National Division 5

National Division 5 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was a short lived English rugby union competition created as a tier 5 regional competition divided into National Division 5 North and National Division 5 South. In 1993 the RFU decided to change the whole league structure, with a new national league (National Division 4) replacing the old North / South regional system which would become the aforementioned National Division 5. This led to twelve out of thirteen teams in both National Division 4 regions dropping into National Division 5 while the league winners joined National Division 4 along with eight teams from National Division 3. This system continued to the end of the 1995–96 season when the league was restructured once again – with National Division 4 being abolished as a national competition reverting to the old system only being renamed as National League 4 North and National League 4 South.

Original league composition 1993–94

National Division 5 – North

• Birmingham & Solihull (promoted from Midlands 1)
• Bradford & Bingley (promoted from North 1)
• Durham City (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Hereford (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Kendal (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Lichfield (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Nuneaton (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Preston Grasshoppers (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Rotherham (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Stoke-on-Trent (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Stourbridge (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Walsall (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)
• Winnington Park (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 North)

National Division 5 – South

• Basingstoke (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Berry Hill (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Camborne (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• High Wycombe (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• London Welsh (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Lydney (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Maidstone (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Metropolitan Police (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• North Walsham (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Reading (promoted from South West 1)
• Southend (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)
• Tabard (promoted from London 1)
• Weston-super-Mare (relegated from 1992–93 Courage National 4 South)

Courage Division 5 North honours

Courage Division 5 South honours

Notes

See also

• English rugby union system

References

External links

• NCA Rugby