North East 2 (not to be confused with North 2 East) was an English Rugby Union league was at the eighth tier of the domestic competition when it was founded in 1987 and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North East 1 while relegated teams dropped to Durham/Northumberland 1 and latterly North East 3. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999–2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams being transferred to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.
| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2000 |
| Country |  England |
| Website | clubs.rfu.com |
Original teams edit
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Barnsley
- Beverley
- Novocastrians
- Newcastle University
- Old Hymerians
- Pocklington
- Pontefract
- Ryton
- Selby
- Stockton
- York
North East 2 honours edit
North East 2 (1987–1993) edit
The original North East 2 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to North East 1 and relegation down to either Durham/Northumberland 1 or Yorkshire 1.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Novocastrians | Stockton | Barnsley | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | York | Selby | Pocklington | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Bramley | Roundhegians | Ryton | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 10 | West Park Bramhope | Pontefract | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Bridlington | Selby[a] | No relegation[b] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Doncaster | Driffield | Bishop Auckland | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
North East 2 (1993–1996) edit
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that North East 2 dropped from being a tier 8 league to a tier 9 league for the years that National 5 North was active.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Horden | Cleckheaton | Acklam | ||||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Ashington | North Ribblesdale | Novocastrians | ||||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Wheatley Hills | Percy Park | Bramley, Ripon, Thornensians, Rockcliff, Hull, Blyth, Whitby[c] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
North East 2 (1996–2000) edit
The cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that North East 2 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Additionally, the creation of North East 3 at tier 9 for the 1996–97, meant that relegated teams dropped to this new league. At the end of the 1999–00 season a further restructure of the leagues saw North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 cancelled, along with their counterparts North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 10 | Beverley | Goole | Redcar, Selby | ||||||||||
| 1997–98 | 10 | Darlington Mowden Park | Keighley | South Shields Westoe, Ashington | ||||||||||
| 1998–99[1] | 10 | Darlington | Redcar | Gateshead, Roundhegians, Hartlepool Rovers | ||||||||||
| 1999–00[2] | 10 | Pocklington[d] | Cleckheaton[e] | No relegation[f] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles edit
- Ashington (1)
- Beverley (1)
- Bramley (1)
- Bridlington (1)
- Darlington (1)
- Darlington Mowden Park (1)
- Doncaster (1)
- Horden (1)
- Novocastrians (1)
- Pocklington (1)
- West Park Bramhope (1)
- Wheatley Hills (1)
- York (1)
Notes edit
- ^ Runners up Selby along with Thornensians and Redcar were promoted to North East 1.
- ^ Due to restructuring no clubs were relegated into Durham/Northumberland 1 as three clubs were promoted into North East 2.
- ^ Due to restructuring of leagues, seven clubs were relegated into North East 3 in order to inaugurate the league for the following season.
- ^ As North East 1 was to be abolished Pocklington would instead transfer to Yorkshire 1.
- ^ Runners up Cleckheaton along with Wheatley Hills, Selby, Pontefract, Hull, North Ribblesdale and Old Brodleians would transfer to Yorkshire 1 for the following season. West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. and Durham City would transfer to Durham/Northumberland 1.
- ^ Due to the cancellation of North East 1, 2 and 3 there would be no relegation.
References edit
- ^ "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.