National League 2 East

National League 2 East
Current season or competition:
2024–25 National League 2 East
SportRugby union
Instituted2022
Number of teams14
Country England
HoldersEsher (2023–24)
Most titlesBlackheath, Esher (1 title)
WebsiteNational 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

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

Main article: 2024–25 National League 2 East

Participating teams and locations

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Locations of the 2024–25 National League 2 East teams
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

2024–25 National League 2 East table
Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Tonbridge Juddians 11 10 0 1 426 254 +172 10 0 50 Promotion place
2 Dorking 10 9 0 1 409 252 +157 10 0 46
3 Barnes 11 8 0 3 346 219 +127 7 3 42
4 Guernsey Raiders 10 8 0 2 350 256 +94 9 1 42
5 Henley Hawks 11 8 1 2 265 243 +22 4 1 39
6 Canterbury 11 7 0 4 393 273 +120 7 1 36
7 Bury St Edmunds 11 5 0 6 376 368 +8 9 4 33
8 Westcombe Park 11 5 0 6 280 340 −60 7 1 28
9 Havant 11 5 0 6 331 353 −22 5 2 27
10 Old Albanian 11 4 0 7 306 374 −68 7 2 25
11 Oxford Harlequins 11 2 1 8 292 403 −111 6 2 18
12 Sevenoaks 11 2 0 9 238 353 −115 4 3 15
13 Worthing Raiders 11 1 0 10 266 433 −167 7 3 14 Relegation place
14 Colchester 11 1 0 10 232 389 −157 5 3 12
Updated to match(es) played on 23 November 2024. Source: National League Rugby [10]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

National Two East honours

List of National Two East honours
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

See also

References

  1. ^ "Update on Structural Changes to National League Rugby". National League Rugby. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ Compton, Richard. "Crushing Club back into Level Three at a stroll". The RugbyPaper. No. 758. pp. 32–3.
  3. ^ "National League 2 East 2022/23 – Points Table". National League Rugby. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Colchester Rugby Club celebrating promotion to fourth tier". Daily Gazette. 18 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Havant". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Title in the bag as Havant battle up the hill". Havant RFC. 25 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Oxford Harlequins RUFC". Oxford Harlequins RUFC. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Oxford Harlequins win title and promotion to National League". Oxford Mail. 19 March 2024.
  10. ^ "National League 2 East". NCA Rugby.
  11. ^ "National League 2 East 2022–23 Final Standings". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  12. ^ "National League 2 East 2023–24 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2024.