National League 2 South


National League 2 South is a level four league in the English rugby union system. It is one of two leagues at this level, with its counterpart, National League 2 North, covering the north of England. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union.
The champions are promoted to National League 1. The runners-up play in a promotion play-off with the runners-up of National League 2 North; the team with the best record having home advantage. The bottom three teams are relegated, to either South West Premier or London & South East Premier.

Current season

Participating teams and locations

Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2018–19 National League 2 South season. The 2018–19 champions Rams and play-off winners Canterbury, who won the promotion play-off against Chester, were promoted into the 2019–20 National League 1, while Esher were relegated into the division from the 2018–19 National League 1. Sides relegated from the 2018–19 National League 2 South included Birmingham & Solihull, Guernsey and London Irish Wild Geese.
The promoted teams are Bournemouth who come up as champions of South West Premier while Sutton & Epsom and Westcliff came up from London & South East Premier. Leicester Lions were level transferred into the division from National League 2 North in order to address an imbalance of teams in National 2, with Rams and Canterbury being promoted and only Esher dropping down from National League 1. Although there were several candidates for the level-transfer in the end Leicester Lions were deemed the most suitable due to being the most southerly club in a central position, making access to both the south-east and south-west more straightforward than alternatives such as Luctonians.
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BarnesBarn ElmsBarnes, London11th
BournemouthChapel Gate1,500Bournemouth, DorsetPromoted from South West Premier
Bury St EdmundsThe Haberden3,000 Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk8th
CliftonStation Road2,500 Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol6th
Dings CrusadersShaftsbury Park2,250 Frenchay, Bristol13th
EsherMolesey Road3,500Hersham, SurreyRelegated from National 1
Henley HawksDry Leas4,000Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire4th
Leicester LionsWestleigh Park2,000Blaby, LeicestershireLevel-transfer from National 2 North
Old AlbanianWoollam's Playing Fields1,000St Albans, Hertfordshire10th
Old RedcliffiansScotland LaneBrislington, Bristol12th
RedruthThe Recreation Ground3,500 Redruth, Cornwall7th
Sutton & EpsomRugby LaneCheam, LondonPromoted from London & South East Premier
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, EssexPromoted from London & South East Premier
Worthing RaidersRoundstone Lane1,500 Angmering, West Sussex9th

Current standings

List of champions

Area League South

National 4 South

National Division 4

Division 4 South

National 2 South

National Division 3 South

National League 2 South

National Two promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a promotion 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 has home advantage. As of the end of the 2019–20 season the 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

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. Attendance records are from 2000 onwards unless otherwise specified. All records are up to date up till the end of the 2018-19 season.

League records

RankNatNameYearsClubPointsAppsRatio
1Matthew McLean2008-13, 2014-Worthing Raiders2,3142379.8
2Gary Kingdom2010-Taunton Titans1,9792458.1
3Adam Westall2002-03, 2004-08
2008-10		Lydney
Dings Crusaders		1,36813011
4Andy Frost2005-07, 2009-13
2014-15		Southend Saxons
Dorking		1,30211711
5Derek Coates2000-03
2003-04		Westcombe Park
Blackheath		1,1839912
6Kieron Lewitt2007-09
2011-15		Canterbury
Launceston		1,1341319
7James Comben2009-13, 2014-15Henley Hawks9241039
8Tom Best2009-11
2012-		Canterbury8582024.2
9Bradley Barnes2012-14, 2015-
2014-15		Clifton
Lydney		8301684.9
10Tom White2014-17Old Elthamians778859.2

National League 2 South top 10 try scorers, all time

RankNatNameYearsClubTriesAppsRatio
1Phil Chesters2009-11
2017
2017-		Ealing Trailfinders
Old Elthamians
Chinnor		117751.6
2Matthew McLean2008-13, 2014-Worthing Raiders1152370.5
3Andy Thorpe2001–08North Walsham1141430.8
4Michael Melford2006-11, 2012-13Canterbury921480.6
5Mark Billings2005-07, 2009-16Southend892130.4
6Alexander Nielsen2008-13, 2014-17Worthing Raiders831390.6
7Owen Bruynseels2007-11Ealing Trailfinders81950.9
8Nick Hankin2013-17Bishop's Stortford801190.7
8Gert De Kock2003-05
2006-11		Westcombe Park
Canterbury		801660.5
8William Pomphrey2009-Clifton801750.5