North Premier

{{Short description|Level five league in the English rugby union system}} {{for|the football competition|Northern Premier League}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{ Infobox rugby league cup | title = North Premier | current_season = | logo = | pixels = | sport = Rugby Union | founded = {{Start date and age|1987}} (as North Division 1) | folded= {{start date and age|2022}} | country = {{ENG}} | most_champs = Bradford & Bingley, Darlington Mowden Park, Huddersfield, Kendal, Morley, Otley and Preston Grasshoppers | count = 2 | TV = | website = [http://clubs.rfu.com/Fixtures/MatchByDivision.aspx?DivID=2228172263 clubs.rfu.com] }}

'''North Premier''' was a level five league in the English rugby union system, with the fourteen teams drawn from across Northern England. The other leagues at this level were London & South East Premier, Midlands Premier and South West Premier. The RFU reorganised the level five leagues for season 2022–23, with an increase from four to six and reducing the teams in each from fourteen to twelve.<ref name="National 3 Renamed">{{cite web|url=http://oxfordshirerfu.pitchero.com/news/renaming-of-rfu-national-3-leagues-18926/|title=Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues|publisher=Oxfordshire RFU|access-date=16 July 2017 }}</ref> The teams in this league now play in either Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West.<ref>{{cite web |title=League Structure and Leagues for 2022/2023 |url=https://rise.articulate.com/share/26CsHbwNnui6nhtbatR0v03gYNbPO02M?spMailingID=19306298&spUserID=NDU4MjM2MTQwMTU0S0&spJobID=1996212048&spReportId=MTk5NjIxMjA0OAS2#/lessons/uaHla5LidN_B3pfWKTHr5wL7se9E7u5A |website=RFU Community Communications |access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>

==Format== The fourteen teams in this league were drawn from across northern England with the champions promoted to National League 2 North and the runner-up going into a play-off with the second placed team from Midlands Premier with the winner also being promoted. The league's bottom three teams are relegated to either North 1 East or North 1 West depending on their geographic location. The league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union when the league was originally known as '''North Division 1'''. A further name change from '''National League 3 North''' to its final name for the 2017–18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for the series of regional leagues.<ref name="National 3 Renamed"/>

The season ran from September to May and comprised twenty-six rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals home and away. The results of the matches contributed points to the league table as follows: * 4 points are awarded for a win * 2 points are awarded for a draw * 0 points are awarded for a loss, however * 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer * 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match

==2021–22== Nine of the fourteen teams participated in the previous season's competition. They were joined by Otley and Preston Grasshoppers who were relegated from National League 2 North, and promoted sides York (from North 1 East) together with Burnage and Northwich RUFC (both from North 1 West).

The previous season's champions Blaydon were promoted into National League 2 North alongside Harrogate (who won the virtual play-off against Newport runners-up in Midlands Premier), while the relegated teams were Carlisle RFC (to North 1 West) together with Morpeth and Ilkley RFC (both to North 1 East).

The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.

Twelve of the fourteen teams from 2021–22 were placed into one of the new level five leagues for 2022–23. Alnwick, Billingham, Sandal and York were placed into Regional 1 North East while Blackburn, Burnage, Kirkby Lonsdale, Lymm, Macclesfield, Northwich, Rossendale and Wirral were placed into Regional 1 North West. The top two teams in 2021–22, Otley and Preston Grasshoppers, were promoted to the level four league National League 2 North. No teams were relegated to level six.

===Participating teams and locations===

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% |- !|Team !|Ground !|Capacity !|City/Area !|Previous season |- | Alnwick || Greensfield || 1,200 (200 in stand) || Alnwick, Northumberland || 11th |- | Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 5th |- | Blackburn || Ramsgreave Drive || || Blackburn, Lancashire || 6th |- | Burnage || Varley Park || || Stockport, Greater Manchester || Promoted from North 1 West (champions) |- | Kirkby Lonsdale || Underley Park || || Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria || 8th |- | Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 7th |- | Macclesfield || Priory Park || 1,250 (250 seats) || Macclesfield, Cheshire || 3rd |- | Northwich || Moss Farm || || Northwich, Cheshire || Promoted from North 1 West (playoff) |- | Otley || Cross Green || 7,000 (852 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=178|chapter=Otley R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire || Relegated from Nat 2 North (12th) |- | Preston Grasshoppers || Lightfoot Green || 2,250 (250 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=179|chapter=Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Preston, Lancashire || Relegated from Nat 2 North (13th) |- | Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire || 9th |- | Sandal || Milnthorpe Green || || Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire || 4th |- | Wirral || The Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 10th |- | York || Clifton Park || || York, North Yorkshire || Promoted from North 1 East (champions) |- |}

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=450|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2021–22 North Premier teams|places= {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=55.4042587 |long=-1.7014900 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Alnwick}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.7701912|long=-2.4902501|label={{raise|{{background color|white|Blackburn}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~|Northern England |lat=53.4082298 |long=-2.2091999 |label={{background color|white|Burnage}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.2079122|long=-2.6029485|label={{background color|white|Kirkby Lonsdale}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{raise|{{background color|white|Lymm}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.2581 |long=-2.1274 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Macclesfield}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~|Northern England|lat=53.2560196|long=-2.5331199|label={{background color|white|Northwich}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.905825 |long=-1.691785 |label={{background color|white|Otley}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.763201 |long=-2.703089 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Preston}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{background color|white|Rossendale}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.652981 |long=-1.479936 |label={{background color|white|Sandal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~|Northern England|lat=53.9732399 |long=-1.1050557 |label={{background color|white|York}}|position=right|label_size=80}} }}

