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National League 2 North

National League 2 North is one of three level four leagues in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in Northern England. The remainder of England is covered by the two counterpart leagues National League 2 East and National League 2 West. The champion club is promoted to National One. Relegation is to either the Regional 1 Midlands, Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West, depending on their location. Sedgley Park are the current champions.

Before September 2009, it was known as National Division Three North. From 2009 to 2010 the Rugby Football Union (RFU) expanded the league from fourteen to sixteen teams. Each team played thirty league games on a home and away basis. The 2019–20 season ended before all the matches were completed because of the coronavirus pandemic and the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table.[1]

The RFU approved a new structure for the National Leagues from the 2022–23 season. The league is reduced to fourteen teams, there will be a two-week break over Christmas and protected weekend breaks through the season. The competition structure will be reviewed every three years.[2]

Structure

The league consists of fourteen teams and each play the others on a home and away basis, to make a total of 26 matches each. The champions are promoted to National League 1. The RFU will release details of relegation in the summer.

The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:

Current season

Participating teams and locations

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 27 April 2024. Source: National League 2 North RFU [14]
Rules for classification: 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
    (C) Champion; (R) Relegated
    Notes:
  1. ^ The liquidation of Jersey Reds meant that Hull Ionians were saved from relegation as the best 13th placed side in National 2.[13]

National Two North honours

Promotion play-offs

Until the 2018–19 season, there was a play-off between the league runners-up of National League 2 North and National League 2 South, for the third and final promotion place to National League 1. The team with the superior league record having home advantage in the tie. Southern teams have been more successful with fourteen wins to the northern teams four, while the home side has won thirteen teams to the away sides five.

Number of league titles

Original teams

When club rugby began in 1987 this division was called Area 4 North and contained the following teams:

League format since 1987

Records

Note that all records are from 1996–97 season onwards as this is widely held as the dawn of professionalism across the English club game. It also offers a better comparison between seasons as the division team numbers are roughly equal (for example when league rugby union first started in 1987–88 the northern league had only 11 teams playing 10 games each, compared to 14 teams in 1996–97 playing 26 games (home & away), going up to 16 teams in 2009–10 playing 30 games each). Attendance records are from 2000 onwards unless otherwise specified. All records are up to date up till the end of the 2019–20 season.

League records

Hull Ionians (2012–13, 2014–15, 2018–19)
Macclesfield (2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16)
Hull Ionians (2012–13, 2014–15, 2018–19)
Nuneaton (2002–03, 2005–06, 2008–09)
Macclesfield (2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16)
Morley (2001–02, 2007–08, 2010–11)
Sheffield (1993–94, 1999–00, 2017–18)
Scunthorpe (2002–03, 2016–17, 2019–20)
Hull Ionians (2014–15)
Manchester (2010–11)
Fylde (2010–11)
Manchester (2010–11)
Manchester (2010–11)
Kendal (1999–00)[42]
Fylde (2010–11)
Manchester (2010–11)
Hull Ionians (2012–13)
Manchester (2010–11)
Dudley Kingswinford (2013-14)
Huddersfield (2019–20)
Sedgley Park (2017–18)

Match records

Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 (2006–07)[43]
Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007 (2006–07)[44]
Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 (2006–07)[43]
Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 (2006–07)
Fylde at home to Manchester on 16 April 2011 (2010–11)
Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 (2006–07)
Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2014 (2014–15)
Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006 (2005–06)
Nuneaton at home to Macclesfield on 11 October 2008 and away to Bradford & Bingley on 29 November 2008 (both 2008–09)
Wharfedale at home to Scunthorpe on 19 November 2016 and Wharfedale at home to Luctonians on 28 January 2017 (both 2016–17)

Player records

England Tom Rhodes for Bradford & Bingley (2004–05, 2005–06)
England Chris Johnson for Huddersfield (2010–11, 2011–12)
England Lewis Mininkin for Hull Ionians (2015–16, 2018–19)
Wales Gavin Roberts for Caldy (2008–09, 2019–20)
England Nick Royle for Fylde (2006–07) and Caldy (2015–16, 2016–17)
England Ross Winney for Macclesfield (2009–10)
England Gareth Collins for Leicester Lions (2010–11)
England Ryan Parkinson for Macclesfield (2013–14)
England Nick Royle for Caldy (2016–17)
England Ross Winney for Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010 (2009–10)
England Lewis Minikin for Hull Ionians at home to Huddersfield on 27 April 2024 (2023–24)
Wales Anthony Mellalieu for Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 (2006–07)
England Matt Donkin for Doncaster at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001 (2001–02)
England Nick Royle for Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007 (2006–07)
England Dominic Moon for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 (2011–12)
England Louis Silver for Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2015 (2014–15)
England Mike Scott for Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006 (2005–06)
England Rickie Aley for Nuneaton at home to Macclesfield on 11 October 2008 and away to Bradford & Bingley on 29 November 2008 (both 2008–09)
England Tom Barrett for Wharfedale at home to Scunthorpe on 19 November 2016 and at home to Luctonians on 28 January 2017 (both 2016–17)

Attendance records

Darlington Mowden Park at home to Macclesfield on 26 April 2014 (2013–14)
South Leicester at home to Sedgley Park on 30 March 2019 (2018–19)
Sedgley Park at home to Launceston (2000–01)[f]
Stourbridge at home to Worthing Raiders on 11 May 2013 (2012–13)[h]
Fylde (2010–11)
South Leicester (2018–19)

National League 2 North top 10 point scorers, all time

As of  the end of the games of 27 April 2019. Stats taken from 1998–99 season onwards and include regular league games only in National League 2 North (no promotion play-off games). Points scored includes tries, drop kicks, penalties and conversions.[45]

(Bold denotes players still playing in National League 2 North.)

