2018–19 National League 2 North
The 2018–19 National League 2 North is the tenth season of the fourth tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
Hull Ionians finished as champions following a bonus point home victory Leicester Lions on 13 April 2019, which sealed the league title with one round still to go. It was Ionians third National League 2 North title, equalling the record set by Macclesfield. It was a competitive league battle, with four teams looking like they could win but in the end Hull Ionians just did enough to claim the title, 4 points ahead of second placed Chester, who qualified for the promotion play-off. On 4 May 2019, Chester lost 10–19 away to National League 2 South runners up, Canterbury. That result meant that only Ionians would be promoted from the division, joining the 2019–20 National League 1 after just one season away.
At the other end of the table, newcomers Peterborough Lions were the first side to be relegated on 9 March 2019, with five games still to play, after they lost at home to Preston Grasshoppers. A week later a win for Sheffield Tigers on 6 April ensured the Sheffield based clubs safety, whilst condemning both Macclesfield and South Leicester to the drop, despite South Leicester winning their fixture away from home. Peterborough Lions and South Leicester would drop into Midlands Premier, while Macclesfield would fall to North Premier.
Another interesting fact from the season was the lowest ever recorded attendance in National League 2 North of just 37 who attended South Leicester's home game against Sedgley Park on 30 March 2019. South Leicester also set an overall low attendance record for the division, averaging just 85 supporters per game.
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 2019–20 National League 1 and the runners up play the second-placed team in the 2018–19 National League 2 South with the winner also being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either North Premier or Midlands Premier depending on the geographical location of the team.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 point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Participating teams and locations
The promoted teams include Preston Grasshoppers from North Premier who return to the division after an absence of just one season, while Peterborough Lions came up from Midlands Premier. Midlands Premier champions Birmingham & Solihull were level transferred to the 2018–19 National League 2 South due to an imbalance of teams, being considered the most southerly team in the division.
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
| Chester | Hare Lane | 2,000 | Chester, Cheshire | 7th |
| Fylde | Woodlands Memorial Ground | 9,000 | Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire | Relegated from National League 1 |
| Hinckley | De Montfort Park | 2,000 | Hinckley, Leicestershire | 5th |
| Huddersfield | Lockwood Park | 1,500 | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | 6th |
| Hull Ionians | Brantingham Park | 1,500 | Brantingham, East Riding of Yorkshire | Relegated from National League 1 |
| Leicester Lions | Westleigh Park | 2,000 | Blaby, Leicestershire | 12th |
| Macclesfield | Priory Park | 1,250 | Macclesfield, Cheshire | 8th |
| Otley | Cross Green | 5,000 | Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire | 11th |
| Peterborough Lions | Bretton Woods | Bretton, Cambridgeshire | Promoted from Midlands Premier | |
| Preston Grasshoppers | Lightfoot Green | 5,000 | Preston, Lancashire | Promoted from North Premier |
| Sedgley Park | Park Lane | 3,000 | Whitefield, Bury, Greater Manchester | 2nd |
| Sheffield Tigers | Dore Moor | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | 10th | |
| South Leicester | Welford Road Ground | Leicester, Leicestershire | 9th | |
| Stourbridge | Stourton Park | 3,500 | Stourbridge, West Midlands | 3rd |
| Tynedale | Tynedale Park | 2,000 | Corbridge, Northumberland | 4th |
| Wharfedale | The Avenue | 2,000 | Threshfield, North Yorkshire | 13th |
League table
Fixtures & Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
- Postponed due to MRSA outbreak. Game to be replayed on 10 November 2018.
Round 6
----Round 7
----Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 5 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 29 September 2018.
Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
----Round 15
- Postponed due to adverse travel conditions caused by poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
Round 16
----Round 17
----Round 18
----Round 19
----Round 20
----Round 21
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 16 March 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 16 March 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
Round 22
----Round 23
----Rounds 15 & 21 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 15 December 2018.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 15 December 2018.
Round 24
----Round 25
- Peterborough Lions are relegated.
Round 21 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game originally rescheduled from 2 February 2019 but postponed to 20 April 2019 due to a waterlogged pitch caused by heavy rain.
Round 26
----Round 27
----Round 28
- South Leicester are relegated.
- Macclesfield are relegated.
Round 29
- Chester qualify for promotion play-off.
- Hull Ionians are champions.
