2012 National Conference League
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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.
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:
- Oulton Raiders, promoted as champions from 2010–11 NCL Division One
- Ince Rose Bridge, promoted from 2010–11 NCL Division One
- Myton Warriors, promoted from 2010–11 NCL Division One
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 |
| 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 |
Play-offs
| Elimination finals | Major/Minor semifinal | Preliminary final | Grand Final | |||||||||||||||
| 3 November 2012 | 16 November 2012 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Wath Brow Hornets | 18 | Wath Brow Hornets | 22 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Siddal | 12 | 10 November 2012 | Myton Warriors | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 27 October 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Siddal | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Myton Warriors | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 November 2012 | Myton Warriors | 23 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | West Hull | 22 | ||||||||||||||||
| Myton Warriors | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
| 27 October 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Thatto Heath Crusaders | 20 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Thatto Heath Crusaders | 38 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Leigh Miners Rangers | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
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 |
Division Two
Division Two featured five new clubs:
- Normanton Knights, relegated from 2010–11 NCL Division One
- Askam, played in 2011 NCL transitional season
- Widnes West Bank, played in 2011 NCL transitional season
- Dewsbury Celtic, joined from Rugby League Conference National Division
- Featherstone Lions, joined from Rugby League Conference National Division
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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:
- Hemel Stags, accepted into Championship One
- Bristol Sonics, St Albans Centurions and Nottingham Outlaws, joined newly formed Conference League South
- Bramley Buffaloes and Kippax Knights, applications rejected by NCL; joined Yorkshire Men's League
- Warrington Wizards, merged with Woolston Rovers
- South Wales Hornets, folded
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 |
Play-offs
| Elimination finals | Major/Minor semifinal | Preliminary final | Grand Final | |||||||||||||||
| 15 September 2012 | 29 September 2012 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Underbank Rangers | 14 | Hemel Stags | 17 | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | Hemel Stags | 24 | 22 September 2012 | Underbank Rangers | 10 | |||||||||||||
| 9 September 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Underbank Rangers | 36 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Coventry Bears | 40 | ||||||||||||||||
| 15 September 2012 | Coventry Bears | 18 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Nottingham Outlaws | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
| Coventry Bears | 44 | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 September 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Warrington Wizards | 34 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Warrington Wizards | 64 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Bramley Buffaloes | 22 | ||||||||||||||||