Scottish National League (rugby league)
| Country |
 Scotland |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Promotion to | National Conference League via application to RFL |
| Domestic cup(s) | Challenge Cup |
| League cup(s) | Scottish National League Cup |
| Current champions | Aberdeen Warriors (3rd title) |
| Most championships | Edinburgh Eagles (9 titles) |
| TV partners | none |
| Website | ScotlandRL.com |
The Scottish National League (now the Deuchars IPA National League for sponsorship reasons) is the top tier of domestic rugby league club competition in Scotland. It succeeded the Scottish Conference League, which between 2007 and 2011 formed a division of the Rugby League Conference competition. It is entirely amateur and sits at the fourth, regional level of the British rugby league system. To date, no Scottish side has played at a British national level.
In 2014, the Scottish National League consisted of two divisions. The National League proper featured four clubs – Aberdeen Warriors, Ayrshire Storm, Edinburgh Eagles and Glasgow Panthers – with the winner decided in a play-off series following a regular season of home and away fixtures. National League 1 consisted of reserve teams of National League clubs and a National League Cup was also competed for. Many of the teams also run junior teams in the National Youth League.
History
The first Scottish club of modern times was Forth & Clyde Nomads who played in the North East League in 1995–96. However, after this one season, they folded.
The following year, after the success of an international match between Scotland and France, a stand-alone Scottish Rugby League competition was formed.[1] The first matches took place on 27 July 1997 between Linlithgow and Lomond Valley Raiders and Inverness and Whitecraigs. Lomond Valley beat Linlithgow 68–50 in the first of these.[2] A fifth team, Grangemouth, received a bye through the first round of matches, and three further teams – Scottish Students, West of Scotland and Cardonald were deemed not able to compete in regular fixtures.[1] Lomond Valley Raiders would go on to win the inaugural competition.[3]
Also in that same year the Rugby League Conference was founded as the Southern Conference League; it began as a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and English Midlands but would later expand into the North of England and Wales.
The Scottish League was renamed the Scottish Conference and briefly had two divisions in 2002 before reverting to one division. The league became administratively associated with the Rugby League Conference in 2006 and became a full division of the Conference a year later.
Jordanhill Phoenix and Kirkcaldy failed to start the 2010 season and a revived Forth & Clyde Nomads were brought in as replacements.
The league split into a Premier Division and Division 1 in 2011, which changed to a North and Central division in 2012. The league reverted to being a stand-alone league in 2012 when the Rugby League Conference was abolished.
In 2014, it was known as the Scottish National League and consisted of four clubs.
Clubs
Current
| Scottish National League clubs | ||
| Club | City | |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Warriors | Aberdeen | |
| Ayrshire Storm | Ayrshire | |
| Glasgow Panthers | Glasgow | |
| Edinburgh Eagles | Edinburgh | |
Former
| Scottish National League clubs | ||
| Club | City | |
|---|---|---|
| Carluke Tigers | Carluke | |
| Fife Lions | ||
| Forth and Clyde Nomads | ||
| Linlithgow | Linlithgow | |
| Lomond Valley Raiders | ||
| Whitecraigs | Glasgow | |
Champions
| Winners | ||
| Season | Champions | Runners Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Lomond Valley Raiders | Central Centurions |
| 1998 | Border Eagles | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 1999 | Edinburgh Eagles | Portobello Playboys |
| 2000 | Glasgow Bulls | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 2001 | Edinburgh Eagles | Glasgow Bulls |
| 2002 | Edinburgh Eagles | Portobello Playboys |
| 2003 | Edinburgh Eagles | Fife Lions |
| 2004 | Fife Lions | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 2005 | Royal Scots Steelers | Fife Lions |
| 2006 | Fife Lions | Moray Eels |
| 2007 | Edinburgh Eagles | Fife Lions |
| 2008 | Edinburgh Eagles | Fife Lions |
| 2009 | Edinburgh Eagles | Carluke Tigers |
| 2010 | Carluke Tigers | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 2011 | Edinburgh Eagles | Ayrshire Storm |
| 2012 | Edinburgh Eagles | Aberdeen Warriors |
| 2013 | Aberdeen Warriors | Easterhouse Panthers |
| 2014 | Aberdeen Warriors | Edinburgh Eagles |
| 2015 | Aberdeen Warriors | Edinburgh Eagles |
Winners
| Club | Wins | Winning years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edinburgh Eagles | 9 | 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 |
| 2 | Aberdeen Warriors | 2 | 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 3 | Fife Lions | 2 | 2004, 2006 |
| 4 | Carluke Tigers | 1 | 2010 |
| 5 | Royal Scots Steelers | 1 | 2005 |
| 6 | Glasgow Bulls | 1 | 2000 |
| 7 | Border Eagles | 1 | 1998 |
| 8 | Lomond Valley Raiders | 1 | 1997 |
Sponsors
| Years | Sponsor | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2012– | Deuchars | Deuchars IPA National League |
See also
References
- 1 2 "Rugby League clubs dismiss plan for return to winter game". The Independent. London. 26 July 1997. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ↑ "Tigers roar back to form". Daily Record. Glasgow. 28 July 1997. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ↑ "North tip off". Daily Mirror. London. 13 June 1998. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
External links
| Federation | |
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| National teams | |
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| Domestic competitions | |
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| National teams | ||
| Women's national teams |
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| Leagues |
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| Former competitions | ||