The Yorkshire Men’s League is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in Yorkshire.
The competition was formed in 2012 after the Rugby League Conference Yorkshire Premier folded. The league was renamed to its current name following the 2012 restructure of amateur rugby league in Great Britain.
History
Following the formation of the British Amateur Rugby League Association in 1973 clubs from local leagues in both Yorkshire and Lancashire formed the Pennine League. A solely based Yorkshire competition was not formed until 1978 when the CMS Yorkshire League was established.
Following the formation of the National Leagues in 2003, the Conference League South was expanded to include Northern clubs and renamed National League Three, becoming the highest level of amateur rugby league played in the summer. In 2008 National League Three was rebranded to the Rugby League Conference and expanded to include several regional competitions including the RLC Yorkshire Premier, which grew to three divisions.
Many clubs playing in the traditional winter leagues began to switch to the summer RLC, which contributed to its rapid growth. As a result of this, in 2011 the National Conference League, the largest winter league in the country, voted to switch to summer. Subsequently the RLC National Division became NCL Division Three in 2012.
Following the switch to summer the CMS Yorkshire League folded with clubs wanting to continue playing in winter joining the Pennine League. Yorkshire based clubs who wished to play summer rugby were entered into the newly formed Yorkshire Men's League.
Structure
The Yorkshire Men's League currently runs seven divisions with promotion and relegation between them:
Premier Division Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Division 5 Division 6 Division 7 Entry Division Merit Division
Clubs Premier Division Brighouse Rangers Dodworth Miners Doncaster Toll Bar East Hull Hunslet ARLFC A Ossett Trinity Tigers Newcastle Lightning West Bowling A
Division 1 Birstall Victoria Emley Moor Seacroft Sharks Sharlston Rovers Upton Wibsey Warriors Wyke York Barbarians
Division 2 Castleford Panthers Cutsyke Raiders Dearne Valley Bulldogs Derby Elks Eastmoor Dragons Goole Vikings A Lindley St Josephs West Hull A
Division 3 Birkinshaw Bluedogs Bramley Buffaloes Dewsbury Moor A Drighlington A Moortown Mambas Oulton Raiders A Queensbury Underbank Rangers
Division 4 Batley ARLFC Hemsworth Dragons Keighley Albion A Kings Cross Park A Newsome Panthers A Ossett Trinity Tigers A Sherburn Bears Stanningley A
Division 5 Crigglestone All Blacks Farnley Falcons Harrogate Hawks Hull Wyke Methley Warriors New Earswick All Blacks Shaw Cross Sharks A York Acorn A
Division 6 Garforth Tigers Guiseley Rangers Knottingley Mustangs Milford A Moldgreen ARLFC Moorends Thorne Maroons Rycroft Hammers Sheffield Hawks
Division 7 Bentley A Boothtown Terriers Dewsbury Celtic A Featherstone Lions A Normanton Knights A Thornhill Trojans A Upton A York Barbarians A
Entry Division Clayton Dearne Valley Bulldogs A East Leeds A Heworth A Hull Knights Illingworth Lock Lane A Odsal Sedburgh Scarborough Pirates Skirlaugh Bulls A Stainland Stags Woodhouse Warriors
Merit Division Beverley A Bradford Dudley Hill A Dodworth Miners A Doncaster Toll Bar A Emley Moor A Hull Dockers A Kippax Welfare A Lindley St Josephs A Mirfield Spartans A Myton Warriors A Rotherham Forges Sharlston Rovers A Stanley Rangers A Wetherby Bulldogs
Premier Division Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue 2012 Fryston Warriors (1) 2013 West Hull A (1) 2014 Bramley Buffaloes (1) 30-22 West Hull AWheldon Road 2015 Sharlston Rovers (1) 62-32 Ovenden 2016 West Bowling (1) 26-18 Doncaster Toll Bar Post Office Road 2017 Siddal Academy 30-12 Beverley Mount Pleasant 2018 Batley Boys (1) 11-10 BentleyPost Office Road 2019 Bentley (1) 18-14 East Hull 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Siddal Academy (2) N/A Bentley N/A 2022 Westgate Common (1) 20-16 Doncaster Toll Bar Mount Pleasant 2023 Newsome Panthers (1) 20-18 Fryston Warriors Horsfall Stadium 2024 Stanley Rangers A (1) 22-12 King Cross Park Post Office Road 2025 Spartans (1) 32-4 King Cross Park Mount Pleasant 2026 Doncaster Toll Bar 28-20 Ossett Trinty Tigers Source:
Division 1 Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue 2014 Scarborough Pirates 38-32 Hunslet Club Parkside A Wheldon Road, Castleford 2015 Siddal Academy 2016 Bentley Featherstone Lions Post Office Road, Featherstone 2017 Norland Sharks 33-20 New Earswick All Blacks Mount Pleasant, Batley 2018 Heworth 30-16 Cutsyke Raiders Post Office Road, Featherstone 2019 Elland 34-12 Brighouse Rangers 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic 2021 Westgate Common N/A Fryston Warriors N/A 2022 Almondbury Spartans 14-6 Lindsey St Joseph’s Post Office Road, Featherstone 2023 Stanley Rangers A 32-6 Keighley Albion Horsfall Stadium, Bradford 2024 Siddal Academy 18-4 Mirfield Post Office Road, Featherstone 2025 Kippax Welfare 18-4 Bradford Dudley Hill Mount Pleasant, Batley 2026 Upton 34-12 York Barbarians
