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

2023–24 National League 1 Table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1 Rams 16 12 0 4 486 373 113 12 2 62
2 Chinnor 15 12 0 3 533 244 289 11 2 61
3 Plymouth Albion 15 10 0 5 430 320 110 9 3 52
4 Birmingham Moseley 16 9 0 7 431 409 22 7 5 48
5 Rosslyn Park 16 9 0 7 469 419 50 8 3 47
6 Sedgley Park 15 9 0 6 389 417 -28 6 2 44
7 Richmond 15 7 0 8 416 427 -11 10 5 43
8 Darlington Mowden Park 15 7 0 8 338 369 -31 7 3 38
9 Blackheath 15 7 0 8 358 345 13 5 4 37
10 Cinderford 15 7 0 8 317 423 -106 2 2 32
11 Bishop's Stortford 15 5 0 10 352 427 -75 7 4 31
12 Leicester Lions 15 5 0 10 301 434 -133 4 3 27
13 Taunton Titans 16 3 0 13 429 562 -133 11 4 27
14 Sale FC 15 5 0 10 288 368 -80 3 3 26
  • 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: 20 January 2024

Source: "National League 1". RugbyEngland.


Honours

Leicester Lions (1998–present)

Westleigh (Parent club)

Wigston (Parent club)

Notes

  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

  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

National League 1
National League 2 North
National League 2 West
National League 2 South
Categories