The 2014–15 National League 2 North is the sixth season (28th overall) of the fourth tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division include Hull Ionians (relegated from National League 1 2013–14), Broadstreet (promoted from National League 3 Midlands), Huddersfield and Stockport (both promoted from National League 3 North). Ampthill was also transferred back to the division after spending the 2013–14 season in National League 2 South. At the end of the season the champions are promoted to National League 1 while the second placed team will play against the runners-up from the 2014–15 National League 2 South, with the winner also promoted. The bottom three teams, depending on geographical location, are usually relegated to either National League 3 North or National League 3 Midlands (in some cases teams may be relegated to the southern regional leagues).

Hull Ionians claimed the title and promotion to National League 1 on the last day of the season, with Ampthill finishing as runners-up and having to be content with a promotion play-off. Both Hull Ionians and Ampthill were head and shoulders over the other teams in the division, with Ionians narrow 7 – 6 victory over Ampthill on 24 January ultimately being the deciding factor in who would end up as champions.

While the title chase was tight, the fight against relegation was even tighter. Apart from Stockport, who were relegated way before the end of the season, the next two relegation spots were contested up until the very last game with four teams in danger of the drop. In the end Hull's defeat to fellow relegation rivals Preston Grasshoppers meant they went straight down, while Birmingham & Solihull's bonus point victory was not enough due to Luctonians narrow win over Leicester Lions, meaning that Luctonians stayed up instead. On paper Birmingham & Solihull had a better attack and defence than Luctonians but were unable to translate this to enough wins over the course of the season. Stockport and Hull would drop down to National League 3 North while Birmingham & Solihull would go into National League 3 Midlands.

As runner-up, Ampthill played in the divisional play-off for the second year in a row (they lost the play-off in 2013–14 against Darlington Mowden Park). This year they played at home to National League 2 South runner-up Bishop's Stortford. The final result was 19 – 10 to Ampthill at Dillingham Park, and they join Hull Ionians in the 2015–16 National League 1.

Structure The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one automatic promotion place, one play-off place and three relegation places. The champions are promoted to the 2015–16 National League 1 and the runner-up play the second-placed team in the 2014–15 National League 2 South with the winner being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either National League 3 Midlands or National League 3 North depending on the geographical location of the team.

Participating teams and locations Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2013–14 National League 2 North season; Hull Ionians were relegated from National League 1, Huddersfield (champions) and Stockport (play-offs) were promoted from National League 3 North, Broadstreet were promoted from National League 3 Midlands and Ampthill were transferred from National League 2 South to ensure that both leagues were suitably balanced with the same number of teams.

Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area Previous seasonAmpthillDillingham Park3,000Ampthill, Bedfordshiretransferred from National League 2 SouthBirmingham & Solihull PortwayPortway, Birmingham, West Midlands6thBroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 (250 seats)Coventry, West MidlandsPromoted from National League 3 Midlands (1st)CaldyPaton Field4,000Thurstaston, Wirral, Merseyside8thChesterHare Lane2,000 (500 seats)Chester, Cheshire5thHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North Yorkshire9thHuddersfieldLockwood Park1,500 (500 seats)Huddersfield, West YorkshirePromoted from National League 3 North (1st)HullFerens Ground1,500 (288 seats)Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire13thHull IoniansBrantingham Park1,500 (240 seats)Brantingham, East Riding of YorkshireRelegated from National League 1 (16th)Leicester LionsWestleigh Park2,000Blaby, Leicestershire7thLuctoniansMortimer Park2,500 (300 seats)Kingsland, Herefordshire10thOtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire12thPreston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green2,250 (250 seats)Preston, Lancashire11thSedgley ParkPark Lane3,000Whitefield, Bury, Greater Manchester4thStockportThe Memorial Ground500Stockport, Greater ManchesterPromoted from National League 3 North (via play-off)StourbridgeStourton Park3,500 (499 seats)Stourbridge, West Midlands3rd

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

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Postponed due to frozen pitch. Game replayed on 28 February.

Round 20

Postponed due to bad weather. Game replayed on 28 February.

Round 21

Postponed due to snow. Game replayed on 28 March.

Round 22

Round 23

Round 24

Rounds 19 & 20 (rescheduled games)

Round 25

Round 26

Round 21 (rescheduled game)

Round 27

Round 28

Round 29

Round 30

Promotion play-off Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 North and National League 2 South participate in a play-off for promotion to National Division 1. Ampthill, the runner-up in the North and, because they had a better record than the South runner-up, Bishop's Stortford hosted the match.

ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints ForPoints AgainstPoints DifferenceTry BonusLoss BonusPoints Ampthill 30 26 1 3 1113 440 673 23 2 131 Bishop's Stortford 30 20 1 9 933 608 325 22 8 112

Average attendances Does not include play-off. ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Ampthill 15 3,221 215 421 130 7% Birmingham & Solihull 15 3,256 217 372 121 Broadstreet 15 3,412 227 375 143 15% Caldy 15 3,227 215 397 101 5% Chester 15 5,292 353 520 150 18% Harrogate 15 4,260 284 750 150 6% Huddersfield 15 3,868 258 374 178 17% Hull 15 2,726 182 250 123 12% Hull Ionians 15 4,138 276 491 155 18% Leicester Lions 15 1,629 109 145 54 5% Luctonians 15 6,059 404 1,050 285 16% Otley 15 5,105 340 983 207 5% Preston Grasshoppers 15 5,566 371 1,201 217 16% Sedgley Park 15 3,895 260 500 100 9% Stockport 15 2,181 145 200 85 29% Stourbridge 15 4,946 330 600 220 9%

Individual statistics Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included).

Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Joe Tarrant Ampthill 28 310 2 Adam Canning Birmingham & Solihull 30 297 3 Lewis Allen Preston Grasshoppers 30 273 4 Steve Depledge Otley 28 234 5 Will Goodwin Chester 20 186 6 Ben Palmer Broadstreet 19 176 7 Isaac Green Hull Ionians 27 175 8 Stephen Collins Sedgley Park 26 172 9 Joel Hinchcliffe Huddersfield 30 171 10 Joe Rowntree Harrogate 23 168

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Joe Bercis Ampthill 28 31 2 Harry Hudson Otley 27 22 3 Sam Wilson Hull Ionians 21 19 4 Darryl Dyer Ampthill 22 18 Joe Tarrant Ampthill 28 18 Andrew Riley Sedgley Park 30 18 5 Aquile Smith Birmingham & Solihull 24 16 6 Rob Young Leicester Lions 29 15 Matt Riley Sedgley Park 30 15 7 Craig Ross Chester 23 14 Callum Irvine Harrogate 27 14 David Ford Chester 28 14 Lewis Allen Preston Grasshoppers 30 14

Season records

Team Largest home win – 59 pts 66 – 7 Ampthill at home to Leicester Lions on 13 September 2014 Largest away win – 75 pts 85 - 10 Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Most points scored – 85 pts 85 - 10 Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Most tries in a match – 13 Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Most conversions in a match – 10 Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Most penalties in a match – 9 Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2014 Most drop goals in a match – 1 N/A - multiple times

Player Most points in a match – 36 Caolan Ryan for Stourbridge at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 29 November 2014 Most tries in a match – 4 (x2) Callum McShane for Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Joe Bercis for Ampthill away to Broadstreet on 13 December 2014 Most conversions in a match – 9 Matt Riley for Sedgley Park away to Stockport on 13 September 2014 Most penalties in a match – 9 Louis Silver for Luctonians at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 15 November 2015 Most drop goals in a match – 1 N/A - multiple players

Attendances Highest – 1,201 Preston Grasshoppers at home against Caldy on 18 April 2015 Lowest – 54 Leicester Lions at home against Chester on 14 March 2015 Highest Average Attendance – 404 Luctonians Lowest Average Attendance – 109 Leicester Lions

See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England

References

External links NCA Rugby