The 2016–17 National League 2 South was the eighth season (30th overall) of the
fourth tier (south) of the English domestic
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
competitions since the professionalised format of the
second division was introduced. New teams to the division include
Henley Hawks and
Cinderford
Cinderford is a town and civil parish on the eastern fringe of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. The population was 8,777 at the 2021 Census.
The town came into existence in the 19th century, following the rapid expansion of the ...
(both relegated from
National League 1
National One, up until 2023 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 Lea ...
) while
Exmouth
Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort situated on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe, southeast of Exeter.
In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of settl ...
(champions) and
Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. The town lies at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool from ...
were promoted from
National League 3 South West along with
London Irish Wild Geese who won
National League 3 London & SE. The league system is 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 are promoted to
National League 1
National One, up until 2023 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 Lea ...
while the second-placed team play-off against the second-placed team 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 Northern England. The remainder of England is covered by the two counterpart leagues National L ...
(at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.
At the end of the season
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is in the London metropolitan area, London commuter belt, near the border with Essex, just west of the ...
were crowned champions on 22 April 2017 after beating Exmouth 60-7 away - reaching the highest level in the clubs' history.
It was a worthy reward for Bishop's Stortford who finished 3rd the previous season and lost the playoff the season before that. A further highlight for Bishop's Stortford was the club record attendance of 1,664 that attending Silver Leys for the final league match of the season - a figure that was also the highest in National League 2 South that year.
Although Bishop's Stortford's won the league with a game to spare it had been a very close battle for promotion as they faced strong competition from
Chinnor and
Old Elthamians up until the penultimate game. Chinnor had looked likely champions during the first half of the season but in the end missed out on promotion altogether, as despite finishing dead level on points with Old Elthamians they had one less win than the Kent side.
As runners up Old Elthamians would have to head north for their promotion playoff as the
2016–17 National League 2 North second placed side,
Sale, had finished with more 2 more league points (124 to 122). On 6 May 2017 Old Elthamians beat Sale 19-14 at
Heywood Road to clinch promotion to join Bishop's Stortford in the
2017–18 National League 1 - and just like the Hertfordshire side it would the highest level Old Elthamians had ever reached in the club's history.
The liquidation of
London Welsh
London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...
in January 2017, and their expulsion from the
RFU Championship
The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men's English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when Eng ...
, meant that there were only 5 teams instead of the usual 6 relegated from National League 2 South and National League 2 North this season - meaning that one league would have 3 teams going down and the other having just 2 depending on league points gained.
Newly promoted Exmouth were the first team to be relegated on 8 April 2017 when they lost 20-36 away to
Clifton, way adrift of the teams above them.
The other spots were much more keenly contested with 4 teams facing possible relegation on the last day of the season in what was one of the most exciting relegation battles for years. In the end it was
Barnes who went down - a final round try bonus point defeat not enough despite tying them with relegation rivals, Barnstaple, who had a superior win record. Any other season Barnstaple would have gone down as they finished in 14th place but they ended up having more than the equivalent side
Harrogate
Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...
had in the
2016–17 National League 2 North - 51 points to 47 - condemning the Yorkshire side to the drop instead. The final league table shows how close this season was at both ends of the table. Only 5 points separate the top 3 sides, while just 3 points separate 12th placed
Worthing Raiders from 15th placed Barnes.
Exmouth would fall down to
National League 3 South West while Barnes would drop to
National League 3 London & SE.
Other points to consider for the season was that despite falling attendances in leagues such as the RFU Championship, National League 2 South actually recorded an increase in overall attendances - up to 91,074 (or 379 per game) from 88,674 (369 per game) the previous year. This was helped by record club attendances for both Bishop's Stortford and Chinnor (both over 1,500), while promoted side Barnstaple also did well. Redruth, who struggled towards the end of the season, were once again the best supported side in the division, averaging over 800 supporters per game. This was despite losing the Cornish derby with
Launceston who were relegated the previous season.
Structure
The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one automatic promotion place, one play-off place and three relegation places. The champions are promoted to the
2017–18 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the
2016–17 National League 2 North with the winner being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either
National League 3 London & SE or
National League 3 South West depending on the geographical location of the team (in some cases teams may join the Midlands regional leagues).
