The 2015–16 National League 2 South is the seventh season (29th overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. There was talk of this being the last season in this format due to RFU changes to tier four which were supposed to result in a restructuring of the league from two regional divisions (north and south) to three (north, south-east and south-west) for the 2016–17 season but this seems to have been put on hold due to protests from the northern clubs who stood to lose revenue from a smaller fixture list.
New faces to the division include Old Albanians (relegated from National League 1), Bury St Edmunds and Barnes (both promoted from National League 3 London & SE) and Redingensians Rams (promoted from National League 3 South West). The league system is 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 are promoted to National League 1 while the second-placed team play-off against the second-placed team from National League 2 North (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place. During the course of the season the two league derby games between the Launceston and Redruth also double up as the Cornish Super Cup with Redruth being the defending 2014–15 champions. Redruth retained the cup, winning the Christmas fixture at the Recreation Ground 17 – 0 before winning away at Polson Bridge 34 – 17 to take the cup 51 – 17 on aggregate.
After a loss-heavy season, Launceston were the first team to be relegated, losing 13 – 19 away to relegation rivals Southend Saxons on the 5 March 2016 with seven games remaining. The remaining relegation places were much more keenly contested with Southend Saxons — who had only just survived the previous season — being the next team to be relegated with three games to go after losing 36 – 15 away to high flying Cambridge. The third and final relegation place fell to Dorking — who had finished 6th the previous season — losing 32 – 20 away to relegation rivals Worthing Raiders in round 29 of the competition, to condemn the Surrey-based club to the drop with one game still to go. Launceston would drop to National League 3 South West while Southend and Dorking would go into National League 3 London & SE.
While the relegation spots were fairly cut and dried, the championship went right to the wire, being keenly contested by two sides — Cambridge and Old Albanian — who were way ahead of the trailing pack. Cambridge ended up the league champions by just two points, after both sides won their last games, having almost blown it the week before by losing their derby fixture against Bury St Edmunds, but managed to claim two bonus points during the defeat. This, combined with Cambridge's home and away victories against Old Albanian, meant that they claimed the title and a return to National League 1 after a three-year absence. After just missing out on the league title, Old Albanian had a second shot at promotion when they hosted the promotion playoff game against 2015–16 National League 2 North runners up, Sedgley Park, with home advantage given due to having the superior league record. Old Albanian proved their class by defeating the northern side, 24 - 0, and returned to the 2016–17 National League 1 after just one year away.
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 2016–17 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the 2015–16 National League 2 North with the winner being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either National League 3 London & SE or National League 3 South West depending on the geographical location of the team (in some cases teams may join the Midlands regional leagues).
Participating teams and locations Twelve of the teams listed below participated in the 2014–15 National League 2 South season; Old Albanians were relegated from the 2014–15 National League 1, Bury St Edmunds (champions) and Barnes (play-off) were promoted from National League 3 London & SE, Redingensians Rams (champions) were promoted from National League 3 South West.
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonBarnesBarn Elms500Barnes, LondonPromoted from National 3 London & SE (play-off)Bishop's StortfordSilver Leys1,600Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire2nd (lost promotion playoff)Bury St EdmundsThe Haberden3,000 (135 seats)Bury St Edmunds, SuffolkPromoted from National 3 London & SE (1st)CambridgeGrantchester Road2,200 (200 seats)Cambridge, Cambridgeshire7thCanterburyMerton Lane1,500 (75 seats)Canterbury, Kent11thChinnorKingsey Road2,000Thame, Oxfordshire6thCliftonStation Road2,200 (200 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol12thDorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, Surrey4thLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000 (194 seats)Launceston, Cornwall10thOld AlbanianWoollam Playing Fields1,000St Albans, HertfordshireRelegated from National League 1 (14th)Old ElthamiansQueen Mary Sports Ground500Chislehurst, Kent8thRedingensians RamsOld Bath Road1,250Sonning, Reading, BerkshirePromoted from National 3 SW (1st)RedruthRecreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, Cornwall9thSouthend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 (150 seats) Southend, Essex13thTaunton TitansHyde Park2,000 (198 seats)Taunton, Somerset3rdWorthing RaidersRoundstone Lane1,500 (100 seats)Angmering, West Sussex5th
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 due to adverse weather conditions. Game rescheduled to 27 February 2016.
Round 17
Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game rescheduled to 12 March 2016.
