London 2 South West is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-west London, Surrey, and Hampshire. The 12 teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division are also invited to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.
Promoted teams move up to London 1 South with league champions going up automatically and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from London 2 South East while demoted teams usually drop down to London 3 South West.
Teams for 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.
Old Tonbridgians who finished 10th in 2019-20 were unable to fulfil their fixtures in and withdrew from the league in November 2021. Later the same month London Exiles, who finished 9th in 2019-20, also withdrew from the league having played only one match.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Chiswick Dukes Meadows Chiswick, London Level transfer from London 2 NW (3rd) Chobham Fowlers Well Chobham, Surrey 6th Eastleigh The Hub Eastleigh, Hampshire 3rd Hove Hove Recreation Ground Hove, East Sussex Level transfer from London 2 SE (7th) Old Reigatian Geoffrey Knight Fields Reigate, Surrey 5th Old Tiffinians Grist's Memorial Ground Thames Ditton, Surrey Promoted from London 3 SW (runners up) Reeds Weybridge Whiteley Village Hersham, Surrey Promoted from London 3 SW (champions) Tottonians Water Lane Totton, Hampshire 7th Twickenham Parkfields Hampton, London 8th Winchester North Walls Park Winchester, Hampshire 4th
Season 2020–21
On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning London 2 South West was not contested.
Teams for 2019–20
Departing were KCS Old Boys promoted as champions to London 1 South whilst Gosport & Fareham (11th) and Effingham & Leatherhead (12th) were relegated to London 3 South West.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Battersea Ironsides Burntwood Lane Earlsfield, London Promoted from London 3 SW (runners up) Chobham Fowlers Well Chobham, Surrey Relegated from London 1 South (13th) Eastleigh The Hub Eastleigh, Hampshire 5th Farnham Wilkinson Way Farnham, Surrey Runners up (lost playoff) London Exiles Barn Elms Barnes, London 10th Old Cranleighans Old Cranleighan Sports Club Thames Ditton, Surrey 9th Old Emanuel Blagdons Sports Ground New Malden, London 7th Old Reigatian Geoffrey Knight Fields Reigate, Surrey 8th Old Tonbridgians Athletic Ground Richmond, London 3rd Tottonians Water Lane Totton, Hampshire Relegated from London 1 South (12th) Twickenham Parkfields Hampton, London 6th Winchester North Walls Park Winchester, Hampshire Promoted from London 3 SW (champions)
Teams for 2018–19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Eastleigh The Hub Eastleigh, Hampshire 10th Effingham & Leatherhead King George V Playing Fields Effingham, Surrey 8th Farnham Wilkinson Way Farnham, Surrey 5th Gosport & Fareham Gosport Park Gosport, Hampshire 7th KCS Old Boys Dornan Fields New Malden, London 4th London Exiles Barn Elms Barnes, London 6th Old Alleynian Dulwich Common Dulwich, London Level transfer from London 2 SE (8th) Old Cranleighans Old Cranleighan Sports Club Thames Ditton, Surrey Promoted from London 3 SW (champions) Old Emanuel Blagdons Sports Ground New Malden, London Promoted from London 3 SW (runners up) Old Reigatian Geoffrey Knight Fields Reigate, Surrey Runners up (lost playoff) Old Tonbridgians Athletic Ground Richmond, London 9th Twickenham Parkfields Hampton, London 3rd
Teams for 2017–18
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Andover Foxcotte Lane Andover, Hampshire 9th Camberley Watchetts Recreation Ground Camberley, Surrey 2nd (lost playoff) Eastleigh The Hub Eastleigh, Hampshire Promoted from L3SW (runners up) Effingham & Leatherhead King George V Playing Fields Effingham, Surrey 10th Farnham Wilkinson Way Farnham, Surrey Promoted from L3SW (champions) Gosport & Fareham Gosport Park Gosport, Hampshire Relegated from London 1 South (14th) KCS Old Boys Dornan Fields New Malden, London 8th London Exiles Barn Elms Barnes, London 6th Old Reigatian Geoffrey Knight Fields Reigate, Surrey 4th Old Tonbridgians Athletic Ground Richmond, London 3rd Twickenham Parkfields Hampton, London 5th Winchester North Walls Park Winchester, Hampshire 7th
Teams for 2016-17 Andover Camberley (promoted from London 3 South West) Effingham & Leatherhead KCS Old Boys London Cornish London Exiles Old Reigatian Old Tonbridgians (promoted from London 3 South West) Portsmouth Twickenham (relegated from London 1 South) Warlingham Winchester
Teams for 2015-16 Andover (promoted from London 3 South West) Basingstoke (relegated from London 1 South) Cobham (relegated from London 1 South) Effingham & Leatherhead KCS Old Boys London Cornish London Exiles (promoted from London 3 South West) Old Reigatian Portsmouth Warlingham Weybridge Vandals Winchester
Teams for 2014-15 Effingham & Leatherhead Farnham (promoted from London 3 South West) KCS Old Boys(promoted from London 3 South West) London Cornish Old Alleynian Old Reigatian Portsmouth Tadley Tottonians Warlingham Weybridge Vandals Winchester
Teams for 2013-14 Effingham & Leatherhead Gosport & Fareham Guildford London Cornish Old Alleynian Old Reigatian Portsmouth Teddington Tottonians Trojans (relegated from London 1 South) Weybridge Vandals Winchester (promoted from London 3 South West)
Teams for 2012-13 1 Chobham 87
2 Sutton & Epsom 85
3 Guildford 80
4 Tottonians 71
5 Effingham & Leatherhead 59
6 Old Reigatian 50
7 Portsmouth 50
8 London Cornish 38
9 Teddington 37
10 Old Alleynian 35
11 KCS Old Boys 35
12 Camberley 15
Teams for 2011-12
1 Gosport & Fareham 97
2 Wimbledon 88
3 Guildford 67
4 London Cornish 59
5 Tottonians 55
6 Old Reigatian 54
7 Camberley 48
8 Effingham & Leatherhead 45
9 Chobham 43
10 Teddington 39
11 Twickenham 38
12 Bognor 15
Teams for 2010-11
Bognor Effingham and Leatherhead Guernsey Guildford Gosport & Fareham KCS Old Boys London Cornish Old Reigatians Tottonians Trojans Twickenham Weybridge Vandals
Teams for 2009-10
Bognor Effingham and Leatherhead Guernsey Guildford London Cornish London Irish Amateur London South Africa Tottonians Trojans Twickenham Weybridge Vandals Winchester
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as London 3 South West) contained the following teams:
Alton Eastleigh Guy's Hospital Jersey Old Emanuel Old Whitgiftian Old Walcountians Purley Trojans Warlingham Winchester
London 2 South West Honours
London 3 South West (1987–1993)
Originally known as London 3 South West, this division was a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 South and relegation down to either Hampshire 1 or Surrey 1.
