The Lancashire County Rugby Football Union is the society responsible for

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

in the county of

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, and is one of the constituent bodies of the national

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...

having been formed in 1881. In addition it is the county that has won the

County Championship The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...

on most occasions

History

Early years

The first match arranged for the county of Lancashire took place in 1870, at Leeds against Yorkshire. This match was immediately known as the "Battle of the Roses" and was considered the "

blue riband The Blue Riband () is an unofficial accolade given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest average speed. The term was borrowed from horse racing and was not widely used until after 1910. T ...

" of Northern rugby football. To be selected to represent the county was an honour bestowed long before the foundation of the Lancashire RFU and it was seen as "the high road to International honours".

Formation of a Football Union

From 1870 to 1881 the government and arrangement of county matches in Lancashire vested in Manchester Football Club. Though self-appointed, Manchester FC was recognised as the authority by the other great Lancashire club, Liverpool St. Helens.Francis Marshall, ''Football; the Rugby union game'', page 373, London A movement of emerging new clubs, headed by W. Bell, the honorary secretary of the Broughton FC, had an objective to secure a voice in the selection of county teams. Bell was supported by an informal committee consisting of: G. C. Lindsay (Manchester Rangers), A. M. Crook (Free Wanderers), F. C. Hignett ( Swinton), Hunter (Birch). Initial approaches to the Manchester Club were declined and in 1881 a general meeting of Lancashire clubs was called at which the following clubs were represented: Manchester Rangers; Free Wanderers; Broughton; Swinton; Walton; Rossendale;

Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, wh ...

; Manchester Athletic;

Rochdale Hornets The Rochdale Hornets are a professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, competing in the Championship, the second tier of European rugby league. The Rochdale Hornets are one of the original twenty-two rugby clubs ...

; Chorley Birch; and Cheetham. Notably, the Manchester Club did not take part, but a resolution to form the Lancashire Football Union was agreed. The initial committee had W. Bell as its honorary secretary and G. C. Lindsay as the honorary treasurer. Two county matches were arranged altogether versus the Midland Counties and Lanarkshire (Scotland). Manchester then decided to wrest control of the county back and on 22 December 1881 met with the new Union and a duly constituted and representative governing body, its club to be called The Lancashire County Football Club, was formed. It was agreed the president, a vice-president, the hon. secretary and treasurer should be elected from the Manchester Football Club, a vice-president and a member of committee from the

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

Club, and the remaining eight names to be elected from clubs other than the Manchester and Liverpool clubs. Also, all Home County matches would be played on the ground of the Manchester Football Club. The first officers and clubs elected to represent the newly formed Lancashire County Football Club were: *PRESIDENT : James MacLaren, Esq. (

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

). *VICE-PRESIDENTS : W. Brierley, Esq. (

) ; E. Kewley, Esq. (

). *HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER : W. Grave, Esq. (

). *COMMITTEE :

, Broughton, Cheetham, Preston, Manchester Rangers,

, Swinton, and Free Wanderers. Lancashire county rugby team 1887 cropped

The first match was versus the Midland Counties (the Lanarkshire match having been cancelled), played at Coventry on 26 March 1882. Albert Neilson Hornby became president after James MacLaren resigned the office on 1 October 1884. Lancashire was part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in 1887 when they were asked to play Middlesex at

Kennington Oval The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since it ...

on 12 March as a representation of Rugby Football, whilst

Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians ( grc, Α΄ ᾽Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους) is one of the Pauline epistles, part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-aut ...

played

Preston North End Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional football club in Preston, Lancashire, England, who currently play in the EFL Championship, the second tier of the English football league syste ...

as an exposition of Association rules. Lancashire, led by

Edward Temple Gurdon Edward Temple Gurdon, often known as Temple Gurdon, was a rugby union international who represented England from 1878 to 1886. He also captained his country. Early life Temple Gurdon was born on 25 January 1854 in Barnham Broom, Norfolk. He wa ...

, won by a try, gained by

Vincent Slater Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer''). People with the given name Artists *Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor *Vincent van Gogh ...

(

Salford Salford () is a city and the largest settlement in the City of Salford metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. In 2011, Salford had a population of 103,886. It is also the second and only other city in the metropolitan county afte ...

