National League 2 South

National League 2 South
Current season or competition:
2014–15 National League 2 South
Sport Rugby union
Instituted 1987
Number of teams 16
Country  England
Holders Henley Hawks (2014-15)
Most titles Barking
Henley Hawks (2 titles)
Website clubs.rfu.com

National League 2 South (known before September 2009 as National Division Three South) is a level four league in the English rugby union system. It is one of two leagues at this level, with its counterpart, National League 2 North, covering the north of England. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union.

The champions are promoted to National League 1. The runners-up play in a promotion play-off with the runners-up of National League 2 North; the team with the best record having home advantage. The bottom three teams are relegated, to either National League 3 South-West or National League 3 London & SE.[1]

Participating teams in 2014–15 season

At the end of the 2013–14 season, Hartpury College won promotion. Ampthill were runners-up but lost the playoff to Darlington Mowden Park. They were subsequently level transferred back to their home league, National League 2 North. London Irish Amateur, Bournemouth and Exmouth were demoted to National League 3 London & SE or National League 3 South West.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Bishop's Stortford Silver Leys Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
Cambridge Volac Park 1,250 Cambridge
Canterbury Merton Lane Canterbury, Kent
Chinnor Kingsey Road Thame, Oxfordshire
Clifton Station Road, Cribbs Causeway 400 (seated) Clifton, Bristol
Cornish All Blacks Polson Bridge 6,000 Launceston, Cornwall
Dings Crusaders Landseer Avenue 1,500 Lockleaze, Bristol
Dorking The Big Field, Brockham 750 Dorking, Surrey promoted from National League 3 London & SE
Henley Hawks Dry Leas 4,000 Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire relegated from National League 1
Lydney Regentsholme 1,500 Lydney, Gloucestershire promoted from National League 3 South West
Old Elthamians Foxbury Avenue 500 Chislehurst, Kent promoted from National League 3 London & SE
Redruth The Recreation Ground 12,000 Redruth, Cornwall
Shelford The Davey Field Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire
Southend Saxons Warners Bridge Park Southend, Essex
Taunton Hyde Park, Bathpool 2,000 Taunton, Somerset
Worthing Raiders Roundstone Lane Angmering, West Sussex relegated from National League 1

Current standings

2014–15 National League 2 South Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Henley Hawks (C) 30 24 1 5 956 567 389 19 4 121
2 Bishop's Stortford 30 20 1 9 933 608 325 22 8 112
3 Taunton Titans 30 22 0 8 863 591 272 16 6 110
4 Dorking 30 22 2 6 852 567 285 12 4 108
5 Worthing Raiders 30 19 0 11 804 605 199 19 5 100
6 Chinnor 30 18 0 12 780 639 141 11 9 92
6 Cambridge 30 17 0 13 765 662 103 16 6 90
8 Old Elthamians 30 12 1 17 693 736 –43 9 9 68
9 Redruth 30 13 1 17 577 686 –109 6 6 66
10 Cornish All Blacks 30 12 2 16 625 595 30 3 11 66
12 Canterbury 30 11 2 17 640 721 –81 11 3 63
12 Clifton 30 11 0 19 635 837 –202 9 6 59
13 Southend Saxons 30 12 0 18 640 782 –142 6 7 56[n 1]
14 Lydney (R) 30 11 1 18 546 871 –325 5 5 56
15 Shelford (R) 30 7 0 23 579 938 –359 9 4 36[n 2]
16 Dings Crusaders (R) 30 3 1 26 526 1009 –483 5 3 22
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 2 May 2015
Source: "National League 2 South". NCA Rugby.
Notes
  1. ↑
    • Southend were deducted 5 points for playing an unregistered player against Clifton on 15 November 2014[2]
  2. ↑
    • Shelford were deducted 5 points for playing an unregistered player against Lydney on 6 September 2014[3]

