Lancs/Cheshire Division Two


Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire 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 as a result of 19 Lancashire clubs withdrawing from RFU competitions to form their own competitions.
Each season three teams from Lancs/Cheshire 2 were picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - 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 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 for the 2020/21 season 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 2025-26

Departing were De La Salle and Garstang, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Ashton-under-LyneGambrel BankAshton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester9th
BurnleyHolden RoadBurnley, Lancashire7th
BuryBury Sports ClubBury, Greater Manchester3rd
ClitheroeLittlemore RoadClitheroe, Lancashire4th
Colne & NelsonHolt HouseColne, Lancashire5th
CongletonCongleton ParkCongleton, CheshireRe-entry
DukinfieldPlaying FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester10th
FleetwoodMelbourne AvenueFleetwood, Lancashire8th
HoylakeCarham RoadHoylake, MerseysideRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
OldhamManor ParkOldham, Greater ManchesterRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
OrmskirkGreen LaneOrmskirk, Lancashire6th
OrrellSt John Rigby CollegeOrrell, Greater Manchester12th
RamseyMooragh ParkRamsey, Isle of ManRe-entry
VagabondsPort-E-CheeDouglas, Isle of Man11th

Teams 2024-25

Departing were Wigan and Thornton-Cleveleys, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.
Joining were Fleetwood and De La Salle relegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire together with Vagabonds, Ashton-under-Lyne, Colne & Nelson and Blackpool promoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues.
Blackpool has initially been placed in the league but withdrew before the season started and instead opted to compete in the Halbro NW leagues.
Old Bedians withdrew from the league in November "... for the benefit of the club, with the aim to improve player enjoyment this season and increase player numbers in the future".
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Ashton-under-LyneGambrel BankAshton-under-Lyne, Greater ManchesterPromoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues
BurnleyHolden RoadBurnley, Lancashire5th
BuryBury Sports ClubBury, Greater Manchester4th
ClitheroeLittlemore RoadClitheroe, Lancashire7th
Colne & NelsonHolt HouseColne, LancashirePromoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues
De La Salle De La Salle Sports & Social ClubSalford, Greater ManchesterRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
DukinfieldPlaying FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester9th
FleetwoodMelbourne AvenueFleetwood, LancashireRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
GarstangHudson ParkGarstang, Lancashire3rd
OrmskirkGreen LaneOrmskirk, Lancashire8th
OrrellSt John Rigby CollegeOrrell, Greater Manchester6th
VagabondsPort-E-CheeDouglas, Isle of ManPromoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues

Teams 2023-24

Departing were Hoylake and New Brighton, promoted to Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire. Vagabonds and Port Sunlight were relegated into the Lancashire RFU merit leagues. Ellesmere Port 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.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BurnleyHolden RoadBurnley, LancashirePromoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues
BuryBury Sports ClubBury, Greater Manchester8th
ClitheroeLittlemore RoadClitheroe, LancashirePromoted from the Lancashire RFU merit leagues
DukinfieldPlaying FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester5th
GarstangHudson ParkGarstang, Lancashire3rd
Old BediansMillgate LaneDidsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester7th
OrmskirkGreen LaneOrmskirk, LancashireRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
OrrellSt John Rigby CollegeOrrell, Greater ManchesterRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
Thornton-CleveleysThornton Sports CentreThornton, Lancashire4th
WiganDouglas ValleyWigan, Greater ManchesterRelegated from Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire

Teams 2022-23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BuryBury Sports ClubBury, Greater Manchester
DukinfieldPlaying FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester
Ellesmere PortWhitby Sports & Social ClubEllesmere Port, Cheshire
GarstangHudson ParkGarstang, Lancashire
HoylakeCarham RoadHoylake, Merseyside
New BrightonHartsfieldMoreton, Merseyside
Old BediansMillgate LaneDidsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Port SunlightLeverhulme Playing FieldsBromborough, Merseyside
Thornton-CleveleysThornton Sports CentreThornton, Lancashire
VagabondsPort-E-CheeDouglas, Isle of Man

Season 2021-22

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

Season 2020–21

On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 season meaning the leagues was not contested.