Division 2 Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue 2014 Shaw Cross Sharks A — Wheldon Road, Castleford 2015 Shaw Cross Sharks A — 2016 Leeds Akkies — Keighley Albion Post Office Road, Featherstone 2017 Bramley Buffaloes 29-20 Hull Wyke Mount Pleasant, Batley 2018 West Hull A26-22 King Cross Park Post Office Road, Featherstone 2019 Wyke 28-18 Ossett Trinity 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Almondbury Spartans N/A Doncaster Toll Bar N/A 2022 Newsome Panthers 34-6 Ossett Trinity Mount Pleasant, Batley 2023 Bradford Dudley Hill 42-10 Wibsey Warriors Horsfall Stadium 2024 Moldgreen 24-16 Seacroft Sharks Post Office Road 2025 East Hull 18-10 Dodworth Miners Mount Pleasant, Batley 2026 Eastmoor Dragons 36-30 West Hull A
Division 3 Season Champion Score Runner-up Venue 2015 Knottingley Worms — — — 2016 Hunslet Club Parkside A — — — 2017 Cutsyke Raiders — — — 2018 Brighouse Rangers — — — 2019 Farnley Falcons Moldgreen 2020 Season cancelled due to Covid 19 Pandemic 2021 Hunslet Club Parkside A N/A Greetland All Rounders N/A 2022 Keighley Albion 34-18 Hull Wyke Post Office Road 2023 Seacroft Sharks 22-14 Castleford Panthers Horsfall Stadium 2024 Dodworth Miners 26-16 Bramley Buffaloes Post Office Road 2025 Upton 20-18 (GP) York Barbarians Mount Pleasant, Batley 2026 Dewsbury Moor A 24-8 Queensbury
Division 4 Season Champions Second Third 2015Lock Lane A2016Birstall Victoria2017Stainland Stags2018WykeCrofton SportsDearne Valley Bulldogs2019Greetland All RoundersDoncaster Toll BarCrofton Sports2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021Newsome PanthersKirkburton CougarsLock Lane A2022Stanley Rangers AKirkburton CougarsStanningley A2023 League split into conferences2024York BarbariansWest Craven WarriorsGoole Vikings2025Eastmoor Dragons ADearne Valley BulldogsDerby Elks2026Sherburn BearsStanningley ABatley ARLFC
Division 5 Season Champions Second Third 2016Odsal Sedburgh2017Eastmoor Dragons A2018Farnley FalconsLindley St Joseph’sWetherby Bulldogs2019Dodworth MinersBrotherton BulldogsEastmoor Dragons A2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021 Regionalised competition2022Sherwood WolfhuntSeacroft SharksBirstall Victoria2023 No Division 52024Lindley St JosephsDearne Valley BulldogsDerby Elks2025Moortown MambasKeighley Albion ABatley ARLFC2026Hull WykeNew Earswick All BlacksCrigglestone All Blacks
Division 6 Season Champions Second Third 2022East Leeds ANormanton Knights AShaw Cross Sharks A2023 No Division 62024Moortown MambasSharlston Rovers AKeighley Albion A2025King Cross Park AOssett Trinity ACrigglestone All Blacks2026Milford AMoorends Thorne MaraudersGarforth Tigers
Division 7 Season Champions Second Third 2026ClaytonBoothtown TerriersWoodhouse Warriors
Cup Finals YML Cup Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2017New Earswick All Blacks18-8Oulton Raiders AHeworth2018 Competition cancelled2019East Hull23-16Bramley BuffaloesVictoria Pleasure Ground, Goole2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2022Doncaster Toll Bar26-10Almonbury SpartansMount Pleasant, Batley2023Newsome Panthers18-8Keighley AlbionPost Office Road, Featherstone2024Doncaster Toll Bar24-6MirfieldMount Pleasant, Batley2025Newsome Panthers10-6Siddal APost Office Road, Featherstone2026Doncaster Toll Bar 34-18Hunslet ARLFC AOdsal Stadium, Bradford
YML Trophy Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2022Newsome Panthers20-16Ossett Trinity TigersMount Pleasant, Batley2023Bradford Dudley Hill20-14Greetland All RoundersPost Office Road, Featherstone2024Bramley Buffaloes22-16IllingworthMount Pleasant, Batley2025East Hull26-24UptonPost Office Road, Featherstone2026West Hull A 36-30Castleford PanthersOdsal Stadium, Bradford
YML Shield Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2022Stanley Rangers A30-6Kirkburton CougarsMount Pleasant, Batley2023East Hull20-14Bramley BuffaloesPost Office Road, Featherstone2024Oulton Raiders A22-0York BarbariansMount Pleasant, Batley2025Drighlington A38-24Lindley St Josephs Post Office Road, Featherstone2026Sherburn Bears 26-18Hull WykeOdsal Stadium, Bradford
YML Plate Between 2023-2025, the YML Plate was known as the NCL Alliance Cup. Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2022Castleford Panthers34-6Queensbury AMount Pleasant, Batley2023Hunslet ARLFC A42-0Normanton Knights APost Office Road, Featherstone2024West Bowling A38-4Heworth AMount Pleasant, Batley2025Hunslet ARLFC A24-16West Hull APost Office Road, Featherstone2026Milford A40-8SkirlaughOdsal Stadium, Bradford
See also Cumbria Rugby League North West Men's League British rugby league system
References
External links Official website