The Scottish League Championship (currently the RBS League Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the domestic rugby union league system within Scotland. Operated by the Scottish Rugby Union, the championship was founded in 1973 as the first formalized national league system within any home nations country. The new six division championship replace the haphazard "unofficial championship" system that had been in operation until that time. Traditionally the championship has been dominated by teams from the Borders region, the sports hotbed of popularity in Scotland. This is illustrated by the most successful clubs in the championships history, with Hawick RFC holding 13 titles and Melrose RFC currently hold eight titles.
From the 2012-13 season the championship was reorganised on a largely regional basis with only the top two divisions being nationwide. Beneath the top divisions two new 'East' and 'West' Championships were formed with the three branches (East, West and Caledonia) of regional leagues feeding into them from below. The regional divisions were standardized with 10 or 12 team leagues replacing the 'pool' system which had been in practice for many years before. Direct promotion and relegation was retained throughout the entire league pyramid.
Read more about Scottish League Championship: History, Championship and Cup Winners, Leagues Not Part of The Scottish League Championship
Famous quotes containing the words scottish and/or league:
“Better wear out shoes than sheets.”
—18th-century Scottish proverb, collected in J. Kelly, Complete Collection of Scottish Proverbs (1721)
“We’re the victims of a disease called social prejudice, my child. These dear ladies of the law and order league are scouring out the dregs of the town. C’mon be a glorified wreck like me.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)