Eastern Counties 2
Current season or competition:![]() | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 |
Number of teams | 29 (across 3 regional divisions) |
Land | ![]() |
Holders | Holt II (North - 1st title) Stowmarket (South - 1st title) Shelford IV (West - 1st title) (2018–19) (promoted to Eastern Counties 1) |
Most titles | Cantabrigian, Hadleigh, Ipswich Y.M., Thetford, Wanstead (2 titles) |
Website | ecrurugby.com |
Eastern Counties 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League - currently divided into 3 regional divisions (north, south, west). Promoted teams move up to Eastern Counties 1 with teams in this league tending to be from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. Currently a three divisions, Eastern Counties 2 has previously been divided into North and South divisions with teams from Essex taking part, and had relegation to Eastern Counties 3. In 2003-04 the Essex teams broke away, forming a new league - with Essex 2 being the equivalent division to Eastern Counties 2.
In 2014-15 Eastern Counties 2 split into three regional divisions - north, south and west[1] to allow for more 2nd and 3rd teams to take part. Due to the reorganization of the divisions, relegation is now possible to Eastern Counties 3.
Participating Clubs 2013-14
[edit]- Fakenham
- Felixstowe
- Hadleigh (relegated from Eastern Counties 1)
- Haverhill & District
- Mildenhall Red Lodge
- Mistley
- Norwich Medics
- Norwich Union
- Thetford
- Thurston (relegated from Eastern Counties 1)
Participating Clubs 2012–13
[edit]- Broadland – Great Yarmouth
- Felixstowe
- Haverhill & District
- Mildenhall Red Lodge
- Mistley
- Norwich Medics
- Norwich Union
- Sawston
- Swaffham
- Thetford
Original teams
[edit]When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Basildon
- Braintree
- Canvey Island
- Chelmsford
- Diss
- East London
- Ilford Wanderers
- Port of London Authority[a]
- Upminster
- Wanstead
- Woodbridge
Eastern Counties 2 Honours
[edit]Eastern Counties 2 (1987–1993)
[edit]The original Eastern Counties 2 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to Eastern Counties 1 and relegation down to Eastern Counties 3.[3]
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987–88 | 11 | Basildon | Canvey Island | Ilford Wanderers | ||||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Old Edwardians | Braintree | Thetford | ||||||||||
1989–90 | 11 | Chelmsford | Woodbridge | Wanstead | ||||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Campion | Port of London Authority[b] | Ipswich YMCA | ||||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Maldon | Upminster[c] | No relegation[d] | ||||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | Wymondham | Harwich & Dovercourt | Redbridge, South Woodham Ferrers | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2 (1993–96)
[edit]The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 2 dropped from a tier 9 league to a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 3 respectively.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | 13 | Diss | Holt | Ipswich YMCA, Crusaders | ||||||||||
1994–95 | 12 | Ilford Wanderers | Loughton | East London | ||||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Cantabrigian | Wanstead | Old Bealonians, Lakenham Hewett | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2 (1996–2000)
[edit]The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 2 reverted to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 3, which would split into two regional divisions - north and south - ahead of the 1997–98 season.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996–97 | 13 | Hadleigh | Bancroft[e] | Ravens | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 10 | Met Police Chigwell | Thetford | Loughton, Fakenham | ||||||||||
1998–99[4] | 9 | Billericay | Old Cooperians | Southwold, Old Palmerians | ||||||||||
1999–00[5] | 9 | Wanstead | Mersea Island | Harwich & Dovercourt | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2: North / South (2000–2003)
[edit]East Counties 2 was split into two regional divisions - north and south - and the introduction of London 4 North East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant the divisions dropped to become tier 10 leagues. Promotion was to Eastern Counties 1 and relegation to Eastern Counties 3 - north or south.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000–01 [6][7] |
10 | Beccles | Ipswich Y.M. | Brightlingsea, Norwich Union, Southwold | East Counties 2 North | |||||||||
9 | Stanford Le Hope | Epping Upper Clapton | Old Cooperians | East Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
2001–02 [8][9] |
10 | Colchester | Stowmarket | Harwich & Dovercourt | East Counties 2 North | |||||||||
10 | Wanstead | East London | May & Baker, Millwall | East Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
2002–03 [10][11] |
10 | Ipswich Y.M. | Southwold[f] | No relegation | East Counties 2 North[g] | |||||||||
10 | Westcliff[h] | East London[12] | No relegation | East Counties 2 South[i] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2 (2003–2009)
[edit]Eastern Counties 2 re-merged into a single division ahead of the 2003–04 season, continuing to be a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1 and after the cancellation of Eastern Counties 3 at the end of the 2003–04 season, there was no relegation.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003–04[13] | 8 | Crusaders | Wisbech | No relegation | ||||||||||
2004–05[14] | 9 | Newmarket | Fakenham | No relegation | ||||||||||
2005–06[15] | 11 | Woodbridge | Dereham | No relegation | ||||||||||
2006–07[16] | 11 | Cantabrigian | Ely | No relegation | ||||||||||
2007–08[17] | 11 | Thetford | Newmarket | No relegation | ||||||||||
2008–09[18] | 10 | Southwold | Ely | No relegation | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2 (2009–2014)
[edit]Eastern Counties 2 remained a tier 10 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1 and there was no relegation.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009–10[19] | 10 | Harwich & Dovercourt | Haverhill & District | No relegation | ||||||||||
2010–11[20] | 10 | Ipswich Y.M. | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | No relegation | ||||||||||
2011–12[21] | 9 | Hadleigh | Thurston | No relegation | ||||||||||
2012–13[22] | 9 | Swaffham | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | No relegation | ||||||||||
2013–14[23] | 10 | Thetford | Thurston | No relegation | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Eastern Counties 2: North / South / West (2014–present)
[edit]Eastern Counties 2 was once again restructured - this time into three regional divisions - north, south and west. It remained a tier 10 league with promotion to Eastern Counties 1 and the reintroduction of Eastern Counties 3 meant there was once again relegation to one of its regional divisions - north, south or west.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014–15 [24] |
10 | Diss II | Broadland-Great Yarmouth | Watton | Eastern Counties 2 North | |||||||||
10 | Colchester II | Harwich & Dovercourt | Brightlingsea | Eastern Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
10 | Cantabrigian II | Bury St Edmunds III | Sawston | Eastern Counties 2 North | ||||||||||
2015–16 [25][26][27] |
10 | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | Norwich Medics | Beccles II | Eastern Counties 2 North | |||||||||
10 | Colchester III | Harwich & Dovercourt | Aldeburgh & Thorpeness | Eastern Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
10 | Bury St Edmunds III | Cantabrigian II | March Bears | Eastern Counties 2 West | ||||||||||
2016–17 [28][29][30] |
10 | Fakenham | Diss II | Dereham | Eastern Counties 2 North | |||||||||
9 | Mersea Island | Ipswich II | Felixstowe | Eastern Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
9 | Cottenham Renegades | Shelford III | Ely II | Eastern Counties 2 West | ||||||||||
2017–18 [31][32][33] |
11 | Wymondham II | Norwich II | Broadland - Great Yarmouth II | Eastern Counties 2 North | |||||||||
9 | Halstead Templars | Colchester IV | Ipswich Y.M. II | Eastern Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
6 | March Bears | St Ives II | No relegation | Eastern Counties 2 West | ||||||||||
2018–19 [34][35][36] |
10 | Holt II | Watton | West Norfolk II | Eastern Counties 2 North | |||||||||
9 | Stowmarket | Braintree II | Mersea Island II | Eastern Counties 2 South | ||||||||||
10 | Shelford IV[j] | Haverhill & District | Sawston | Eastern Counties 2 West | ||||||||||
2019–20 | 10 | Eastern Counties 2 North | ||||||||||||
9 | Eastern Counties 2 South | |||||||||||||
10 | Eastern Counties 2 West | |||||||||||||
2020–21 | 10 | Eastern Counties 2 North | ||||||||||||
9 | Eastern Counties 2 South | |||||||||||||
10 | Eastern Counties 2 West | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Promotion play-offs
[edit]From 2000 to 2002 there was a playoff between the runners-up of Eastern Counties 2 North and Eastern Counties 2 South for the third and final promotion place to Eastern Counties 1 with the team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. The promotion playoffs were discontinued when a single Eastern Counties 2 division was created for the 2002–03 season.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000-01[37] | Epping Upper Clapton (S) | 21-15 | Ipswich Y.M. (N) | Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex | ||||||||||
