2019–20 National League 2 North Explained
2019–20 National League 2 North |
Date: | September 2019 – 14 March 2020 |
Champions: | Caldy |
Count: | 2 |
Relegated: | Scunthorpe |
Matches: | 199 |
Highest Attendance: | 1,059 Fylde v Preston Grasshoppers 14 September 2019 |
Attendance: | 69282 |
Lowest Attendance: | 110 (3) Scunthorpe v Luctonians 23 November 2019 Scunthorpe v Loughborough Students 7 March 2020 Scunthorpe v Chester 14 March 2020 |
Top Point Scorer: | Gavin Roberts (Caldy) 269 points |
Top Try Scorer: | Dan Rundle (Stourbridge) 30 tries |
Prevseason: | 2018–19 |
Nextseason: | 2021–22 |
The 2019–20 National League 2 North was the eleventh season (33rd overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
On 22 February Scunthorpe were the first side to be relegated after suffering a massive 109–12 defeat against Chester, going down with eight games still to play. Although it was a miserable season on the pitch for Scunthorpe, comfortably the weakest side in the division in terms of results, the loss of their player James Walker, who died earlier in the season was a far keener felt blow.[1] On 7 March Caldy became champions with a resounding 49–5 win away to relegation threatened Preston Grasshoppers to seal an instant return to National League 1 and claim their second National League 2 North title.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the Rugby Football Union officially cancelled the season on 20 March 2020, after an initial postponement of all rugby in England including training.[2] [3] After the cancellation was announced the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table.[4] With Caldy already promoted, Fylde claimed the runners up spot but missed out on promotion as the 2019–20 National League 2 South runner up, Tonbridge Juddian had a better comparative league record and went up instead (the playoff had been cancelled). Joining Scunthorpe in the relegation spots were Preston Grasshoppers and Otley. Although Preston were as good as down by the time the leagues were suspended, Otley were in a real battle against Luctonians, and will feel hard done by. Scunthorpe will drop to Midlands Premier while Otley and Preston Grasshoppers will drop to North Premier. For Otley, once a second tier club, the drop to the regional leagues will be the lowest level they have played at since the 1990s.
The league was an interesting one in terms of National League 2 North records, included records that might have been achieved had the full 30 games been played. For instance, Caldy, with 25 wins out of 25 were looking to break the record of 28 wins (out of 30) set by Hull Ionians in the 2012–13 season. They may also have shattered the 134 point record set by Ionians during the 2014–15 season with a maximum of 144 achievable. A club record that were achieved despite the premature ending were the 4 draws achieved by Huddersfield (breaking the record of 3 set by numerous teams), while Caldys Gavin Roberts, in finishing as league top scorer for the second time in his career, tied a record set by a number of other players such as the prolific Chris Johnson. Stourbridge's Dan Rundle, finishing as top try scorer with 30 tries would likely have beating the existing record of 32 tries in a season (set several times by Nick Royle).
While Caldy had been looking to break records, Scunthorpe were looking to avoid making any of their own. Although the early end of the season meant they wouldn't equal the 30 games lost by Manchester and Dudley Kingswinford in the 2010–11 and 2013–14 seasons respectively, the club's relegation was their third from the division - equalling Morley and Sheffield. A final record that was set was the league average league attendance which reached an all time divisional high of 348, helped by good regular attendances at the likes of Fylde, Hinckley and Wharfedale. This was the first time in recent seasons that the National League North average attendances trumped those in National League South.
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 2020–21 National League 1 and the runners up play the second-placed team in the 2019–20 National League 2 South with the winner also being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either North Premier or Midlands Premier depending on the geographical location of the team (in some cases teams may join the southern regional leagues).
The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
- 4 points are awarded for a win
- 2 points are awarded for a draw
- 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
- 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Participating teams and locations
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2018–19 National League 2 North season. The 2018–19 champions, Hull Ionians, were promoted into the 2019–20 National League 1, replacing Caldy and Loughborough Students who were relegated from the 2018–19 National League 1.[5] [6] [7] The three teams relegated from National League 2 North the previous season were Peterborough Lions and South Leicester (both Midlands Premier) and Macclesfield (North Premier).[8] [9] [10]
The promoted teams include Scunthorpe (champions) and Luctonians (play-offs) from Midlands Premier, while Hull come up as champions of North Premier.[11] [12] [13] In order to address an imbalance of teams, Leicester Lions have been level transferred to the 2019–20 National League 2 South as the most appropriate located team in terms of access to the southern sides.