). In February 1889 it was proposed that the county shall be divided out into five districts (Manchester, Liverpool, South-East Lancashire, West Lancashire, and North Lancashire) each with three representatives, removing club based representation on the committee.

1890–1900

Lancashire won the 1890-91 season of the County Championship, despite the

county championship The County Championship (referred to as the LV= Insurance County Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales and is organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It bec ...

having been organised by arch-rivals,

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

. Lancashire won all their games with "not a goal being scored against them in any of the county matches they played". They then played "the Rest of England", on 18 April 1891. In 1891-92 Lancashire were defeated by Yorkshire who therefore wrested the championship of England from Lancashire. At this time, Lancashire County Football Club was made up of a number of clubs, and two sub-unions, West Lancashire Union (formed in 1884) and South-East Lancashire Union (predating the county Rugby Union having been formed in 1877): * Aspull * Askam * Barrow-in- Furness * Blackley Rangers * Blackley * Boothstown * Broughton *

Broughton Rangers Broughton Rangers were one of the twenty-one rugby clubs which met at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, in 1895 to form the Northern Rugby Football Union. They were originally based in Broughton, Salford, but in 1933 moved to Gorton, Manchester t ...

* Bury *

Broughton Park Broughton is a suburb and district of Salford, City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, on the east bank of the River Irwell, it is northwest of Manchester and south of Prestwich. Historically in Lancashire, Broughton was a township ...

* Crompton * Eccles RFC * Failsworth * Free Wanderers *

Leigh Leigh may refer to: Places In England Pronounced : * Leigh, Greater Manchester, Borough of Wigan ** Leigh (UK Parliament constituency) * Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Pronounced : * Leigh, Dorset * Leigh, Gloucestershire * Leigh, Kent * Leigh, Staf ...

* Liverpool Old Boys * Lancaster *

* Manchester Rangers *

Morecambe Morecambe ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster district in Lancashire, England. It is in Morecambe Bay on the Irish Sea. Name The first use of the name was by John Whitaker in his ''History of Manchester'' (1771), w ...

* Mossley *

* Owens College * Pendleton *

Radcliffe Radcliffe or Radcliff may refer to: Places * Radcliffe Line, a border between India and Pakistan United Kingdom * Radcliffe, Greater Manchester ** Radcliffe Tower, the remains of a medieval manor house in the town ** Radcliffe tram stop * ...

* Rochdale St. Clements *

* Stalybridge * St. Helens *

St Helens Recs St Helens Recreation Rugby League Football Club, often known as St Helens Recs or just the Recs, is a former professional rugby league club from St. Helens, Lancashire, that played in the Rugby Football League during the inter-war years. The club ...

* South-East Lancashire and Border Towns Rugby Union (Rugby Union) * Southport * Swinton * Tottington * Tuebrook *

Tyldesley Tyldesley () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, it is north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, southeast of Wigan ...

* Ulverston * Walkden *

Warrington Warrington () is a town and unparished area in the borough of the same name in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Mersey. It is east of Liverpool, and west of Manchester. The population in 2019 was estimat ...

* Werneth * West Lancashire (Rugby Union) *

Widnes Widnes ( ) is an Industrial city, industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it is on t ...

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...

Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat * Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place. Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Antarctica *King George Island (S ...

It was postulated that the comparatively small membership compared to

had its roots in the fact that Yorkshire had a

Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup is a knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, with the exception of 1915–1919 and 1939–1940, due to World War I and World War II respectively. It involves am ...

, the eligibility for which was based on membership of the county union, whereas in Lancashire there was no equivalent.

Affiliated clubs

There are currently 83 clubs affiliated with the Lancashire RFU, most of which have teams at both senior and junior level. The majority of teams are based in

, parts of

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county and combined authority, combined authority area in North West England, with a population of 2.8 million; comprising ten metropolitan boroughs: City of Manchester, Manchester, City of Salford, Salford ...

and

Merseyside Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan county, metropolitan and ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of List of ceremonial counties of England, 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Merse ...

, but there are also occasionally sides from

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

and even

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

that are members. * Aldwinians *

Anti-Assassins The Anti-Assassins Rugby Union Football team (A-As) was an invitation team that selected players from the northern counties of England to play friendly charitable matches locally and to go on tour. The team was remodelled in 2004, teaming up with ...

Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, in the foothills of the Pennines, east of Manche ...

Aspull Aspull is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, Aspull, along with Haigh, is surrounded by greenbelt and agricultural land, separated from Westhoughton, on its southeast side, ...

Bay Horse Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish-brown or brown body color with a black point coloration on the mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds. The black a ...

* Birchfield *

Blackburn Blackburn () is an industrial town and the administrative centre of the Blackburn with Darwen borough in Lancashire, England. The town is north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, east of Preston and north-n ...

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...

Bolton Bolton (, locally ) is a large town in Greater Manchester in North West England, formerly a part of Lancashire. A former mill town, Bolton has been a production centre for textiles since Flemish people, Flemish weavers settled in the area i ...

* Broughton *

Burnage Burnage is a suburb of the city of Manchester in North West England, about south of Manchester city centre and bisected by the dual carriageway of Kingsway. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the population of the Bur ...

Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Bru ...

Bury Bury may refer to: *The burial of human remains *-bury, a suffix in English placenames Places England * Bury, Cambridgeshire, a village * Bury, Greater Manchester, a town, historically in Lancashire ** Bury (UK Parliament constituency) (1832–19 ...

Carnforth Carnforth is a market town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England, situated at the north-east end of Morecambe Bay. The parish of Carnforth had a population of 5,560 in the 2011 census, an increase from the 5,350 reco ...

Chorley Chorley is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England, north of Wigan, south west of Blackburn, north west of Bolton, south of Preston and north west of Manchester. The town's wealth came pr ...

Clitheroe Clitheroe () is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England; it is located north-west of Manchester. It is near the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists visiting the area. In 2018, the Cl ...

* Colne & Nelson * Crosby St Marys * De la Salle * Didsbury Toc H *

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

* East City Saints * Eccles *

Edge Hill University Edge Hill University is a campus-based public university in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England, which opened in 1885 as Edge Hill College, the first non-denominational teacher training college for women in England, before admitting its first male st ...

* England Fire Service * Firwood Waterloo *

Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire, England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 25,939 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census. Fleetwood acquired its modern character in the 1830 ...

* Fylde *

Garstang Garstang is an ancient market town and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is north of the city of Preston and the same distance south of Lancaster. In 2011, the parish had a total resident population of 4,268 ...

* Greater Manchester Fire Brigade *

Greater Manchester Police Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England. , Greater Manchester Police employed 6,866 police officers, 3,524 memb ...

Heaton Moor Heaton Moor is a suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, it is one of the Four Heatons and borders Heaton Chapel, Heaton Norris and Heaton Mersey. Heaton Moor has Victorian ...

HM Prison Hindley HM Prison Hindley is a male prison , located in the village of Bickershaw (near Wigan) in Greater Manchester, England. Hindley is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. History Hindley Prison opened in 1961 as a Borstal. In 1983 it was re ...

Lancashire Constabulary Lancashire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in North West England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston. , the force has 3,088 police officer ...

* Lancashire Ladies *

Lancaster University Lancaster University (legally The University of Lancaster) is a public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several pla ...

* Leyland Warriors * Littleborough * Liverpool Collegiate *

Liverpool John Moores University , mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold , established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University , type = Public , endowment = , coor ...

Liverpool Medical School The University of Liverpool School of Medicine is a medical school located in Liverpool, United Kingdom and a part of the University of Liverpool. It is one of the largest medical schools in the UK, and in 1903 became one of the first to be in ...

* Lostock *

* Manchester Medicals *

Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester Metropolitan University is located in the centre of Manchester, England. The university has over 40,000 students and over 4,000 members of staff. It is home to four faculties (Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Educat ...

* Manchester YMCA * Mancunians *

Merseyside Police Merseyside Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Merseyside in North West England. The service area is 647 square kilometres with a population of around 1.5 million. As of September 2017 the service has 3,484 police of ...

Mossley Hill Mossley Hill is a suburb of Liverpool and a Liverpool City Council ward. Located to the south of the city, it is bordered by Aigburth, Allerton, Childwall, and Wavertree. At the 2001 Census, the population was 12,650, increasing to 13,816 at t ...