Teams 2019–20

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Liverpool UniversityWyncote Sports GroundMossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside4th
Mossley HillMossley Hill Athletic ClubMossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside6th
Newton-le-WillowsNewton-le-Willows Sports ClubNewton-le-Willows, Merseyside9th
Old BediansMillgate LaneDidsbury, Manchester, Greater Manchester3rd
OswestryGranville ParkOswestry, ShropshireRelegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1
Oxton ParkoniansHM Curphey Memorial GroundOxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside10th
Port SunlightLeverhulme Playing FieldsBromborough, MerseysideRelegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1
Ruskin ParkRuskin Drive Sports GroundSt Helens, Merseyside7th
VagabondsPort-E-CheeDouglas, Isle of Man8th

Teams 2018–19

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AspullWood LaneAspull, Greater Manchester4th
BirchfieldBirchfield RoadWidnes, CheshirePromoted from Lancs/Cheshire 3
CongletonCongleton ParkCongleton, Cheshire8th
DukinfieldBlocksages Playing FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester9th
EcclesGorton StreetEccles, Greater ManchesterTransferred from North Lancashire/Cumbria
GarstangHudson ParkGarstang, LancashirePromoted from Lancs/Cheshire 3
MarpleRidge Sports PavilionMarple, Stockport, Greater Manchester12th
New BrightonHartsfield2,000Moreton, MerseysideRelegated from Lancs/Cheshire 1
OrrellSt John Rigby CollegeOrrell, Greater Manchester6th
OswestryGranville ParkOswestry, Shropshire10th
Port SunlightLeverhulme Playing FieldsBromborough, Merseyside11th

Teams 2017–18

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AspullWood LaneAspull, Greater ManchesterPromoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3
CongletonCongleton ParkCongleton, CheshirePromoted from South Lancs/Cheshire 3
Didsbury Toc HFord LaneDidsbury, Manchester, Greater ManchesterTransferred from Lancashire (North)
DukinfieldBlocksages Playing FieldsDukinfield, Greater Manchester8th
Heaton MoorGreen LaneHeaton Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester5th
Liverpool CollegiateAigburth Cricket Ground3,000Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside3rd
MarpleRidge Sports PavilionMarple, Stockport, Greater Manchester7th
OldershawBelvidere Recreational GroundOldershaw, Merseyside10th
OrrellSt John Rigby CollegeOrrell, Greater ManchesterTransferred from Lancashire (North)
OswestryGranville ParkOswestry, ShropshireRelegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1
Port SunlightLeverhulme Playing FieldsBromborough, Merseyside9th
VagabondsPort-E-CheeDouglas, Isle of Man11th
WiganDouglas ValleyWigan, Greater ManchesterRelegated from South Lancs/Cheshire 1
Winnington ParkBurrows Hill5,000Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire6th

Participating clubs 2016-17

2015-16

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

  • Ashton-on-Mersey '
  • Dukinfield
  • Liverpool Collegiate
  • Marple
  • Moore
  • Ormskirk
  • Orrell
  • Oswestry
  • Port Sunlight
  • Prenton '
  • Southport
  • Trentham '
  • Tyldesley '
  • Vagabonds

Participating clubs 2013-14

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
  • Chester College
  • Hightown
  • Moore
  • Old Instonians
  • Port Sunlight
  • Ruskin Park
  • Sefton
  • South Liverpool
  • St. Mary's Old Boys
  • Vulcan
  • Wallasey

Lancs/Cheshire 2 honours

North-West West 2 (1987–1992)

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.

Cheshire / Lancashire South (1992–1996)

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, 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.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (1996–2000)

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 and relegation to the newly formed South Lancs/Cheshire 3.

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2000–2015)

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. 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 (2016–2018)

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.

Lancs/Cheshire 2 (2018–present)

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.

Number of league titles