Yorkshire 5 was an English Rugby Union league at the eleventh tier of the domestic competition and was the basement league of club rugby in Yorkshire. This league was not always the bottom division as for a while there was a Yorkshire 6 but this league merged with Yorkshire 5. Also, for a short period, Yorkshire 5 was split into two parallel leagues based on geographical location. Promoted teams moved up to Yorkshire 4.
At the end of the 2016-17 season Yorkshire 5 was abolished due to RFU changes to the Yorkshire league structure. This restructuring would see Yorkshire 4 broken up into two regional leagues - Yorkshire 4 (North West) and Yorkshire 4 (South East) - with teams from both Yorkshire 4 and 5 transferred into these new leagues.
Participating Clubs 2016-17 Garforth Knaresborough Mosborough (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Rossington Hornets Sheffield Oaks (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Thirsk Wibsey Withernsea
Participating Clubs 2015-16 Garforth Hallamshire Hornsea (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Knaresborough (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Rossington Hornets Stanley Rodillians Thirsk Wibsey
Participating Clubs 2014-15 Garforth Hallamshire Hessle (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Rossington Hornets Rotherham Clifton Stanley Rodillians Thirsk Wibsey
Participating Clubs 2013–14 Garforth Hallamshire Knaresborough - (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Marist - (relegated from Yorkshire 4) Rossington Hornets Rotherham Clifton Stanley Rodillians Thirsk Wensleydale Wibsey
Participating Clubs 2012–13 Adwick Le Street Doncaster Amateurs Garforth Rawmarsh Rossington Hornets Rotherham Clifton Sheffield Oaks Stanley Rodillians Stocksbridge Wensleydale Wibsey
Clubs joining the League As this is currently the basement league of club rugby in Yorkshire, any club wishing to join the rugby union club hierarchy must begin at the bottom so all Yorkshire-based teams start in Yorkshire 5 and these are the clubs who have been accepted into the league structure for the first time.
2012-13: Doncaster Amateurs 2013-14: Hallamshire, Thirsk 2016-17: Withernsea
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
BP Chemicals Halifax Vandals Hornsea Knaresborough Leeds Corinthians Old Rishworthians Ossett Phoenix Park Rowntrees Withernsea Yorkshire Main
Yorkshire 5 Honours
Yorkshire 5 (1987–1993)
The original Yorkshire 5 was a tier 13 league with promotion up to Yorkshire 4 and relegation down to Yorkshire 6 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1991–92 season.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1987–88 11 Halifax Vandals Old Rishworthians Knaresborough, Withernsea 1988–89 11 Sheffield Oaks Phoenix Park Hornsea, Leeds Corinthians 1989–90 11 Wetherby Ossett Rowntrees 1990–91 11 Burley Leeds Corinthians Knaresborough 1991–92 11 Skipton Danum Phoenix No relegation 1992–93 13 Knaresborough Rowntrees No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Yorkshire 5 (1993–2000)
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 5 dropped to become a tier 14 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 5 remain at tier 14. During this period Yorkshire 6 (and relegation) was re-introduced in 1996-97, cancelled, and then re-introduced for the third time for the 1999–00 season.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1993–94 10 Garforth Stocksbridge No relegation 1994–95 6 Rawmarsh North Earswick No relegation 1995–96 9 Knaresborough Padsey Menwith Hill 1996–97 9 Marist Eddington & Wick No relegation 1997–98 9 Ossett Ossett No relegation 1998–99 8 Rotherham Clifton Edlington Granby Withernsea, Rawmarsh, Wickersley Exel, Adwick Le Street 1999–00 5 Wakefield Cougars Ossett Nestle Rowntree, Garforth, Knaresborough Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Yorkshire 5 (2000–2004)
Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that Yorkshire 5 became a tier 11 league. Relegation continued to Yorkshire 6 until that division was abolished ahead of the 2003–04 season.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams2000–01 10 Wakefield Cougars Doncaster Phoenix Wickersley Exel2001–02 10 Sheffield Medicals Thornensians Rotherham Clifton, Rawmarsh, Marist2002–03 10 Stanley Rodillians Hornsea Ossett, Wibsey2003–04 10 Sheffield Oaks Burley No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Yorkshire 5 North-East / South East (2004–2007)
