The 2010–11 National League 2 South was the second season (24th overall) of the
fourth tier of the English domestic
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
competitions since the professionalised format of the
second division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
was introduced. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into
National League 1
National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...
while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from
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 the northern half of England, the North. The remainder of England is covered by the two counte ...
(at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.
Ealing Trailfinders
Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the current champions of the RFU Championship but will remain in that league due to ineligibility for promotion to Premi ...
finished the season as champions pipping newly promoted
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
to the title by just four points in a season where both sides dominated the league. Jersey did join Ealing in the
2011–12 National League 1
The 2011–12 National League 1 is the third season of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Birmingham & Solihull find themselves playing in ...
by beating the
2010–11 National League 2 North
The 2010–11 National League 2 North was the second season (twenty-fourth overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. The league s ...
runners up
Loughborough Students in a playoff game watched by 3,000 fans in
Saint Peter, Jersey
St Peter (; Jèrriais: ) is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is around north-west of St Helier. The parish has a population of 5,003. It has a surface area of .
It is the only parish with two separate coastlines, st ...
.
At the opposite end of the table,
Newbury Blues had a terrible season, suffering a third consecutive relegation dropping to
National League 3 South West
Regional 1 South West (formerly South West Premier and National League 3 South West) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as South West D ...
, having won just one game and conceded over 2,000 points (a divisional all-time worst which also included a record 132–0 defeat by
Old Albanian
Albanian ( endonym: or ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is spoken by the Albanians in the Balkans and by the Albanian diaspora, which is generally concentrated in the Americas, Europ ...
). Joining Newbury in relegation would be
Hinckley
Hinckley is a market town in south-west Leicestershire, England. It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Hinckley is the third largest settlement in the administrative county of Leicestershire, after Leicester and Loughbo ...
who dropped to
National League 3 Midlands
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
, while the third and final place went to the wire with relegation rivals
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
and
Westcombe Park
Westcombe Park is a largely residential area in Blackheath in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, South East London, England. It is bounded by the main London-Dartford railway line to the north, the Blackwall Tunnel southern approach to the east, ...
meeting in a rescheduled game on the 7 May 2011 – a week after the season had finished. Westcombe Park won 25–18 at Canterbury to condemn the Kent side to
National League 3 London & SE
Regional 1 South East (up until 2022-23 known as London & South East Premier and up until 2016-17 known as National League 3 London & South East) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. ...
. The season was also notable for the incredible try scoring feats of
Ealing Trailfinders
Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the current champions of the RFU Championship but will remain in that league due to ineligibility for promotion to Premi ...
winger
Phil Chesters
Phil Chesters (born 29 October 1987) is an English rugby union player who is currently playing for Chinnor in National League 1 having signed for the club for the 2017-18 season.
Prior to that he had made his name at Ealing Trailfinders where h ...
who scored an amazing 70 tries in 27 games – an English league record, as well as the dedicated support for
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
who had regular attendances of over a thousand – outstanding for tier 4. Chesters also became the first top try scorer in the league to also become the top points scorer as well.
Participating teams
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the
2009–10 National League 2 South season;
Newbury Blues were relegated from
National League 1
National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...
,
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
(champions) and
Old Albanian
Albanian ( endonym: or ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is spoken by the Albanians in the Balkans and by the Albanian diaspora, which is generally concentrated in the Americas, Europ ...
(playoffs) were promoted from
National League 3 London & SE
Regional 1 South East (up until 2022-23 known as London & South East Premier and up until 2016-17 known as National League 3 London & South East) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. ...
while
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...
were promoted from
National League 3 South West
Regional 1 South West (formerly South West Premier and National League 3 South West) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as South West D ...