=== Final league table === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- |colspan="15" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"|<!--

--> {|border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" |- |width=20% style="border:0px"| |style="border:0px"|'''North Premier 2021–22'''

|} |- ! width="20"| ! width="180"|Team ! width="20"|Played ! width="20"|Won ! width="20"|Drawn ! width="20"|Lost ! width="25"|Points for ! width="20"|Points against ! width="20"|Points diff ! width="20"|Try bonus ! width="20"|Loss bonus ! width="20"|Points ! width="20"|Adj pts |- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center | 1 || style="text-align:left;" | '''Otley''' || 26 || 24 || 0 || 2 || 1076 || 310 || 766 || 20 || 0 || '''116''' |- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center | 2 || style="text-align:left;" | Preston Grasshoppers || 26 || 23 || 1 || 2 || 1105 || 299 || 806 || 19 || 0 || '''113''' |- | 3 || style="text-align:left;" | Blackburn || 26 || 18 || 2 || 6 || 1001 || 526 || 475 || 19 || 3 || '''98''' |- | 4 || style="text-align:left;" | Billingham || 26 || 18 || 1 || 7 || 837 || 432 || 405 || 16 || 2 || '''92''' |- | 5 || style="text-align:left;" | Lymm || 26 || 17 || 0 || 9 || 829 || 543 || 286 || 15 || 3 || '''86''' |- | 6 || style="text-align:left;" | Macclesfield || 26 || 15 || 0 || 11 || 840 || 565 || 275 || 13 || 4 || '''77''' |- | 7 || style="text-align:left;" | Alnwick || 26 || 14 || 1 || 11 || 854 || 563 || 291 || 12 || 3 || '''73''' |- | 8 || style="text-align:left;" | Rossendale || 26 || 12 || 1 || 13 || 612 || 669 || −57 || 9 || 2 || '''61''' |- | 9 || style="text-align:left;" | Wirral || 26 || 11 || 0 || 15 || 562 || 669 || −107 || 8 || 5 || '''58''' |- | 10 || style="text-align:left;" | York || 26 || 9 || 1 || 16 || 643 || 584 || 59 || 11 || 8 || '''58''' |- | 11 || style="text-align:left;" | Sandal || 26 || 7 || 2 || 17 || 605 || 853 || −248 || 8 || 3 || '''43''' |- | 12 || style="text-align:left;" | Burnage || 26 || 5 || 0 || 21 || 545 || 1035 || −490 || 8 || 4 || '''32''' |- | 13 || style="text-align:left;" | Kirkby Lonsdale || 26 || 3|| 2 || 21 || 298 || 1288 || −990 || 4 || 0 || '''20''' |- | 14 || style="text-align:left;" | Northwich || 26 || 0 || 1 || 25 || 168 || 1639 || −1471 || 1 || 0 || '''−2''' || −5 |- |colspan="15"|

*If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: # Number of matches won # Difference between points for and against # Total number of points for # Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams # Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled |-| style="text-align:left;" | |colspan="15" style="border:0px"| Green background are the promotion places. Pink background are relegation places. '''Updated: 2 June 2022''' Source:<ref>{{cite web|title=North Premier|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1623&division=31810&season=2021-2022#table|website=England Rugby|access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> |}

==2020–21== On 30th October the RFU announced, that due to the coronavirus pandemic, a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning North Premier was not contested.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-cancels-adult-competitive-leaguesfor-the-202021-season |title=RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season |publisher=RFU |date=2020-10-20 |access-date=2020-11-09 |archive-date=23 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123223553/https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rfu-cancels-adult-competitive-leaguesfor-the-202021-season |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==2019–20== Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Macclesfield who were relegated from National League 2 North, and Blackburn, Carlisle and Morpeth who were promoted into the division.<ref>{{cite news|title=Macc down but leaders march on|work=The RugbyPaper|issue=551|date=7 April 2019|pages=32}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/sport/scarborough-rufc-battle-hard-but-edged-out-in-play-off-at-blackburn-1-9735633|title=Scarborough RUFC battle hard but edged out in play-off at Blackburn|publisher=The Scarborough News|date=27 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2018-2019/group/26458|title=2018-19 Northern Division|website=England Rugby|publisher=RFU|access-date=13 April 2019|archive-date=19 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419011333/https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2018-2019/group/26458|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2018-2019/group/26457|title=2018-19 Northern Division|website=England Rugby|publisher=RFU|access-date=13 April 2019|archive-date=19 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419011330/https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2018-2019/group/26457|url-status=dead}}</ref> Last season's champions Hull were promoted into National League 2 North, while the relegated teams were Vale of Lune and Wilmslow who all drop down into North 1 West and Kendal Rugby Union Football Club, Kendal who were relegated to North 1 East.

