The 2014–15 National League 2 South is the sixth season (28th overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the division include Worthing Raiders (relegated from National League 1), Dorking and Old Elthamians (both promoted from National League 3 London & SE) and Lydney (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 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.
During the course of the season the two league derby games between the Launceston and Redruth would also double up as the Cornish Super Cup with Launceston being the defending 2013–14 champions. Redruth won over two razor edge contests to take the 2014–15 Cornish Super Cup 29–28 on aggregate. Henley Hawks finished the season as champions and booked themselves an immediate return to National League 1 for the 2015–16 season by securing the league title and promotion on 28 March 2015, beating Shelford 66–17 at Dry Leas.
While Henley gained promotion early, the battle for second spot (and the chance to go up via the play-off) went right to the last day of the season with three teams looking to go up — Bishop's Stortford, Dorking and Taunton Titans. In the end, all three teams had bonus point victories but Bishop's Stortford's slender two point lead at the start of play meant they would finish as league runners–up. With only three victories all season Dings Crusaders were the first team to be relegated, followed some time later by Shelford with the third relegation spot much more keenly contested. A dramatic last day saw Lydney competing against Southend Saxons to avoid the drop. Lydney won their game with the maximum 5 points they needed but Southend managed to get a losing bonus point in their game and stayed up thanks to a better win record. Dings and Lydney would drop to National League 3 South West while Shelford would drop to National League 3 London & SE.
League runners up Bishop's Stortford would go into a playoff against the runners up of the 2014–15 National League 2 North, Ampthill, with Ampthill getting home advantage due to their better league record. It was the second time in a row that Ampthill were in the playoffs after somewhat ironically finishing second in National League 2 South the previous season. Bishop's Stortford lost a close game at Dillingham Park 10–19, with Ampthill gaining promotion to National League 1 for the 2015-16 season. In terms of attendances, National League 2 South had a total of 94,033 fans turning up for games across the season - up 14,405 from the previous season. This was helped by good regular crowds at Launceston and Redruth with 1,000+ attendances in the matches between the two Cornish sides while the two Cambridge–Shelford derby games attracted the biggest crowds of the season.
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 2015–16 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the 2014–15 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 Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2013–14 National League 2 South season; Henley Hawks and Worthing Raiders were relegated from National League 1, Dorking (champions) and Old Elthamians (play-offs) were promoted from National League 3 London & SE, Lydney were promoted from National League 3 South West and Ampthill were transferred back to National League 2 North to ensure that both leagues were suitably balanced with the same number of teams.
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area Bishop's StortfordSilver Leys1,600Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCambridgeGrantchester Road2,200 (200 seats)Cambridge, CambridgeshireCanterburyMerton Lane1,500 (75 seats)Canterbury, KentChinnorKingsey Road2,000Thame, OxfordshireCliftonStation Road2,200 (200 seats) Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, BristolDings CrusadersLandseer Avenue1,500Lockleaze, BristolDorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, SurreyHenley HawksDry Leas4,000Henley-on-Thames, OxfordshireLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000Launceston, CornwallLydneyRegentsholme3,000 (340 seats)Lydney, GloucestershireOld ElthamiansFoxbury Avenue1,300+Chislehurst, KentRedruthRecreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, CornwallShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 (150 seats)Great Shelford, CambridgeshireSouthend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 (150 seats) Southend, EssexTaunton TitansHyde Park2,000 (198 seats)Taunton, SomersetWorthing RaidersRoundstone Lane1,500 (100 seats)Angmering, West Sussex
Final league table
Results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch. Game to be replayed on 28 February 2015.
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Postponed after a referee's assessment due to wet weather conditions rendering pitch unplayable. Game to be replayed on 28 February 2015.
Round 20
Round 21
Postponed due to snow. Game to be replayed on 28 February 2015.
Round 22
Round 23
Round 24
Rounds 10, 19 & 21 (rescheduled matches)
Round 25
Round 26
Round 27
Round 28
Round 29
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. Ampthill were runners-up in the North and because they had a better record than the South runners-up, Bishop's Stortford they hosted the play-off match.
