National League 2 North
National League 2 North is one of three level four leagues in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in Northern England. The remainder of England is covered by the two counterpart leagues National [League 2 East] and National League 2 West. The champion club is promoted to National One. Relegation is to either the Regional 1 Midlands, Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West, depending on their location. Rotherham Titans are the current champions.
Before September 2009, it was known as National Division Three North. From 2009 to 2010 the Rugby Football Union expanded the league from fourteen to sixteen teams. Each team played thirty league games on a home and away basis. The 2019–20 season ended before all the matches were completed because of the coronavirus pandemic and the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table.
The RFU approved a new structure for the National Leagues from the 2022–23 season. The league is reduced to fourteen teams, there will be a two-week break over Christmas and protected weekend breaks through the season. The competition structure will be reviewed every three years.
Structure
The league consists of fourteen teams and each plays 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 promotion-relegation playoff with the runners up from National League 2 East and National League 2 West and the 11th placed side in National League 1.The bottom two teams are relegated to Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West; depending on their location.
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 point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Current season
Participating teams and locations
Promotion play-offs
Until the 2018–19 season, there was a play-off between the league runners-up of National League 2 North and National League 2 South, for the third and final promotion place to National League 1. The team with the superior league record having home advantage in the tie. Southern teams have been more successful with fourteen wins to the northern teams four, while the home side has won thirteen teams to the away sides five.Number of league titles
- Hull Ionians
- Macclesfield
- Caldy [Rugby Football Club|Caldy]
- Nuneaton
- Rotherham Titans
- Aspatria
- Birmingham & Solihull
- Blaydon
- Bradford & Bingley
- Broughton Park
- Doncaster
- Rugby Club|Fylde]
- Halifax
- Harrogate
- Hull
- Kendal [Rugby Union Football Club|Kendal]
- Leeds Tykes
- Loughborough Students
- Otley
- Preston Grasshoppers
- Roundhay
- Rugby
- Sale FC
- Sedgley Park
- Stourbridge
- Tynedale
- Waterloo
- Worcester
Original teams
When club rugby began in 1987 this division was called Area 4 North and contained the following teams:- Birkenhead Park
- Broughton Park
- Derby
- Durham City
- Lichfield
- Northern
- Preston Grasshoppers
- Roundhay
- Rugby Lions
- Solihull
- Stourbridge
Records
''Note that all records are from 1996–97 season onwards as this is widely held as the dawn of professionalism across the English club game. It also offers a better comparison between seasons as the division team numbers are roughly equal. Attendance records are from 2000 onwards unless otherwise specified. All records are up to date up till the end of the 2019–20 season.''League records
- Most titles: 3
- Most times promoted from division: 3
- Most times relegated from division: 3
- Most league points in a season: 134
- Fewest league points in a season: 0
- Most points scored in a season: 1,259
- Fewest points scored in a season: 205
- Most points conceded in a season: 1,985
- Fewest points conceded in a season: 305
- Best points difference : 736
- Worst points difference : -1,780
- Most games won in a season: 28
- Most games lost in a season: 30
- Most games drawn in a season: 4
- Most bonus points in a season: 30
Match records
- Largest home win: 124 – 0
- Largest away win: 106 – 0
- Most points scored in a match: 124
- Most tries scored in a match: 18
- Most conversions scored in a match: 17
- Most penalties scored in a match: 9
- Most drop kicks scored in a match: 3
Player records
- Most times top points scorer: 2
- Most times top try scorer: 3
- Most points in a season: 422
- Most tries in a season: 32
- Most points in a match: 49
- Most conversions in a match: 17
- Most tries in a match: 7
- Most penalties in a match: 9
- Most drop kicks in a match: 3
Attendance records
- Highest attendance : 3,750
- Lowest attendance : 37
- Highest attendance : 1,500
- Lowest attendance : 925
- Highest average attendance : 921
- Lowest average attendance : 85
- Highest average attendance : 348
- Lowest average attendance : 239
National League 2 North top 10 point scorers, all time
| Rank | Nat | Name | Years | Club | Points | Apps | Ratio | ||||
| 1 |  National League 2 North top 10 try scorers, all time
|