League Structure 2025-2026
Please find attached the Midlands League Tree for next season.
Midlands League Tree 21.05.2025 Regional 1 2 Leagues 2025-26
Also below is a letter from Terry Burwell regarding next season’s Regional Leagues and one that I have sent to all Clubs through league Secretaries leagues, please read these carefully.
GOOGLE MAPS:
Midlands Counties Leagues Levels 1 to Levels 1 to 4.
Since the end of the 24-25 season the Counties 1, 2, 3 & 4 leagues have been configured in line with the process laid down by the RFU Regulations and Protocol. Added to this we have had to consider very carefully how we by ‘Managed Inclusion’ consider how we can introduce 27 teams to the Midlands Counties league structure.
As you can appreciate the impact of promotion and regulation in and out of the various levels quite often changes the landscape from year to year. Also, the changes with teams coming down from the regional leagues and also for them the national leagues does cause us to occasionally have a cascade of clubs coming down in various parts of the Midlands.
This season we have tried to minimise that effect, but it has meant that in all Counties 1 (Level 7) leagues three teams have been relegated with some of them only having one promoted. We have also ensured that at least two teams are promoted out of each Counties 2 (Level 8) league. In Counties 3 and Counties 4 promotion has varied partly due to having seven leagues feeding into 4 at Counties 3. In Counties 4 at least 2 teams in each league have been promoted if not more. Due to the influx of new teams, we have changed the structure with having 5 Counties 4 Leagues this year compared to the two we had last year.
When working out these leagues, the majority of placements were fairly straightforward and with the assistance of a mapping tool which visually shows the obvious grouping of clubs. The challenge. as in the Regional Levels, is to incorporate all the outlying Club in the structure, which means in some cases we have to calculate mileage to make sure it is right for all teams.
We have sense checked with your CB Representatives and in some cases delegated them the final decisions if appropriate because of their local knowledge.
It is hoped that the 273 teams in the Midland structure look forward to next season where they will play many sides they have played this season plus a few new ones and possibly old ones.
If you have any queries, please contact your League Secretary who will advise you accordingly. If they are not certain they may forward, you to me to assist you. We have two possibly 3 new league secretaries this season who will be new to the process and will be assisted by myself and their CB reps as necessary.
At this moment it is important for me to mention that one of our long-standing league secretaries, Bill Pomeroy, passed away earlier this year after a short illness. He will be missed by his colleagues in the Midlands ROC and all the clubs that came in contact with him. If you met him, you would understand when I say, ‘He was a lovely person’.
Your League Secretary will be contacting you in the next few weeks asking for the contact information for your clubs. I have attached a form that needs to be filled in and sent to both your League Secretary and me. We do appreciate that some of these contacts may well change in the close season when you have your Club AGMs, but it is important for you to fill it in now and then when the time comes inform us of any changes.
I have asked you to do this because it can be a big issue if we do not have them, for not just us but also for you and in particular for Bob Morrison from the results service We do need them to be able to forward any information to the correct person in your club.
The structured season will be available very soon and will be sent out as soon as we receive it.
Finally, now that we have finalised leagues across the Midlands, the preparation of fixtures will commence. These fixtures will be published no later than the 14th June.
I wish you all a very restful close season.
Kind regards:Robin
Honorary Secretary of RFU Midlands ROC
Regional Leagues 2025-26
Following the conclusion of the 24/25 season, the Regional 1 and 2 leagues for Season 25/26
have been configured in line with the process laid down by the RFU Regulations and
protocol. It should be remembered that Regional One and Regional Two are effectively
National leagues organised into geographical clusters to minimise travel at each level. The
impact of promotion and relegation in and out of both levels variously changes the landscape
year on year throughout the country. This inevitably can sometimes cause the boundary lines
to change for the benefit of a range of clubs across more than one league, but there will always
be instances of clubs being on one side of a boundary and a neighbouring club on the other
side.
The majority of placements are very straightforward with the invaluable assistance of a
mapping tool which visually provides obvious groupings of clubs. The challenge then is to
incorporate all the outlying clubs whereby the travel onus is shared as equitably as possible.
This is where mileages sometimes have to be calculated to aid the process, and determine
which clubs are placed in which leagues. This is sense checked with the Regional Organising
Committee (ROC) and in some cases, it is necessary to delegate final decisions to the ROC who
have the necessary local knowledge of how best to allocate their clubs.
In some instances it is necessary to utilise the ‘exceptional circumstance’ proviso, but any
amendment has to fit within that definition and be truly exceptional to merit a change from
one league to another. There may be a discussion with impacted clubs to explain the issue
and agree the final positioning. One such example on this occasion was leaving a club in the
same league as last season, as the alternative being would have seen the club yo-yoed
between two leagues for the fourth season in succession.
I very much hope that all 216 clubs will look forward to their 25/26 league programme and the
opportunity to play some of their traditional fixtures and make new contacts with clubs in their
leagues. Any feedback should be addressed to your Regional Organising Committee but you
are now able to publicise your opposition for 25/26 season.
Work will now commence on preparation of fixtures which will be published no later than 14th
June.
Terry Burwell
Chair, RFU Adult Competitions Management SC