National League 2 North is one of three, level four leagues in the

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 ...

and provides semi-professional competition for teams in the northern half of England, the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...

. 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 Midlands (until 2022–23 known as Midlands Premier and up until 2016–17 known as National League 3 Midlands) is a level five semi-professional league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When ...

or North Premier leagues, depending on where the teams are based. Hull 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 The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifie ...

and the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled. 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.

Current season

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 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 ...

. The RFU will release details of relegation in the summer. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows: * 4 points are awarded for a win * 2 points are awarded for a draw * 0 points are awarded for a loss, however * 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer * 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

Participating teams and locations

League table

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 National League 2 South (known before September 2009 as National Division Three South) was a level four league in the English rugby union system until the end of season 2021–22. It was one of two leagues at this level, with its counterpart, ...

, for the third and final promotion place to

. 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

Hull Ionians Hull Ionians is a rugby union club in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The first team play in English rugby's National League 2 North, the fourth tier of the English rugby union system, following their relegation from National League 1 ...

(3) * Macclesfield (3) * Caldy (2) * Nuneaton (2) * Aspatria (1) * Birmingham & Solihull (1) * Blaydon (1) * Bradford & Bingley (1) * Broughton Park (1) *

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

(1) * Fylde (1) * Halifax (1) *

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and the administrative centre of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa w ...

(1) * Hull (1) * Kendal (1) * Loughborough Students (1) *

Otley Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 20 ...

(1) * Preston Grasshoppers (1) *

Rotherham Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...

(1) *

Roundhay Roundhay is a large suburb in north-east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Roundhay had a population of 22,546 in 2011. It sits in the Roundhay ward of Leeds City Council and Leeds North East parliamentary constituency. History Etymology Roun ...

(1) * Rugby (1) * Sale FC (1) *

Stourbridge Stourbridge is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands, England, situated on the River Stour. Historically in Worcestershire, it was the centre of British glass making during the Industrial Revolution. The ...

(1) *

Tynedale __NOTOC__ Tynedale is an area and former local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. The district had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census. Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe. Th ...

(1) * Waterloo (1) *

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

(1)

Original teams

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

Birkenhead Park Birkenhead Park is a major public park located in the centre of Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. It was designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847. It is generally acknowledged as the first publicly funded civic park in the world. Th ...

(now playing in

North 1 West North 1 West is a rugby union league at the sixth level within the English league system. The league is made up of teams from north west England and the Isle of Man; principally consisting of the English counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater ...

) * Broughton Park (now playing in

) *

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

(now playing in

Midlands 1 East Regional 2 East Midlands is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in the eastern region of the Midlands, including sides from Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and occasion ...

) * Durham City (now playing in

North 1 East North 1 East is the sixth tier of the English rugby union domestic competition, formed in 1987 using the name North Division 2, involving clubs from the north of the country. There was also division known as North East 1 that began in 1987 f ...

) *

Lichfield Lichfield () is a cathedral city and civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated roughly south-east of the county town of Stafford, south-east of Rugeley, north-east of Walsall, north-west of Tamworth and south-west o ...

(now playing in

Midlands 1 West Midlands 1 West is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in the western region of the Midlands, including sides from Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham and the West Midlands, Worceste ...

) * Northern (now playing in

Durham/Northumberland 1 Durham/Northumberland 1 is an English amateur rugby union competition. The league consists of fourteen clubs, and is the seventh tier of the English rugby union system, as one of the 16 regional leagues, though is the highest level of local rug ...

) * Preston Grasshoppers (now playing in North Premier) *

(now

Leeds Tykes Leeds Tykes (formerly Leeds RUFC, Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire Carnegie) is an English rugby union club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the National League 1. The club was founded as Headingley FC, but renamed in 1991 when it j ...

and playing in

) * Rugby Lions (now playing in

) *

Solihull Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blyth ...

(now Birmingham & Solihull and playing in

Midlands 4 West (South) Midlands 4 West (South) is a level 9 English Rugby Union league and level 4 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the West Midlands region including clubs from parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands, Herefords ...

) *

(still playing in National League 2 North)

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

*Most titles: 3 :

(

2012–13 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. I ...

, 2014–15, 2018–19) : Macclesfield ( 2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16) *Most times promoted from division: 3 :

(

, 2014–15, 2018–19) : Nuneaton ( 2002–03, 2005–06, 2008–09) : Macclesfield ( 2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16) *Most times relegated from division: 3 :

Morley Morley may refer to: Places England * Morley, Norfolk, a civil parish * Morley, Derbyshire, a civil parish * Morley, Cheshire, a village * Morley, County Durham, a village * Morley, West Yorkshire, a suburban town of Leeds and civil parish * M ...

( 2001–02, 2007–08,

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. ...

) :

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...

( 1993–94, 1999–00, 2017–18) :

Scunthorpe Scunthorpe () is an industrial town and unparished area in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire in Lincolnshire, England of which it is the main administrative centre. Scunthorpe had an estimated total population of 82,334 in 2016. A ...