Myerscough College Myerscough College (pronounced as ''Myers-coe'') is a Higher and Further Education college near Bilsborrow on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. Origins Myerscough College was founded on 15 March 1894 as the ''Lancashire County Institute of Agr ...

Newton Le Willows Newton-le-Willows is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside, England. The population at the 2011 census was 22,114. Newton-le-Willows is on the eastern edge of St Helens, south of Wigan and north of Warrington. The ...

North Manchester North Manchester was, from 1896 to 1916, a township within the Poor Law Union of Manchester, England. North Manchester was a local government sub-district used for the administration of Poor Law legislation; it was an inter-parish unit for soci ...

Old Bedians Old Bedians Sports Centre is a mixed use sports centre located in East Didsbury, being home to Didsbury Old Bedians RUFC rugby club, Bedians AFC football club and Oisins CLG Gaelic Football club. Old Bedians is located south of Manchester, on th ...

* Old Boltonians *

Ormskirk Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England, north of Liverpool, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston. Ormskirk is known for its gingerbread. Geography and administr ...

Orrell Orrell may refer to: *Orrell, Greater Manchester, a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan **Orrell (ward), an electoral ward of the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council *Orrell, Merseyside, an urban area east of Bootle, in the Metropolitan Bo ...

* Orrell St James *

Preston Grasshoppers Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team from Preston, Lancashire. The men's senior team play in the RFU National League 2 North, a level 4 league in the RFU league pyramid. History The club was founded on 28 Se ...

Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, at the foothills of the South Pennines in the dale on the River Roch, northwest of Oldham and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough ...

* Rossendale *

Ruskin Park Ruskin Park is a park in the London Borough of Lambeth, London, England, close to Camberwell, Loughborough Junction and Herne Hill. History At the start of the 20th century local residents successfully campaigned for a new public park on 24 acr ...

* St Edwards Old Boys *

Sedgley Park Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford, Greater Manchester, Salford and south of Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury. Historic counties of Eng ...

* Sefton *

Southport Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England. Southport lies on the Irish ...

Tarleton Tarleton is a village and civil parish in the borough of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. It situated in the Lancashire mosslands approximately 10 miles north east of Southport, approximately 10 miles south west of Preston, approximately ...

Thornton Cleveleys Thornton-Cleveleys is a conurbation consisting of the village of Thornton, Lancashire, Thornton and the town of Cleveleys. The two settlements formed a joint Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland), urban district from 1927 until 1974, before ...

* Trafford MV *

University of Bolton , established = 2004 – gained University Status 1982 – Bolton Institute of Higher Education , type = Public , endowment = £160,000 (2009) , administrative_staff = 700+ , chancellor ...

University of Central Lancashire , mottoeng = "From the Earth to the Sun" , established = as Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledgere-established 1992 (University status granted) , type = Public , chancellor ...

University of Cumbria The University of Cumbria is a public university in Cumbria, with its headquarters in Carlisle and other major campuses in Lancaster, Ambleside, and London. It has roots extending back to the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts, establis ...

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...

University of Salford , caption = Coat of ArmsUniversity of Salford , mottoeng = "Let us seek higher things" , established = 1850 - Pendleton Mechanics Institute 1896 – Royal Technical Institute, Salford 1967 – gained ...

* Vale of Lune *

West Park St Helens West Park (St Helens) RFC is a rugby union club based in St Helens, Merseyside. The 1st XV currently play in South Lancs/Cheshire 1 at the seventh level of the English rugby union system following their relegation from North 1 West at the e ...

Wythenshawe Wythenshawe () is a district of the city of Manchester, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in Cheshire, Wythenshawe was transferred in 1931 to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the ...

County club competitions

The Lancashire RFU currently helps run the following competitions for club sides based in

Leagues

All leagues are by both the Lancashire RFU and Cheshire RFU and feature clubs based in

and the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

. * Lancs/Cheshire 1 - league ranked at tier 7 of the

English rugby union system Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system. Women's Rugby union in England cons ...

* South Lancs/Cheshire 1 - tier 7 league *

South Lancs/Cheshire 2 Lancs/Cheshire Division Two (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 2) was a regional English Rugby Union league for teams in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester at level 9 of the English rugby union system. Teams were promo ...

