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The Conference was founded in 1998 with 14 teams, it grew out of the Southern Conference League (a 10 team pilot league in 1997), which itself grew out of the remnants of the by then defunct Midlands and South West Amateur Rugby League (MASWARLA), including some teams that were temporarily playing in the EMARLA (East Midland League), and some of the top teams in the London Amateur Rugby League, with one team (West London) being a joint venture between two LARL clubs and the first ever cross code club Bedford Swifts. The EMARLA and the NEARLA (North East League) were eventually absorbed, with the latter giving teams to the Northern Rugby League Summer Conference, which existed for 2000 before being incorporated into the Rugby League Conference. The best on the LARL was gradually included, with the rest reforming as a summer merit league for new clubs, police/prison sides and second teams(and third on occasions). Confusingly, the top (winter) league administered by BARLA is also titled ''conference'': the National Conference League . Although many of the clubs are affiliated to BARLA, the RLC is run, not by them, but by the Rugby Football League . The aim of the RLC is to provide regular fixture for new clubs based outside the 'heartland' of rugby league, although as the standards have raised it now also accepts teams from the 'heartlands'. The hope is that at least some of these clubs will eventually progress to become semi-professional clubs that could one day join the 'traditional' clubs in the National Leagues . Several former RLC teams are now in National League Three whilst London Skolars have progressed far enough to now play in National League Two. After the end of the RLC season a series of games between the different English regions (as defined by Sport England ) are held. These regional teams draw upon players from the clubs in their region. After this a selection is made for the England Lionhearts who represent England in a competition against national amateur sides from Wales (players drawn from Welsh RLC teams), Scotland and Ireland (players from their own national amateur championship). Since 2005 there has been a competition called the RLC Premier which consists of four regional based divisions: North, Midlands (formerly Central), South and Wales. The North, Midlands and South divisions each feature the strongest teams in those areas whereas the Welsh Conference has two equal, regionally split divisions. In 2006 a new league was founded as a feeder league to the RLC in the Midlands and South Yorkshire. The Midlands RL Merit League is based on the principles of the successful London League and consists of new clubs who are not ready for the full commitment of the Conference season together with RLC clubs' 'A' teams. From 2006 the Rugby League Conference will provide administrative and promotional support to the Scottish domestic league as a pilot scheme which aims to have a Scottish division of eight teams as a full part of the Conference for the 2007 season. The top two teams in each Welsh division will enter the semifinals to determine the Welsh champions. Each of the three English Premier Divisions will feature a top three playoff series to determine the winner, each of whom will join the Welsh champion in the Harry Jepson Trophy semi finals. Each RLC Regional Division will feature a top four playoff series with the winners entering the RLC Regional playoffs, although the North East winners have a bye to the semifinals, and will play their grand final as a quarter final. There is an optional RLC Shield for the teams that don't make their divisions' playoffs. Due to their being a limit to the number of games that can be played in the Regional Divisions the eight team divisions are split into sub divisions for fixture purposes. In the South West/West Midlands and the Cheshire Divisions the teams in each half play each other twice, and play the teams in the other half once giving ten fixtures. In the North Division and North East Division teams play their division twice, and two teams from the other division twice, giving twelve fixtures. All other divisions (including the two Welsh divisions) will simply play home and away, with the exception of the Midlands and South Premier Divisions, where teams will play one team from the other division home and away to make fourteen fixtures. 2006 STRUCTURE
PAST WINNERS Harry Jepson Trophy
RLC Shield
RLC Regional
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