2013–14 final league table

2013–14 National League 2 South Final Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Hartpury College (C) 30 23 0 7 1019 666 353 22 3 117
2 Ampthill & District 30 21 1 8 1053 631 422 20 3 109
3 Bishop's Stortford 30 18 2 10 841 687 154 19 7 102
4 Canterbury 30 19 0 11 781 715 66 18 6 100
5 Clifton 30 18 0 12 739 702 37 11 3 86
6 Taunton Titans 30 17 1 12 785 718 67 10 6 86
7 Cambridge 30 16 0 14 749 668 81 14 7 85
8 Southend 30 15 0 15 735 740 –5 12 8 80
9 Redruth 30 13 1 16 641 759 –118 13 5 72
10 Shelford 30 13 2 15 646 664 –18 6 7 69
11 Dings Crusaders 30 12 0 18 679 745 –66 10 10 68
12 Cornish All Blacks 30 15 0 15 605 730 –125 4 2 66
13 Chinnor 30 12 0 18 676 775 –99 8 9 65
14 London Irish Wild Geese (R) 30 11 0 19 754 808 –54 11 8 63
15 Bournemouth (R) 30 8 1 21 670 996 –326 10 5 49
16 Exmouth (R) 30 5 0 25 591 960 –369 7 7 34
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 1 May 2014
Source: RFU

2012–13 final league table

2012–13 National League 2 South Final Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Henley Hawks (C) 28 24 0 4 1261 446 815 21 3 120
2 Worthing Raiders (P) 28 24 0 4 1075 511 564 19 2 117
3 Hartpury College 28 21 1 6 1032 458 574 18 5 109
4 Redruth 28 19 0 9 822 609 213 14 4 94
5 Shelford 28 19 0 9 717 644 73 15 2 93
6 Chinnor 28 14 0 14 720 798 –78 16 4 76
7 Cornish All Blacks 28 14 1 13 711 568 143 11 5 74
8 Canterbury 28 12 0 16 715 736 –21 13 2 63
9 Dings Crusaders 28 13 0 15 635 738 –103 7 5 59
10 Taunton Titans 28 10 0 18 725 823 −98 12 6 58
11 Southend 28 10 0 18 644 894 –250 10 5 55
12 Clifton 28 9 0 19 653 940 −287 11 6 53
13 Bournemouth 28 10 0 18 635 803 −168 9 3 52
14 Lydney (R) 28 9 0 19 484 756 −272 2 7 45
15 Barking (R) 28 1 0 27 337 1442 −1105 2 1 7
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 11 May 2013

[4]

National Two South Honours

List of National Two South Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
1987–88 11 Askeans Sidcup Streatham/Croydon Area League South
1988–89 11 Lydney Havant Ealing, Stroud and Sidcup Area League South
1989–90 11 Metropolitan Police Clifton Salisbury Area League South
1990–91 11 Redruth Basingstoke Maidenhead and Cheltenham National 4 South
1991–92 11 Havant Basingstoke Ealing and Sidcup National 4 South
1992–93 11 Sudbury RFC London Welsh Thurrock National 4 South
1993–94 10 Clifton Harrogate Sheffield (to 5 North) and Sudbury RFC (to 5 South) Courage National League 4[n 1]
1994–95 10 Rotherham[5] Reading Askeans (to 5 South) and Broughton Park (to 5 North) Courage National League 4
1995–96 10 Exeter London Welsh[n 2] Aspatria (to 4 North) and Plymouth Albion (to 4 South) Courage National League 4
1996–97 14 Newbury Henley Berry Hill RFC, High Wycombe RFC, Charlton Park and Askeans National 4 South
1997–98 14 Camberley RFC Henley No relegation National 2 South
1998–99 14 Bracknell Esher Havant National 2 South
1999–00 14 Esher Penzance & Newlyn Bridgwater & Albion, Norwich RFC and Metropolitan Police RFC National 2 South
2000–01 14 Plymouth Albion Launceston Reading, Weston-super-Mare, Basingstoke and Cheltenham RFC National 3 South
2001–02 14 Penzance & Newlyn Launceston Clifton and Cinderford National 3 South
2002–03 14 Rosslyn Park Lydney Camberley RFC and Havant National 3 South
2003–04 14 Blackheath Launceston Basingstoke and Old Colfeians National 3 South
2004–05 14 Barking Redruth Weston-super-Mare, Tabard RFC and Haywards Heath National 3 South
2005–06 14 Cambridge North Walsham Bracknell and Reading National 3 South
2006–07 14 Southend Westcombe Park Chinnor, Hertford and Old Patesians National 3 South
2007–08 14 Mount's Bay Cinderford Clifton, North Walsham and Luton National 3 South
2008–09 14 London Scottish Rosslyn Park Chinnor and Havant National 3 South
2009–10 15 Barking Rosslyn Park Barnes and Bridgwater & Albion[n 3] National League 2 South
2010–11 16 Ealing Trailfinders Jersey Canterbury, Hinckley and Newbury National League 2 South
2011–12 16 Old Albanian Richmond Barnes, Hertford and Westcombe Park National League 2 South
2012–13 15[n 4] Henley Hawks Worthing Raiders Lydney and Barking National League 2 South
2013–14 16 Hartpury College Ampthill & District London Irish Wild Geese, Bournemouth and Exmouth National League 2 South
2014–15 16 Henley Hawks Bishop's Stortford Lydney, Shelford and Dings Crusaders National League 2 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
  1. ↑ This year there was a league restructure with a new league (Courage National League 4) becoming the new tier 4. Courage National 4 would contain the previous season's top teams from National 4 North and National 4 South with the remaining teams joining lower tier teams as part of Courage League Division 5 (which retained the North/South divisions). This structure would continue for several years before being abolished at the end of 1996 where the league would revert back to the old system.
  2. ↑ The top eight teams were all promoted to the re-organised, sixteen team, Courage League Division 3 for season 1996–97
  3. ↑ Mounts Bay were originally scheduled to participate in the 2009–10 season after being demoted at the end of the previous season but folded in July 2009. As they were unable to participate, the division went ahead with fifteen teams instead of the expected sixteen.[6]
  4. ↑ Rugby Lions were on the original 2012–13 fixture list after winning promotion from National League 3 Midlands but during July 2012 they went into liquidation and were unable to participate in the division, leaving fifteen teams instead of the usual sixteen.[7]