- tier 8 league *

Lancs/Cheshire Division 3 Lancs/Cheshire Division Two (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 2) was a regional English Rugby Union league for teams in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester at level 9 of the English rugby union system. Teams were promot ...

- tier 9 league In 2018 several Lancashire Clubs lobbied the County to form a county based league system after repeated requests to change the RFU League structure in the North West had failed. The start of the 2018/19 season saw the founding of two Leagues in th
ADM Lancashire County Leagues
consisting of ten teams each. In the 2019/20 this was expanded to two 12 team leagues and by the 2020-21 season it had expanded to three senior 1st XV leagues consisting of three leagues and 35 clubs. In addition, two new "combination" leagues where formed consisting of two 10 team leagues.
ADM Premier DivisionADM Championship DivisionADM 1st DivisionCombination 1Combination 2

Cups

* John Burgess Lancashire Trophy * Brian Leigh Lancashire Trophy * Lancashire Plate * Alan Stone Lancashire Bowl

Discontinued competitions

North Lancashire/Cumbria North Lancashire/Cumbria (usually referred to as North Lancs/Cumbria) was an English Rugby Union League at the seventh tier of club rugby union for teams from North Lancashire and Cumbria that ran until the end of 2017–18 season. Promotion fro ...

- tier 7 league for Lancashire and

based clubs that was abolished in 2018 *

North Lancashire 2 North Lancashire Division 2 was an English Rugby Union league for teams from North Lancashire. The division was initially known as North-West East 2 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with North Lancashire 2 b ...

- tier 9 league for Lancashire clubs that was abolished in 2015 *

Lancashire (North) Lancashire (North), formerly known as North Lancashire 1 was a regional (tier 8) English Rugby Union league for teams from the South Lancashire and Manchester area. The league champions were promoted to North Lancashire/Cumbria while the runner ...

- tier 8 league for Lancashire clubs that was abolished in 2017 *

North West 1 North West 1 (not to be confused with North 1 West) was an English Rugby Union league which was at the seventh tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North West England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 West while rel ...

- tier 7 league for Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria clubs that was abolished in 2000 *

North West 2 North West 2 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the eighth tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North West England. Promoted teams moved up to North West 1 while relegated teams dropped to North West 3. T ...

- tier 8 league for Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria clubs that was abolished in 2000 *

North West 3 North West 3 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North West England. Promoted teams moved up to North West 2 while relegated teams dropped to either South Lan ...

- tier 9 league for Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria clubs that was abolished in 2000 * North-West East 3 - tier 12 league for Lancashire clubs that was abolished in 1992

County side

Honours

The county side has reached the

Final 38 times, winning the title on a record 25 occasions. Lancashire have played in twelve of the past fourteen finals (from 2003 to 2018) and has won nine of those twelve finals. *

winners (25): 1891, 1935, 1938, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1955, 1969, 1973, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

Notable players

Gerry Ainscough Gerry Christopher Ainscough (born 7 August 1964, in Wigan,Gerry Christopher Ainscough
ESPN pro ...

Jack Anderton Jack Anderton was an English rugby union and rugby league footballer who played from the 1880s to 1900s. He played at representative level for British Isles, and at club level for Wigan (two spells); the second spell was after the 1895 schism ...

* Tom Banks *

Bill Beaumont Sir William Blackledge Beaumont, (born 9 March 1952 in Chorley, Lancashire, England) is a former rugby union player, and was captain of the England rugby union team, earning 34 caps. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand Sl ...

Edmund Beswick Edmund Beswick (birth registered July→September 1858 – died 23 January 1911) was an English rugby union footballer who played in the 1870s and 1880s. He played at representative level for England, and Lancashire, and at club level for Swin ...

Steve Borthwick Stephen William Borthwick (born 12 October 1979) is an English rugby union coach who played lock for Bath and Saracens. At International level, he represented the senior England rugby union team between 2001 and 2010 and captained them betwe ...

Walter Bumby Walter Bumby (born 26 October 1860 – fourth ¼ 1936) was an English rugby union footballer who played in the 1880s and 1890s. He played at representative level for British Isles, and Lancashire, and at club level for Swinton (captain), as a ...