( 2002–03, 2016–17, 2019–20) *Most league points in a season: 134 :

( 2014–15) *Fewest league points in a season: 0 :

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

(

) *Most points scored in a season: 1,259 : Fylde (

) *Fewest points scored in a season: 205 :

(

) *Most points conceded in a season: 1,985 :

(

) *Fewest points conceded in a season: 305 : Kendal (1999–00) *Best points difference (for/against): 736 : Fylde (

) *Worst points difference (for/against): -1,780 :

(

) *Most games won in a season: 28 :

(

) *Most games lost in a season: 30 :

(

) :

Dudley Kingswinford Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union football club based in Kingswinford in the West Midlands. The club currently plays in the fifth tier of English club rugby, participating in the Midlands Premier. The club runs s ...

( 2013-14) *Most games drawn in a season: 4 :

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...

( 2019–20) *Most bonus points in a season: 30 :

Sedgley Park Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury. Historically part of Lancashire, Prestwich was the seat of the ancient parish ...

( 2017–18)

Match records

*Largest home win: 124 – 0 : Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 ( 2006–07) *Largest away win: 106 – 0 : Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007 ( 2006–07) *Most points scored in a match: 124 : Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 ( 2006–07) *Most tries scored in a match: 18 : Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 ( 2006–07) : Fylde at home to

on 16 April 2011 (

) *Most conversions scored in a match: 17 : Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 ( 2006–07) *Most penalties scored in a match: 9 : Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2014 ( 2014–15) *Most drop kicks scored in a match: 3 : 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 Wharfedale ( ) is the valley of the upper parts of the River Wharfe and one of the Yorkshire Dales. It is situated within the districts of Craven and Harrogate in North Yorkshire, and the cities of Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire. It i ...

at home to

on 19 November 2016 and

at home to Luctonians on 28 January 2017 (both 2016–17)

Player records

*Most times top points scorer: 2 :

Tom Rhodes Tom Rhodes (born January 14, 1967) is an American comedian, actor, host, and travel writer. When Comedy Central began in the early 1990s, Rhodes became the first comedian spokesperson they signed. Much of his commercial success came during th ...

for Bradford & Bingley ( 2004–05, 2005–06) : Chris Johnson for

(

, 2011–12) : Lewis Mininkin for

( 2015–16, 2018–19) : Gavin Roberts for Caldy ( 2008–09, 2019–20) *Most times top try scorer: 3 :

Nick Royle Nick Royle (born 1983) is a current England Rugby Sevens International rugby union player. He plays as a Rugby union positions#14. & 11. Wing, winger. He is currently playing 15-aside rugby for Caldy Rugby Football Club, Caldy in the RFU Champ ...

for Fylde ( 2006–07) and Caldy ( 2015–16, 2016–17) *Most points in a season: 422 : Ross Winney for Macclesfield ( 2009–10) *Most tries in a season: 32 :

Gareth Collins Gareth Collins (born 1983) is a former English-Welsh rugby union player who is currently head coach at Melton Mowbray and Head of Psychology at The King's School Grantham. A Leicester Tigers youth player, Collins was a versatile back who made hi ...

for

Leicester Lions Leicester Lions are a speedway team which originally operated from 1968 until 1983.Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). ''Homes of British Speedway''. The club returned to speedway for the 2011 Premier League season, moving up to the Elite League ...

(

) : Ryan Parkinson for Macclesfield ( 2013–14) :

for Caldy ( 2016–17) *Most points in a match: 49 : Ross Winney for Macclesfield away to Waterloo on 30 January 2010 ( 2009–10) *Most conversions in a match: 17 : Anthony Mellalieu for Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007 ( 2006–07) *Most tries in a match: 7 : Matt Donkin for

at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001 ( 2001–02) :

for Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007 ( 2006–07) : Dominic Moon for Preston Grasshoppers at home to

on 14 April 2012 ( 2011–12) *Most penalties in a match: 9 : Louis Silver for Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2015 ( 2014–15) *Most drop kicks in a match: 3 : Mike Scott for Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006 ( 2005–06) : Rickie Aley for Nuneaton at home to Macclesfield on 11 October 2008 and away to Bradford & Bingley on 29 November 2008 (both 2008–09) : 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

*Highest attendance (league game): 3,750 : Darlington Mowden Park at home to Macclesfield on 26 April 2014 ( 2013–14) *Lowest attendance (league game): 37 : South Leicester at home to

on 30 March 2019 ( 2018–19) *Highest attendance (promotion play-off): 1,500 :

at home to Launceston ( 2000–01) *Lowest attendance (promotion play-off): 925 :

at home to Worthing Raiders on 11 May 2013 (

) *Highest average attendance (club): 921 : Fylde (

) *Lowest average attendance (club): 85 : South Leicester ( 2018–19) *Highest average attendance (season): 348 ( 2019–20) *Lowest average attendance (season): 239 ( 2007–08)

National League 2 North top 10 point scorers, all time

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

National League 2 North top 10 try scorers, all time

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

Notes

References

External links

NCA Rugby
{{Rugby union in England 4 Recurring sporting events established in 1987 Sports leagues established in 1987

Current season

Structure

Participating teams and locations

League table

National Two North honours

Promotion play-offs

Number of league titles

Original teams

League format since 1987

Records

League records

Match records

Player records

Attendance records

National League 2 North top 10 point scorers, all time

National League 2 North top 10 try scorers, all time

Notes

See also

References

External links