Round 21 (rescheduled game)
- Game originally rescheduled from 2 February 2019 and then again from 16 March 2019.
Round 30
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 North and National League 2 South participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 1. Canterbury were runners up in the 2018–19 National League 2 South, and because they had a better record than the 2018–19 National League 2 North runners up, Chester, they host the play-off match.| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points |
| Canterbury | 30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 894 | 564 | 330 | 21 | 4 | 121 |
| Chester | 30 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 748 | 542 | 206 | 19 | 4 | 109 |
Attendances
- Does not include promotion play-off.
| Club | Home games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Chester | 15 | 5,540 | 369 | 447 | 276 | 18% |
| Fylde | 15 | 9,156 | 610 | 1,794 | 375 | 7% |
| Hinckley | 15 | 8,599 | 573 | 740 | 385 | 29% |
| Huddersfield | 15 | 4,728 | 315 | 552 | 178 | 21% |
| Hull Ionians | 15 | 4,360 | 291 | 635 | 163 | 19% |
| Leicester Lions | 15 | 2,641 | 176 | 450 | 109 | 9% |
| Macclesfield | 15 | 3,473 | 232 | 306 | 172 | 19% |
| Otley | 15 | 4,139 | 276 | 630 | 200 | 6% |
| Peterborough Lions | 15 | 2,313 | 154 | 410 | 100 | |
| Preston Grasshoppers | 15 | 6,354 | 424 | 1,023 | 272 | 8% |
| Sedgley Park | 15 | 3,570 | 238 | 439 | 150 | 8% |
| Sheffield Tigers | 15 | 2,078 | 139 | 215 | 88 | |
| South Leicester | 15 | 1,280 | 85 | 300 | 37 | |
| Stourbridge | 15 | 4,967 | 331 | 497 | 265 | 9% |
| Tynedale | 15 | 7,393 | 493 | 860 | 203 | 25% |
| Wharfedale | 15 | 8,279 | 552 | 780 | 389 | 28% |
Individual statistics
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes. Does not include promotion play-off.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 67 points91 – 24 Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Largest away win — 47 points
59 – 12 Fylde away to South Leicester on 9 March 2019
;Most points scored — 91 points
91 – 24 Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Most tries in a match — 13
Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Most conversions in a match — 13
Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Sheffield Tigers away to Fylde on 29 September 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
Hull Ionians at home to Peterborough Lions on 15 September 2018
Hull Ionians at home to Macclesfield on 8 December 2018
Huddersfield away to Preston Grasshoppers on 5 January 2019
Huddersfield away to Hinckley on 16 February 2019
Huddersfield at home to Wharfedale on 23 February 2019
Preston Grasshoppers at home to Tynedale on 2 March 2019
Stourbridge away to Preston Grasshoppers on 6 April 2019
Huddersfield away to Sedgley Park on 27 April 2019
Attendances
;Highest — 1,794Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 22 December 2018
;Lowest — 37
South Leicester at home to Sedgley Park on 30 March 2019
;Highest average attendance — 610
Fylde
;Lowest average attendance — 85
South Leicester
Player
;Most points in a match — 36Chris Johnson for Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Most tries in a match — 4
Jamie Broadley for Sheffield Tigers at home to Macclesfield on 3 November 2018
Callum Dacey for Hinckley at home to Chester on 23 February 2019
David Rundle for Stourbridge at home to Huddersfield on 9 March 2019
Myles Hall for Macclesfield at home to Peterborough Lions on 23 March 2019
Kian Stewart for Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
Henri Packard for Sheffield Tigers at home to Peterborough Lions on 6 April 2019
;Most conversions in a match — 13
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield at home to South Leicester on 23 March 2019
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Mark Ireland for Sheffield Tigers away to Fylde on 29 September 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
Sam Crane for Hull Ionians at home to Peterborough Lions on 15 September 2018
Morgan Bunting for Hull Ionians at home to Macclesfield on 8 December 2018
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield away to Preston Grasshoppers on 5 January 2019
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield away to Hinckley on 16 February 2019
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield at home to Wharfedale on 23 February 2019
Thomas Davidson for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Tynedale on 2 March 2019
Chris Scott for Stourbridge away to Preston Grasshoppers on 6 April 2019
Chris Johnson for Huddersfield away to Sedgley Park on 27 April 2019