===Participating teams and locations=== {{col-begin|width=100%}} {{col-break|width=70%}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% |- !|Team !|Ground !|Capacity !|City/Area !|Previous season |- | Alnwick || Greensfield || 1,200 (200 in stand) || Alnwick, Northumberland || 9th |- | Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 4th |- | Blackburn || Ramsgreave Drive || || Blackburn, Lancashire || Promoted from North 1 West (playoff) |- | Blaydon || Crow Trees || 2,000 (400 seats) || Swalwell, Tyne and Wear || Runners up (lost playoff) |- | Carlisle || Rugby Ground, Warwick Road || 1,500 (250 seats) || Carlisle, Cumbria || Promoted from North 1 West (champions) |- | Harrogate || Rudding Lane || 2,000 || Harrogate, North Yorkshire || 3rd |- | Ilkley || Stacks Field || 2,000 (40 seats) || Ilkley, West Yorkshire || 8th |- | Kirkby Lonsdale || Underley Park || || Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria || 10th |- | Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 11th |- | Macclesfield || Priory Park || 1,250 (250 seats) || Macclesfield, Cheshire || Relegated from National 2 North (14th) |- | Morpeth || Grange House Field || 1,000 || Morpeth, Northumberland || Promoted from North 1 East (champions) |- | Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire || 5th |- | Sandal || Milnthorpe Green || || Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire || 6th |- | Wirral || The Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 7th |- |}

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=500|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2019–20 North Premier teams|places= {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=55.4042587 |long=-1.7014900 |label={{background color|white|Alnwick}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.7701912|long=-2.4902501|label={{background color|white|Blackburn}}|position=top|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.954853 |long=-1.691454 |label={{background color|white|Blaydon}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.8949547|long=-2.920028|label={{background color|white|Carlisle}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.992120 |long=-1.541811 |label={{background color|white|Harrogate}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.2079122|long=-2.6029485|label={{background color|white|Kirkby Lonsdale}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{background color|white|Lymm}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9317983 |long=-1.8207335 |label={{background color|white|Ilkley}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.2581 |long=-2.1274 |label={{background color|white|Macclesfield}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=55.170065 |long=-1.70131 |label={{background color|white|Morpeth}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{background color|white|Rossendale}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.652981 |long=-1.479936 |label={{background color|white|Sandal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=left|label_size=80}} }}

==2018–19== Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Blaydon who were relegated from National League 2 North, while Alnwick, Vale of Lune and Wilmslow were promoted into the division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncarugby.com/national-2-north/nat2n-round-30-review/|title=Sale FC crowned champions, Blaydon suffer back to back relegations|publisher=NCA Rugby|date=30 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2017-2018/group/23005|title=2017-18 Northern Division|website=England Rugby|publisher=RFU|accessdate=28 April 2018|archive-date=21 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121234628/https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2017-2018/group/23005|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2017-2018/group/23006|title=2017-18 Northern Division|website=England Rugby|publisher=RFU|accessdate=28 April 2018|archive-date=21 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121234843/https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2017-2018/group/23006|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/wilmslow/teams/18795/match-centre/0-4012879|title=Escapologists Never Say Die|publisher=Wimslow RUFC (Pitchero)|date=12 May 2018}}</ref> Preston Grasshoppers were promoted as champions into National League 2 North, while the relegated teams were Birkenhead Park (North 1 West), Morley and Pocklington (both North 1 East).

===Participating teams and locations=== {{col-begin|width=100%}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" width=100%

!|Team

!|Ground

!|Capacity

!|City/Area

!|Previous season

| Alnwick || Greensfield || 1,200 (200 in stand) || Alnwick, Northumberland || Promoted from North 1 East (champions)

| Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 6th

| Blaydon || Crow Trees || 2,000 (400 seats) || Swalwell, Tyne and Wear || Relegated from National 2 North (15th)

| Harrogate || Rudding Lane || 2,000 || Harrogate, North Yorkshire || 3rd

| Hull || Ferens Ground || 1,500 (288 seats) || Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire || Runners up (lost playoff)

| Ilkley || Stacks Field || 2,000 (40 seats) || Ilkley, West Yorkshire || 7th

| Kendal || Mint Bridge Stadium || 3,500 (258 seats) || Kendal, Cumbria || 10th

| Kirkby Lonsdale || Underley Park || || Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria || 8th

| Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 4th

| Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire || 5th

| Sandal || Milnthorpe Green || || Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire || 11th

| Vale of Lune || Powder House Lane || 4,000 (50 seats) || Lancaster, Lancashire || Promoted from North 1 West (Champions)

| Wilmslow || Memorial Ground || || Wilmslow, Cheshire || Promoted from North 1 West (playoff)

| Wirral || The Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 9th

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=500|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2018–19 North Premier teams|places=

