The 2011–12 National League 2 North was the third season (twenty-fifth overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. The league system was 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 South (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.
After two years of missing out on promotion via the playoffs, Loughborough Students went one better and won the league title outright, being easily the best side in the division and finishing 22 points clear of the rest of the pack to gain promotion to the 2012–13 National League 1. While Loughborough Students were clear winners the battle for second place was much tighter with Caldy eventually taking the runners up place just 1 point ahead of Preston Grasshoppers and Hull. Caldy's luck would run out in the promotion playoff, however, losing 20 - 13 away to 2011–12 National League 2 South runners up Richmond. Apart from Kendal who were the first team to go down, it was very tightly contested at the bottom of the table as with bonus points paying a huge role in determining Nuneaton's relegation, with the Nun's 10 victories being supplanted with just 6 bonus points. The final side to go down was Harrogate who finished 1 point adrift of 13th placed Leicester Lions, with more wins than the Leicestershire side but not enough bonus points. Kendal and Harrogate would drop to National League 3 North while Nuneaton would fall to National League 3 Midlands.
Participating teams and locations
Twelve of the teams listed below participated in the 2010–11 National League 2 North season; Otley were relegated from the 2010–11 National League 1, Bromsgrove (champions) and Sheffield Tigers (playoffs) would come up from National League 3 Midlands while Stockport were promoted as champions of National League 3 North.
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, WorcestershireCaldyPaton Field4,000Thurstaston, Wirral, MerseysideHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North YorkshireHuddersfieldLockwood Park1,500 (500 seats)Huddersfield, West YorkshireHullFerens Ground1,500 (288 seats)Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of YorkshireHull IoniansBrantingham Park1,500 (240 seats)Brantingham, East Riding of YorkshireKendalMint Bridge4,600 (600 seats) Kendal, CumbriaLeicester LionsWestleigh Park2,000Blaby, LeicestershireLoughborough StudentsLoughborough University Stadium3,000Loughborough, LeicestershireLuctoniansMortimer Park2,200Kingsland, HerefordshireNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshireOtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West YorkshirePreston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green2,250 (250 seats)Preston, LancashireSheffield TigersDore Moor1,000Sheffield, South YorkshireStockportThe Memorial Ground500Stockport, Greater ManchesterWestoeWood TerraceSouth Shields, Tyne and Wear
Final 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. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2012.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2012.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2012.
Round 20
Round 21
Round 19 (rescheduled games)
Initially rescheduled from 14 January 2012 but postponed again. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2012.
Initially rescheduled from 14 January 2012 but postponed again. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2012.
Initially rescheduled from 4 February 2012 but postponed again. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2012.
Round 22
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2012.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 February 2012.
Round 23
Rounds 19 & 22 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 4 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 4 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 4 February 2012.
Round 24
Round 25
Round 22 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Game rescheduled from 11 February 2012.
Round 26
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 into National League 1. Richmond were runners-up in the South and would host the game as they had a better record in the league in comparison to the North runners up Caldy.
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Bromsgrove 12 4,671 389 1,000 190 Caldy 15 2,920 195 429 113 5% Harrogate 15 3,590 239 650 130 5% Huddersfield 15 4,064 271 412 171 18% Hull 14 2,840 203 350 140 14% Hull Ionians 15 3,670 245 450 150 16% Kendal 14 4,043 289 400 240 6% Leicester Lions 14 1,803 129 245 100 6% Loughborough Students 15 5,850 390 1,214 100 13% Luctonians 15 6,446 430 780 278 20% Nuneaton 15 2,891 193 263 136 5% Otley 14 4,743 339 526 257 5% Preston Grasshoppers 15 5,298 353 614 175 16% Sheffield Tigers 14 2,099 150 225 105 15% Stockport 15 2,200 147 303 120 29% Westoe 15 2,421 161 250 101
Individual statistics
Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Chris Johnson Huddersfield 30 362 2 Stuart Hall Loughborough Students 25 291 3 James Cameron Hull 24 232 4 Graham Holroyd Preston Grasshoppers 22 195 5 Jonathan West Sheffield Tigers 28 192 6 Joshua Longmore Stockport 28 191 7 Mark Ireland Kendal 23 179 8 John Morris Luctonians 26 177 9 Lee Chapman Nuneaton 23 173 10 Gavin Roberts Caldy 24 163
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Craig Holland Loughborough Students 28 27 2 Dominic Moon Preston Grasshoppers 28 21 3 Jamie Broadley Sheffield Tigers 30 20 4 Elliot Brown Nuneaton 26 19 5 Paul Hulland Luctonians 27 18 Tommy Banks Westoe 28 18 6 Matthew Hughes Preston Grasshoppers 22 17 7 Gavin Roberts Caldy 24 16 James Twomey Otley 26 16 8 Nigel Burrows Bromsgrove 24 15 Nicholas Smith Stockport 26 15 Jesiah Dickinson Caldy 29 15
Season records
Team Largest home win — 85 pts 90 - 5 Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Largest away win — 40 pts 50 - 10 Loughborough Students away to Nuneaton on 3 December 2011 Most points scored — 90 pts (x2) 90 - 5 Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 90 - 20 Luctonians at home to Kendal on 28 April 2012 Most tries in a match — 14 (x2) Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Luctonians at home to Kendal on 28 April 2012 Most conversions in a match — 10 (x3) Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Bromsgrove at home to Westoe on 21 April 2012 Luctonians at home to Kendal on 28 April 2012 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x2) Preston Grasshoppers away to Sheffield Tigers on 8 October 2011 Harrogate at home to Leicester Lions on 28 April 2012 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Nuneaton at home to Caldy on 27 August 2011
Player Most points in a match — 35 Dominic Moon for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Most tries in a match — 7 Dominic Moon for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2) Nathan Fowles for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Otley on 14 April 2012 Ben Copson for Bromsgrove at home to Westoe on 21 April 2012 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x2) Graham Holroyd for Preston Grasshoppers away to Sheffield Tigers on 8 October 2011 Jack Latus for Harrogate at home to Leicester Lions on 28 April 2012 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Lee Chapman for Nuneaton at home to Caldy on 27 August 2011
Attendances Highest — 1,214 Loughborough Students at home to Nuneaton on 20 April 2012 Lowest — 100 (x7) Loughborough Students at home to Huddersfield on 24 September 2011 Leicester Lions at home to Otley on 8 October 2011 Leicester Lions at home to Kendal on 5 November 2011 Leicester Lions at home to Westoe on 26 November 2011 Leicester Lions at home to Hull Ionians on 21 January 2012 Leicester Lions at home to Caldy on 3 March 2012 Leicester Lions at home to Huddersfield on 17 March 2012 Highest Average Attendance — 430 Luctonians Lowest Average Attendance — 129 Leicester Lions
See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby