National League 2 East
Current season or competition: 2024–25 National League 2 East | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2022 |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Esher (2023–24) |
| Most titles | Blackheath, Esher (1 title) |
| Website | National League 2 East |
National League 2 East is a rugby union league at level four in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in London, South East England and the East of England. The remainder of England is covered by two other regional leagues; National League 2 North and National League 2 West.[1] The champion club is promoted to National One. The last two teams are relegated to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East.
Blackheath became champions, with three matches to play, following their 93 – 17 defeat of Westcliff on 25 March 2023.[2] Rochford Hundred (13th) and Westcliff (14th) are relegated to Regional 1 South East.[3]
Prior to the 2022–23 season, National League 2 East and National League 2 West were part of a unified division known as National League 2 South.
Structure
[edit]The league consists of fourteen teams who 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 and the bottom two teams are relegated to Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East, depending on their location.[4]
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.
Current season
[edit]Participating teams and locations
[edit]
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes | Barn Elms | 1,000 | Barnes, London | Runners up |
| Bury St Edmunds | The Haberden | 3,000 (135 seats) | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk | 6th |
| Canterbury | Marine Travel Ground | 1,500 (75 seats) | Canterbury, Kent | 7th |
| Colchester | Raven Park | 1,200 | Colchester, Essex | Promoted from Regional 1SE (champions)[5] |
| Dorking | The Big Field | 1,500 | Dorking, Surrey | 3rd |
| Guernsey Raiders | Footes Lane | 5,000 (720 seats) | Saint Peter Port, Guernsey | 10th |
| Havant | Hook's Lane[6] | 1,500 (500 seats) | Havant, Hampshire | Promoted from Regional 1SC (champions)[7] |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire | 4th |
| Old Albanian | Woollam's Playing Fields | 1,000 | St Albans, Hertfordshire | 8th |
| Oxford Harlequins | Horspath Sports Ground[8] | 1,000 | Horspath, Oxfordshire | Promoted from Regional 1 Midlands (champions)[9] |
| Sevenoaks | Knole Paddock | 1,000 | Sevenoaks, Kent | 11th |
| Tonbridge Juddians | The Slade | 1,500 | Tonbridge, Kent | 5th |
| Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 (200 seats) | Orpington, London | 9th |
| Worthing Raiders | Roundstone Lane | 1,500 (100 seats) | Angmering, West Sussex | 12th |
League table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonbridge Juddians | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 364 | 194 | +170 | 9 | 0 | 45 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Dorking | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 348 | 218 | +130 | 9 | 0 | 41 | |
| 3 | Guernsey Raiders | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 301 | 229 | +72 | 8 | 1 | 37 | |
| 4 | Barnes | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 299 | 197 | +102 | 6 | 3 | 33 | |
| 5 | Henley Hawks | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 212 | 199 | +13 | 3 | 1 | 30 | |
| 6 | Canterbury | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 318 | 221 | +97 | 6 | 0 | 30 | |
| 7 | Westcombe Park | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 256 | 292 | −36 | 7 | 0 | 27 | |
| 8 | Bury St Edmunds | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 309 | 288 | +21 | 7 | 4 | 27 | |
| 9 | Havant | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 281 | 300 | −19 | 5 | 2 | 23 | |
| 10 | Old Albanian | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 268 | 320 | −52 | 6 | 1 | 23 | |
| 11 | Oxford Harlequins | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 248 | 332 | −84 | 5 | 1 | 16 | |
| 12 | Sevenoaks | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 201 | 313 | −112 | 4 | 2 | 10 | |
| 13 | Worthing Raiders | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 212 | 358 | −146 | 5 | 3 | 8 | Relegation place |
| 14 | Colchester | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 190 | 346 | −156 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Difference between points for and against
- Total number of points for
- Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
- Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
National Two East honours
[edit]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runner–up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 14 | Blackheath | Barnes | Westcliff, Rochford Hundred | [11] | |||||||||
| 2023–24 | 14 | Esher | Barnes | North Walsham, Wimbledon | [12] | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | 14 | |||||||||||||
| Green background is the promotion place. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
[edit]- Blackheath (1)
- Esher (1)
See also
[edit]- English rugby union system
- History of the English rugby union system
- National League 2 North
- National League 2 West
References
[edit]- ^ "Update on Structural Changes to National League Rugby". National League Rugby. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Compton, Richard. "Crushing Club back into Level Three at a stroll". The RugbyPaper. No. 758. pp. 32–3.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2022/23 – Points Table". National League Rugby. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ "How promotion and relegation will work for Men's National 1 and below and Women's Championship and below". England Rugby. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Colchester Rugby Club celebrating promotion to fourth tier". Daily Gazette. 18 March 2024.
- ^ "Havant". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Title in the bag as Havant battle up the hill". Havant RFC. 25 March 2024.
- ^ "Oxford Harlequins RUFC". Oxford Harlequins RUFC. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Oxford Harlequins win title and promotion to National League". Oxford Mail. 19 March 2024.
- ^ "National League 2 East". NCA Rugby.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2022–23 Final Standings". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2023–24 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2024.