North Lancashire/Cumbria (usually referred to as North Lancs/Cumbria) was an English
Rugby Union League at the seventh tier of club rugby union for teams from
North Lancashire and
Cumbria that ran until the end of 2017–18 season. Promotion from this division used to be into
North 1 West with the champions going straight up and the league runners up facing the league runners up from
South Lancs/Cheshire 1 for their place. Clubs at the bottom of the table were relegated either to
North Lancashire 1,
South Lancs/Cheshire 2 or the
Cumbria League depending on their geographical location.
The division was initially known as North-West East/North 1 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with North Lancs/Cumbria being the longest running. At the end of the 2017–18 season, the
RFU had to cancel the division after 19 Lancashire clubs withdrew from RFU competitions across the leagues to form their own competitions. As a result, all Lancashire based teams in this division that wanted to remain in the RFU league structure were transferred into
Lancs/Cheshire 1, while the Cumbria sides were transferred into
Cumbria 1.[1]
The original incarnation of North Lancashire/Cumbria was known as North-West East/North 1, and was a tier 9 league with promotion up to
North West 2 and relegation down to either
North-West East 1 or
North-West North 1.
As part of the north-west league restructuring North-West East/North 1 was renamed as Cumbria/Lancs North for the 1992–93 season with promotion continuing up to
North West 2 and relegation down to either
Lancashire North 1 (formerly North-West East 1) or
Cumbria. Initially a tier 9 league, the creation of
National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Cumbria/Lancs North dropped to become a tier 10 league.
The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the
Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. Cumbria/Lancs North was renamed as North Lancs/Cumbria, and the cancellation of
National 5 North and creation of
North West 3 meant that it remained a tier 10 league. Promotion was now to North West 3 while relegation was to either
North Lancashire 1 or
Cumbria.
Northern league restructuring by the
RFU at the end of the 1999–00 season saw the cancellation of
North West 1,
North West 2 and
North West 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that North Lancs/Cumbria became a tier 7 league, with promotion to
North 2 West (currently North 1 West). Relegation continued to be to either
North Lancashire 1 or
Cumbria.
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of North Lancashire/Cumbria and
South Lancs/Cheshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to
North 1 West. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2017–18 season the North Lancashire/Cumbria and South Lancs/Cheshire 1 team sides have nine wins apiece; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
North Lancs/Cumbria v South Lancs/Cheshire 1 promotion play-off results
North Lancashire/Cumbria (usually referred to as North Lancs/Cumbria) was an English
Rugby Union League at the seventh tier of club rugby union for teams from
North Lancashire and
Cumbria that ran until the end of 2017–18 season. Promotion from this division used to be into
North 1 West with the champions going straight up and the league runners up facing the league runners up from
South Lancs/Cheshire 1 for their place. Clubs at the bottom of the table were relegated either to
North Lancashire 1,
South Lancs/Cheshire 2 or the
Cumbria League depending on their geographical location.
The division was initially known as North-West East/North 1 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with North Lancs/Cumbria being the longest running. At the end of the 2017–18 season, the
RFU had to cancel the division after 19 Lancashire clubs withdrew from RFU competitions across the leagues to form their own competitions. As a result, all Lancashire based teams in this division that wanted to remain in the RFU league structure were transferred into
Lancs/Cheshire 1, while the Cumbria sides were transferred into
Cumbria 1.[1]
The original incarnation of North Lancashire/Cumbria was known as North-West East/North 1, and was a tier 9 league with promotion up to
North West 2 and relegation down to either
North-West East 1 or
North-West North 1.
As part of the north-west league restructuring North-West East/North 1 was renamed as Cumbria/Lancs North for the 1992–93 season with promotion continuing up to
North West 2 and relegation down to either
Lancashire North 1 (formerly North-West East 1) or
Cumbria. Initially a tier 9 league, the creation of
National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Cumbria/Lancs North dropped to become a tier 10 league.
The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the
Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. Cumbria/Lancs North was renamed as North Lancs/Cumbria, and the cancellation of
National 5 North and creation of
North West 3 meant that it remained a tier 10 league. Promotion was now to North West 3 while relegation was to either
North Lancashire 1 or
Cumbria.
Northern league restructuring by the
RFU at the end of the 1999–00 season saw the cancellation of
North West 1,
North West 2 and
North West 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that North Lancs/Cumbria became a tier 7 league, with promotion to
North 2 West (currently North 1 West). Relegation continued to be to either
North Lancashire 1 or
Cumbria.
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of North Lancashire/Cumbria and
South Lancs/Cheshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to
North 1 West. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2017–18 season the North Lancashire/Cumbria and South Lancs/Cheshire 1 team sides have nine wins apiece; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
North Lancs/Cumbria v South Lancs/Cheshire 1 promotion play-off results