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
---|
| | 4,000 | | Relegated from National 1 (14th) |
| Hare Lane | 2,000 (500 seats) | | Runners up (lost play-off) |
| | 9,000 | | 6th |
| De Montfort Park | 2,000 | | 10th |
| Lockwood Park | 1,500 (500 seats) | | 4th |
| Ferens Ground | 1,500 (288 seats) | | Promoted from North Premier (champions) |
| East Park | 1,000 | | Relegated from National 1 (16th) |
| Mortimer Park | 2,500 (300 seats) | | Promoted from Midlands Premier (play-off) |
| | 5,000 | | 9th |
| Lightfoot Green | 5,000 | | 7th |
| Heslam Park | | | Promoted from Midlands Premier (champions) |
| | 3,000 | | 3rd |
| Dore Moor | | | 13th |
| Stourton Park | 3,500 (499 seats) | | 11th |
| Tynedale Park | 2,000 (400 seats) | | 5th |
| The Avenue | 2,000 | | 8th |
|
Tables
At the date the leagues were suspended, the National League 2 North table read as follows:
On 4 April, the Rugby Football Union confirmed the final table for the season.[14]
Fixtures & Results
Round 1
[15] ----
Round 2
[16] ----
Round 3
[17] ----
Round 4
[18] ----
Round 5
[19] ----
Round 6
[20] ----
Round 7
[21] ----
Round 8
- Postponed due to adverse weather conditions (wind/rain). Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.
[22] ----
Round 9
- Postponed out of respect for James Walker - a Scunthorpe 1st XV player - who died on the morning before the game. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.[23]
[24] ----
Round 10
[25] ----
Round 11
[26] ----
Round 12
[27] ----
Round 13
[28] ----
Round 14
[29] ----
Round 15
[30] ----
Round 16
[31] ----
Round 17
[32] ----
Round 18
[33] ----
Round 19
[34] ----
Round 20
[35] ----
Round 21
[36] ----
Round 22
[37] ----
Round 23
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.
- Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.
[38] ----
Rounds 8, 9 & 23 (rescheduled games)
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 but postponed again due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 but postponed again due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.
- Game rescheduled from 26 October 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 2 November 2019. Scunthorpe are relegated.
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 but postponed again due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.
[39] ----
Round 24
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 11 April 2020.
[40] ----
Round 25
[41] ----
Round 23 (rescheduled games)
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 and then again from 22 February 2020.
- Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020.
- Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020.
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 and then again from 22 February 2020.
- Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 and then again from 22 February 2020.
[42] ----
Round 26
[43] ----
Round 27
[44] ----
Round 28
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Round 24 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 29 February 2020.
----
Round 29
----
Round 30
Attendances
- Does not include promotion play-off.
Club | Home games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
---|
Caldy | 12 | 4,353 | 363 | 463 | 212 | 9% |
Chester | 12 | 4,784 | 399 | 670 | 320 | 20% |
Fylde | 12 | 8,144 | 679 | 1,059 | 450 | 8% |
Hinckley | 13 | 7,049 | 542 | 766 | 276 | 27% |
Huddersfield | 13 | 3,685 | 283 | 450 | 197 | 19% |
Hull | 12 | 2,293 | 191 | 250 | 112 | 13% |
Loughborough Students | 12 | 2,987 | 249 | 568 | 117 | 25% |
Luctonians | 12 | 4,465 | 372 | 565 | 297 | 15% |
Otley | 12 | 2,650 | 221 | 300 | 150 | 4% |
Preston Grasshoppers | 13 | 4,399 | 338 | 786 | 211 | 7% |
Scunthorpe | 13 | 2,424 | 186 | 470 | 110 | |
Sedgley Park | 12 | 3,072 | 256 | 320 | 175 | 9% |
Sheffield Tigers | 12 | 2,579 | 215 | 423 | 125 | |
Stourbridge | 13 | 4,675 | 360 | 525 | 240 | 10% |
Tynedale | 13 | 5,495 | 423 | 650 | 280 | 21% |
Wharfedale | 13 | 6,228 | 479 | 693 | 372 | 24% |
|
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 | Points |
---|
1 | | | 269 |
2 | | | 251 |
3 | | | 236 |
4 | | | 197 |
5 | | | 190 |
6 | | | 186 |
7 | | | 166 |
8 | | | 158 |
9 | | | 150 |
10 | | | 136 |
11 | | | 133 |
12 | | | 115 |
|
[42] Top try scorers
Rank | Player | Team | Tries |
---|
1 | | | 30 |
2 | | | 26 |
3 | | | 23 |
4 | | | 16 |
| | 16 |
5 | | | 15 |
6 | | | 14 |
| | 14 |
| | 14 |
| | 14 |
|
[42] Season records
Team
- Largest home win — 103 points103 – 0 Caldy at home to Scunthorpe on 29 February 2020
Largest away win — 61 points (2)68 – 7 Caldy away to Scunthorpe on 9 November 2019
76 – 15 Stourbridge away to Scunthorpe on 1 February 2020
Most points scored — 109 points109 – 12 Chester at home to Scunthorpe on 22 February 2020
Most tries in a match — 17 (2)Chester at home to Scunthorpe on 22 February 2020
Caldy at home to Scunthorpe on 29 February 2020
Most conversions in a match — 12Chester at home to Scunthorpe on 22 February 2020
Most penalties in a match — 6Sheffield Tigers away to Otley on 7 March 2020
