Eastern Counties 2

Eastern Counties 2
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Eastern Counties 2
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 38 years ago (1987)
Number of teams29 (across 3 regional divisions)
Country England
HoldersHolt II (North - 1st title)
Stowmarket (South - 1st title)
Shelford IV (West - 1st title) (2018–19)
(promoted to Eastern Counties 1)
Most titlesCantabrigian, Hadleigh, Ipswich Y.M., Thetford, Wanstead (2 titles)
Websiteecrurugby.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

  • 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

  • Broadland – Great Yarmouth
  • Felixstowe
  • Haverhill & District
  • Mildenhall Red Lodge
  • Mistley
  • Norwich Medics
  • Norwich Union
  • Sawston
  • Swaffham
  • Thetford

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

Eastern Counties 2 Honours

Eastern Counties 2 (1987–1993)

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]

Eastern Counties 2
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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2
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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2
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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2: North / 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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2
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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2
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)

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.

Eastern Counties 2: North / South / 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

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.

Eastern Counties 2 North v Eastern Counties 2 North promotion play-off results
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

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 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]
  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]
  3. ^ 3rd place Lowestoft & Yarmouth also promoted.
  4. ^ There was no relegation as the league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
  5. ^ League restructuring meant that four clubs were promoted including Felixstowe and Westcliff.
  6. ^ 3rd and 4th place Thurston and Cantabrigian were also promoted.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Westcliff transferred to Essex 1 for next season.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Champions Shelford IV cannot be promoted as Shelford III in Eastern Counties 1.
  11. ^ As a club Cantabrigian has won 3 titles - 2 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.
  12. ^ As a club Colchester has won 3 titles - 1 each by the 1st XV, 2nd XV and 3rd XV.
  13. ^ As a club Diss has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, the other by the 2nd XV.
  14. ^ As a club Wymondham has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, the other by the 2nd XV.

References

  1. ^ Andrew Sarek (23 May 2014). "Revised Eastern Counties Leagues for 2014/15". Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b Barry Birkett (29 July 2013). "THE HISTORY OF RAVENS(PLA) RFC". Ravens RFC.
  3. ^ "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  4. ^ "1998-19 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. ^ "1999-20 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. ^ "2000-01 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. ^ "2000-01 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. ^ "2001-02 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. ^ "2001-02 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  10. ^ "2002-03 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  11. ^ "2002-03 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  12. ^ East London transferred to Essex 1 for next season.
  13. ^ "2003-04 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  14. ^ "2004-05 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  15. ^ "2005-06 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  16. ^ "2006-07 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU n. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  17. ^ "2007-08 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  18. ^ "2008-09 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  19. ^ "2009-10 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  20. ^ "2010-11 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  21. ^ "2011-12 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  22. ^ "2012-13 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  23. ^ "2013-14 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  24. ^ "London & SE Division - 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  25. ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  26. ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  27. ^ "London & SE Division - 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  28. ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  29. ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  30. ^ "London & SE Division - 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  31. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  33. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  34. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  35. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two South 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  36. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two West 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  37. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
  38. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.