{{location map~ |Northern England |lat=55.4042587 |long=-1.7014900 |label={{background color|white|Alnwick}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.954853 |long=-1.691454 |label={{background color|white|Blaydon}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.992120 |long=-1.541811 |label={{background color|white|Harrogate}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.745670 |long=-0.336741 |label={{background color|white|Hull}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.3402596|long=-2.7392313|label={{background color|white|Kendal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.2079122|long=-2.6029485|label={{no break|{{background color|white|Kirkby Lonsdale}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{background color|white|Lymm}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9317983 |long=-1.8207335 |label={{background color|white|Ilkley}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{background color|white|Rossendale}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.652981 |long=-1.479936 |label={{background color|white|Sandal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.0618095|long=-2.8191900|label={{background color|white|Vale of Lune}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3359184|long=-2.2464001|label={{background color|white|Wilmslow}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=left|label_size=80}} }}

==2017–18== Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Preston Grasshoppers and Harrogate who were relegated from National League 2 North, while Pocklington, Kirkby Lonsdale and Birkenhead Park are promoted into the division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/preston-grasshoppers/leicester-lions-40-grasshoppers-14-1-8471332 |title=Leicester Lions 40, Grasshoppers 14 |publisher=Lancashire Post |date=8 April 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/harrogate/harrogate-relegated-from-national-two-north-1-8520713|title=Harrogate relegated from National Two North|publisher=Harrogate Advertiser|date=1 May 2017|access-date=17 July 2017|archive-date=22 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622183610/http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/harrogate/harrogate-relegated-from-national-two-north-1-8520713|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2016-2017/group/21280|title=2016-17 Northern Division|website=England Rugby|publisher=RFU|accessdate=30 April 2017|archive-date=6 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206120917/http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2016-2017/group/21280|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2016-2017/group/21279|title=2016–2017 Northern Division|publisher=England Rugby|accessdate=30 April 2017|archive-date=24 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224072413/http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2016-2017/group/21279|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/15256519.Birkenhead_Park_promoted_back_to_National_League_Three_after__winner_take_all__clash_with_Penrith/|title=Birkenhead Park promoted back to National League Three after 'winner-take-all' clash with Penrith|publisher=Wirral Globe|date=30 April 2017}}</ref> Huddersfield were promoted as champions into National League 2 North, with Firwood Waterloo and Stockport both relegated to North 1 West and Cleckheaton dropping to North 1 East.<ref>{{cite web|title=National League 3 North 2015–2016|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2016-2017/|website=England Rugby|accessdate=8 April 2017}}</ref> In order to address an imbalance of teams at tier 5, Doncaster Phoenix were level transferred to Midlands Premier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rolling-maul.com/national-league-3-201718_topic15616_page3.html|title=National League 3 2017–18|publisher=Rolling Maul|date=3 May 2017|access-date=21 November 2021|archive-date=12 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212032220/http://www.rolling-maul.com/national-league-3-201718_topic15616_page3.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This season was the first that Kendal played at the new Mint Bridge Stadium.

===Participating teams and locations=== {{col-begin|width=100%}} {{col-break|width=70%}} {| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% |-

!|Team !|Ground !|Capacity !|City/Area !|Previous season |- | Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 5th |- | Birkenhead Park || Upper Park || || Birkenhead, Wirral || Promoted from North 1 West (playoffs) |- | Harrogate || Rudding Lane || 2,000 || Harrogate, North Yorkshire || Relegated from National 2 North (14th) |- | Hull || Ferens Ground || 1,500 (288 seats) || Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire || 3rd |- | Ilkley || Stacks Field || 2,000 (40 seats) || Ilkley, West Yorkshire || 9th |- | Kendal || Mint Bridge Stadium{{efn|Kendal moved to the brand new "Mint Bridge Stadium" in 2017–18 which should not be confused with the old Mint Bridge ground.}} || 3,500 (258 seats){{efn|This capacity is for the new Mint Bridge ground as opposed to the old ground, which had a capacity of 4,600 (600 seats).<ref name="Old Mint Bridge ground capacity"/>}} || Kendal, Cumbria || 7th |- | Kirkby Lonsdale || Underley Park || || Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria || Promoted from North 1 West (champions) |- | Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 8th |- | Morley || Scatcherd Lane || 6,000 (1,000 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=152|chapter=Morley R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Morley, West Yorkshire || 10th |- | Pocklington || Percy Road || || Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire || Promoted from North 1 East (champions) |- | Preston Grasshoppers || Lightfoot Green || 2,250 (250 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=179|chapter=Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Preston, Lancashire || Relegated from National 2 North (16th) |- | Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire || 2nd (lost playoff) |- | Sandal || Milnthorpe Green || || Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire || 6th |- | Wirral || The Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 4th |}

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=500|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2017–18 North Premier teams|places=

{{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.397406 |long=-3.045026 |label={{background color|white|Birkenhead}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.992120 |long=-1.541811 |label={{background color|white|Harrogate}}|position=top|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.745670 |long=-0.336741 |label={{background color|white|Hull}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.3402596 |long=-2.7392313 |label={{background color|white|Kendal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.2079122 |long=-2.6029485 |label={{no break|{{background color|white|Kirkby Lonsdale}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{background color|white|Lymm}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9317983 |long=-1.8207335 |label={{background color|white|Ilkley}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.7433510 |long=-1.6121500 |label={{background color|white|Morley}}|position=top|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9307487 |long=-0.7740305 |label={{background color|white|Pocklington}}|position=top|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.763201 |long=-2.703089 |label={{background color|white|Preston}}|position=top|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{background color|white|Rossendale}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.652981 |long=-1.479936 |label={{background color|white|Sandal}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} }}

