National League 2 South (known before September 2009 as National Division Three South) was a level four league in the English rugby union system until the end of season 2021–22. It was 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 were promoted to National League 1. The runner-up play in a promotion play-off with the runner-up of National League 2 North; the team with the best record having home advantage. The bottom three teams were relegated, to either South West Premier or London & South East Premier. Esher are the current and final champions.
The 2019–20 season ended before all the matches were completed because of the coronavirus pandemic and the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) approved a new structure for the National Leagues from the 2022–23 season. Along with National League 1 and National League 2 North the size of the leagues at levels 3 and 4 are reduced to 14 teams (previously 16), there will be a two-week break over Christmas and protected weekend breaks through the season. The competition structure will be reviewed every three years. As part of the restructure a third league was created at level four and most of the National League 2 South teams were placed into either National League 2 East or National League 2 West.
Final season
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2019–20 National League 2 South season. The 2019–20 champions Taunton Titans and Tonbridge Juddians, who won the (virtual) promotion play-off against Caldy, were promoted into the 2021–22 National League 1, while Canterbury were relegated into the division from the 2019–20 National League 1. Sides relegated from the 2019–20 National League 2 South included Sutton & Epsom (to London & SE Premier), Bournemouth and Old Redcliffians (both to South West Premier).
The promoted teams were Barnstaple who come up as champions of South West Premier while Rochford Hundred (champions) and Guernsey Raiders (virtual play-off) came up from London & South East Premier. Hinckley were level transferred into the division from National League 2 North in order to address an imbalance of teams in National 2, with Taunton and Tonbridge Juddians being promoted and only Canterbury dropping down from National League 1.
Fifteen of the sixteen teams from 2021–22 were placed into one of the other level-four leagues for 2022–23. Barnes, Bury St. Edmunds, Canterbury, Guernsey Raiders, Henley Hawks, Old Albanian, Rochford Hundred, Westcliff and Worthing Raiders were transferred to the newly created National League 2 East while Barnstaple, Clifton, Dings Crusaders, Hinckley, Leicester Lions and Redruth were transferred to another new level-four league, National League 2 West. The 2021–22 champions, Esher, were promoted to National League 1. No teams were relegated to level five.
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area Previous season Barnes Barn Elms 500 Barnes, London 12th Barnstaple Pottingham Road 2,000 (575 seats) Barnstaple, Devon Promoted from South West Premier (champions) Bury St Edmunds The Haberden 3,000 (135 seats) Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 6th Canterbury Marine Travel Ground 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, Kent Relegated from 2019–20 National League 1 (15th) Clifton Station Road 2,500 (400 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol 5th Dings Crusaders Shaftsbury Park 2,250 (250 seats) Frenchay, Bristol 11th Esher Molesey Road 3,500 Hersham, Surrey 8th Guernsey Raiders Footes Lane 5,000 (720 seats) Saint Peter Port, Guernsey Promoted from London & South East Premier (virtual play-off) Henley Hawks Dry Leas 4,000 Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire 4th Hinckley De Montfort Park 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire Level-transfer from National 2 North (3rd) Leicester Lions Westleigh Park 2,000 Blaby, Leicestershire 7th Old Albanian Woollam's Playing Fields 1,000 St Albans, Hertfordshire 10th Redruth The Recreation Ground 3,500 (580 seats) Redruth, Cornwall 3rd Rochford Hundred The Rugby Park 1,000 Hawkwell, Rochford, Essex Promoted from London & South East Premier (champions) Westcliff The Gables 1,000 Eastwood, Essex 13th Worthing Raiders Roundstone Lane 1,500 (100 seats) Angmering, West Sussex 9th
2020–21 Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
List of champions Area League South Area League South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1987–88 11 10 Askeans Sidcup Streatham/Croydon 1988–89 11 10 Lydney Havant Sidcup, Stroud, Ealing 1989–90 11 10 Metropolitan Police Clifton Salisbury
National 4 South National 4 South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1990–91 13 12 Redruth Basingstoke Cheltenham, Maidenhead 1991–92 13 12 Havant Basingstoke Ealing, Sidcup 1992–93 13 12 Sudbury London Welsh Multiple
National Division 4 National Division 4 honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1993–94 10 18 Clifton Harrogate Sheffield (to 5 North) and Sudbury (to 5 South) 1994–95 10 18 Rotherham Reading Askeans (to 5 South) and Broughton Park (to 5 North) 1995–96 10 18 Exeter London Welsh Aspatria (to 4 North) and Plymouth Albion (to 4 South)
Division 4 South Division 4 South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1996–97 14 26 Newbury Henley Askeans, Charlton Park, High Wycombe, Berry Hill
National 2 South National 2 South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1997–98 14 26 Camberley Henley No relegation 1998–99 14 26 Bracknell Esher Havant 1999–00 14 26 Esher Penzance & Newlyn Metropolitan Police, Norwich, Bridgwater & Albion
National Division 3 South National Division 3 South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 2000–01 14 26 Plymouth Albion Launceston Cheltenham, Basingstoke, Weston-super-Mare, Reading 2001–02 14 26 Penzance & Newlyn Launceston Cinderford, Clifton 2002–03 14 26 Rosslyn Park Lydney Camberley, Havant 2003–04 14 26 Blackheath Launceston Old Colfeians, Basingstoke 2004–05 14 26 Barking Redruth Haywards Heath, Tabard, Weston-super-Mare 2005–06 14 26 Cambridge North Walsham Bracknell, Reading 2006–07 14 26 Southend Westcombe Park Chinnor, Old Patesians, Hertford 2007–08 14 26 Mount's Bay Cinderford Luton, North Walsham, Clifton 2008–09 14 26 London Scottish Rosslyn Park Havant, Chinnor
National League 2 South National League 2 South honoursSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunner-upRelegated team(s)Ref 2009–10 15 28 Barking Rosslyn Park Bridgwater & Albion, Barnes 2010–11 16 30 Ealing Trailfinders Jersey Newbury, Hinckley, Canterbury 2011–12 16 30 Old Albanian Richmond Barnes, Hertford, Westcombe Park 2012–13 15 28 Henley Hawks Worthing Raiders Barking, Lydney 2013–14 16 30 Hartpury College Ampthill & District Exmouth, Bournemouth, London Irish Wild Geese 2014–15 16 30 Henley Hawks Bishop's Stortford Dings Crusaders, Shelford, Lydney 2015–16 16 30 Cambridge Old Albanian Launceston, Southend Saxons, Dorking 2016–17 16 30 Bishop's Stortford Old Elthamians Exmouth, Barnes 2017–18 16 30 Cinderford Chinnor Broadstreet, Wimbledon, Barnstaple 2018–19 16 30 Rams Canterbury London Irish Wild Geese, Guernsey, Birmingham & Solihull 2019–20 16 25 Taunton Titans Tonbridge Juddians Bournemouth, Old Redcliffians, Sutton & Epsom 2020–21 16 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic 2021–22 16 30 Esher Redruth No relegation due to tier 3 and 4 league reorganisation Green background are promotion places.
