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.
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 |
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
editThe 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
editParticipating 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 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 405 | 222 | +183 | 10 | 0 | 50 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Dorking | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 409 | 252 | +157 | 10 | 0 | 46 | |
| 3 | Guernsey Raiders | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 350 | 256 | +94 | 9 | 1 | 42 | |
| 4 | Barnes | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 333 | 209 | +124 | 7 | 3 | 38 | |
| 5 | Henley Hawks | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 248 | 227 | +21 | 4 | 1 | 35 | |
| 6 | Canterbury | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 377 | 256 | +121 | 7 | 0 | 35 | |
| 7 | Bury St Edmunds | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 344 | 347 | −3 | 8 | 4 | 28 | |
| 8 | Westcombe Park | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 268 | 326 | −58 | 7 | 0 | 27 | |
| 9 | Old Albanian | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 296 | 361 | −65 | 7 | 1 | 24 | |
| 10 | Havant | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 309 | 336 | −27 | 5 | 2 | 23 | |
| 11 | Oxford Harlequins | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 275 | 381 | −106 | 6 | 1 | 17 | |
| 12 | Sevenoaks | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 224 | 341 | −117 | 4 | 3 | 11 | |
| 13 | Colchester | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 218 | 369 | −151 | 5 | 2 | 11 | Relegation place |
| 14 | Worthing Raiders | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 246 | 419 | −173 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
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
editReferences
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.