Total season attendances
Club Homegames Total Average Highest Lowest % Capacity Bishop's Stortford 15 4,883 326 725 180 20% Cambridge 15 7,681 512 1,687 346 23% Canterbury 15 4,104 274 504 183 18% Chinnor 15 4,840 323 720 157 16% Clifton 15 2,706 180 450 75 8% Dings Crusaders 15 2,913 194 679 120 13% Dorking 15 6,516 434 1,065 280 43% Henley Hawks 15 7,490 499 865 340 12% Launceston 15 10,088 673 1,315 411 22% Lydney 15 6,148 410 611 315 14% Old Elthamians 15 2,985 199 465 120 19% Redruth 15 11,707 780 1,320 619 22% Shelford 15 4,703 314 1,509 132 16% Southend Saxons 15 3,052 203 453 97 14% Taunton Titans 15 5,990 399 650 215 20% Worthing Raiders 15 8,227 548 853 300 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).
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Gary Kingdom Taunton Titans 29 307 2 Matthew McLean Worthing Raiders 30 298 3 Keiron Lewitt Launceston 27 257 4 Tom White Old Elthamians 28 254 5 Ed Keohane Chinnor 28 238 6 Matt Noble Dorking 20 197 7 Mark Woodrow Dings Crusaders 25 190 8 Bradley Burr Southend Saxons 28 183 9 Steven Smith Shelford 27 175 10 Tom Coleman Bishop's Stortford 27 148
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Will Crow Dorking 30 22 2 Nick Hankin Bishop's Stortford 29 21 3 Mason Rosvall Canterbury 28 20 4 Ryan Jeffery Dorking 29 18 Matthew McLean Worthing Raiders 30 18 5 Alex Nielsen Worthing Raiders 21 17 6 Alfie Vaeluaga Chinnor 24 16 Reuben Haile Chinnor 27 16 7 Simon Hunt Dings Crusaders 25 14 Albert Portsmouth Cambridge 29 14 Lewis Webb Taunton Titans 29 14
Season records
Team Largest home win – 58 pts 63–5 Henley Hawks at home to Dings Crusaders on 6 December 2014 Largest away win – 40 pts 54–14 Bishop's Stortford away to Shelford on 14 February 2015 Most points scored – 66 pts 66–17 Henley Hawks at home to Shelford on 28 March 2015 Most tries in a match – 12 Henley Hawks at home to Shelford on 28 March 2015 Most conversions in a match – 7 (x4) Worthing Raiders at home to Lydney on 24 January 2015 Bishop's Stortford away to Shelford on 14 February 2015 Henley Hawks at home to Shelford on 28 March 2015 Dorking away to Shelford on 11 April 2015 Most penalties in a match – 7 Launceston away to Dings Crusaders on 27 September 2014 Most drop goals in a match – 2 Taunton Titans away to Worthing Raiders on 4 October 2014
Player Most points in a match – 27 Charles Foley for Clifton away to Shelford on 17 January 2015 Most tries in a match – 4 (x3) Ruben Haile for Chinnor at home to Southend Saxons on 11 October 2014 Joe Collingham for Cambridge away to Southend Saxons on 9 November 2014 Lloyd Owen for Henley Hawks at home to Dings Crusaders on 6 December 2014 Most conversions in a match – 7 (x2) Matthew McLean for Worthing Raiders at home to Lydney on 24 January 2015 James Combden for Henley Hawks at home to Shelford on 28 March 2015 Most penalties in a match – 7 Kieron Lewitt for Launceston away to Dings Crusaders on 27 September 2014 Most drop goals in a match – 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest – 1,687 Cambridge against Shelford on 10 January 2014 Lowest – 75 Clifton against Southend on 15 November 2014 Highest Average Attendance – 780 Redruth Lowest Average Attendance – 180 Clifton
See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby