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Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams9
Country England,  Isle of Man
Most titlesAnselmians (5 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire (formerly Lancs/Cheshire Division Two (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 2)) is a regional English Rugby Union league for teams in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester at level 9 of the English rugby union system.

The division was initially known as North-West West 2 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names with South Lancs/Cheshire 2 being the longest running. The division switched to its name for the 2018–19 season due to the restructuring of the northern leagues by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) as a result of 19 Lancashire clubs withdrawing from RFU competitions to form their own competitions.[1] Each season three teams from Lancs/Cheshire 2 were picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase (a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12) - two clubs affiliated with the Cheshire RFU, the other with the Lancashire RFU.

The division had a break for the 2015-16 season as the RFU decided to restructure the South Lancs/Cheshire league into three zones - Merseyside (West), Cheshire (South) and Lancashire (North). This was short-lived and the division returned to its original format for the 2016-17 season with only Lancashire (North) remaining of the three zones.

After the introduction of North 2 West at tier 7 for the 2019–20 season, all Lancs/Cheshire leagues dropped one level, with Lancs/Cheshire Division Two ranked at level 9.

Following the cancellation of Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season [2] due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league was mothballed with teams transferred into the Lancashire Merit Table competitions, ADM Lancashire leagues or level transferred into other regional leagues.

After a hiatus for season 2021-22 the league returned in its new guise following the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, with the league renamed to Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Promotion is to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire and relegation to Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Teams 2024-25

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Departing were Wigan and Thornton-Cleveleys, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Joining were Fleetwood and De La Salle (Salford) relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire together with Vagabonds, Ashton-under-Lyne, Colne & Nelson and Blackpool promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Teams 2023-24

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Departing were Hoylake and New Brighton, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire. Vagabonds (9th) and Port Sunlight (10th) were relegated into the Lancashire RFU merit leagues. Ellesmere Port (6th) did not return for the new season.

Joining were Ormskirk, Orrell and Wigan relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire together with Burnley and Clitheroe promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues.

Teams 2022-23

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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.

Season 2021-22

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Not contested as many of the Lancashire RFU affiliated clubs had joined the Lanacashire ADM splinter leagues.

Season 2020–21

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On 30 October the RFU announced [3] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning the leagues was not contested.

Teams 2019–20

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Teams 2018–19

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Teams 2017–18

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Participating clubs 2016-17

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2015-16

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For the 2015-16 season this league, and South Lancs/Cheshire 3, were replaced by three county-wide leagues - Cheshire (South), Merseyside (West) and Lancashire (North). However, with the exception of Lancashire North, the county leagues were axed after just one season and the South Lancs/Cheshire leagues were restored.

Participating clubs 2014-15

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Participating clubs 2013-14

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Original teams

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When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

Lancs/Cheshire 2 honours

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North-West West 2 (1987–1992)

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The original incarnation of Lancs/Cheshire 2 was known as North-West West 2, and was a tier 10 league with promotion up to North-West West 1 and relegation down to North-West West 3.

North-West West 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 11 Old Instonians Ruskin Park Wallasey, Moore
1988–89 10 Oldershaw South Liverpool Halton
1989–90 11 Vulcan Hoylake Birchfield
1990–91 11 Vagabonds Aspull Wallasey
1991–92 11 St. Mary's Old Boys Old Parkonians[b] No relegation[c]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Cheshire / Lancashire South (1992–1996)

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Restructuring of north-west leagues saw North-West West 2 split into two new regional divisions named Cheshire and Lancashire South. Both regional divisions were initially at tier 10 but the creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that they both dropped to become tier 11 leagues. Promotion was to the newly named Cheshire/Lancs South (formerly North-West West 1), while the cancellation of North-West West 3 meant that there was no relegation until further league restructuring at the end of the 1995–96 season.

Cheshire / Lancashire South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
1992–93 11 Old Anselmians Wallasley No relegation Cheshire
10 Sefton Eccles No relegation Lancashire South
1993–94 10 Port Sunlight Congleton No relegation Cheshire
9 Didsbury Toc H Vulcan No relegation Lancashire South
1994–95 10 Congleton Eagle No relegation Cheshire
10 Newton-le-Willows Wallasley No relegation Lancashire South
1995–96 10 Old Anselmians Wallasley Multiple teams[d] Cheshire
10 Birchfield Southport Multiple teams[e] Lancashire South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (1996–2000)

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The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. Firstly, as part of the reorganisation of the Cheshire and Lancashire leagues, the two regional divisions Cheshire and Lancashire were merged back into a single division called South/Lancs Cheshire 2. The cancellation of National 5 North and creation of North West 3 meant that South Lancs/Cheshire 2 was a tier 11 league, with promotion to South/Lancs Cheshire 1 (formerly Cheshire/Lancs South) and relegation to the newly formed South Lancs/Cheshire 3 (previously North-West West 3).

South Lancs/Cheshire 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 10 Southport Crewe & Nantwich Port Sunlight, Hotlake
1997–98 10 Wallasley Birchfield Didsbury TOC, Old Parkonians
1998–99[5] 9 Dukinfield Crosby St. Mary's Oxton Parkonians
1999–00[6] 10 Ellesmere Port Moore Prenton, Bowdon, Ruskin Park
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2000–2015)

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Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that South/Lancs Cheshire 2 became a tier 8 league. At the end of 2014–15 season South Lancs/Cheshire 2 and South Lancs/Cheshire 3 were discontinued and all teams were transferred into Cheshire (South), Lancashire (North) or Merseyside (West).

South Lancs/Cheshire 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[7] 12 Dukinfield Ormskirk Newton-le-Willows
2001–02[8] 12 Wirral Southport Crosby St Mary's, Wallasey
2002–03[9] 12 Anselmians Bowdon Runcorn, Trentham
2003–04[10] 12 Hoylake Sandbach Moore, St Edward's Old Boys
2004–05[11] 11 Anselmians Oldershaw Ellesmere Port, Ashton-on-Mersey
2005–06[12] 12 Sale FC Dukinfield Southport, Manchester Wanderers
2006–07[13] 11 Ruskin Park Wigan St Edward's Old Boys
2007–08[14] 12 Dukinfield Ormskirk Oldershaw, Liverpool Collegiate
2008–09[15] 12 Anselmians Warrington[f] No relegation[g]
2009–10[16] 13 Liverpool Collegiate Ashton-on-Mersey Crewe and Nantwich
2010–11[17] 14 Orrell Warrington Holmes Chapel, Wallasey
2011–12[18] 14 Ruskin Park Crewe and Nantwich Ellesmere Port, Trentham
2012–13[19] 14 Sefton Douglas Buxton, Oldershaw
2013–14[20] 14 Manchester Medics Bowdon Wallasey, Ramsey
2014–15[21] 14 Liverpool Collegiate Tyldesley Ashton-on-Mersey, Trentham
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2016–2018)

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After just one season Cheshire (South) and Merseyside (West) were discontinued and South Lancs/Cheshire 2 and South Lancs/Cheshire 3 reinstated for the 2016–17 seasons with all clubs transferred back into these divisions.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2016–17[22] 12 Tyldesley Hoylake No relegation[h]
2017–18[23] 12 Winnington Park Liverpool Collegiate Oldershaw, Vagabonds
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2018–present)

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A further restructure for the 2018–19 season saw South Lancs/Cheshire 2 renamed to Lancs/Cheshire 2. The cancellation of South Lancs/Cheshire 3 at the end of the 2019–20 season meant that there was no longer relegation, although promotion still continued to Lancs/Cheshire 1. The introduction of North 2 West for the 2019–20 season saw Lancs/Cheshire drop to become a tier 9 league.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2018–19[24] 11 Aspull Eccles Oswestry, Port Sunlight
2019–20[25] 9 Port Sunlight Vagabonds No relegation
2020–21 9[i]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

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Notes

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  1. ^ Old Instonians would merge with Old Rockferrians to form Prenton RUFC in 1992.[4]
  2. ^ The North-West West leagues would be reorganised for the following season with North-West West 2 being split into two regional divisions (Cheshire and South Lancashire), while North-West West 3 would be cancelled. This meant that five clubs were promoted including Eagle, Hoylake and Shell Stanlow. The rest of the clubs would be transferred into the regional divisions - Old Anselmians and Port Sunlight would go into Cheshire, while Sefton, Mossley Hill and Vulcan would go into Lancashire South. Rockferrians would merge with Old Intonians to form Prenton and join Cheshire for 1992–93.
  3. ^ There was no relegation due to restructuring for the following season which would see North-West West 3 disbanded and North-West West 2 be split into two regional leagues - Cheshire and Lancashire South.
  4. ^ The restructuring of the Cheshire/Lancs leagues for the following season would see five clubs from Cheshire relegated to the new divisions - Whitehouse Park, Holmes Chapel, Moore, Shell Stanlow would drop two levels to South Lancs/Cheshire 4 while Prenton and Helsby would drop to South Lancs/Cheshire 3. Bottom side Whitehouse Park would drop out of the leagues at the end of the season.
  5. ^ The restructuring of the Cheshire/Lancs leagues for the following season would see seven clubs from Lancashire South relegated to the new divisions - Hightown and Halton would drop two levels to South Lancs/Cheshire 4 while Vulcan, St. Mary's Old Boys, Douglas, Liverpool College and Mossley Hill would drop to South Lancs/Cheshire 3.
  6. ^ 3rd place Oswestry also promoted.
  7. ^ No relegation as division due to increase from 12 to 13 teams for the following season.
  8. ^ Due to the restructuring of the South Lancs/Cheshire leagues for the following season there was no relegation.
  9. ^ 2 teams from the newly restructured Lancs/Cheshire Division Two dropped out of the RFU leagues to join the ADM Lancashire Leagues.
  10. ^ Anselmians victories includes two league titles when the club was known as Old Anselmians.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "North West league restructuring (June 14 2018)". RFU North. 14 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  2. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  3. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  4. ^ "HISTORY". Prenton RUFC. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  5. ^ "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  6. ^ "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. ^ "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  8. ^ "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  9. ^ "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  10. ^ "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  11. ^ "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  12. ^ "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  13. ^ "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  14. ^ "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  15. ^ "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  16. ^ "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  17. ^ "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  18. ^ "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  19. ^ "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  20. ^ "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  21. ^ "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  22. ^ "2016-17 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  23. ^ "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  24. ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  25. ^ "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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