ST HELENS amateur Rugby League club Haresfinch’s men’s team face oblivion after having been in existence for close to half a century.
Men’s open-age sides will, from March, be placed in leagues and divisions in line with the Rugby Football League’s new pyramid structure under its National Community Rugby League strategy for the grassroots.
Haresfinch, who have been leading lights in the North West Men’s League for some time, are to be included in the RFL’s new North West Conference League.
However their request to operate in a competition the club sees as more suited to current squad strengths has – albeit with due regret – been turned down by the RFL.
Haresfinch posted on social media, on Friday: “Following ongoing discussions with the RFL it is currently looking unlikely that we will be able to field an open-age team for the 2026 season.
“This is not a position we have arrived at lightly.
“Over recent months, the club have faced a number of challenges including player retirements, long-term injuries and players moving on to other community and professional clubs.
“At the same time, we have been welcoming new and inexperienced players to the game – something we are proud of, but which requires time, support, and the right competitive environment.
“With these factors in mind, we respectfully asked to be placed in a league more appropriate to our current playing strength, with player welfare and safety as our priority.
“Unfortunately, that request has not been approved, meaning we would be required to compete at a level that no longer reflects the reality of our squad.”
Haresfinch’s post continued: “While we understand the need for structures and consistency, it is difficult to reconcile this position when movement has occurred elsewhere within the league structure and when squad strength is acknowledged as something that cannot realistically be assessed in advance.
“The result is a situation where, at present, we are unable to commit to an open-age team for 2026 without compromising the safety and wellbeing of our players.
“We feel let down and find it unbelievable there is no alternative other than ‘to do what they say or don’t play’.
“We remain incredibly proud of our club, our people, and our history. This is a challenging moment, but Haresfinch are not going anywhere — and we will continue to work tirelessly for our future.”
The RFL had written, in response to Haresfinch’s request: “We fully recognise the history of Haresfinch ARLFC, the role the club plays within the community and the dedication shown by your volunteers, players and supporters over many decades.
“None of that is lost on us, and we genuinely appreciate the openness with which you have outlined your current challenges.
“We want to be clear that this decision is not being taken lightly, nor is it a reflection of a lack of empathy or care for the club. Rather, it is driven by the structural principles that underpin the league framework we have moved to for the 2026 season.
“One of the fundamental principles of the new pyramid structure is that teams are allocated primarily based on their finishing positions in the 2025 season.
“This approach was agreed collectively to provide transparency, fairness and long-term stability across the competition.
“Movement between levels has only been permitted where there has been a corresponding and reciprocal request – for example, where one team wished to move down and another was prepared to move up.
“We also need to be consistent. Making an exception in this case would undermine the integrity of the pyramid structure at its very first implementation and create understandable expectations from other clubs in similar circumstances.
“We have already received very similar feedback and requests from other teams, many of whom have raised comparable concerns around competitiveness, player numbers and welfare.
“For the same reasons outlined above, we have not been able to accommodate those requests either and approving one request over another would be neither fair nor sustainable across the competition.”
The RFL continued: “In any given year there is a possibility of movement between teams, either strengthening or weakening individual teams.
“Regardless of a club’s perceived strength, in a pyramid structure, promotion or relegation will inevitably be determined on the field during the season.
“It would not be appropriate for there to be significant movement up or down the pyramid based on a club’s perception of their playing strength before the season has started.
“We note the points you raise around player welfare, safety and the development of inexperienced players.
“We understand a number of players have departed the club and signed for other clubs in the National Leagues. Do you know why this is the case?
“It is not practical for us to try and gauge the relative playing strengths of any given squad as this can evolve from day to day or week to week.
“We appreciate the concern that this decision could potentially lead to the open-age team not being able to continue in 2026.
“Should that unfortunately be the outcome, it is important to stress that 2027 would represent a clean slate.
“In that scenario, we would be open to supporting a return to the NWML should that be the club’s preference at that time, and we would welcome early dialogue to help facilitate this where possible.”
The RFL stressed: “This does not mean that we are indifferent to the situation the club finds itself in, nor that the only outcome is for the team to fold.
“We remain open to discussing alternative support mechanisms within the existing structure, including practical guidance, flexibility where rules allow, and continued dialogue as the season progresses.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing, and we are sorry that we cannot provide the outcome you were hoping for.
“Our hope is that we can continue to work constructively with you in a way that supports the club while maintaining fairness and consistency across the league as a whole.”
Haresfinch stated: “For now, our focus will be on protecting and growing our junior section, continuing to develop and support our Masters team, supporting our volunteers and strengthening our role within the local community.
“We will use this time to rebuild sustainably and will work towards returning an open-age team in 2027, with promised support by the RFL that year. We find it a little odd as to why we have to wait.”
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