North 2 West is a regional English rugby union league at the seventh tier of club rugby union for teams from Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The division was introduced for the 2019-20 season to form a new league at tier 7 - meaning that Lancs/Cheshire 1 would drop to being a tier 8 league.
Promoted teams enter North 1 West while relegated teams typically drop down to Lancs/Cheshire 1 or Cumbria. Each season teams from North 2 West are picked to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup (a national competition for clubs at level 7).
Teams 2021–22
The 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.
Outgoing teams were Manchester and Glossop who were promoted to North 2 West whilst Eccles (11th) and Sefton (12th) would have been relegated to Lancs/Cheshire 1 but instead withdrew from the RFU leagues to join the Lancashire ADM competition, as did Aspull who finished in 8th position. Also departed are Aspatria who were level transferred to Durham/Northumberland 1 meaning the league has been reduced from 14 to 13.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Anselmians Malone Field Eastham, Merseyside 5th Bolton Avenue Street Bolton, Greater Manchester 12th Cockermouth Grassmoor Sports Centre Cockermouth, Cumbria Promoted from Cumbria 1 (runners-up) De La Salle De La Salle Sports & Social Club Salford, Greater Manchester 10th Keswick Davidson Park Keswick, Cumbria Relegated from North 1 West (14th) Leigh Round Ash Park Leigh, Greater Manchester 4th Orrell St John Rigby College Orrell, Greater Manchester Promoted from Lancs/Cheshire 1 (champions) Rochdale Moorgate Avenue Rochdale, Greater Manchester 3rd Southport Recreation Ground 3,500 Southport, Merseyside 7th St. Benedict's Newlands Avenue Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria Promoted from Cumbria 1 (champions) Tarleton Carr Lane Tarleton, Lancashire 9th Warrington The Fortress Walton, Warrington, Cheshire Relegated from North 1 West (13th) Winnington Park Burrows Hill 5,000 Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire 11th
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced 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 North 2 West was not contested.
Teams 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Anselmians Malone Field Eastham, Merseyside Relegated from North 1 West (13th) Aspatria Bower Park 3,000 (300 seats) Aspatria, Cumbria Runners up (Cumbria 1 - lost playoff) (level transfer) Aspull Wood Lane Aspull, Greater Manchester Promoted from Lancs/Cheshire 2 (champions) Bolton Avenue Street Bolton, Greater Manchester 4th De La Salle De La Salle Sports & Social Club Salford, Greater Manchester Relegated from North 1 West (14th) Eccles Gorton Street Eccles, Greater Manchester Promoted from Lancs/Cheshire 2 (runners) Glossop Hargate Hill Lane Charlesworth, Glossop, Derbyshire 3rd Leigh Round Ash Park Leigh, Greater Manchester 7th Manchester Grove Park 4,000 (250 seats) Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester Relegated from North 1 West (12th) Rochdale Moorgate Avenue Rochdale, Greater Manchester 5th Sefton Thornhead Lane Liverpool, Merseyside 10th Southport Recreation Ground 3,500 Southport, Merseyside 8th Tarleton Carr Lane Tarleton, Lancashire 9th Winnington Park Burrows Hill 5,000 Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire 6th
North 2 West honours North 2 WestSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams2019–20 14 Manchester Glossop Sefton, Eccles 2020–21 14 Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles
Manchester (1)
See also Cheshire RFU Lancashire RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England
Notes
References