between the 2000–01 and 2017-18 seasons there was a play-off between the runners-up of north lancashire/cumbria and south lancs/cheshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to north 1 west. the team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. this continued until the north lancashire/cumbria division was abolished due to rfu restructuring of the leagues. at the end of the 2017–18 season the north lancashire/cumbria and south lancs/cheshire 1 team sides had nine wins apiece; and the home team had won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams five.