2012 National Conference League

The 2012 National Conference League was the 27th season of the National Conference League, the top league for British amateur rugby league clubs, and was the first season that the league was played in the summer.

2012 National Conference League
LeagueNational Conference League
Teams51
2012 Season
ChampionsWath Brow Hornets
League LeadersWath Brow Hornets

The league was expanded to four tiers for the first time, with the new Division Three largely consisting of teams from the former Rugby League Conference National Division.

Premier Division

The Premier Division featured three new clubs:

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Wath Brow Hornets (C) 26 17 2 7 655 563 +92 36 Qualification for National Conference League play-offs
2 Siddal 26 18 0 8 630 594 +36 36
3 Myton Warriors 26 16 3 7 665 429 +236 35
4 Thatto Heath Crusaders 26 17 0 9 790 556 +234 34
5 Leigh Miners Rangers 26 16 1 9 750 477 +273 33
6 West Hull 26 16 0 10 590 487 +103 32
7 Wigan St Patricks 26 14 0 12 647 541 +106 28
8 Hull Dockers 26 13 0 13 628 637 −9 26
9 Ince Rose Bridge 26 9 2 15 581 607 −26 20
10 East Hull 26 9 2 15 633 721 −88 20
11 Skirlaugh 26 9 1 16 439 636 −197 19
12 Leigh East (R) 26 9 0 17 604 662 −58 18 Relegated to National Conference League Division Two[lower-alpha 1]
13 Oulton Raiders (R) 26 7 1 18 500 765 −265 15 Relegated to National Conference League Division One
14 Saddleworth Rangers (R) 26 5 2 19 505 942 −437 12
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Leigh East were already relegated based on their league position, but were demoted another division due to non-fulfillment of a fixture during the season.[1]

Play-offs
  Elimination play-offs   Qualifying / Elimination semi-finals   Elimination final   Grand Final
                                 
  3 November 2012  
1  Wath Brow Hornets 18  
2  Siddal 12         16 November 2012
       Wath Brow Hornets 22
  27 October 2012     10 November 2012      Myton Warriors 6
  3  Myton Warriors 24        Siddal 22  
  6  West Hull 22   3 November 2012      Myton Warriors 23
     Myton Warriors 21  
27 October 2012      Thatto Heath Crusaders 20
  4  Thatto Heath Crusaders 38  
  5  Leigh Miners Rangers 6
   
Key:         Losing team progressing     Winning team progressing

Division One

Division One featured six new clubs:

  • Hunslet Warriors, promoted as champions from 2010–11 NCL Division Two
  • Castleford Lock Lane, promoted from 2010–11 NCL Division Two
  • Egremont Rangers, promoted from 2010–11 NCL Division Two
  • Bradford Dudley Hill, relegated from 2010–11 NCL Premier Division
  • Wigan St Judes, relegated from 2010–11 NCL Premier Division
  • York Acorn, relegated from 2010–11 NCL Premier Division

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Egremont Rangers (C, P) 26 19 0 7 921 558 +363 38 Promoted to National Conference League Premier Division
2 Castleford Lock Lane (P) 26 19 0 7 679 443 +236 38
3 York Acorn (P) 26 19 0 7 701 509 +192 38
4 Bradford Dudley Hill 26 18 1 7 850 404 +446 37
5 Hunslet Warriors 26 18 1 7 746 434 +312 37
6 Rochdale Mayfield 26 15 1 10 759 587 +172 31
7 Milford Marlins 26 14 2 10 692 438 +254 30
8 Wigan St Judes 26 15 0 11 796 662 +134 30
9 Eccles & Salford 26 12 1 13 669 718 −49 25
10 Millom 26 10 0 16 536 661 −125 20
11 Stanley Rangers 26 8 1 17 534 832 −298 17
12 Stanningley (R) 26 8 0 18 426 822 −396 16 Relegated to National Conference League Division Two
13 Oldham St Annes (R) 26 2 0 24 414 872 −458 4
14 Castleford Panthers (R) 26 1 1 24 282 1065 −783 3
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.

Division Two

Division Two featured five new clubs:

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 East Leeds (C, P) 24 22 0 2 800 313 +487 44 Promoted to National Conference League Division One
2 Waterhead Warriors (P) 24 18 0 6 799 454 +345 36
3 Dewsbury Celtic (P) 24 17 1 6 832 463 +369 35
4 Shaw Cross Sharks 24 17 1 6 568 382 +186 35
5 Widnes West Bank 24 13 1 10 657 488 +169 27
6 Crosfields (R) 24 11 0 13 562 594 −32 22 Relegated to National Conference League Division Three[lower-alpha 1]
7 Normanton Knights 24 11 0 13 499 762 −263 22
8 Ovenden 24 10 1 13 544 651 −107 21
9 Featherstone Lions (R) 24 9 3 12 565 724 −159 21 Relegated to National Conference League Division Three[lower-alpha 1]
10 Askam 24 10 0 14 511 615 −104 20
11 Elland 24 9 1 14 569 518 +51 19
12 Eastmoor Dragons 24 4 1 19 524 706 −182 9
13 Heworth (R) 24 0 1 23 252 1012 −760 1 Relegated to National Conference League Division Three[lower-alpha 1]
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Although there was no official relegation to Division Three, Crosfields, Featherstone Lions and Heworth were all demoted due to non-fulfillment of a fixture during the season.[1]

Division Three

Of the ten clubs in the newly formed Division Three, seven joined from the former Rugby League Conference National Division and two teams were promoted from the RLC Premier Divisions (Bristol Sonics and St Albans Centurions). The tenth club, South Wales Hornets, were a newly founded team. The Grand Final winners were Hemel Stags, defeating Underbank Rangers 17–10.

At the end of the season, all clubs apart from Underbank Rangers and Coventry Bears withdrew from the league for various reasons:

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Underbank Rangers 18 16 0 2 702 160 +542 50 Qualification for NCL Division Three play-offs
2 Hemel Stags (C) 18 15 0 3 612 229 +383 47
3 Coventry Bears 18 13 0 5 512 320 +192 40
4 Warrington Wizards 18 12 0 6 543 402 +141 37
5 Bramley Buffaloes 18 8 0 10 378 402 −24 29
6 Nottingham Outlaws 18 6 0 12 366 620 −254 21
7 St Albans Centurions 18 5 0 13 362 626 −264 20
8 Kippax Knights 17 5 0 12 302 454 −152 19
9 Bristol Sonics 17 5 0 12 333 583 −250 18
10 South Wales Hornets 18 4 0 14 297 611 −314 14
Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champion.

Play-offs
  Elimination play-offs   Qualifying / Elimination semi-finals   Elimination final   Grand Final
                                 
  15 September 2012  
1  Underbank Rangers 14  
2  Hemel Stags 24         29 September 2012
       Hemel Stags 17
  9 September 2012     22 September 2012      Underbank Rangers 10
  3  Coventry Bears 40        Underbank Rangers 36  
  6  Nottingham Outlaws 16   15 September 2012      Coventry Bears 18
     Coventry Bears 44  
8 September 2012      Warrington Wizards 34
  4  Warrington Wizards 64  
  5  Bramley Buffaloes 22
   
Key:         Losing team progressing     Winning team progressing

Cup results

Conference Challenge Trophy:

  • Leigh Miners Rangers 32–24 Egremont Rangers

References
  1. Brough, Martin. "NCL Statement: Leigh East and Heworth". Pitch Hero. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
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