The Rugby Regionalliga is the third-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. It is set below the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga and is organised in eight regional divisions.
Since 2010, the Regionalliga is only the fourth level of play in Southern Germany, since the inception of the 3rd Liga South/West, which covers the same states as the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West above it except Bavaria.
History The Regionalligas form the third tier of German rugby union since the inception of the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga in the early 1990s. Before that, the league was the second tier, below the Rugby-Bundesliga. Below the Regionalliga sits the Rugby-Verbandsliga, however, in some regions, the Regionalliga is the lowest division and no Verbandsliga exists.
The six leagues cover the following states: Regionalliga North Bremen Hamburg Lower Saxony (northern parts) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Schleswig-Holstein Regionalliga East A & B Berlin Brandenburg Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Thuringia Regionalliga West Hesse (northern part) Lower Saxony (southern parts) Luxembourg North Rhine-Westphalia Rhineland-Palatinate Saarland Regionalliga Hesse Hesse (except most northern part) Regionalliga Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg Regionalliga Bavaria Bavaria Baden-Württemberg (Ulm region) Austria (Innsbruck)
The champions of the different league divisions, as well as league champions play-off at the end of the season for 2nd Bundesliga promotion. The champions of the RL West and RL Hesse determine the promoted team for the 2. Bundesliga West, RL Baden-Württemberg and RL Bavaria determine the promoted team to the 2. Bundesliga South, whereas RL North and RL East determine the promoted team to the 2. Bundesliga North and East respectively.
Clubs participating in 2018-19 Regionalliga - 60 teams (66 clubs) RL North DSV 78 Hannover II • FC St. Pauli II • Northern Lions • SC Germania List II • SG Hamburg Exiles RFC/Hamburger SV • TuS Lübeck 1893 • Welfen BraunschweigRL North-East Group A Berliner SV 1892 II • Berlin Bruisers • Berliner RC III • RU Hohen Neuendorf • SC Siemensstadt Group B Berlin Grizzlies II • Berliner SC • RK 03 Berlin II • RV Leipzig Scorpions • SG Berlin Irish RFC/RC Trebbin • USV Halle Rovers RL West Rhineland Division RC Aachen II • RC Bonn-Rhein-Sieg • RSV Köln II • SG Bochum/Witten RFC/Rugby Tourists Münster II • SG RC Hürth/WMTV Solingen Zebras • TuS 95 Düsseldorf II Westphalia Division SCW Göttingen • RC Bielefeld • RC Osnabrück • RFC Dortmund • RFC Paderborn • Rugby Cassel • Wiedenbrücker TV RP-LUX Division FSV Trier-Tarforst • RC Luxembourg II • RC Mainz • RC Walferdange • SG 2018 Hochspeyer • SG RC Worms/SV Südwest Ludwigshafen 1882 RL Hesse BSC Offenbach • Eintracht Frankfurt • RK Heusenstamm II • RU Marburg • SC Frankfurt 1880 III • SG TSV Krofdorf-Gleiberg/SC Riedberg • TG 75 Darmstadt • URC Gießen 01 RL Baden-Württemberg Freiburger RC • Karlsruher SV • Neckarsulmer SU II • RC Konstanz • RC Hirschau Tübingen • RG Heidelberg II • TSV Handschuhsheim IIRL Bayern BTS 1861 Bayreuth • München RFC II • RC Regensburg 2000 • RFC Augsburg e.V. • RFC Bad Reichenhall • StuSta München II • TSB Ravensburg Raven s • Würzburger RK 2012 e.V.
Verbandsliga - 30 teams (39 clubs)Verbandsliga North North-East FC St. Pauli III • FT Adler Kiel II • Hamburger RC II • VfL Jesteburg Wombats • RSG M-V (SG Rugby Fortuna Neuenkirchen/Rugby Rostock Dierkower Elche/Rugby Wismar Freibeuter) • SG Hamburger SV/Hamburg Exiles RFC II North-West SG SV Bethen/Bremen 1860 II • SG SV Odin Hannover II/VfR Döhren II • SG Schaumburg Royals RFC/VT Union Groß Ilsede • SV 08 Ricklingen • TSV Karlshöfen • TSV Victoria Linden II • Union 60 Bremen Verbandsliga NRW Brühler TV 1879 • DJK VFL Willich • RC 1960 Hürth II • RSV Köln III • TV Jahn-Rheine Warriors • Wiedenbrücker TV IIVL Baden-Württemberg 6 TournamentsVL Bayern Allgäu Rugby • FC Eintracht Bamberg • RC Innsbruck • SG 1. SC Gröbenzell/RC Landsberg am Lech • SG TuS Fürstenfeldbrück/TeamMünchen • SG RC Unterföhring II/TV 1861 Ingolstadt • StuSta München III • TSV Nördlingen • TSV 1846 Nürnberg II • TV 1848 Coburg • VFB Ulm
Champions
