Leicester Lions RFC

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Leicester Lions
Full nameLeicester Lions Rugby Football Club
UnionLeicestershire RU
Founded1998; 26 years ago (1998)
LocationBlaby, Leicestershire, England
Ground(s)Westleigh Park (Capacity: 2,000[1])
League(s)National League 1
2022–231st (promoted to National League 1)
Team kit
Official website
www.lionsrfc.co.uk

Leicester Lions are a rugby union club which currently play in the third tier of the English rugby union system, National League 1, following their promotion from National League 2 West in 2023. The Lions are a leading amateur club in Leicester and along with Loughborough University and Hinckley are the senior clubs in Leicestershire after Premiership Rugby side Leicester Tigers. The club was formed as a result of an amalgamation between two local clubs in 1998, these being Westleigh RFC (established in 1904) and Wigston RFC (established in 1946).[2][3]

Leicester Lions boast several high-profile names amongst their former and current players and coaching staff. Jason Aldwinckle, the former Leicester Tigers' hooker is the forwards coach, while the former club captain and England Counties outside back Gareth Collins has taken over as head coach. Notable former Lions, Westleigh and Wigston players include England World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson, England lock Louis Deacon, Tigers back-rower Brett Deacon and Gloucester and England centre Billy Twelvetrees.

Current standings[edit]

2023–24 National League 1 Table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1 Chinnor (C) 26 22 0 4 1039 403 636 21 3 112
2 Rams 26 19 0 7 787 585 202 20 3 99
3 Rosslyn Park 26 14 2 10 765 656 109 17 5 82
4 Plymouth Albion 26 15 0 11 631 571 60 13 4 77
5 Birmingham Moseley 26 14 1 11 649 667 -18 12 6 76
6 Richmond 26 11 1 14 689 681 8 14 8 68
7 Darlington Mowden Park 26 12 0 14 635 682 -47 12 7 67
8 Blackheath 26 12 1 13 641 613 28 10 4 64
9 Sedgley Park 26 11 1 14 657 784 -127 11 4 61
10 Sale FC 26 11 0 15 567 628 -61 8 4 56
11 Bishop's Stortford 26 10 0 16 592 746 -154 10 6 56
12 Leicester Lions 26 11 0 15 525 697 -172 7 3 54
13 Taunton Titans (R) 26 8 0 18 713 930 -217 17 4 53
14 Cinderford (R) 26 9 0 17 528 775 -247 6 6 48
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.
Updated: 27 April 2024

Source: "National League 1". RugbyEngland. Source: "National League Rugby – Promotion and Relegation: 2023-24".


Honours[edit]

Leicester Lions (1998–present)

Westleigh (Parent club)

Wigston (Parent club)

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ If you count the wins by parent clubs Westleigh RFC (5) and Wigston (1) then Leicester Lions have won the Leicestershire County Cup nine times.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Leicester Lions RFC Fixtures History and Club Information". 29 May 2013.
  2. ^ "History". Leicester Lions RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Leicester Lions (Team History)". Rugby Archive. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Leicester Lions savour promotion". Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.

External links[edit]