[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16][17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

League format since 1987

Format of fourth tier rugby union leagues in England
Year Name No of teams No of matches
1987–93 Courage National Division Four North and Courage National Division Four South 11 10
1993–96 Courage National Division Four 10 18
1996–97 National Four North and
National Four South 		14 26
1997–99 Jewson National Division 2 North and
Jewson National Division 2 South		 14 26
1999–2009 National Division Three North and
National Division Three South 		14 26
2009– National League 2 North and
National League 2 South 		16 30

[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [24][25] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "SSE National and Divisional Leagues". RFU. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
    2. ↑ "Down In The Dumps". Pitchero. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
    3. ↑ "Shelford receive points penalty". Cambridge News. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
    4. ↑ "SSE National League 2 South". NCA Rugby. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
    5. ↑ http://www.rugbyarchive.net/pagine/StagioneCompetizioni.aspx?ID=24&Stagione=1989%2f90M
    6. ↑ "Mounts Bay fall off the rugby map". BBC. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
    7. ↑ "RUGBY LIONS: It’s all over as Lions fail to meet RFU deadline". Rugby Advertiser. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Clubs Championship. Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990-91. Horsham: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1873057024.
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1991). Courage Clubs Championship. Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991-92. Taunton: Tony Williams. ISBN 1869833155.
    10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Stephen Jones, ed. (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991-92. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 0356202496.
    11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Stephen Jones, ed. (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994-95. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0747278504.
    12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 074727732X.
    13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Final League Tables 1997-98". Trelawney's Army. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
    14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1999). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1999-2000. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0747275319.
    15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Stephen McCormack, ed. (2000). The Official RFU Club Directory 2000-2001. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 1852916273.
    16. ↑ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2001). The Official RFU Club Directory 2001-2002. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 1852916400.
    17. ↑ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2002). The Official RFU Club Directory 2002-2003. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 1852916451.
    18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Final League Tables 2004,2005". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Final League Tables, 2007 - 2008". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "National 3 South 08/09 / League Table". nca rugby. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "National Two South 09/10 / League Table". nca rugby. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Final League Tables, 2011 - 2012". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Final League Tables, 2012 - 2013". Trelawny's Army. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
    24. ↑ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2001). The Official RFU Club Directory 2001-2002. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 1852916400.
    25. ↑ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2002). The Official RFU Club Directory 2002-2003. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 1852916451.

    External links