London 3 South West HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1987–88 11 Purley Alton Trojans, Warlingham 1988–89 11 Alton Old Guildfordians Jersey, Winchester 1989–90 11 Dorking Purley Gosport 1990–91 11 Old Blues Old Reigatian Old Whitgiftian 1991–92 11 KCS Old Boys Old Reigatian No relegation1992–93 13 Old Wimbledonians Warlingham Jersey, Millbrook Green backgrounds are promotion places.
London 3 South West (1993–1996)
At the end of the 1992–93 season, the top six teams from London 1 and the top six from South West 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 3 South West dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to London 2 South, and relegation to either Hampshire 1 or Surrey 1.
London 3 South West HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1993–94 13 Portsmouth Old Guildfordians United Services Portsmouth, Winchester 1994–95 12 Wimbledon Alton Eastleigh, Southampton 1995–96 13 Old Guildfordians Portsmouth Cranleigh, Old Alleynians Green backgrounds are promotion places.
London 3 South West (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 3 South West reverted to being a tier 7 league. Promotion continued to London 2 South and relegation to either Hampshire 1 or Surrey 1.
London 3 South West HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1996–97 13 Winchester Warlingham No relegation 1997–98 17 Alton Jersey Guy's Hospital, Old Walcountians, Esso 1998–99 16 Effingham & Leatherhead Jersey Streatham-Croydon, Farnborough 1999–00 17 Gosport & Fareham Jersey Multiple teams Green backgrounds are promotion places.
London 3 South West (2000–2009)
London 3 South West continued to be a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 South. However, the introduction of London 4 South West ahead of the 2000–01 season meant that clubs were relegated into this new division instead of into Hampshire 1 or Surrey 1.
London 3 South West HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 2000–01 10 Portsmouth Gosport & Fareham Old Emanuel 2001–02 10 Andover Cobham Weybridge Vandals 2002–03 10 Richmond Barnes Dorking 2003–04 10 Guildford Old Wimbledonians Old Blues 2004–05 12 Jersey Effingham & Leatherhead Alton 2005–06 12 Andover London Irish Amateur Weybridge Vandals, Farnham 2006–07 12 Chobham Dorking Gosport & Fareham, Camberley, Old Mid-Whitgiftian 2007–08 12 Cobham Purley John Fisher Old Wimbledonians, Andover 2008–09 12 Chichester Wimbledon No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
London 2 South West (2009–present)
Nationwide league restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 3 South West renamed as London 2 South West. It remained at level 7 with promotion to London 1 South (formerly London 2 South) and relegation to London 3 South West (formerly London 4 South West).
London 2 South West HonoursSeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 2009–10 12 London Irish Amateur Guernsey Winchester, London South Africa 2010–11 12 Guernsey Trojans KCS Old Boys, Weybridge Vandals 2011–12 12 Gosport & Fareham Wimbledon Bognor, Twickenham 2012–13 12 Chobham Sutton & Epsom Camberley, KCS Old Boys 2013–14 12 Guildford Gosport & Fareham Teddington, Trojans 2014–15 12 Tottonians London Cornish Tadley, Farnham 2015–16 12 Cobham London Cornish Basingstoke, Weybridge Vandals 2016–17 12 London Cornish Camberley Warlingham, Portsmouth 2017–18 12 Camberley Old Reigatian Andover, Winchester 2018–19 12 KCS Old Boys Farnham Effingham & Leatherhead, Gosport & Fareham 2019–20 12 Battersea Ironsides Farnham Old Cranleighans, Old Emanuel 2020–21 12 Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Promotion play-offs Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 2 South East and London 2 South West for the third and final promotion place to London 1 South. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 2 South West teams have been the most successful with ten wins to the London 2 South East teams nine, and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams eight.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season ended in March with four game rounds remaining. On 4 April 2020 the RFU announced that a "best playing record formula" would be used to determine promotion and relegation and there would be no play-offs. Consequently, Farnham RFC (84.33 adjusted points tally) were promoted to London 1 South in favour of London 2 South East runners up Old Colfeians (83.11 adjusted points tally).