Participating teams and locations
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the
2015–16 National League 2 South season;
Henley Hawks and
Cinderford
Cinderford is a town and civil parish on the eastern fringe of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. The population was 8,777 at the 2021 Census.
The town came into existence in the 19th century, following the rapid expansion of the ...
were relegated from the
2015–16 National League 1 while
London Irish Wild Geese were promoted as champions of
National League 3 London & SE and
Exmouth
Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort situated on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe, southeast of Exeter.
In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of settl ...
(champions) and
Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town and civil parish in the North Devon district of Devon, England. The town lies at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool from ...
(playoffs) from
National League 3 South West. This season would also see
Old Elthamians move from the 500 capacity Queen Mary Sports Ground in Chislehurst to College Meadow in Eltham.
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
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Round 14
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Round 15
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Round 16
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Round 17
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Round 18
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Round 19
*Postponed as Canterbury RFC felt that the pitch was unplayable due to recent cold weather. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2017.
*Postponed due to frozen pitch. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2017.
*Postponed due to frozen pitch. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2017.
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Round 20
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Round 23
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Round 19 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 21 January 2017.
*Game rescheduled from 21 January 2017.
*Game rescheduled from 21 January 2017.
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Round 24
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Round 25
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Round 26
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Round 27
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Round 28
*Exmouth are relegated.
[
]
Round 29
*Bishop's Stortford are champions.[
]
Round 30
*Barnes are relegated.[
][
]
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the 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 L ...
and National League 2 South participate in a play-off for promotion to National Division 1. Sale were runners-up in the 2016–17 National League 2 North and because they had a better record than the 2016–17 National League 2 South runners-up, Old Elthamians, they hosted the play-off match.
Attendances
*Does not include promotion play-off.
Individual statistics
* Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included). Does not include promotion playoff.
Top points scorers
[
]
Top try scorers
[
]
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 76 points
90 - 7 Old Elthamians at home to Exmouth on 25 March 2017
;Largest away win — 56 points
70 - 14 Redruth away to Worthing Raiders on 8 April 2017
;Most points scored — 90 points
90 - 7 Old Elthamians at home to Exmouth on 25 March 2017
;Most tries in a match — 15
90 - 7 Old Elthamians at home to Exmouth on 25 March 2017
;Most conversions in a match — 11
Old Elthamians at home to Exmouth on 25 March 2017
;Most penalties in a match — 5 (x6)
Exmouth at home to London Irish Wild Geese on 17 September 2016
Cinderford away to Worthing Raiders on 24 September 2016
Canterbury away to London Irish Wild Geese on 22 October 2016
Redingensians Rams away to Old Elthamians on 12 November 2016
Cinderford at home to Worthing Raiders on 14 January 2017
Bury St Edmunds away to Barnes on 11 March 2017
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A - multiple teams
Player
;Most points in a match — 29
Gary Kingdom for Taunton Titans at home to Exmouth on 10 September 2016
;Most tries in a match — 5
Dominic Lespierre for Old Elthamians at home to Barnstaple on 29 April 2017
;Most conversions in a match — 9 (x2)
Bertie Hopkin for Chinnor at home to Exmouth on 8 October 2016
Tom White for Old Elthamians at home to Barnstaple on 29 April 2017
;Most penalties in a match — 5 (x6)
George Meadows for Exmouth at home to London Irish Wild Geese on 17 September 2016
James Moffat for Cinderford away to Worthing Raiders on 24 September 2016
Ollie Best for Canterbury away to London Irish Wild Geese on 22 October 2016
Jacob Atkins for Redingensians Rams away to Old Elthamians on 12 November 2016
James Moffat for Cinderford at home to Worthing Raiders on 14 January 2017
Glyn Hughes for Bury St Edmunds away to Barnes on 11 March 2017
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A - multiple players
Attendances
;Highest — 1,664
Bishop's Stortford at home to Barnes on 29 April 2017
;Lowest — 45
Barnes at home to Worthing Raiders on 17 December 2016
;Highest Average Attendance — 752
Redruth
;Lowest Average Attendance — 151
Clifton
[
]
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 consi ...
* 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 invol ...
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National2
2016-17
2016–17 in English rugby union leagues