bradford Dudley Hill, Brighouse, Keighley Cats, Leeds Akkies, Stanningley

2010 structure:^[1]

East Division: Keighley Cats, Leeds Akkies, Guiseley, Stanningley, Whinmoor, New Earswick All Blacks
South Division: Coventry Bears, Northampton Demons, Nottingham Outlaws, West London Sharks
West Division: Chorley Panthers, Warrington, Wigan

2011 structure:^[4]^{[additional citation(s) needed]}

Central Division: Bradford Thunderbirds, Brighouse Ladies, Dudley Hill Diamonds, Keighley Cats, West Craven Warriors
North East Division: Featherstone Rovers, Hunslet Hawks, Peterlee Pumas, Leeds Akkies, Stanningley, Whinmoor
North West Division: Chorley Panthers, Leigh East, Leigh Miners Rangers, Mancunians RL, Pendle Pheonix, Wigan Ladies
South Division: Coventry Bears, Nottingham Outlaws, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, The Army, West London Sharks
West Division: Crosfields, Halton, Macclesfield, Warrington, Widnes Moorfield

Finals

Championship finals
Season	Champions	Score	Runners-up	Ref.
2008	West London Sharks	44–20	Coventry Bears	^[5]^[6]
2009	Bradford Thunderbirds	44–80	Coventry Bears	^[5]^[7]
2010	Keighley Cats	18–14	Stanningley	^[8]^[9]
2011	Warrington	44–80	Halton	^[10]

Plate finals
Season	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Ref.
2010	Coventry Bears	30–80	Leeds Akkies	^[11]
2011	Leeds Akkies	32–26	Stanningley	^[12]

References

^ ^a ^b "Women Ready For Kick Off". Rugby league Conference. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
^ "RFL waiting on Womens League responses". Rugby Football League. 24 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011.
^ "Women: Tables". Rugby League Conference. Archived from the original on 20 August 2009.
^ "Womens competition nears kick off". Rugby League Conference. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011.
^ ^a ^b "Roll Of Honour". Rugby League Conference. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012.
^ "Sharks men lose their bite, but ladies do the job". My London. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
^ "Life's Grand for triumphant Thunderbirds!". Telegraph & Argus. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
^ "Keighley Cats in Golden Championship Final". Rugby league Conference. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2010.
^ "Keighley Cats are crowned as champions". Keighley News. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
^ "RLC Women's Final". RFL. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011.
^ "Coventry Bears win Womens Plate Final". Rugby league Conference. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 26 August 2010.
^ "RLC Women's plate final". RFL. 22 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011.