===Final league table=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- |colspan="15" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"| {|border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" |- |width=20% style="border:0px"| |style="border:0px"|'''National League 3 North 2017–18''' |} |- ! width="20"| ! width="195"|Team ! width="20"|Played ! width="20"|Won ! width="20"|Drawn ! width="20"|Lost ! width="25"|Points for ! width="20"|Points against ! width="20"|Points diff ! width="20"|Try bonus ! width="20"|Loss bonus ! width="20"|Points |- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center | 1 || style="text-align:left;" | '''Preston Grasshoppers''' (P) || 26 || 23 || 1 || 2 || 897 || 410 || 487 || 22 || 2 || '''118''' |- bgcolor=#ccccff align=center | 2 || style="text-align:left;" | Hull || 26 || 20 || 3 || 3 || 815 || 340 || 475 || 18 || 2 || '''106''' |- | 3 || style="text-align:left;" | Harrogate || 26 || 19 || 1 || 6 || 697 || 477 || 220 || 16 || 4 || '''98''' |- | 4 || style="text-align:left;" | Lymm || 26 || 17 || 2 || 7 || 691 || 382 || 309 || 11 || 5 || '''88''' |- | 5 || style="text-align:left;" | Rossendale || 25 || 17 || 0 || 8 || 636 || 571 || 65 || 14 || 1 || '''83''' |- | 6|| style="text-align:left;" | Billingham || 26 || 16 || 1 || 9 || 794 || 501 || 293 || 13 || 3 || '''82''' |- | 7 || style="text-align:left;" | Ilkley || 25 || 12 || 1 || 12 || 523 || 532 || −9 || 7 || 5 || '''62''' |- | 8 || style="text-align:left;" | Kirkby Lonsdale || 26 || 10 || 0 || 16 || 565 || 584 || −19 || 7 || 10 || '''57''' |- | 9 || style="text-align:left;" |Wirral || 26 || 9 || 0 || 17 || 573 || 715 || −142 || 12 || 6 || '''54''' |- | 10 || style="text-align:left;" | Kendal || 26 || 10 || 1 || 15 || 537 || 635 || −98 || 6 || 5 || '''53''' |- | 11 || style="text-align:left;" | Sandal || 26 || 7 || 1 || 18 || 528 || 694 || −166 || 8 || 8 || '''46''' |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 12 || style="text-align:left;" | Birkenhead Park || 26 || 5 || 1 || 20 || 452 || 874 || −422 || 5 || 6 || '''33''' |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 13 || style="text-align:left;" | Morley || 26 || 6 || 1 || 19 || 324 || 715 || −391 || 2 || 3 || '''31''' |-bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 14 || style="text-align:left;" | Pocklington (R) || 26 || 3 || 1 || 22 || 375 || 977 || –602 || 6 || 3 || '''23''' |- |colspan="15"| *If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: # Number of matches won # Difference between points for and against # Total number of points for # Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams # Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled |-| style="text-align:left;" | |colspan="15" style="border:0px"| Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places. '''Updated: 22 November 2021''' Source: {{cite web|title=National League 3 North|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1623&division=11089&season=2017-2018#table |website=England Rugby}} |}

==2016–17== Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Huddersfield and Sandal who were relegated from National 2 North while Doncaster Phoenix, Morley and Kendal were promoted into the league. Sheffield Tigers were promoted as champions into National 2 North while Burnage and Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. were relegated to North 1 East and Birkenhead Park dropped to North 1 West. In order to address a league imbalance, 7th placed Sheffield were level transferred to National League 3 Midlands.

===Participating teams and locations===

{{col-begin|width=100%}} {{col-break|width=70%}} {| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% |-

!|Team !|Ground !|Capacity !|City/Area !|Previous season |- | Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 9th |- | Cleckheaton || Moorend || || Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire || 10th |- | Doncaster Phoenix || Castle Park || 5,000 || Doncaster, South Yorkshire || promoted from North 1 East (champions) |- | Firwood Waterloo || St Anthony's Road || 9,950 (950 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=126|chapter=Waterloo F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Blundellsands, Merseyside || 4th |- | Huddersfield || Lockwood Park || 1,500 (500 seats) || Huddersfield, South Yorkshire || relegated from National 2 North (16th) |- | Hull || Ferens Ground || 1,500 (288 seats) || Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire || 5th |- | Ilkley || Stacks Field || 2,000 (40 seats) || Ilkley, West Yorkshire || 8th |- | Kendal || Mint Bridge || 4,600 (600 seats)<ref name="Old Mint Bridge ground capacity">{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=174|chapter=Kendal R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Kendal, Cumbria || promoted from North 1 West (champions) |- | Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 3rd |- | Morley || Scatcherd Lane || 6,000 (1,000 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=152|chapter=Morley R.F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Morley, West Yorkshire || promoted from North 1 East (via play-off) |- | Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire || 6th |- | Sandal || Milnthorpe Green || || Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire || relegated from National 2 North (14th) |- | Stockport || The Memorial Ground || 500 || Stockport, Greater Manchester || 11th |- | Wirral || The Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 2nd (lost promotion play-off) |}

