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'sDan 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.
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.
Updated to match(es) played on 14 March 2020. Source: "National League 2 North". NCA Rugby. Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of matches won
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
On 4 April, the Rugby Football Union confirmed the final table for the season.[14]
Updated to match(es) played on 4 April 2020. Source: "National League 2 North"(PDF). England Rugby. Notes:
^Since relegation from the 2018–19 National League 1 Loughborough Students have switched games from the Loughborugh University Stadium to nearby East Park.
Tynedale Park Attendance: 375 Referee: Michael Harris
2 November 2019 14:15
Caldy
25 – 18
Fylde (1 BP)
Paton Field Attendance: 436 Referee: Owen Taylor
2 November 2019 14:15
Loughborough Students
23 – 18
Sedgley Park (1 BP)
East Park Attendance: 212 Referee: Ben Rayner
2 November 2019 14:15
(1 BP) Luctonians
15 – 20
Otley
Mortimer Park Attendance: 327 Referee: Lloyd Davies
2 November 2019 15:00
Chester
P – P
Scunthorpe
Hare Lane
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]
2 November 2019 15:30
(1 BP) Stourbridge
43 – 19
Wharfedale
Stourton Park Attendance: 436 Referee: Andrew Wigley
2 November 2019 16:00
Hinckley
27 – 17
Preston Grasshoppers
De Montfort Park Attendance: 560 Referee: George Richardson
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).
103 – 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 points
109 – 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 — 12
Chester at home to Scunthorpe on 22 February 2020
Most penalties in a match — 6
Sheffield 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 — 1,059
Fylde 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 — 679
Fylde
Lowest average attendance — 186
Hull
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
Notes
^Hinckley's attendance v Fylde on 19 October 2019 was incorrectly given as 275 in The Rugby Paper, with the official figure provided by Hinckley RFC instead being 560.
^Hinckley's attendance v Huddersfield on 19 November 2019 was incorrectly given as 375 in The Rugby Paper, with the official figure provided by Hinckley RFC instead being 580.
^Hinckley's attendance v Stourbridge on 30 November 2019 was incorrectly given as 216 in The Rugby Paper, with the official figure provided by Hinckley RFC instead being 520.
^The Rugby Paper reported Matthew Astle as being referee for the Hull v Wharfedale game while also referring Sedgley Park v Scunthorpe, both on 14 December 2019.
^The Rugby Paper reported Matthew Astle as being referee for the Sedgley Park v Scunthorpe game while also referring Hull v Wharfedale on the same day, both on 14 December 2019.
