CUP COMPETITIONS
Lancashire RFU Senior Competitions Committee organises a tiered knock out Cup, Trophy, Plate, and Bowl competition each season with entry open to all Lancashire RFU affiliated clubs. Cup enquiries can be directed to the Mens Cup Competitions Secretary, Brian Hurst 07947 500956 brian_hurst@btinternet.com
Cup Regulations
Lancashire RFU Adult Cup Regulations 2026 
Download
John Burgess Lancashire Cup
The Lancashire County Rugby Challenge Cup was introduced in the 1893-94 season and Oldham, Tyldesley, Morecambe and Littleborough were early winners. However, following the 1895 schism and departure of clubs to Northern Union the competition demised and was eventually reintroduced in 1971 with Orrell, Waterloo and Liverpool being regular holders during the seventies and eighties. In 1997 the magnificent silverware was renamed the John Burgess Lancashire Cup in tribute to the celebrated Salfordian, John Burgess CBE, who played for Old Salfordians and Broughton Park, representing Lancashire 20 times 1956-64 and North West Counties against the All Blacks in 1964 before coming to prominence as the coach of Lancashire 1968-1973. During his tenure the Red Rose county provided over 20 internationals, four England captains and a British Lions captain. Burgess coached England 1971-75 and became Lancashire RFU President 1981-82 and President of the RFU 1987- 88.
Results https://www.lancashirerfu.com/competitions/john-burgess-lancashire-cup/3105/results
Brian Leigh Lancashire Trophy
The Trophy was originally introduced in the 1893-94 season as the Lancashire County Rugby Challenge Cup (2nd Division) and was well supported up until the great schism. After 1895 clubs steadily joined the Northern Union and there were not enough remaining participants to make a meaningful competition for a second tier trophy, so the magnificent silverware was stored in a bank vault for many years until it was reintroduced in 1987, when it was decided to add a second tier to the Lancashire Cup Competition.
The Lancashire Trophy became The Brian Leigh Lancashire Trophy in the 2010-11 season in tribute to the former Lancashire County Rugby Hon. Secretary who had served the game in many roles including Chair of Disciplinary and passed in 2009.
Results https://www.lancashirerfu.com/competitions/brian-leigh-lancashire-trophy/3106/results
Lancashire Plate
The Lancashire Plate was introduced in the 1982/83 season with Old Aldwinians the inaugural winners. Since then, Liverpool Collegiate have lifted the trophy four times, with Eccles and De La Salle each holding it 3 times.
Results https://www.lancashirerfu.com/competitions/lancashire-plate/3107/results
Alan Stone Lancashire Bowl
The Lancashire Bowl was introduced in the 2009-10 season, named in tribute to Alan Stone, a club member of Aldwinians and a stalwart of the youth game who had worked tirelessly as one of the early Youth Development Officers in Manchester and Tameside communities, before cancer took his life at an early age. Since its introduction Garstang have been the most successful club, winning the Bowl on 3 occasions.
Results https://www.lancashirerfu.com/competitions/allan-stone-lancashire-bowl/3109/results
Lancashire Trophy Protocol
All Finalist teams for Lancashire RFU Cup Competitions should make themselves aware of the mandatory rules for the handling and security of the county silverware in this document Download
LEAGUE COMPETITIONS
League Regulations
RFU Regulation 6 covers adult competitions and sets out the rules for player eligibility, referee appointments, grounds, pitch markings and technical areas, replacements, match abandonment, score reporting, promotion and relegation.
Mens Pre-Season Briefing (Download)
Pitch Postponements (Download)
Promotion and Relegation
In RFU community rugby teams are typically automatically promoted by achieving the top league position. The exact number of promotion spots depends on the league structure and is determined by the RFU Organising Committee. Promotion can sometimes be decided by a play-off or by a comparison of the Best Playing Record (BPR), based on a percentage calculation of total possible league points.
Registration and Recording
All players in England are required to register annually on GMS (Game Management System) to play rugby for RFU member clubs. An adult player can not be selected on an EMC (Electronic Match Card) unless they are registered on GMS. GMS and EMCs work together as digital tools for recording player and refreree details, points scored, match results, managing leagues, and tracking player and team statistics.
RFU
The RFU's national men's rugby structure is a 10-level pyramid with the professional Gallagher Premiership PREM at the top tier. In the 2025/26 season Lancashire member clubs competed at National, Regional and County Levels 3 to 9.
- Level 1: Premiership (10 Clubs)
- Level 2: Championship (14 Clubs)
- Level 3: National League 1 (14 Clubs)
- Level 4: National League 2 (3 regional leagues, each with 14 clubs)
- Level 5: Regional 1 (6 regional leagues, each with 12 clubs)
- Level 6: Regional 2 (12 regional leagues, each with 12 clubs)
- Level 7: Counties 1 (19 regional leagues, each with 12 clubs)
- Level 8: Counties 2 (23 regional leagues, each with 12 clubs)
- Level 9: Counties 3
- Level 10: Counties 4
NOWIRUL
The IMPACT North West Leagues exist independently from the RFU league structure with their own competition regulations and a number of Lancashire clubs choose to play their men's lower XVs in this regional 6-level pyramid competiton.
- Level 1: Premiership (12 Clubs)
- Level 2: Division 1 (12 Clubs)
- Level 3: Division 2, North and South (2 leagues, 12 Clubs in each)
- Level 4: Division 3, North, West, South (3 leagues, 12 Clubs in each)
- Level 5: Division 4, North, West, East (3 leagues, 12 Clubs in each)
- Level 6: Division 5, West, East (2 leagues, 12 Clubs in each)
Senior League Competition Enquiries
Can be direted to Dave Clarke chair@lancashirerfu.com 07712 582423
Mens League Secretaries
National 1 Alan McCreadie 07804 983594 ncasecretary@outlook.com
National 2 North David Baker 07810 308958 djbaker175@yahoo.com
Regional 1 North West Ron Lewis 07983 498655 R1NW@RFUNorth.com
Regional 2 North West Ken Potter 07773 664065 R2NW@RFUNorth.com
Counties 1 Lancashire & Cheshire Brian Hurst 07947 500956 C1LC@RFUNorth.com
Counties 2 Lancashire & Cheshire Brian Stott 07974 141122 C2LC@RFUNorth.com
Counties 3 Lancashire & Cheshire Alan Whalley 07931 639670 C3LC@RFUNorth.com
NOWIRUL Premier Fred Swarbrick 07730 203173
NOWIRUL Div 1 Fred Swarbrick 07730 203173
NOWIRUL Div 2 North Ian Cosens 07971 084333
NOWIRUL Div 2 South Ian Cosens 07971 084333
NOWIRUL Div 3 North Chris Farmiloe 07722 554157
NOWIRUL Div 3 Central Chris Farmiloe 07722 554157
NOWIRUL Div 3 South Paul Riordan 07961 123111
NOWIRUL Div 3 West Andy Thompson 07973 600092
NOWIRUL Div 4 North Chris Farmiloe 07722 554157
NOWIRUL Div 4 Central Chris Farmiloe 07722 554157
NOWIRUL Div 4 East Paul Riordan 07961 123111
NOWIRUL Div 4 West Criag Hine 07815 745075
NOWIRUL Div 5 East Greg King 07973 338009
NOWIRUL Div 5 West Criag Hine 07815 745075