Northern Germany YearNorthLower SaxonyNorth-EastNorth Rhine-Westphalia 2000-01 DRC Hannover II TuS 95 Düsseldorf SC Germania List II RC Hürth 2001-02 Hamburger RC Wiedenbrücker TV RC Aachen 2002-03 DRC Hannover II Wiedenbrücker TV 2003-04 SV Odin Hannover Wiedenbrücker TV 2004-05 Stahl Brandenburg Rugby Wiedenbrücker TV 2005-06 Dynamo Rostock Hamburger RC RC Aachen 2006-07 FC St. Pauli II VfR Döhren Wiedenbrücker TV 2007-08 FT Adler Kiel Rugby SG Schwalbe/DRC Hannover II Berliner RC II TuS 95 Düsseldorf SG Schwalbe/DRC Hannover II 2008-09 FT Adler Kiel Rugby DSV 78/08 Ricklingen II RK 03 Berlin II TuS 95 Düsseldorf Welfen Braunschweig 2009-10 Hamburg Exiles RFC FC Schwalbe Hannover RK 03 Berlin II RC Bonn-Rhein-Sieg 2010-11 Welfen Braunschweig RK 03 Berlin II Wiedenbrücker TV 2011-12 08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf SG Grizzlies/Potsdam Grashof RC Essen 2012-13 DRC Hannover RU Hohen Neuendorf RT Münster 2013-14 SG Odin/Döhren RK 03 Berlin II RT Münster 2014-15 FT Adler Kiel Rugby USV Potsdam ASV Köln II Until 2002, North Rhine-Westphalia played a separate spring and autumn championship. In 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, Lower Saxony and East played a combined North/East championship in spring. Until 2001 and from 2007 to 2009, Lower Saxony played a separate spring and autumn championship. From 2010-11 onwards no separate Regionalliga North was played.
Southern Germany YearRhineland-PalatinateHesseBaden-WürttembergBavaria 2000-01 RC Mainz München RFC II Ramstein RFC München RFC II 2001-02 RC Mainz Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby TSV Handschuhsheim II StuSta München 2002-03 FSV Trier-Tarforst Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby SC Neuenheim II/Pforzheim TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2003-04 RC Mainz RU Marburg RG Heidelberg II StuSta München 2004-05 TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2005-06 SC 1880 Frankfurt II SG Karlsruhe/Pforzheim TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2006-07 RC Mainz RC Mainz Stuttgarter RC VfB Ulm 2007-08 RC Worms RK Heusenstamm II Heidelberger RK II TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2008-09 FSV Trier-Tarforst RK Heusenstamm II Karlsruher SV Rugby RC Regensburg 2009-10 FSV Trier-Tarforst Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby Heidelberger TV TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2010-11 Ramstein Rogues RFC RK Heusenstamm II Freiburger RC RC Regensburg 2011-12 RC Worms RK Heusenstamm II TV Pforzheim II RFC Bad Reichenhall 2012-13 RC Luxemburg II BSC Offenbach not held RFC Bad Reichenhall 2013-14 RC Luxemburg II URC Gießen 01 not held RFC Augsburg 2014-15 ASV Köln II SCW Göttingen not held RC Regensburg 2015-16 RT Münster URC Gießen 01 not held München RFC II 2016-17 ASV Köln II URC Gießen 01 Heidelberger RK II TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2017-18 RC Bonn-Rhein-Sieg RK Heusenstamm II Heidelberger RK II TSV 1846 Nürnberg 2018-19 BSC Offenbach SC Karlsruhe In 2006-07, RC Mainz competed in both Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. In 2005-06, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate played a combined championship. Until 2001, Bavaria played a separate spring and autumn championship. Until 2001, Rhineland-Palatinate played a separate spring and autumn championship. For the 2018-20 season, Rhineland-Palatinate formed a 3 pool competition Rheinland / Westfalen / Rheinland-Pfalz&Luxemburg with the addition of RC Walferdange (Luxemburg) - the second team from that country to join the Germany National competition after RC Luxemburg with a 1st and 2nd XV.
Placings
North The league placings in the Regionalliga North: Club 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Hamburger RC 3 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Welfen Braunschweig 2 3 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ DSV 78 Hannover II 2 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Bremen 1860 6 5 3 3 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ DRC Hannover ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren ♦ ♦ ♦ 8 3 1 ♦ ♦ FT Adler Kiel Rugby 3 6 1 1 ♦ 4 5 2 4 1 ♦ Northern Lions 2 x FC St. Pauli Rugby II 5 1 6 5 4 6 6 ♦ 2 3 x Union 60 Bremen 4 6 8 4 ♦ ♦ 4 x Hamburg Exiles RFC 8 4 2 2 1 7 9 5 6 5 x TuS Lübeck 6 x SC Germania List II 3 x 08 Ricklingen/Wunstorf 2 1 ♦ ♦ SG Varel/Oldenburg 5 Union 60 Bremen II 7 FC St. Pauli III 4 VfL Jesteburg 7 6 Bremen 1860 II 7 FC Schwalbe Hannover 5 7 SG Jesteburg/Geesthacht 1 2 3 3 2 9 10 RSG M-V 1 7 7 7 SC Varel 6 3 4 8 RG Bremen 2 5 5 Hamburger SV Rugby 8 VfL Geesthacht w 1 Combined team of VfL Jesteburg and VfL Geesthacht. 2 Welfen Braunschweig played in the Regionalliga Lower Saxony until 2009. 3 Hamburger RC also played in the North/East championship in spring 2006.