For the 2004–05 season Yorkshire 5 was divided into two regional divisions - Yorkshire 5 North-West and Yorkshire 5 South East.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 2004–05 8 Halifax Vandals Aireborough No relegation Yorkshire 5 North-West 8 Hornsea Ossett No relegation Yorkshire 5 South-East 2005–06 8 Knaresborough Wetherby No relegation Yorkshire 5 North-West 8 Mosborough Pontefract Pythons No relegation Yorkshire 5 South-East 2006–07 9 Burley Garforth No relegation Yorkshire 5 North-West 7 Hemsworth Sheffield Medicals No relegation Yorkshire 5 South-East Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Yorkshire 5A / 5B (2007–2009)
For the 2007-08 season Yorkshire 5 switched from regional divisions into conferences - Yorkshire 5A and Yorkshire 5B. Relegation returned with the reintroduction of Yorkshire 6 (for the fourth time) ahead of the 2009–10 season.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 2007–08 8 Halifax Vandals Sheffield Medicals No relegation Yorkshire 5A 8 Old Rishworthians Rotherham Phoenix No relegation Yorkshire 5B2008–09 9 Sheffield Medicals Hemsworth Sheffield Oaks Yorkshire 5A 9 Leeds Medics & Dentists Old Grovians Leeds Metropolitan University, Wetherby, Rossington Hornets Yorkshire 5B Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Yorkshire 5 (2009–2017)
Yorkshire 5 once more returned to being a single division from the 2009-10 season onward. The cancellation of Yorkshire 6 after just one season meant that there was no relegation. At the end of the 2016–17 season Yorkshire 5 was cancelled.
Yorkshire 5 HonoursSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams2009–10 7 Mosborough Marist No relegation 2010–11 12 Wetherby Knaresborough No relegation 2011–12 10 Hornsea Marist No relegation 2012–13 9 Doncaster Amateurs Stocksbridge No relegation 2013–14 9 Wensleydale Knaresborough No relegation2014–15 8 Hessle Rotherham Clifton No relegation2015–16 7 Stanley Rodillians Hornsea No relegation 2016–17 8 Wibsey Mosborough No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Promotion play-offs
Between 2005 and 2007 there was a play-off between the runners-up of Yorkshire 5 North-West and Yorkshire 5 South-West for the third and final promotion place to Yorkshire 4. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2016–17 season Yorkshire 5 North-West have been the most successful winning all three games; and the away team has won promotion on two occasions compared to the home teams one.
For the 2007-08 season Yorkshire 5 was re-organized into non-geographical groups named Yorkshire 5A and Yorkshire 5B, with Yorkshire 5B being the most successful by winning the only playoff game played. After the 2008-09 season Yorkshire 5 returned to a single division meaning that there have been no more play-offs since.
Yorkshire 5A v Yorkshire 5B promotion play-off results Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance 2004–05 Ossett 6-30 Aireborough (NW) Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club, Ossett, West Yorkshire 2005–06 Wetherby (NW) 64-3 Pontefract Pythons (SE) Grange Park, Wetherby, West Yorkshire 2006–07 Sheffield Medicals (SE) 10-13 Garforth (NW) Norton Playing Fields, Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 2007–08 Rotherham Phoenix (B) 15-10 Sheffield Medicals (A) Clifton Lane, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Green background is the promoted team. NW = Yorkshire 5 North-West, SE = Yorkshire 5 South-East, A = Yorkshire 5A and B = Yorkshire 5B
Number of league titles
Halifax Vandals (3) Knaresborough (3) Burley (2) Hornsea (2) Mosborough (2) Sheffield Medicals (2) Sheffield Oaks (2) Stanley Rodillians (2) Wakefield Cougars (2) Wetherby (2) Doncaster Amateurs (1) Garforth (1) Hemsworth (1) Hessle (1) Leeds Medics & Dentists (1) Marist (1) Old Rishworthians (1) Ossett (1) Rawmarsh (1) Rotherham Clifton (1) Skipton (1) Wensleydale (1) Wibsey (1)
See also Yorkshire RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England
Notes
References