The 2013–14 National League 2 South was the fifth season (27th overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National League 1 while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National League 2 North (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place. After an absence of several years, the Cornwall Super Cup returned in a new format with the two league matches between the Cornish sides Launceston and Redruth also counting towards the cup.
Hartpury College, as champions, were promoted to the third tier (2014–15 National League 1) for next season. League runners-up, Ampthill, lost the annual play–off against the 2013–14 National League 2 North runners up, Darlington Mowden Park 30 – 28. London Irish Wild Geese were demoted to National League 3 London & SE, and Bournemouth and Exmouth were both relegated to National League 3 South West. Finally, the Cornish Super Cup was won by Launceston who defeated Redruth via an aggregate score of 39 - 28.
Participating teams Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2012–13 National League 2 South season. Cambridge were relegated from National League 1; London Irish and Exmouth were promoted from National League 3 South West; Bishop's Stortford were promoted from National League 3 London & SE; Ampthill were promoted from National League 3 Midlands and were then level transferred from National League 2 North (where they would normally have expected to play) due to an imbalance in the number of teams in the two fourth tier leagues.
TeamGroundCapacityLocationAmpthill Dillingham Park 3,000 Ampthill, BedfordshireBishop's Stortford Silver Leys 1,600 Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireBournemouth Chapel Gate 1,500 Bournemouth, DorsetCambridge Grantchester Road 2,200 (200 seats) Cambridge, CambridgeshireCanterbury Merton Lane 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, KentChinnor Kingsey Road 2,000 Thame, OxfordshireClifton Station Road 2,200 (200 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, BristolDings Crusaders Landseer Avenue 1,500 Lockleaze, BristolExmouth Imperial Recreation Ground 1,250 (250 stand) Exmouth, DevonHartpury College College Stadium 2,000 Hartpury, GloucestershireLaunceston Polson Bridge 3,000 Launceston, CornwallLondon Irish Wild Geese The Avenue 6,600 Sunbury-on-Thames, SurreyRedruth The Recreation Ground 3,500 (580 seats) Redruth, CornwallShelford The Davey Field 2,000 (150 seats) Great Shelford, CambridgeshireSouthend Saxons Warners Park1,500 (150 seats) Southend, EssexTaunton Hyde Park, Bathpool 2,000 (198 seats) Taunton, Somerset
League table
Results Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2014.
Round 17
Postponed. Game to be replayed on 15 March 2014.
Round 18
Round 19
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2014.
Round 20
Round 21
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2014.
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2014.
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 15 March 2014.
Round 22
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2014.
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 19 April 2014.
Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 15 March 2014.
Round 23
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 February 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 March 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 March 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2014.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 March 2015.
Rounds 16, 19, 21, 22 & 23 (Rescheduled Games)
Game rescheduled from 18 January 2014
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 21 December 2013
Game rescheduled from 8 February 2015.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2014.
Round 24
Round 25
Rounds 17, 21, 22 & 23 (Rescheduled Games)
Game rescheduled from 8 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 4 January 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Round 26
Round 27
Round 28
Round 29
Rounds 22 & 23 (Rescheduled Games)
Game rescheduled from 8 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Game rescheduled from 15 February 2014.
Round 30
Promotion play–off Each season, the runners–up in the National League 2 South and National League 2 North participate in a play–off for promotion into National Division 1. Darlington Mowden Park were runners-up in the 2013–14 National League 2 North and as they had a better record than the South runners-up, Ampthill, they hosted the play–off match. The game was played on 3 May 2014 at The Northern Echo Arena and finished 25 – 25 after normal time, so went to two 10-minute periods of extra time. The game was won with a try scored by DMP in the 3rd minute of added on time. As a result, they will play in National League 1 in the 2014–15 season for the first time.
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Ampthill 15 3,285 219 400 100 7% Bishop's Stortford 15 4,464 298 610 205 19% Bournemouth 15 3,654 244 400 100 16% Cambridge 15 7,605 507 1,573 294 23% Canterbury 15 4,368 291 834 140 19% Chinnor 15 5,061 337 482 147 17% Clifton 15 4,251 283 800 80 13% Dings Crusaders 15 2,801 187 415 110 12% Exmouth 15 2,683 179 300 101 14% Hartpury College 15 3,370 225 369 88 11% Launceston 15 10,093 673 1,650 346 22% London Irish Wild Geese 15 4,371 291 500 150 4% Redruth 15 10,799 720 1,350 461 21% Shelford 15 5,379 359 1,905 127 18% Southend Saxons 15 2,755 184 480 111 12% Taunton Titans 15 4,689 313 524 175 16%
Individual statistics
Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Elliot Clements-Hill Ampthill 30 366 2 William Millet Chinnor 28 283 3 Jim Wigglesworth Cambridge 28 255 4 Kieron Lewitt Launceston 27 251 Mark Woodrow Dings Crusaders 29 251 5 Tom Best Canterbury 27 210 6 Billy Burns Hartpury College 19 205 7 Bradley Burr Southend Saxons 23 193 8 Elliot Bale Shelford 16 191 9 Gary Kingdom Taunton Titans 26 182
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Dean Adamson Ampthill 30 24 2 Martyn Beaumont Canterbury 29 21 Elliot Clements-Hill Ampthill 30 21 3 Steff Reynolds Hartpury College 17 20 Scott Tolmie London Irish Wild Geese 29 20 4 Jim Wigglesworth Cambridge 28 17 Nicholas Hankin Bishop's Stortford 30 17 5 Mark Billings Bishop's Stortford 29 14 6 Steve Leonard Hartpury College 27 13 Jake Carter Hartpury College 28 13 William Millet Chinnor 28 13 Danny Cleare Southend Saxons 30 13
Season records
Team Largest home win — 68 pts 78 - 10 Ampthill at home to Dings Crusaders on 16 November 2013 Largest away win — 41 pts 63 – 22 Cambridge away to Bishop's Stortford on 5 October 2013 Most points scored — 78 pts 78 - 10 Ampthill at home to Dings Crusaders on 16 November 2013 Most tries in a match — 12 Ampthill at home to Dings Crusaders on 16 November 2013 Most conversions in a match — 9 (x2) Cambridge away to Bishop's Stortford on 5 October 2013 Ampthill at home to Dings Crusaders on 16 November 2013 Most penalties in a match — 7 Launceston at home to Hartpury College on 28 September 2013 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple teams
Player Most points in a match — 31 Elliot Clements-Hill for Ampthill away to Bournemouth on 19 April 2014 Most tries in a match — 4 (x4) Sam Hardcastle for Bournemouth at home to London Irish Wild Geese on 14 September 2013 Tristan Corpe for Chinnor at home to Dings Crusaders on 14 September 2013 Dean Adamson for Ampthill at home to Dings Crusaders on 16 November 2013 Jim Wigglesworth for Cambridge at home to Exmouth on 30 November 2013 Most conversions in a match — 9 Jim Wigglesworth for Cambridge away to Bishop's Stortford on 5 October 2013 Most penalties in a match — 6 Jake Murphy for Launceston at home to Hartpury College on 28 September 2013 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 1,905 Shelford at home to Cambridge on 12 April 2014 Lowest — 80 Clifton at home to Southend Saxons on 8 February 2014 Highest Average Attendance — 720 Redruth Lowest Average Attendance — 179 Exmouth
See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby