National League 2 East
Current season or competition: 2025–26 National League 2 East | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2022 |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Tonbridge Juddians (2024–25) |
| Most titles | Blackheath, Esher, Tonbridge Juddians (1 title) |
| Website | National League 2 East |
National League 2 East is a rugby union league at level four in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in London, South East England, the East of England and the Channel Islands. The remainder of England is covered by two other regional leagues; National League 2 North and National League 2 West.[1]
The champion club is promoted to National One. The last two teams are relegated to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East. Prior to the 2022–23 season, National League 2 East and National League 2 West were part of a unified division known as National League 2 South. Tonbridge Juddians are the current champions and are promoted to National League 1.
Structure
The league consists of fourteen teams who play the others on a home and away basis, to make a total of 26 matches each. The champions are promoted to National League 1 while the runners up go into a four team National 2 playoffs with the runners up from National League 2 North and National League 2 West and the 11th placed side in National League 1.[2]
The bottom two teams are relegated to Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East while the 12th placed side go into the four team Regional 1 playoffs with the 12th placed sides from National 2 North and National 2 West, as well as the Regional 1 playoff winners.[3]
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.
Current season
Participating teams and locations
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes | Barn Elms | 1,000 | Barnes, London | 3rd |
| Bury St Edmunds | The Haberden | 3,000 (135 seats) | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk | 9th |
| Canterbury | Marine Travel Ground | 1,500 (75 seats) | Canterbury, Kent | 4th |
| Dorking | The Big Field | 1,500 | Dorking, Surrey | 2nd |
| Esher | Molesey Road | 3,500 | Hersham, Surrey | Relegated from National League 1 (13th) |
| Guernsey Raiders | Footes Lane | 5,000 (720 seats) | Saint Peter Port, Guernsey | 7th |
| Havant | Hook's Lane[4] | 1,500 (500 seats) | Havant, Hampshire | 11th |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire | 8th |
| London Welsh | Old Deer Park[5] | 5,850 (1,000 seats) | Richmond, London | Promoted from Regional 1 South Central |
| Old Albanian | Woollam's Playing Fields | 1,000 | St Albans, Hertfordshire | 6th |
| Oundle | Occupation Road | Oundle, Northamptonshire | Promoted from Regional 1 South East | |
| Oxford Harlequins | Horspath Sports Ground[6] | 1,000 | Horspath, Oxfordshire | 12th |
| Sevenoaks | Knole Paddock | 1,000 | Sevenoaks, Kent | 10th |
| Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 (200 seats) | Orpington, London | 5th |
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Albanian | 19 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 734 | 493 | +241 | 16 | 1 | 81 | Promotion place |
| 2 | Oundle | 19 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 642 | 499 | +143 | 14 | 1 | 75 | Promotion Play-off |
| 3 | Bury St Edmunds | 19 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 755 | 512 | +243 | 15 | 4 | 73 | |
| 4 | Canterbury | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 579 | 469 | +110 | 11 | 4 | 63 | |
| 5 | Barnes | 19 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 530 | 410 | +120 | 10 | 5 | 61 | |
| 6 | Dorking | 19 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 537 | 388 | +149 | 8 | 5 | 57 | |
| 7 | Westcombe Park | 19 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 548 | 518 | +30 | 13 | 5 | 54 | |
| 8 | London Welsh | 19 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 538 | 626 | −88 | 14 | 6 | 52 | |
| 9 | Guernsey Raiders | 19 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 494 | 578 | −84 | 9 | 2 | 49 | |
| 10 | Havant | 19 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 613 | 658 | −45 | 14 | 1 | 49 | |
| 11 | Esher | 19 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 549 | 645 | −96 | 11 | 4 | 39 | |
| 12 | Sevenoaks | 19 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 539 | 631 | −92 | 8 | 3 | 35 | Relegation Play-off |
| 13 | Henley Hawks | 19 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 444 | 491 | −47 | 7 | 7 | 34 | Relegation place |
| 14 | Oxford Harlequins | 19 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 367 | 951 | −584 | 7 | 2 | 17 |
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- Number of matches won
- Number of matches drawn
- 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
National Two East honours
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runner–up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 14 | Blackheath | Barnes | Westcliff, Rochford Hundred | [8] | |||||||||
| 2023–24 | 14 | Esher | Barnes | North Walsham, Wimbledon | [9] | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | 14 | Tonbridge Juddians | Dorking | Worthing Raiders, Colchester | [10] | |||||||||
| 2025–26 | 14 | |||||||||||||
| Green background is the promotion place. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Blackheath (1)
- Esher (1)
- Tonbridge Juddians (1)
See also
- English rugby union system
- History of the English rugby union system
- National League 2 North
- National League 2 West
References
- ^ "Update on Structural Changes to National League Rugby". National League Rugby. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "National League Play-Offs for 2025/2026". Redruth Rugby Football Club. 29 August 2025.
- ^ "How promotion and relegation will work for Men's National 1 and below and Women's Championship and below". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ "Havant". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "London Welsh RFC". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Oxford Harlequins RUFC". Oxford Harlequins RUFC. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "National League 2 East". NCA Rugby.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2022–23 Final Standings". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2023–24 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "National League 2 East 2024–25 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 April 2025.