National League 2 North top 10 try scorers, all time

As of  the end of the games of 27 April 2019. Stats taken from 1998–99 season onwards and include regular league games only in National League 2 North (no promotion play-off games).[46]

(Bold denotes players still playing in National League 2 North.)

Notes

  1. ^ As no northern teams from National 3 were relegated into the division, there was no relegation.
  2. ^ This year there was a league restructure with a new league (Courage National League 4) becoming the new tier 4. Courage National 4 contained 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 continued for until the end of 1996 when the league reverted to the old system.
  3. ^ The top eight teams were all promoted to the re-organised, sixteen team, Courage League Division 3 for season 1996–97.
  4. ^ Only 14th place Huddersfield would be relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season. This was because of the liquidation of RFU Championship side Jersey Reds in September 2023, which meant that the best 13th placed side would escape relegation, in this case National League 2 North side Hull Ionians.[13]
  5. ^ One of Rotherham's league titles was won during the period when tier 4 was a single national league (1993-96).
  6. ^ Note that promotion play-off games include stats for northern clubs only. Southern club attendances will be covered on the National League 2 South page.
  7. ^ Note that due to poor attendance keeping by press and online sources means that only seasons from 2004–-05 onwards are included (apart from play-off games).
  8. ^ This attendance is the lowest recorded but may not actually be the lowest as a couple of play-off games involving northern clubs have no attendance figures due to poor coverage. It is also worth noting than many Stourbridge fans felt the crowd was twice this large but this is the figure given in The Rugby Paper.

See also

References

  1. ^ "RFU ends the 2019/20 rugby season in England". EnglandRugby. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  2. ^ "RFU approve future competition structure for 2022/23". ncarugby. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Billingham RUFC". Billingham Rugby Club. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Contact details". Fylde RFC. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Our Partners". Huddersfield Rugby Union Football Club. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Brantingham Park". Hull Ionians RUFC. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Contact". Otley Rugby Club. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Clifton Lane: The Perfect Function Room Venue". Titans Rugby. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Abbeydale Park". Sheffield RUFC. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Directions". Sheffield Tigers RUFC. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Tynedale RFC". Tynedale Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  12. ^ "The Avenue Clubhouse Bar". Wharfedale RUFC. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  13. ^ a b "National League Rugby – Promotion and Relegation: 2023-24". National League Rugby. 14 December 2023.
  14. ^ "National League 2 North". England Rugby.
  15. ^ "National League 2 North 2022/23 – Points Table". National League Rugby. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  16. ^ "National League 3 Playoffs 2000-01". englandrugby.com. 26 May 2001.
  17. ^ "Rugby Union: National Three Play-off - DK's dream shattered by Launceston power show; Launceston 26 Dudley Kingswinf'rd 0". Birmingham Post & Mail. 29 April 2002.
  18. ^ "National League Playoffs 2002-03". englandrugby.com. 26 April 2003.
  19. ^ "National League Playoffs 2003-04". englandrugby.com. 15 May 2004.
  20. ^ "Play-off agony for Halifax". Yorkshire Post. 17 May 2004.
  21. ^ "The 2004-2005 league season". trelawnysarmy.org. 1 May 2005.
  22. ^ "North Walsham 6-15 Nuneaton". BBC. 17 May 2006.
  23. ^ "National League Playoffs 2005-06". englandrugby.com. 13 May 2006.
  24. ^ "NINE-MINUTE BLITZ ENDS TYNEDALE'S DREAMS". News and Star. 4 May 2007.
  25. ^ "National League Playoffs 2006-07". englandrugby.com. 28 April 2006.
  26. ^ "Level 6". Rolling Maul. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  27. ^ "National League Play Offs 2007-08". englandrugby.com. 26 April 2008.
  28. ^ "Foresters play-off win 'no fluke'". BBC News. 30 April 2008.
  29. ^ "Championship plan gains support". BBC News. 14 November 2008.
  30. ^ "Party time for Rosslyn Park". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 21 May 2010.
  31. ^ "Students miss out on promotion in heartbreaker". Loughborough Echo. 21 May 2010.
  32. ^ "SSE National League Playoffs". englandrugby.com. 5 May 2011.
  33. ^ "Jersey beat Loughborough in play-off final". BBC. 28 May 2011.
  34. ^ "Heartbreak for Caldy as they lose National League Two play-off final against Richmond". Liverpool Echo. 7 May 2012.
  35. ^ "Richmond v Caldy play off". Rolling Maul. 5 May 2012.
  36. ^ "Results - SSE National League 2S". The Rugby Paper. 12 May 2013. p. 32.
  37. ^ Craggs, Andy (3 May 2014). "DMPRFC 30 - Ampthill RFC 28". DMP. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  38. ^ "Ampthill in 'dreamland' after play-off final victory". Bedfordshire News. 2 May 2015.
  39. ^ "National League 2 Playoffs". The RUGBYPaper. No. 346. Rugby Paper Ltd. 3 May 2015. pp. 24 & 32.
  40. ^ "Old Albanian back in National One after play-off win secures promotion". The Herts Advertiser. 16 May 2016.
  41. ^ "National League 2 play-off". The RUGBYPaper. No. 400. Rugby Paper Ltd. 15 May 2016. pp. 26 & 36.
  42. ^ "Jewson National League 2 1999/00". rugbyarchive.net. 1 December 2015.
  43. ^ a b "Blaydon proving a point". Chronicle Live. 27 March 2007.
  44. ^ "Orrell 0, Fylde RU 106". Blackpool Gazette. 2 April 2007.
  45. ^ "National Two North All time leading scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  46. ^ "National Two North All time try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.

External links