* William Burgess *

Fran Cotton Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clo ...

Harry Eagles Harry Eagles (birth registered April→June 1860 – death registered January→March 1950) was an English rugby union footballer who played in the 1880s and 1890s. He played at representative level for British Isles, and Lancashire, and at clu ...

Dick Greenwood John Richard Heaton Greenwood, (born 11 September 1940) is an English former rugby union player and coach. A flanker, he played for Waterloo, Cambridge University, Lancashire and . He later coached Preston Grasshoppers and England. Biograph ...

* Albert Neilson Hornby * Barry Jackson, Captain of Lancashire and England International. * Thomas Kelly (also played for

Devon Rugby Football Union The Devon Rugby Football Union is the sports governing body, governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Devon in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Devon, and administers and organis ...

) *

Edward Kewley Edward Kewley (20 June 1852 – 17 April 1940) was an English sportsman who played rugby union for England and also played first-class cricket for Lancashire. He captained England three times, and was the first captain to be drawn from the nor ...

Andi Kyriacou Andi Kyriacou (born 4 January 1983) is an English-born, Irish-qualified former rugby union player and current coach. Kyriacou played as a Hooker (rugby union), hooker for Sale Sharks, Leeds Tykes, Leeds Carnegie, Saracens F.C., Saracens, Munste ...

Mike Leadbetter Michael Maurice Leadbetter (1946–2009) was a rugby union international and rugby league player, who represented England in 1970. Early life Mike Leadbetter was born on 25 July 1946 in Southport. He attended Ladybarn, a local secondary modern ...

Arthur Lees Arthur Lees (21 February 1908 – 26 March 1992) was an English professional golfer who played from the 1930s to 1960s. He was a member of four Great Britain Ryder Cup teams in the late 1940s and 1950s, and won several tournaments in Europe duri ...

* Joe Mills *

Tony Neary Anthony Neary (born 25 November 1948) is a former England international rugby union player. He represented England at U18s basketball as well as rugby. He attended De La Salle College in Pendleton, Salford and Liverpool University before qual ...

* Rob O'Donnell * William Openshaw *

Malcolm Phillips Malcolm Phillips is a former rugby union international player who represented England from 1958 to 1964. He was President of the Rugby Football Union in 2004–05, and also served on the International Rugby Board. Youth and playing career Phil ...

Hugh Rowley Hugh Campbell Rowley (March 1854 – after 1882) was an English rugby union footballer who played in the 1870s and 1880s. He played at representative level for England from 1879 to 1882, and at club level for Bowdon and Lymm Club, and Manchest ...

Robert Seddon Robert Lionel "Bob" Seddon (birth registered October→December 1860 in Salford district – 15 August 1888) was an English international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Broughton Rangers and Swinton and county rugby for Lancashi ...

* Lancelot Slocock *

Warren Spragg Warren Spragg (born 1 November 1982 in Manchester) is an English-born Italian rugby union international. He is a versatile back and goalkicker. Education Warren Spragg was educated at Audenshaw School, he then went on to Kirkham Grammar School ...

* Charles Thompson * James Valentine *

Thomas Sherren Whittaker Thomas Sherren Whittaker (26 January 1868 – 8 February 1914) was an English rugby union forward who was a member of the British Isles XV that toured South Africa in 1891. Whittaker was also an original member of invitational touring team, ...

* Peter Williams * Sam Williams * Ryan De La Harpe *

Sammy Southern Sammy is a nickname, frequently for people named Samuel (name), Samuel, and also an English spelling of the Arabic name Sami_(name), Sami. People Music *Sammy Adams (born 1987), American rapper and songwriter *Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), American so ...

Martin Hynes Martin Hynes is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and film producer. Life and career Hynes was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, and has a bachelor's degree in history from Columbia University. Hynes wrote and directed ''The Go ...

* Duncan Sandford *

James Holt Marsh James Holt Marsh (31 October 1865 – 1 August 1928), was first a Scotland international rugby union player; and then an England international rugby union player. He played club rugby for Edinburgh Institution F.P., Edinburgh University and ...