National Two promotion play-offs Until the 2021–22 season there was 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.
National Two promotion play-off results Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance 2000–01 Sedgley Park (N) 40–23 Launceston (S) Park Lane, Whitefield, Greater Manchester 1,500 2001–02 Launceston (S) 26–0 Dudley Kingswinford (N) Polson Bridge, Launceston, Cornwall 2,500 2002–03 Lydney (S) 21–7 New Brighton (N) Regentsholme, Lydney, Gloucestershire 2003–04 Halifax (N) 16–18 Launceston (S) Ovenden Park, Halifax, West Yorkshire 2004–05 Redruth (S) 33–14 Macclesfield (N) The Recreation Ground, Redruth, Cornwall 4,000 2005–06 North Walsham (S) 5–15 Nuneaton (N) Norwich Road, Scottow, Norfolk 1,302 2006–07 Westcombe Park (S) 36–20 Tynedale (N) Goddington Dene, Orpington, Greater London 1,700 2007–08 Cinderford (S) 15–14 Darlington Mowden Park (N) Dockham Road, Cinderford, Gloucestershire 2,800 2008–09 No promotion play-off due to the restructuring of the English rugby union league system. Only the champions of the two divisions were promoted. 2009–10 Loughborough Students (N) 21–43 Rosslyn Park (S) Loughborough University Stadium, Loughborough, Leicestershire 1,000 2010–11 Jersey (S) 30–5 Loughborough Students (N) St. Peter, Saint Peter, Jersey 3,100 2011–12 Richmond (S) 20–13 (aet) Caldy (N) Athletic Ground, Richmond, Greater London 1,600 2012–13 Stourbridge (N) 26–28 Worthing Raiders (S) Stourton Park, Stourbridge, West Midlands 925 2013–14 Darlington Mowden Park (N) 30–28 (aet) Ampthill (S) The Northern Echo Arena, Darlington, County Durham 975 2014–15 Ampthill (N) 19–10 Bishop's Stortford (S) Dillingham Park, Ampthill, Bedfordshire 1,253 2015–16 Old Albanian (S) 24–0 Sedgley Park (N) Woollam Playing Fields, St Albans, Hertfordshire 473 2016–17 Sale FC (N) 14–19 Old Elthamians (S) Heywood Road, Sale, Greater Manchester 1,297 2017–18 Chinnor (S) 40–31 Sedgley Park (N) Kingsey Road, Thame, Oxfordshire 1,378 2018–19 Canterbury (S) 19–10 Chester (N) The Marine Travel Ground, Canterbury, Kent 1,114 2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up – Tonbridge Juddians (S) promoted. 2020–21 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. 2021–22 Cancelled due to tier 3 and 4 league reorganisation. Green background represent promoted teams. (N) stands for National League 2 North while (S) stands for National League 2 South.
Number of league titles
Barking (2) Cambridge (2) Esher (2) Henley Hawks (2) Askeans (1) Bishop's Stortford (1) Blackheath (1) Bracknell (1) Camberley (1) Cinderford (1) Clifton (1) Ealing Trailfinders (1) Exeter (1) Hartpury College (1) Havant (1) London Scottish (1) Lydney (1) Metropolitan Police (1) Mount's Bay (1) Newbury (1) Old Albanian (1) Penzance & Newlyn (1) Plymouth Albion (1) Rams (1) Redruth (1) Rosslyn Park (1) Southend (1) Sudbury (1) Taunton Titans (1)
League format since 1987 Format of fourth tier rugby union leagues in EnglandYearNameNo of teamsNo of matches 1987–93 Area League NorthArea League South 11 10 1993–96 National Division Four 10 18 1996–97 National Four NorthNational Four South 14 26 1997–00 National Division 2 NorthNational Division 2 South 14 26 2000–09 National Division Three NorthNational Division Three South 14 26 2009–22 National League 2 NorthNational League 2 South 16 30 2022– National Two EastNational Two NorthNational Two West 14 26
Records