Jamaica National League
The Jamaica National League is a rugby league competition held annually in Jamaica. It is one of two leagues in Jamaica, the other being the Jamaica Premiership. It started in 2005 when four teams entered the competition and has since grown to six. Currently the league is sponsored by Globe Insurance.
Sport | Rugby league |
---|---|
Founded | 2005 |
No. of teams | 6 |
Country | Jamaica |
Most recent champion(s) | JDF Warriors |
Structure
The five teams each play two games against each other, one at home and one away. At the end of those eight matches the top two teams will play in the Grand Final and be the overall winners. Points are awarded as followed: 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and 1 point for a loss.
Originally in 2005, when there were only four teams, each team would only play three games each. A larger fixture list was added for the 2006 season because the previous season had been deemed a success despite the small number of games.
Teams
There are six teams in the league. The Constabulary Knights and the Montego Bay Cobras are the newest teams having joined for the 2006 and 2008 season respectively. All the teams, minus the Montego Bay Cobras, are based around the Jamaican capital Kingston, although progress is being made to expand rugby league across Jamaica. The teams are:
Team | Formed | Suburb | City |
---|---|---|---|
Constabulary Knights | 2006 | Kencot | Kingston |
Duhaney Park Red Sharks | 2005 | Duhaney Park | Kingston |
JDF Warriors | 2005 | Kencot | Kingston |
Montego Bay Cobras | 2008 | Irwin | Montego Bay |
Olympic Angels | 2005 | Olympic Gardens | Kingston |
Vauxhall Vultures | 2005 | Bournemouth Gardens | Kingston |
Seasons
2005
The 2005 season was won by the Vauxhall Vultures on points difference. Three teams finished on 9 points which was one of the criticisms of the league because only three matches had been played. Olympic Angels failed to register a single point. The competition was played on three Saturdays at the end of July and the beginning of August.
Table
- Vauxhall Vultures P:3, +28, Pts:9
- JDF Warriors P:3, +26, Pts:9
- Duhaney Park Sharks P:3, -12, Pts:9
- Olympic Angels P:3, -42, Pts:3
2006
The 2006 season was won by the JDF Warriors after earning maximum points. Duhaney Park Sharks and Vauxhall Vultures were regularly battling it out for second place, with the other two teams, including newly created Constabulary Knights, fighting to not receive the wooden spoon. The first draw of the whole competition occurred between Duhaney Park Sharks and Constabulary Knights. Also Olympic Angels managed their first win and only win in the competition.
Table
- JDF Warriors P:8, +248, Pts:32
- Duhaney Park Sharks P:8, +70, Pts:24
- Vauxhall Vultures P:8, +45, Pts:20
- Constabulary Knights P:8, -202, Pts:12
- Olympic Angels P:8, -161, Pts:11
Player Records
- Highest Try Scorer: Mohenjo Thompson, Vauxhall Vultures, 18 tries.
- Highest Overall Points Scorer: Mohenjo Thompson, Vauxhall Vultures, 138 points overall.
See also
- Rugby league in the Americas
- Jamaica national rugby league team