Most drop goals in a match — 1 (2)Sedgley Park away to Hull on 16 November 2019
Sedgley Park at home to Stourbridge on 18 January 2020
Attendances
- Highest — 1,059Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 14 September 2019
Lowest — 110 (3)Scunthorpe at home to Luctonians on 23 November 2019
Scunthorpe at home to Loughborough Students on 7 March 2020
Scunthorpe at home to Chester on 14 March 2020
Highest average attendance — 679Fylde
Lowest average attendance — 186Hull
Player
- Most points in a match — 38 Ben Jones for Caldy away to Scunthorpe on 9 November 2019
Most tries in a match — 4 (3) Nick Royle for Caldy at home to Luctonians on 5 October 2019
Ben Jones for Caldy away to Scunthorpe on 9 November 2019
Nick Royle for Caldy at home to Scunthorpe on 29 February 2020
Most conversions in a match — 12 Dan Pemberton for Chester at home to Scunthorpe on 23 February 2020
Most penalties in a match — 6 Mark Ireland for Sheffield Tigers away to Otley on 7 March 2020
Most drop goals in a match — 1 (2) Callum McShane for Sedgley Park away to Hull on 16 November 2019
Stephen Collins for Sedgley Park at home to Stourbridge on 18 January 2020
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Tragedy as Scunthorpe rugby player and 'real gent' James Walker dies age 23. Grimsby Telegraph. 4 November 2019.
- Web site: Greene King IPA Championship games postponed. Green King Championship. 17 March 2020.
- Web site: RFU. www.championshiprugby.co.uk. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200325102413/https://www.championshiprugby.co.uk/news/article/greene-king-ipa-championship-season-cancelled . 2020-03-25 . 2020-03-20.
- Web site: RFU reveal promotion and relegation from National Leagues. Talking Rugby Union. 4 April 2020.
- News: Champions Ionians relax for closing test. The RugbyPaper. 552. 14 April 2019. 32–33.
- News: Jacque's last-gasp attack relegates Caldy. The RugbyPaper. 554. 28 April 2019. 26.
- News: Gr-eight win at Students sees Amps as champs. The RugbyPaper. 554. 28 April 2019. 26–27.
- Web site: Sedgley Park stun the I's and Peterborough Lions suffer relegation. Talking Rugby Union. 11 March 2019.
- News: Win not enough for doomed South. The RugbyPaper. 551. 7 April 2019. 32.
- News: Macc down but leaders march on. The RugbyPaper. 551. 7 April 2019. 32.
- Web site: Midlands Premier 2018–2019. England Rugby. 13 April 2019.
- Web site: Luctonians 31 v 17 Blaydon . Luctonians Sports Club . 27 April 2019 .
- Web site: North Premier 2018–2019. England Rugby. 13 April 2019.
- https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/13/13bdd621-e522-471d-9987-73e94c3fd977/Level%203%20%26%204%20Final.pdf FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS 2019/20
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 573. 8 September 2019. 28–29 & 35.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 574. 15 September 2019. 34–35 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 575. 22 September 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 576. 29 September 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 577. 5 October 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 578. 13 October 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 579. 20 October 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 580. 27 October 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- Web site: MATCH POSTPONED . Chester RUFC (Pitchero) . 1 November 2019 .
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 581. 3 November 2019. 38–39 & 43.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 582. 10 November 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 583. 17 November 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 584. 24 November 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 585. 1 December 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 586. 8 December 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 587. 15 December 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 588. 22 December 2019. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 590. 5 January 2020. 24–25 & 32.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 591. 12 January 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 592. 19 January 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 593. 26 January 2020. 36–37 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 594. 2 February 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 595. 9 February 2020. 28–29 & 33.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 596. 16 February 2020. 32–33 & 37.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 597. 23 February 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 598. 1 March 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 599. 8 March 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 600. 15 March 2020. 24 & 28.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 601. 22 March 2020. 32–33 & 39.
- News: National League 2 North. The RugbyPaper. 602. 29 March 2020. 32–33 & 39.