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Postponed due to heavy rain and high winds. Game rescheduled to 27 February 2016.
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch caused by heavy rain. Game rescheduled to 27 February 2016.
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch caused by heavy rain. Game rescheduled to 27 February 2016.
Round 22
Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game rescheduled to 12 March 2016.
Round 23
Rounds 16 & 21 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 6 February 2016.
Game rescheduled from 6 February 2016.
Game rescheduled from 2 January 2016.
Game rescheduled from 6 February 2016.
Round 24
Launceston are relegated.
Rounds 17 & 22 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 13 February 2016.
Game rescheduled from 9 January 2016.
Round 25
Round 26
Round 27
Round 28
Southend Saxons are relegated.
Round 29
Dorking are relegated.
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 to National Division 1. Old Albanian having the best record hosted the match against the north runner-up, Sedgley Park.
Attendances Does not include promotion play-off. ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Barnes 15 2,053 137 253 72 27% Bishop's Stortford 15 6,678 445 900 160 28% Bury St Edmunds 15 7,377 492 997 300 16% Cambridge 15 7,583 506 1,145 350 23% Canterbury 15 4,740 316 532 187 21% Chinnor 15 4,480 299 515 193 15% Clifton 15 2,541 169 243 101 8% Dorking 15 5,247 350 535 200 35% Launceston 15 7,268 485 882 288 16% Old Albanian 15 5,232 349 480 245 35% Old Elthamians 15 3,421 228 330 132 46% Redingensians Rams 15 4,033 269 359 195 22% Redruth 15 11,937 796 1,120 610 23% Southend Saxons 15 2,390 159 287 93 11% Taunton Titans 15 5,795 386 625 250 19% Worthing Raiders 15 7,899 527 933 335 35%
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). Does not include promotion playoff.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Gary Kingdom Taunton Titans 29 283 2 Tom O'Toole Barnes 28 240 3 Tom White Old Elthamians 28 234 4 Bradley Burr Southend Saxons 30 200 5 James Stokes Cambridge 28 184 6 Matt Noble Dorking 23 182 7 Max Malins Old Albanian 14 166 Gerhard Boshoff Cambridge 29 166 8 Tom Best Worthing Raiders 27 163 9 James Mackay Clifton 19 161
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Albert Portsmouth Cambridge 30 31 2 Oscar Heath Chinnor 20 24 3 James Stokes Cambridge 28 20 Nick Hankin Bishop's Stortford 30 20 4 Michael Allan Old Albanian 22 19 5 Mason Rosvall Canterbury 27 18 Lawrence Hutchinson Cambridge 29 18 6 Michael Ayrton Cambridge 28 17 Craig Dowsett Old Elthamians 29 17 7 Nick Mason Taunton Titans 23 16
Season records
Team Largest home win — 109 pts 109 - 0 Cambridge at home to Launceston on 2 April 2016 Largest away win — 79 pts 79 - 0 Bury St Edmunds away to Launceston on 19 March 2016 Most points scored — 79 pts 79 - 0 Bury St Edmunds away to Launceston on 19 March 2016 Most tries in a match — 17 Cambridge at home to Launceston on 2 April 2016 Most conversions in a match — 12 Cambridge at home to Launceston on 2 April 2016 Most penalties in a match — 5 (x3) Worthing Raiders at home to Taunton Titans on 12 December 2015 Canterbury at home to Redingensians Rams on 9 January 2016 Old Elthamians at home to Canterbury on 23 April 2016 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple teams
Player Most points in a match — 30 Oscar Heath for Chinnor at home to Southend Saxons on 30 April 2016 Most tries in a match — 5 (x2) Nick Mason for Taunton Titans at home to Launceston on 12 March 2016 Michael Ayrton for Cambridge at home to Launceston on 2 April 2016 Most conversions in a match — 12 Gerhard Boshoff for Cambridge at home to Launceston on 2 April 2016 Most penalties in a match — 5 (x2) Matthew McLean for Worthing Raiders at home to Taunton Titans on 12 December 2015 Tom Best for Canterbury at home to Redingensians Rams on 9 January 2016 Tom White for Old Elthamians at home to Canterbury on 23 April 2016 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 1,145 Cambridge at home to Dorking on 30 April 2016 Lowest — 72 Barnes at home to Taunton Titans on 2 January 2016 Highest Average Attendance — 796 Redruth Lowest Average Attendance — 129 Barnes
See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby