BROMSGROVE Rugby Club will play their rugby in the South West leagues next season having lost their appeal against being level transferred from National Three Midlands to National Three South West.

The need for a Level transfer was caused by there being, in Level Five - subsequent to promotions, relegations and play-offs - 16 clubs in the North, 13 clubs in the Midlands and 13 clubs in the SW.

The initial decision was made by the Midlands Division Organising Committee, having been obliged to follow RFU Regulations, which included calculating distances to the home grounds of the other National Three South West clubs by a number of National Three Midlands clubs to find the club that provided the South West clubs with the least amount of travelling.

Bromsgrove appealed against the MDOC decision to the RFU but an appeal panel upheld the original decision. There is no further right of appeal.

As a result of the RFU panel’s decision the Midlands Leagues for 2016/17 have now been confirmed and North Midlands clubs will play in the following leagues:

National Three Midlands: Birmingham & Solihull, Bridgnorth, Old Halesonians.

Midlands One West: Bournville, Dudley Kingswinford, Hereford, Moseley Oak, Newport, Whitchurch, Worcester Wanderers.

Midlands Two West North: Camp Hill, Kidderminster Carolians, Old Saltleians, Old Yardleians, Shrewsbury, Stourbridge Lions, Veseyans.

Midlands Two West South: Malvern.

Midlands Three West North: Clee Hill, Cleobury Mortimer, Edwardians, Harborne, Ludlow, Telford Hornets.

Midlands Three West South: Droitwich, Evesham, Ledbury, Upton on Severn, Woodrush.

Midlands Four West North: Aston OE, Bishops Castle, Church Stretton, Five Ways OE, Yardley & District.

Midlands Four West South: Bromyard, Kings Norton, Pershore, Redditch.

Midlands Five West North: Aldridge, Chaddesley Corbett, Greyhound, Market Drayton, Stourport, Tenbury, Warley.

Midlands Five West South: Birmingham CS, Birmingham Exiles.

North Midlands clubs playing outside Midlands leagues: Oswestry (North), Bromsgrove, Bredon Star, Ross on Wye (South West).