. In order to address an imbalance between divisions –
Hinckley
Hinckley is a market town in south-west Leicestershire, England. It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Hinckley is the third largest settlement in the administrative county of Leicestershire, after Leicester and Loughbo ...
were transferred from
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 the northern half of England, the North. The remainder of England is covered by the two counte ...
having achieved a late promotion from
National League 3 Midlands
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
as a consequence of
Ampthill
Ampthill () is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population estimate of 8,100 (Mid year estimate 2017 from the ONS). It is administered bAmpthill Town Council The ward of Ampthill which also i ...
being stripped of that divisions title due to a breach of RFU rules.
League table
Results
Round 1
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Round 2
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Round 3
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Round 4
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Round 5
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Round 6
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Round 7
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Round 8
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Round 9
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Round 10
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2010.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2010.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2010.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2010.
----
Round 14
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 February 2011.
----
Round 15
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
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Round 16
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 May 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 February 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 April 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2011.
----
Round 17
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Round 18
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Round 19
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Round 20
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Rounds 13, 15 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
*Rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
*Rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
*Rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
*Rescheduled from 11 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 27 November 2010.
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Round 14 (Rescheduled games)
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 4 December 2010.
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Round 23
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Round 24
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Rounds 15 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 11 December 2010.
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
----
Round 25
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Round 26
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Round 27
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Round 28
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Round 29
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Round 16 (Rescheduled game)
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
----
Round 30
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Round 16 (Rescheduled game)
*Rescheduled from 18 December 2010.
----
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 South and
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 the northern half of England, the North. The remainder of England is covered by the two counte ...
participate in a play-off for promotion into
National League 1
National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...
.
Jersey
Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...
were runners-up in the South and would host the game as they had a better record in the league in comparison to the North runners up
Loughborough Students.
[
]
Total season attendances
*Note that a large number of attendances are missing due to poor record keeping (see below for more detail). Also be aware that Jersey's playoff game does not count in the regular season attendances.
Individual statistics
* Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Does not include North–South playoff game.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 132 pts
132–0 Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
;Largest away win — 80 pts
90–10 Ealing Trailfinders away to Newbury on 22 January 2011
;Most points scored — 132 pts
132–0 Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
;Most tries in a match — 20 (x3)
Jersey at home to Newbury Blues on 6 November 2011
Ealing Trailfinders at home to Hinckley on 12 March 2011
Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
;Most conversions in a match — 16 (x2)
Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
Ealing Trailfinders at home to Lydney on 30 April 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Dings Crusaders at home to Southend on 6 November 2011
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A – multiple teams
Player
;Most points in a match — 37
Richard Gregg for Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
;Most tries in a match — 7 (x2)
Phil Chesters
Phil Chesters (born 29 October 1987) is an English rugby union player who is currently playing for Chinnor in National League 1 having signed for the club for the 2017-18 season.
Prior to that he had made his name at Ealing Trailfinders where h ...
for Ealing Trailfinders at home to Newbury Blues on 2 October 2010
Phil Chesters
Phil Chesters (born 29 October 1987) is an English rugby union player who is currently playing for Chinnor in National League 1 having signed for the club for the 2017-18 season.
Prior to that he had made his name at Ealing Trailfinders where h ...
for Ealing Trailfinders at home to Lydney on 30 April 2011
;Most conversions in a match — 16
Richard Gregg for Old Albanian at home to Newbury Blues on 26 March 2011
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Mitch Burton for Dings Crusaders at home to Southend on 6 November 2011
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A – multiple players
Attendances
;Highest — 2,000
Jersey at home to Richmond on 12 February 2011
;Lowest — 50
Hinckley at home to Ealing Trailfinders on 6 November 2010
;Highest Average Attendance — 1,103
Jersey
;Lowest Average Attendance — 99
Hinckley
See also
* English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England cons ...
* Rugby union in England
Rugby union in England is one of the leading professional and recreational team sports. In 1871 the Rugby Football Union, the governing body for rugby union in England, was formed by 21 rugby clubs, and the first international match, which invo ...
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National2
2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
2010–11 in English rugby union leagues