Presidents

* 1881/84 J McLaren ★ (

) * 1884/14

A. N. Hornby Albert Neilson Hornby, nicknamed Monkey Hornby (10 February 1847 – 17 December 1925) was one of the best-known sportsmen in England during the nineteenth century excelling in both rugby and cricket. He was the first of only two men to captain ...

(

) * 1919/23 A M Crook ★ (

) * 1923/24 H Williamson (Kersal) * 1924/26 A Brettagh (

) * 1926/28 T W S Pollok (

) * 1928/30 H S Johnson (

) * 1930/32 J E Kidd (

) * 1932/34 J Milnes ★ (

) * 1934/36 T J Bradburn (

) * 1936/37 Dr E Moir (Manchester University) * 1937/39 T Brakell (

) * 1939/47 J Hunter (

) * 1947/49 J Bradley (Warrington) * 1949/51 H G Preston (

) * 1951/53 J H Roberts (Prestwich) * 1953/55 J B G Whittaker (

) * 1955/56 J R Locker ★ (Warrington) * 1956/57 E Ogden ( Fylde) * 1957/58 S C Meikle (

) * 1958/59 H A Fry (

) * 1959/60 C B Sewell (Prestwich) * 1960/61 N Shaw (Eccles) * 1961/62 J Heaton (

) * 1962/63 R S Unsworth (

) * 1963/64 V G Funduklian (

) * 1964/65 R H Guest (

) * 1965/66 E Randell (Furness) * 1966/67 A Marsden (

) * 1967/68 L Mortlock (Prestwich) * 1968/69 P G Clemence (

) * 1969/70 W E Naylor ( St. Helens) * 1970/71 A Shuker (

) * 1971/72 R G Burton (

) * 1972/73 C C C Burch (Warrington) * 1973/74 W R Hall (Heaton Moor) * 1974/75 R Higgins (

) * 1975/76 E Evans (Old Aldwinians) * 1976/77 G A Macintosh (

) * 1977/78 J H Waters (Kersal) * 1978/79 J Benson (

) * 1979/80 J Walsh (Heaton Moor) * 1980/81 A Gott (Burnage) * 1981/82 J Burgess ★ (

) * 1982/83 R H Wiseman (Preston Grasshoppers) * 1983/84 F Hardman (Sedgley Park) * 1984/85

★ ( Fylde) * 1985/86 W G Bevan (

) * 1986/87 Dr J E Ryner (

) * 1987/88 I Sinclair (Heaton Moor) * 1988/89 W S B Faulds (

/Bury) * 1989/90 K Jones (

) * 1990/91 Dr N H Atkinson (Heaton Moor) * 1991/92 E Deasey (Rochdale) * 1992/93 B H England (Warrington) * 1993/94 R B Bretherton (Southport) * 1994/95 K Brown (

) * 1995/96 H E Neeley (Sedgley Park) * 1996/97 P E Hughes (Calder Vale) * 1997/98 W A Kershaw (

) * 1998/99 B Leigh (Wigan) * 1999/00 R T J Briers (West Park) * 2000/01 T W Alexander (Tyldesley) * 2001/02 W G D Chappell (Bury) * 2002/03 E M Whiteside (Southport) * 2003/04 F Morgan (Wigan) * 2004/05 J W Dewhurst (Fleetwood) * 2005/06 M Cornelia (Warrington) * 2006/07 S M Parker (

) * 2007/08 D N Herriman (Widnes) * 2008/09 K Andrews (West Park) * 2009/10 C Barker (Wigan) * 2010/11 D Welsh (Fleetwood) * 2011/12 T Hughes (Leigh) * 2012/13 M Worsley (West Park) * 2013/14 D Hodgson (Blackburn/Vale of Lune) * 2014/15 D Matthews (Liverpool St. Helens) * 2015/16 T Stirk (Fylde / Schools Union) * 2016/17 T Fitzgerald (Preston Grasshoppers) * 2017/18 S Blackburn (Rochdale) * 2018/19 D Clarke (Wigan) * 2019/20 G Burns - MBE (Waterloo) Notes: ★ RFU President

Notes

References

External links

Official website
{{County rugby union in England Rugby union governing bodies in England 1881 establishments in England Rugby union in Lancashire Rugby union in Greater Manchester Sport in Merseyside Sports organizations established in 1881