The 2017–18 National League 2 North is the ninth season (31st overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
On 21 April 2018 Sheffield became the first side to be relegated after losing heavily to promotion chasing Sedgley Park away from home. This meant that Sheffield would equal the unwanted record set by Morley of being the most demoted side in tier 4 (north) history with what was their third relegation from this level since the leagues started in 1987. The championship took a little longer to decide when on 28 April 2018 Sale FC clinched the title by winning 37-5 away to Leicester Lions, with a (rescheduled) game to spare. Sale FC were deserving winners, although runners up Sedgley Park kept the title race going to the wire thanks to their outstanding bonus points tally of 30 (a divisional record), helping Park to the runners up spot and a place in the promotion playoff game. On the same day the second relegation spot was sealed when Blaydon suffered their second successive relegation, losing a tight game 36-40 at Kingston Park to Hinckley.
Runners up Sedgley Park failed to join Sale FC in the 2018–19 National League 1 after they lost 30-41 away to 2017–18 National League 2 South runners up Chinnor in the promotion play-off game played on 5 May 2018. Due to poor weather causing delays to the end of the season it took till 12 May 2018 to determine the final relegation spot with Luctonians losing 21-22 to champions Sale FC at home in their re-arranged fixture, condemning the Herefordshire side to the drop, 3 points below 13th placed Wharfedale, who could have gone down instead had Luctonians won via a bonus point.
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 2018–19 National League 1 and the runners up play the second-placed team in the 2017–18 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 2016–17 National League 2 North season. The 2016–17 champions, Caldy, were promoted into the 2017–18 National League 1, replacing Blaydon and Macclesfield who were relegated from the 2016–17 National League 1. The three teams relegated last season were Preston Grasshoppers and Harrogate (both to North Premier) and Scunthorpe (Midlands Premier).
The promoted teams are Huddersfield, who were promoted as champions of National League 3 North (now North Premier) and Sheffield (play-offs) who came up from National League 3 Midlands (now Midlands Premier). Broadstreet (champions of National League 3 Midlands) would have usually have come into this division but due to an imbalance of teams they were instead level transferred to the 2017–18 National League 2 South as they were considered the most southerly team in the division.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Blaydon Crow Trees 2,000 (400 seats) Swalwell, Tyne and Wear Relegated from National League 1 (15th) Chester Hare Lane 2,000 (500 seats) Chester, Cheshire 5th Hinckley Leicester Road 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire 9th Huddersfield Lockwood Park 1,500 (500 seats) Huddersfield, West Yorkshire Promoted from National League 3 North (champions) Leicester Lions Westleigh Park 2,000 Blaby, Leicestershire 3rd Luctonians Mortimer Park 2,500 (300 seats) Kingsland, Herefordshire 12th Macclesfield Priory Park 1,250 (250 seats) Macclesfield, Cheshire Relegated from National League 1 (16th) Otley Cross Green 7,000 (852 seats) Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th Sale FC Heywood Road 3,387 Sale, Greater Manchester 2nd (lost playoff) Sedgley Park Park Lane 3,000 Whitefield, Bury, Greater Manchester 4th Sheffield Abbeydale Park 3,300 (100 seats) Sheffield, South Yorkshire Promoted from National League 3 Midlands (playoffs) Sheffield Tigers Dore Moor 1,000 Sheffield, South Yorkshire 13th South Leicester Welford Road Ground Leicester, Leicestershire 7th Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands 8th Tynedale Tynedale Park 2,000 (400 seats) Corbridge, Northumberland 6th Wharfedale The Avenue 2,000 Threshfield, North Yorkshire 10th
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
Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled for 24 February 2018.
Round 13
Round 14
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
Round 15
Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by recent bad weather. Game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
Postponed due to frozen pitch caused by bad weather. Game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Postponed due to snow. Game rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
Round 20
Round 21
Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 5 May 2018.
Game postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by rain. Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
Round 22
Postponed due to semi-frozen and waterlogged pitch caused by bad weather (rain and snow). Game to be rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
Round 23
Rounds 12, 14 & 15 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 16 December 2017.
Game rescheduled from 9 December 2017.
Game rescheduled from 9 December 2017.
Game rescheduled from 16 December 2017.
Game rescheduled from 25 November 2017.
Round 24
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 12 May 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 5 May 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game to be rescheduled for 29 March 2018.