2001-02[38] | Stowmarket (N) | 21-12 | East London (S) | Chilton Fields, Stowmarket, Suffolk | ||||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. N = Eastern Counties 2 North and S = Eastern Counties 2 South |
Number of league titles
[edit]- Cantabrigian (2)[k]
- Hadleigh (2)
- Ipswich Y.M. (2)
- Thetford (2)
- Wanstead (2)
- Basildon (1)
- Beccles (1)
- Billericay (1)
- Broadland - Great Yarmouth (1)
- Bury St Edmunds III (1)
- Campion (1)
- Cantabrigian II (1)
- Chelmsford (1)
- Colchester (1)[l]
- Colchester II (1)
- Colchester III (1)
- Cottenham Renegades (1)
- Crusaders (1)
- Diss (1)[m]
- Diss II (1)
- Fakenham (1)
- Halstead Templars (1)
- Harwich & Dovercourt (1)
- Holt II (1)
- Ilford Wanderers (1)
- Maldon (1)
- March Bears (1)
- Mersea Island (1)
- Met Police Chigwell (1)
- Newmarket (1)
- Old Edwardians (1)
- Shelford IV (1)
- Southwold (1)
- Stanford Le Hope (1)
- Stowmarket (1)
- Swaffham (1)
- Westcliff (1)
- Woodbridge (1)
- Wymondham (1)[n]
- Wymondham II (1)
See also
[edit]- London & SE Division RFU
- Eastern Counties RU
- Essex RFU
- English rugby union system
- Rugby union in England
Notes
[edit]- ^ Runners up and promoted side Port of London Authority would be renamed as Ravens for the following season when they competed in Eastern Counties 1.[2]
- ^ Runners up and promoted side Port of London Authority would be renamed as Ravens for the following season when they competed in Eastern Counties 1.[2]
- ^ 3rd place Lowestoft & Yarmouth also promoted.
- ^ There was no relegation as the league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
- ^ League restructuring meant that four clubs were promoted including Felixstowe and Westcliff.
- ^ 3rd and 4th place Thurston and Cantabrigian were also promoted.
- ^ This was the last season for East Counties 2 North due to restructuring of the Eastern Counties league as a new Essex league was introduced. Teams from East Counties 2 North would stay in the league and would move into either Eastern Counties 1 or Eastern Counties 2 for the next season depending on league position.
- ^ Westcliff transferred to Essex 1 for next season.
- ^ This was the last season for East Counties 2 South due to re-structuring of the Eastern Counties league. A new Essex league would be introduced for the next season with teams from East Counties 2 south joining either Essex 1 or Essex 2 for the next year depending on league position.
- ^ Champions Shelford IV cannot be promoted as Shelford III in Eastern Counties 1.
- ^ As a club Cantabrigian has won 3 titles - 2 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.
- ^ As a club Colchester has won 3 titles - 1 each by the 1st XV, 2nd XV and 3rd XV.
- ^ As a club Diss has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, the other by the 2nd XV.
- ^ As a club Wymondham has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, the other by the 2nd XV.
References
[edit]- ^ Andrew Sarek (23 May 2014). "Revised Eastern Counties Leagues for 2014/15". Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ a b Barry Birkett (29 July 2013). "THE HISTORY OF RAVENS(PLA) RFC". Ravens RFC.
- ^ "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "1998-19 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "1999-20 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2000-01 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2000-01 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2001-02 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2001-02 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2002-03 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2002-03 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ East London transferred to Essex 1 for next season.
- ^ "2003-04 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2004-05 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2005-06 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2006-07 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU n. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2007-08 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2008-09 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2009-10 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2010-11 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2011-12 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2012-13 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "2013-14 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.