Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 2, is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from North East England. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland and the bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland. Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 2 are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase (a national competition for clubs at level 8) - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Ponteland won their fourth title in 2020 with Sunderland also promoted.
Current season or competition: 2022–23 Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 |
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Holders | Guisborough (2nd title) (2021–22) (promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland) |
Most titles | Ponteland (4 titles) |
Website | England RFU |
Participating clubs 2024–25
edit
|
|
Participating clubs 2023–24
edit
|
|
Participating clubs 2022–23
edit
|
|
Participating clubs 2021–22
editThe teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019-20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020-21.
|
|
Season 2020–21
editOn 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning DN2 was not contested.
Participating clubs 2019-20
edit
|
|
Original teams
editWhen league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Durham/Northumberland 2 honours
editDurham/Northumberland 2 (1987–1993)
editThe original Durham/Northumberland 2 was a tier 10 league with promotion up to Durham/Northumberland 1 and relegation down to Durham/Northumberland 3.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987–88 | 11 | Mowden Park | Hartlepool | Houghton | ||||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Whitby | Sunderland | Hartlepool B.B.O.B. | ||||||||||
1989–90 | 11 | Bishop Auckland | Darlington Railway Athletic | North Shields, Wallsend | ||||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Consett | Hartlepool | Billingham | ||||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Percy Park | Guisborough[a] | No relegation[b] | ||||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | North Durham | North Shields | Barnard Castle, Billingham | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Durham/Northumberland 2 (1993–2000)
editThe creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 2 dropped to being a tier 11 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Durham/Northumberland 2 remain at tier 11.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | 12 | Ponteland | Wallsend | Newton Aycliffe, Seaton Carew | ||||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Winlaton Vulcans | Medicals | Seaton Carew, Seghill | ||||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Hartlepool | Guisborough | Multiple teams[c] | ||||||||||
1996–97 | 10 | Consett | North Durham | Wensleydale, Darlington Railway Athletic[d] | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 10 | Billingham | Novocastrians | Seaton Carew | ||||||||||
1998–99[2] | 9 | Houghton | Seghill | Guisborough | ||||||||||
1999–00[3] | 10 | Gosforth[e] | Hartlepool | Richmondshire, Chester-Le-Street, Barnard Castle | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Durham/Northumberland 2 (2000–present)
editNorthern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Durham/Northumberland 2 became a tier 8 league.
Number of league titles
edit- Ponteland (4)
- Consett (3)
- Acklam (2)
- Bishop Auckland (2)
- Gosforth (2)
- Ryton (2)
- Ashington (1)
- Barnard Castle (1)
- Billingham (1)
- Blyth (1)
- Gateshead (1)
- Guisborough (1)
- Hartlepool (1)
- Houghton (1)
- Mowden Park (1)
- North Durham (1)
- Percy Park (1)
- Redcar (1)
- Sunderland (1)
- Team Northumbria (1)
- Wallsend (1)
- Winlaton Vulcans (1)
- Whitley Bay Rockcliff (1)
- Whitby (1)
Notes
edit- ^ Runners up Guisborough alongside Whitby, Seaham and West Hartlepool TDSOB were promoted due to league restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4 at the end of season.
- ^ Due to league restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4 there would be no relegation this season.
- ^ Due to restructuring six clubs, including Sedgefield, Seaham, Hartlepool B.B.O.B., Houghton, Richmondshire, Billingham, were relegated to Durham/Northumberland 3. This was done to decrease league sizes and begin home and away fixtures in order to inaugurate North East 3 and the re-introduction of Durham/Northumberland 4 for the following season.
- ^ 9th placed Darlington Railway Athletic would be dissolved at the end of the season.
- ^ No promotion this season as division set to increase from 10 to 12 teams for 2000-01.
- ^ Redcar, Novocastrians were also promoted. The reason for more promotions than usual was because Durham/Northumberland 1 was due to increase from 12 to 14 teams for 2009-10.
- ^ Due to the increased number of teams being promoted from the division to Durham/Northumberland 1 there would be no relegation this season.
- ^ 3 teams relegated due to relegations from higher leagues.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2015-16 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2016-17 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.