National Division 5 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was a short lived English rugby union competition created as a tier 5 regional competition divided into National Division 5 North and National Division 5 South. In 1993 the RFU decided to change the whole league structure, with a new national league (National Division 4) replacing the old North / South regional system which would become the aforementioned National Division 5. This led to twelve out of thirteen teams in both National Division 4 regions dropping into National Division 5 while the league winners joined National Division 4 along with eight teams from National Division 3. This system continued to the end of the 1995–96 season when the league was restructured once again – with National Division 4 being abolished as a national competition reverting to the old system only being renamed as National League 4 North and National League 4 South.
Original league composition 1993–94
National Division 5 – North Birmingham & Solihull (promoted from Midlands 1) Bradford & Bingley (promoted from North 1) Durham City (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Hereford (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Kendal (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Lichfield (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Nuneaton (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Preston Grasshoppers (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Rotherham (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Stoke-on-Trent (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Stourbridge (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Walsall (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North) Winnington Park (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
National Division 5 – South Basingstoke (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Berry Hill (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Camborne (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) High Wycombe (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) London Welsh (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Lydney (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Maidstone (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Metropolitan Police (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) North Walsham (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Reading (promoted from South West 1) Southend (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South) Tabard (promoted from London 1) Weston-super-Mare (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
Courage Division 5 North honours List of Courage Division 5 North HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 1993–94 13 Rotherham Preston Grasshoppers Durham City and Bradford & Bingley Courage Division 5 North 1994–95 13 Walsall Kendal Barkers Butts and Hereford Courage Division 5 North 1995–96 13 Wharfedale Worcester (and 11 others) Broughton Park Courage Division 5 North Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Courage Division 5 South honours List of Courage Division 5 South HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 1993–94 13 Reading Lydney Maidstone and Southend Courage Division 5 South 1994–95 13 London Welsh Lydney Sudbury and Basingstoke Courage Division 5 South 1995–96 13 Lydney Weston-super-Mare (and 11 others) Camborne Courage Division 5 South Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Notes
See also English rugby union system
References
External links NCA Rugby