The English league and premiership represents a league pyramid that had more than 1000 clubs playing in 108 leagues – each with promotion and relegation.

Previous to this, only friendlies were played and a regional cup competition existed.

Chronological History of the English League and Premiership

1987/88: Courage League
Courage League began.  12 clubs played each other in just one League fixture per year, with no set date for fixtures: Bath, Bristol, Coventry, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester, Moseley, Nottingham, Orrell, Sale, Wasps, Waterloo
Relegation and Promotion: Two clubs up, two down.
Relegated: Coventry and Sale
Promoted: Rosslyn Park and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Leicester

1988/89: Courage League
12 clubs. Fixed Saturday League fixtures were introduced.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Waterloo and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Saracens and Bedford
Champions: Bath

1989/90: Courage League
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One down, two up to expand to 13 clubs for the following season.  
Relegated: Bedford
Promoted: Northampton and Liverpool St Helens
Champions: Wasps

1990/91: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Moseley and Liverpool St Helens
Promoted: Rugby and London Irish
Champions: Bath

1991/92: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: Nottingham and Rosslyn Park
Promoted: London Scottish and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath

1992/93: Courage League 13 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Four down, one up to make a 10-team division for 93/94.
Champions: Bath

1993/94: Courage League
10 clubs. Home and away League fixtures were introduced for the first time.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down.
Relegated: London Irish and Newcastle-Gosforth
Promoted: Sale and West Hartlepool
Champions: Bath

1994/95: Courage League
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down.
Relegated: Northampton
Promoted: Saracens
Champions: Leicester

1995/96: Courage League
10 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: No relegation and Northampton and London Irish came up to form a 12 team League for 96/97.
Promoted: Northampton and London Irish
Champions: Bath

1996/97: Courage League
12 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: Two up, two down, plus introduction of two-legged playoffs between 9th and 10th in Premiership one and 3rd & 4th in Premiership Two. 
Relegated: West Hartlepool and Orrell
Promoted: Richmond and Newcastle Falcons
Champions: Wasps

1997/98: Allied Dunbar Premiership.
12 clubs. Sin bins introduced 1 November 1997 denoted by a white triangle.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic Relegation. Top two clubs from Premiership Two were automatically promoted. Playoffs see bottom two in Premiership One take on 3rd and 4th in Premiership Two over two legs, making a 14-team Premiership for 98/99.
Promoted: Bedford, West Hartlepool, and London Scottish
Play-offs: London Irish retain their Premiership One status, Bristol relegated,
Champions: Newcastle Falcons.

1998/99: Allied Dunbar Premiership
14 clubs.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down, plus play offs where 13th placed team in Premiership One take on 2nd in Premiership Two over two legs. Premiership reduced to 12 teams for 99/00 when Richmond went bankrupt and London Scottish merged with London Irish.
Relegated: West Hartlepool
Promoted: Bristol
Champions: Leicester Tigers

1999/00: Allied Dunbar Premiership
12 clubs. Sin bin yellow cards introduced. Points increased to 3 for a win after the World Cup in November.
Relegation and Promotion: No automatic relegation, but playoff between top team in Premiership Two and bottom team in Premiership One
Promoted: Rotherham
Relegated: Bedford Blues
Champions: Leicester Tigers

2000/01: Zurich Premiership
Title changed to Zurich Premiership. 12 clubs. Bonus point system introduced.
Zurich Championship introduced with end of season quarterfinals, semi-finals and final at Twickenham. Bath beaten by Leicester in the final
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Promoted: Leeds Tykes
Relegated: Rotherham
Champions: Leicester Tigers

2001/02: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Zurich Championship end of season quarterfinals, semi-finals with Final at Twickenham. Gloucester beat Bristol Shoguns in Championship final.
Relegation and Promotion: Leeds escape relegation after Rotherham refused promotion due to facilities failing to meet Premiership criteria.
Champions: Leicester Tigers

2002/03: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. New format for deciding the Zurich Champions introduced. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Wasps beat Gloucester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, one down
Relegation: Rotherham Titans
Relegation: Bristol Shoguns
Champions: London Wasps

2003/04: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which London Wasps defeat Bath.
Relegation and Promotion: One up one down
Relegated: Rotherham Titans
Promoted: Worcester Warriors
Champions: London Wasps

2004/05: Zurich Premiership
12 clubs. Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which London Wasps defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: NEC Harlequins
Promotion: Bristol Rugby

2005/06: GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP
12 clubs. New title Sponsor, Guinness®
Champions are decided at the Premiership Final at Twickenham in which Sale Sharks defeat Leicester.
Relegation and Promotion: One up, One down
Relegation: Leeds Tykes  Promotion: NEC Harlequins