Midlands 5 West (North)

Counties 4 Midlands West (North)
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 4 Midlands West (North)
SportRugby union
Instituted2005; 20 years ago (2005)
(as Midlands 6 West (North))
Ceased2019; 6 years ago (2019)
Number of teams6
Country England
HoldersTenbury (3rd title) (2018–19)
(promoted to Midlands 4 West (North) )
Most titlesTenbury (3 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Counties 4 Midlands West (North) (formerly Midlands 5 West (North)) was a level 10 English Rugby Union league and level 5 of the Midlands League, that was made up of teams from the northern part of the West Midlands region including clubs from parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire and even Cheshire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. Each year some of the clubs in this division took part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.

The league was formed in 2005 and was originally known as Midlands 6 West (North) prior to the Midlands league restructure at the end of the 2008-09 season. Promoted teams typically moved up to Midlands 4 West (North) and there was relegation due to it being one of the basement divisions for Midlands rugby. At the end of the 2018–19 season the league was discontinued, with the majority of teams transferred to Midlands 5 West (South). However, following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 the league was reinstated with the new name Counties 4 Midlands West (North).

2024-25

Departing were Burton III and Stoke-on-Trent II, both promoted to Counties 3 Midlands West (North). Atherstone were promoted to Counties 3 Midlands West (East).

Joining were Newport (Salop) III, Telford Hornets II and Warley.

2023-24

Departing were Stone, promoted whilst Longton II (11th) returned to the Staffordshire merit leagues.

Joining were Whittington, Wednesbury and Burntwood II.


2022-23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 4 Midlands West (North).

2019-2022

Not contested

2018–19

Participating teams & locations

2017–18

Participating teams & locations

Participating Clubs 2016-17

Participating Clubs 2015-16

Participating Clubs 2014-15

Participating Clubs 2013-14

  • Aldridge
  • Birmingham Barbarians
  • Chaddesley Corbett
  • Essington
  • Rugeley
  • Stourport
  • Telford Hornets
  • Whittington

Participating clubs 2012–13

  • Aldridge
  • Birmingham Barbarians
  • Essington
  • Rugeley
  • St Leonards
  • Stourport
  • Warley
  • Whittington

Participating clubs 2010–11

  • Aldridge
  • Birmingham Civil Service
  • Bromyard
  • Five Ways Old Edwardians
  • Hanford
  • Old Griffinians
  • Stourport
  • Tenbury
  • Wheaton Aston
  • Whittington

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 2005 as Midlands 6 West (North) it contained the following teams:

Midlands 5 West (North) honours

Midlands 6 West (North) (2005–2009)

Midlands 6 West (North) was introduced ahead of the 2005–06 season as a tier 10 league to replace the discontinued North Midlands (North) and Staffordshire 1 leagues. Promotion was to Midlands 5 West (North) and there was no relegation.

Midlands 6 West (North)
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Reference
2005–06 10 St Leonards Rugley No relegation [2]
2006–07 10 Handsworth Eccleshall No relegation [3]
2007–08 9 Barton-Under-Needwood Yardley & District No relegation [4]
2008–09 8 Essington Rugeley No relegation [5]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Midlands 5 West (North) (2009–2019)

Further league restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 6 West (North) and their counterparts Midlands 6 West (South-East / South-West) were renamed as Midlands 5 West North and Midlands 5 West (South-East) and Midlands 5 West (South-West), with all leagues remaining at tier 10. Promotion was now to Midlands 4 West (North) (formerly Midlands 5 West (North)) and there was no relegation. At the end of 2018–19 season Midlands 5 West (North) was cancelled.

Midlands 5 West (North)
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams Reference
2009–10 8 Market Drayton Warley No relegation [6]
2010–11 8 Tenbury Birmingham Civil Service No relegation [7]
2011–12 9 Bromyard Five Ways Old Edwardians No relegation [8]
2012–13 8 St Leonards Warley No relegation [9]
2013–14 8 Rugeley Telford Hornets No relegation [10]
2014–15 9 Church Stretton Aldridge No relegation [11]
2015–16 7 Essington St Leonards No relegation [12]
2016–17 7 Tenbury Market Drayton No relegation [13]
2017–18 8 Greyhound Linley No relegation [14]
2018–19 6 Tenbury Warley No relegation [15]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 2022-06-13.
  2. ^ "2005-2006 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  3. ^ "2006-2007 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  4. ^ "2007-2008 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  5. ^ "2008-2009 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  6. ^ "2009-2010 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  7. ^ "2010-2011 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  8. ^ "2011-2012 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  9. ^ "2012-2013 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  10. ^ "2013-2014 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  11. ^ "2014-2015 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  12. ^ "2015-2016 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  13. ^ "2016-2017 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  14. ^ "2017-2018 Midlands Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  15. ^ "2018-19 Midlands Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.