History
See also: History of the Midlands Merit LeagueThe Midlands Merit League was founded in late 2005 to support the growth of rugby league in non-heartland areas. The 2007 season saw the introduction of an informal under-15 league Midlands Junior League based on Merit League principles. In 2008 the junior competition featured under-14 and under-16 divisions.
The league was renamed RL Merit League (RLML) for the 2008 season due to its increased geographical spread with teams from the North of England taking part. 2009 saw the largest ever entry, with over 30 teams split into two Northern pools; "Yorkshire and Humber" and "North West" and the stand-alone Midlands Rugby League.
In 2012, the Rugby League Conference was replaced by regional leagues and the Midlands Rugby League took control of the RLC Midlands Premier Division and the RLC Midlands regional division. The old Midlands Rugby League continued as Division Two of the new Midlands pyramid.
Read more about this topic: Midlands Rugby League Division Two
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