Round 25
Rounds 14, 15, 21 & 24 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
Game rescheduled from 3 February 2018.
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
Game originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 but postponed again due to waterlogged pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
Game rescheduled from 9 December 2017.
Game rescheduled from 16 December 2017.
Round 26
Rounds 19, 22 & 24 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2018.
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
Game originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 & then 17 March 2018 when it was postponed again.
Game rescheduled from 10 February 2018.
Originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 but postponed again due to a waterlogged pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 5 May 2018.
Round 27
Round 28
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 5 May 2018.
Round 29
Sheffield are relegated.
Round 30
Blaydon are relegated.
Sale FC are champions.
Rounds 21 & 24 & 28 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 3 February 2018.
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018 but cancelled as result would not adversely affect league standings.
Game originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 and then again from 31 March 2018. Would eventually be cancelled as result would not adversely affect league standings.
Game rescheduled from 14 April 2018 but cancelled as result would not adversely affect league standings.
Round 24 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018. Luctonians are relegated.
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 to National Division 1. Chinnor were runners up in the 2017–18 National League 2 South, and because they had a better record than the 2017–18 National League 2 North runners up, Sedgley Park, they host the play-off match.
Attendances Does not include promotion play-off. ClubHomegamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Blaydon 15 3,733 249 650 125 11% Chester 14 4,835 345 389 236 17% Hinckley 15 8,126 542 790 235 27% Huddersfield 15 4,335 289 408 150 19% Leicester Lions 15 2,057 137 235 80 7% Luctonians 15 5,678 379 942 268 15% Macclesfield 14 3,782 270 527 145 22% Otley 15 5,414 361 1,106 183 5% Sale FC 15 6,147 410 1,500 213 12% Sedgley Park 15 3,627 242 350 57 8% Sheffield 14 4,388 313 1,820 100 9% Sheffield Tigers 15 2,673 178 724 81 18% South Leicester 15 1,727 115 199 75 Stourbridge 15 5,573 372 550 250 11% Tynedale 15 7,215 481 850 300 24% Wharfedale 15 6,917 461 830 315 23%
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 play-off.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Rickie Aley South Leicester 28 343 2 Chris Johnson Sale FC 30 324 3 Tom Barrett Wharfedale 26 247 4 Stephen Collins Sedgley Park 25 246 5 Joe Wilson Hinckley 25 237 6 Ashley Smith Tynedale 22 213 7 Joe Rowntree Otley 27 199 8 Mark Ireland Sheffield Tigers 21 185 9 Lewis Barker Macclesfield 21 161 10 Harry Davey Huddersfield 18 150
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Myles Bean South Leicester 29 27 2 Jamie Broadley Sheffield Tigers 29 26 3 Jamie Harrison Sedgley Park 29 24 4 Andrew Riley Sedgley Park 28 22 5 Daniel Maher Sedgley Park 28 21 6 Alex Salt Hinckley 27 18 7 Devon Constant Leicester Lions 26 17 8 Guy Pike Tynedale 23 15 James Ailes Sale FC 28 15 Jack Appleton Blaydon 30 15
Season records
Team Largest home win — 72 points 89 – 17 Stourbridge at home to Blaydon on 27 January 2018 Largest away win — 37 points (3) 40 – 3 Leicester Lions away to Luctonians on 14 October 2017 47 – 10 Sale FC away to Sheffield on 13 January 2018 37 – 0 Sale FC away to Macclesfield on 31 March 2018 Most points scored — 89 points 89 – 17 Stourbridge at home to Blaydon on 27 January 2018 Most tries in a match — 14 Stourbridge at home to Blaydon on 27 January 2018 Most conversions in a match — 10 (2) Sedgley Park at home to Sheffield on 21 April 2018 Sedgley Park at home to Sheffield Tigers on 28 April 2018 Most penalties in a match — 6 (2) South Leicester at home to Tynedale on 21 October 2017 Huddersfield at home to Sedgley Park on 2 December 2017 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Wharfedale at home to Luctonians on 6 January 2018
Attendances Highest — 1,820 Sheffield at home to Sheffield Tigers on 23 December 2017 Lowest — 57 Sedgley Park at home to Otley on 17 March 2018 Highest average attendance — 542 Hinckley Lowest average attendance — 115 South Leicester
Player Most points in a match — 35 Stephen Collins for Sedgley Park at home to Sheffield Tigers on 28 April 2018 Most tries in a match - 5