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=500|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2016-17 North Premier teams|places=

{{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.723048 |long=-1.707525 |label={{raise|{{background color|white|Cleckheaton}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.5344200 |long=-1.0778600 |label={{background color|white|D Phoenix}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.493795 |long=-3.0487007 |label={{raise|{{background color|white|Firwood Waterloo}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.645792 |long=-1.785034 |label={{background color|white|Huddersfield}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.745670 |long=-0.336741 |label={{background color|white|Hull}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9317983 |long=-1.8207335 |label={{background color|white|Ilkley}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.3402596 |long=-2.7392313 |label={{background color|white|Kendal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{background color|white|Lymm}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.7433510 |long=-1.6121500 |label={{background color|white|Morley}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Rossendale}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.652981 |long=-1.479936 |label={{background color|white|Sandal}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.406754 |long=-2.158842 |label={{no break|{{background color|white|Stockport}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} }}

|} |- ! width="20"| ! width="195"|Team ! width="20"|Played ! width="20"|Won ! width="20"|Drawn ! width="20"|Lost ! width="25"|Points for ! width="20"|Points against ! width="20"|Points diff ! width="20"|Try bonus ! width="20"|Loss bonus ! width="20"|Points |- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center | 1 || style="text-align:left;" | '''Huddersfield''' (P) || 26 || 26 || 0 || 0 || 1180 || 263 || 917 || 20 || 0 || '''124''' |- bgcolor=#ccccff align=center | 2 || style="text-align:left;" | Rossendale || 26 || 21 || 0 || 5 || 852 || 443 || 409 || 14 || 1 || '''99''' |- | 3 || style="text-align:left;" | Hull || 26 || 20 || 0 || 6 || 837 || 460 || 377 || 17 || 0 || '''97''' |- | 4 || style="text-align:left;" | Wirral || 26 || 18 || 0 || 8 || 814 || 501 || 313 || 16 || 1 || '''89''' |- | 5 || style="text-align:left;" | Billingham || 26 || 17 || 0 || 9 || 779 || 542 || 237 || 16 || 3 || '''87''' |- | 6 || style="text-align:left;" | Sandal || 26 || 16 || 0 || 10 || 935 || 556 || 379 || 16 || 5 || '''85''' |- | 7 || style="text-align:left;" | Kendal || 26 || 13 || 0 || 13 || 548 || 498 || 50 || 7 || 6 || '''65''' |- | 8 || style="text-align:left;" | Lymm || 26 || 12 || 0 || 14 || 629 || 632 || −3 || 9 || 4 || '''61''' |- | 9 || style="text-align:left;" | Ilkley || 26 || 11 || 0 || 15 || 571 || 576 || −5 || 7 || 8 || '''59''' |- | 10 || style="text-align:left;" | Morley || 26 || 8 || 0 || 18 || 577 || 864 || −287 || 10 || 4 || '''46''' |- | 11 || style="text-align:left;" | Doncaster Phoenix || 26 || 8 || 0 || 18 || 538 || 837 || −299 || 6 || 3 || '''41''' |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 12 || style="text-align:left;" | Cleckheaton (R) || 26 || 7 || 0 || 19 || 523 || 739 || –216 || 7 || 4 || '''39''' |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 13 || style="text-align:left;" | Firwood Waterloo (R) || 26 || 5 || 0 || 21 || 422 || 1019 || −597 || 4 || 5 || '''29''' |- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center | 14 || style="text-align:left;" | Stockport (R) || 26 || 0 || 0 || 26 || 229 || 1504 || −1275 || 1 || 1 || '''2''' |- |colspan="15"| *If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: # Number of matches won # Difference between points for and against # Total number of points for # Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams # Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled |-| style="text-align:left;" | |colspan="15" style="border:0px"| Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places. '''Updated: 29 April 2017''' Source: {{cite web|title=National League 3 North|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=1623&division=9974&season=2016-2017#table|website=England Rugby}} |}

===Promotion play-off=== Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 North, and National League 3 Midlands participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 North. The team with the best playing record, in this case Rossendale, host the match and they lost to their opponents Sheffield 31 – 32.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! width="195"|Team ! width="20"|Played ! width="20"|Won ! width="20"|Drawn ! width="20"|Lost ! width="20"|Points for ! width="20"|Points against ! width="20"|Points diff ! width="20"|Try bonus ! width="20"|Loss bonus ! width="20"|Points |- | style="text-align:left;" | Rossendale || 26 || 21 || 0 || 5 || 852 || 443 || 409 || 14 || 1 || '''99''' |- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center | style="text-align:left;" | Sheffield || 26 || 19 || 0 || 7 || 717 || 434 || 283 || 16 || 4 || '''96''' |}

{{rugbybox |date = 29 April 2017 |time = 15:00 |home = Rossendale |score = 31 – 32 |report = |away = Sheffield |stadium = Marl Pits |attendance = |referee = }}

==2015–16== Sheffield Tigers, are the champions, winning the league by 16 points. It was Sheffield's second promotion to National 2 North; in 2010–11 they won promotion via the play-off (as Midland representatives), beating Chester. Wirral, the second-placed team lost their play-off match against Hinckley and remain in this league for next season. Three clubs are relegated, Huddersfield YMCA to North East 1, and Birkenhead Park and Burnage, both to North West 1 .

===Participating clubs and locations===

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They were joined by two teams relegated from National League 2 North, Hull and Stockport; and by three promoted teams, Birkenhead Park, Ilkley and Sheffield. The teams leaving the league were the 2014–15 champions, Sale who were promoted to National League 2 North, along with the runner-up Sandal, the play-off winner against Hinckley; Morley, South Shields West and Beverley were all relegated to North 1 East.

{{col-begin|width=100%}} {{col-break|width=70%}} {| class="wikitable sortable" width=100% |-

|- | Billingham || Greenwood Road || 1,500 (100 seats) || Billingham, County Durham || 7th |- | Birkenhead Park || Birkenhead Park || || Birkenhead, Wirral || promoted from North 1 West (champions) |- | Burnage || Varley Park || || Stockport, Greater Manchester || 11th |- | Cleckheaton || Moorend || || Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire || 6th |- | Firwood Waterloo || St Anthony's Road || 9,950 (950 seats)<ref>{{cite book|title=Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91|year=1990|publisher=Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd|location=Windsor|edition=3rd|editor=Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell|page=126|chapter=Waterloo F.C. (Ground Details)}}</ref> || Blundellsands, Merseyside || 4th |- | Huddersfield YMCA || Laund Hill || || Huddersfield, West Yorkshire || 8th |- | Hull || Ferens Ground || 1,500 (288 seats) || Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire || relegated from National 2 North (15th) |- | Ilkley || Stacks Field || 2,000 (40 seats) || Ilkley, West Yorkshire || promoted from North 1 East (champions) |- | Lymm || Crouchley Lane || 1,000 || Lymm, Cheshire || 9th |- | Rossendale || Marl Pits || 1,100 (100 stand) || Rossendale, Lancashire || 5th |- | Sheffield || Abbeydale Park || 3,200 (100 seats) || Sheffield, South Yorkshire || promoted from North 1 East (via play-off) |- | Sheffield Tigers || Dore Moor || || Sheffield, South Yorkshire || 3rd |- | Stockport || The Memorial Ground || 500 || Stockport, Greater Manchester || relegated from National 2 North (16th) |- | Wirral || Memorial Ground || || Clatterbridge, Wirral || 10th |}

{{Location map+|Northern England|width=500|float=right|caption=Locations of the 2015-16 North Premier teams|places=

{{location map~ |Northern England |lat=54.6032222 |long=-1.273554 |label={{background color|white|Billingham}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.397406 |long=-3.045026 |label={{background color|white|Birkenhead}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.4082298 |long=-2.2091999 |label={{raise|{{background color|white|Burnage}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.723048 |long=-1.707525 |label={{background color|white|Cleckheaton}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.493795 |long=-3.0487007 |label={{no break|{{raise|{{background color|white|Firwood Waterloo}}}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.645792 |long=-1.785034 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Huddersfield}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.745670 |long=-0.336741 |label={{background color|white|Hull}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.9317983 |long=-1.8207335 |label={{background color|white|Ilkley}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3730376 |long=-2.4745124 |label={{background color|white|Lymm}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.703914 |long=-2.2756091 |label={{background color|white|Rossendale}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3257682 |long=-1.52103899 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Sheffield}}}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.335068 | long=-1.5526058 |label={{lower|{{background color|white|Sheff Tigers}}}}|position=left|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.406754 |long=-2.158842 |label={{background color|white|Stockport}}|position=right|label_size=80}} {{location map~ |Northern England |lat=53.3243479 |long=-3.01953 |label={{background color|white|Wirral}}|position=bottom|label_size=80}} }}

===Final league table===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|colspan="15" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"|<!--

-->

{|border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"

|width=20% style="border:0px"|

|style="border:0px"|'''National League 3 North 2015–16'''

! width="20"|

! width="195"|Team

! width="20"|Played

! width="20"|Won

! width="20"|Drawn

! width="20"|Lost

! width="25"|Points for

! width="20"|Points against

! width="20"|Points diff

! width="20"|Try bonus

! width="20"|Loss bonus

! width="20"|Points

|- bgcolor=#d8ffeb align=center

| 1 || style="text-align:left;" | '''Sheffield Tigers''' (C) || 26 || 22 || 0 || 4 || 984 || 314 || 670 || 17 || 4 || '''109'''

|- bgcolor=#ccccff align=center

| 2 || style="text-align:left;" | Wirral || 26 || 19 || 0 || 7 || 677 || 486 || 191 || 13 || 4 || '''93'''

| 3 || style="text-align:left;" | Lymm || 26 || 15 || 1 || 10 || 635 || 482 || 153 || 11 || 6 || '''79'''

| 4 || style="text-align:left;" | Firwood Waterloo || 26 || 17 || 1 || 8 || 590 || 537 || 53 || 11 || 2 || '''78'''

| 5 || style="text-align:left;" | Hull || 26 || 15 || 0 || 11 || 653 || 454 || 199 || 9 || 9 || '''78'''

| 6 || style="text-align:left;" | Rossendale || 26 || 14 || 1 || 11 || 720 || 613 || 107 || 13 || 3 || '''74'''

| 7 || style="text-align:left;" | Sheffield || 26 || 14 || 2 || 10 || 595 || 502 || 93 || 9 || 4 || '''73'''

| 8 || style="text-align:left;" | Ilkley || 26 || 14 || 1 || 11 || 571 || 609 || –38 || 7 || 5 || 70

| 9 || style="text-align:left;" | Billingham || 26 || 12 || 0 || 14 || 614 || 594 || 20 || 10 || 6 || '''64'''

| 10 || style="text-align:left;" | Cleckheaton || 26 || 11 || 0 || 15 || 508 || 646 || –138 || 6 || 4 || '''54'''

| 11 || style="text-align:left;" | Stockport || 26 || 8 || 1 || 17 || 588 || 770 || –182 || 10 || 7 || '''51'''

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center

| 12 || style="text-align:left;" | Huddersfield YMCA (R) || 26 || 7 || 1 || 18 || 546 || 813 || –267 || 10 || 7 || '''47'''

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center

| 13 || style="text-align:left;" | Birkenhead Park (R) || 26 || 6 || 0 || 20 || 519 || 739 || –220 || 7 || 10 || '''41'''

|- bgcolor=#ffcccc align=center

| 14 || style="text-align:left;" | Burnage (R) || 26 || 4 || 0 || 22 || 359 || 1000 || –641 || 1 || 3 || '''20'''

|colspan="15"|

*If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:

# Number of matches won

# Difference between points for and against

# Total number of points for

# Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams

# Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

|-| style="text-align:left;" |

|colspan="15" style="border:0px"| Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places. '''Updated: 27 April 2016''' Source: {{cite web|title=National League 3 North|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/|website=England Rugby}} |}

===Promotion play-off===

Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 Midland, and National League 3 North participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 North. The team with the best playing record, in this case Hinckley, host the match and their opponents are Wirral.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! width="195"|Club

! width="20"|Played

! width="20"|Won

! width="20"|Drawn

! width="20"|Lost

! width="20"|Points for

! width="20"|Points against

! width="20"|Points diff

! width="20"|Try bonus

! width="20"|Loss bonus

! width="20"|Points

|- style="background:#d8ffeb;"

| style="text-align:left;"| Hinckley '''(P)''' || 26 || 22 || 1 || 3 || 790 || 343 || 447 || 16 || 2 || '''108'''

| style="text-align:left;" | Wirral || 26 || 19 || 0 || 7 || 677 || 486 || 191 || 13 || 4 || '''93'''

----

{{rugbybox

|date = 30 April 2016

|time = 15:00

|home = Hinckley

|score = 33 – 20

|report = [http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/hinckley/teams/37288/match-centre/0-3321284 Report]

|away = Wirral

|stadium = Leicester Road

|attendance = 650

|referee =

}}

----

==2014–15==

===Participating clubs===

*Beverley

*Billingham

*Burnage

*Cleckheaton '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

*Firwood Waterloo

*Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

*Lymm '''(transferred from National League 3 Midlands)'''

*Sheffield Tigers '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

*Westoe

*Wirral '''(promoted from North 1 West)'''

==2013–14==

===Participating clubs===

*Beverley '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

*Huddersfield '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

*Morley '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

*Penrith

*Percy Park

*Rossendale

*Sale '''(promoted from North 1 West)'''

*Sandal

*Stockport '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

*Westoe '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

==2012–13==

===Participating clubs===

*Billingham '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

*Harrogate '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

*Kendal '''(relegated from National League 2 North)'''

*Lymm

*Penrith

*Percy Park '''(promoted from North 1 East)'''

==2009–10==

===Participating clubs===

Inaugural clubs (first season as National 3 North)

*Beverley (now playing in North 1 East)

*Birkenhead Park (still playing in National 3 North)

*Chester (now playing in National 2 North)

*Cleckheaton (still playing in National 3 North)

*Darlington Mowden Park (now playing in National 2 North)

*Middlesbrough (now playing in Durham/Northumberland 1)

*Morley (now playing in North 1 East)

*Penrith (now playing in North 1 West)

*Rochdale (now playing in North 1 West)

*Rossendale (still playing in National 3 North)

*Sheffield Tigers (still playing in National 3 North)

*Stockport (still playing in National League 3 North)

*West Hartlepool (now playing in North 1 East)

*West Park St Helens (now playing in South Lancs/Cheshire 1)

==2008–09== ===Final league table=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- |colspan="11" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"| {|border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" |+'''2008–09 North Division 1 Final League Table''' |} |- |style="background-color:#efefef;" width="190"|Club

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Played

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Won

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Drawn

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Lost

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Points for

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="25"|Points against

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Points diff

|style="background-color:#efefef;" width="20"|Points

|-style="background-color:#d3ffeb;text-align:center;"

| style="text-align:left;" | Westoe || 22 ||19 || 0 || 3 || 737 || 264 || 473 || '''38'''