Lower Saxony The league placings in the Regionalliga Lower Saxony. The league has been defunct since the end of the 2009–10 season: Club 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 A S A S A S A S A S A S A S A S Hamburger RC ♦ ♦ 2 ♦ 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ FC Schwalbe Hannover 2 ♦ 1 SC Germania List II 4 3 1 4 2 5 5 3 4 6 6 6 2 TSV Victoria Linden II 6 3 7 4 6 4 2 5 5 5 3 SV 08 Ricklingen ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 DSV 78 Hannover II 5 w 5 SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren II 1 3 2 2 2 6 FC Rastede 7 RSV Göttingen 4 4 8 SG Schwalbe/DRC II 4 2 2 5 1 1 ♦ Welfen Braunschweig 3 ♦ 4 ♦ 4 4 4 5 2 5 6 3 3 1 DSV 78/08 Ricklingen II 2 5 1 1 1 1 5 4 1 3 SV Odin Hannover 2 5 3 3 3 1 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ SV Odin Hannover II 3 4 2 VfR Döhren ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 3 1 VfR Döhren II 3 Union 60 Bremen 4 Welfen Braunschweig II 5 DRC Hannover II 1 1 2 2 1 2 6 Victoria Linden II/DSV 78 II 5 4 5 VfR Döhren/Schwalbe II 6 3 Until 2001, the league was played in an autumn (A) and a spring (S) championship, with the autumn champion receiving the opportunity to play in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East qualification round in spring. From 2003 to 2009, the league was once more divided into autumn and spring. From 2004 to 2007, a North/East championship was played in spring. Since 2010, the clubs from Lower Saxony play in the Regionalliga North and no Regionalliga Lower Saxony exists. 1 Combined reserves team of SV Odin Hannover and VfR Döhren. 2 Combined reserves team of DSV 78 Hannover and SV 08 Ricklingen. 3 Played in the Regionalliga North in 2009-10. 4 Combined team of FC Schwalbe Hannover and the reserve team of DRC Hannover. 5 Combined reserves team of TSV Victoria Linden and DSV 78 Hannover. 6 Combined reserves team of FC Schwalbe Hannover and VfR Döhren. 7 Hamburger RC also played in the Regionalliga North championship in 2005-06.
East The league placings in the Regionalliga East: Club 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 A S A S A S A S A S A S A S A S A S RC Leipzig 3 1 8 2 3 2 7 6 10 4 10 2 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ RV Dresden 2 4 7 4 7 2 7 2 8 8 8 5 9 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ USV Jena 8 5 3 3 5 4 3 4 7 2 4 5 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Berliner SC 4 5 1 2 6 4 2 4 6 7 11 6 7 6 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Veltener RC 8 1 6 3 5 3 4 3 4 5 5 5 3 8 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ RU Hohen Neuendorf ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 3 4 2 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 ♦ ♦ ♦ Berliner RC II 6 1 1 4 2 6 2 2 1 2 ♦ ♦ 3 2 2 ♦ ♦ USV Halle 6 3 ♦ ♦ USV Potsdam Rugby 2 3 3 3 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 ♦ Berliner SV 92 Rugby 5 3 5 1 4 1 1 3 ♦ ♦ 2 1 2 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ x SC Siemensstadt ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 2 ♦ 3 5 6 1 3 3 3 3 ♦ 7 ♦ ♦ ♦ x RK 03 Berlin II 7 2 2 2 1 3 5 5 1 1 1 2 1 9 3 1 2 x RC Leipzig II 4 4 x Berliner RC III 2 9 3 8 5 x Stahl Brandenburg Rugby ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 3 2 4 1 ♦ ♦ 5 4 4 4 5 10 5 5 6 x RL Berlin Bruisers 7 x RC Berlin Grizzlies x SG Hennigsdorf/Hohen Neuendorf II x SG BSC II/VRC II x Stahl Hennigsdorf Rugby ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 1 6 1 6 11 4 6 3 SG Grizzlies/Potsdam 3 1 ♦ RU Hohen Neuendorf II 2 2 4 5 5 11 12 RK 03 Berlin III 1 5 1 1 4 3 SG H.Neuendorf/Hennigsdorf 1 2 SSV Erfurt Oaks 5 Thüringer SV 4 4 4 3 2 1 8 3 RV Dresden II 6 4 4 RV Dresden II/SASV 2 4 Sachsen-Anhalter SV 5 Mitteldeutsche SV 1 5 TSV Leipzig-Wahren 3 3 RC Staßfurt 5
A division B division
Until 2007 and again in 2009-10, the league was played in an autumn (A) and a spring (S) championship, with the autumn champion, until 2001, receiving the opportunity to play in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East qualification round in spring.