National League 2 East

National League 2 East
Current season or competition:
2025–26 National League 2 East
SportRugby union
Instituted2022 (2022)
Number of teams14
Country England
HoldersTonbridge Juddians (2024–25)
Most titlesBlackheath, Esher, Tonbridge Juddians (1 title)
WebsiteNational 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 and the East of England. 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.

Blackheath became champions, with three matches to play, following their 93 – 17 defeat of Westcliff on 25 March 2023.[2] Rochford Hundred (13th) and Westcliff (14th) are relegated to Regional 1 South East.[3]

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.

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 and the bottom two teams are relegated to Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East, depending on their location.[4]

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

Main article: 2025–26 National League 2 East

Participating teams and locations

Locations of the 2025–26 National League 2 East teams
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[5] 1,500 (500 seats) Havant, Hampshire 11th
Henley Hawks Dry Leas 4,000 Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire 8th
London Welsh Old Deer Park[6] 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[7] 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

2025–26 National League 2 East table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Barnes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion place
2 Bury St Edmunds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Canterbury 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Dorking 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Esher 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Guernsey Raiders 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Havant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Henley Hawks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 London Welsh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Old Albanian 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Oundle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Oxford Harlequins 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sevenoaks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation place
14 Westcombe Park 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: September 2025. Source: National League Rugby [8]
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Number of matches drawn
  3. Difference between points for and against
  4. Total number of points for
  5. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  6. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

National Two East honours

List of National Two East honours
Season No of teams Champions Runner–up Relegated teams Ref
2022–23 14 Blackheath Barnes Westcliff, Rochford Hundred [9]
2023–24 14 Esher Barnes North Walsham, Wimbledon [10]
2024–25 14 Tonbridge Juddians Dorking Worthing Raiders, Colchester [11]
2025–26 14
Green background is the promotion place.

Number of league titles

See also

References

  1. ^ "Update on Structural Changes to National League Rugby". National League Rugby. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ Compton, Richard. "Crushing Club back into Level Three at a stroll". The RugbyPaper. No. 758. pp. 32–3.
  3. ^ "National League 2 East 2022/23 – Points Table". National League Rugby. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. ^ "How promotion and relegation will work for Men's National 1 and below and Women's Championship and below". England Rugby. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Havant". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  6. ^ "London Welsh RFC". Havant Rugby Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Oxford Harlequins RUFC". Oxford Harlequins RUFC. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  8. ^ "National League 2 East". NCA Rugby.
  9. ^ "National League 2 East 2022–23 Final Standings". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  10. ^ "National League 2 East 2023–24 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  11. ^ "National League 2 East 2024–25 Final Standing". England Rugby. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
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