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2019–20 National League 2 South
Countries	England
Date	7 September 2019 – 14 March 2020
Champions	Taunton Titans (1st title)
Runners-up	Tonbridge Juddians (also promoted)
Relegated	Bournemouth, Old Redcliffians, Sutton & Epsom
Matches played	196
Attendance	60,934 (average 311 per match)
Highest attendance	1,076 Dings Crusaders v Clifton 14 September 2019
Lowest attendance	0 Tonbridge Juddians v Sutton & Epsom 21 December 2019
Top point scorer	Gary Kingdom (Taunton Titans) 230 points
Top try scorer	Hugo Watson (Tonbridge Juddians) 22 tries
← 2018–192021–22 →

The 2019–20 National League 2 South was the eleventh season (33rd overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the Rugby Football Union officially cancelled the season on 20 March 2020, after an initial postponement of all rugby in England including training. After the cancellation was announced the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table. This meant that Taunton Titans, who were 3 points clear when the league was suspended, were promoted as champions along with runners up Tonbridge Juddians, who went up as the best runner up as they had more considerably more points than 2019–20 National League 2 North runner up Fylde.

The relegated teams included Bournemouth, Old Redcliffians and Sutton & Epsom, all of whom had occupied the bottom three spots before league suspension, with 14th placed Sutton & Epsom 13 points behind 13th placed Westcliff and safety. Taunton Titans and Tonbridge Juddians will join the 2021–22 National League 1 (the highest level either club have reached), while Bournemouth and Old Redcliffians drop down to South West Premier and Sutton & Epsom to London & South East Premier.

Other interesting news from the season was Taunton's Gary Kingdom who finished as top scorer in the division for the third time, tying him with Worthing Raiders prolific Matthew McLean. An unwanted record was also made with Tonbridge Juddians official attendance of 0 from their game Sutton & Epsom on 21 December 2019 being the lowest ever recorded in a National League 2 South game. This was due to the game being played behind closed doors due to safety concerns caused by flooding.

Structure

The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one automatic promotion place, one play-off place and three relegation places. The champions are promoted to the 2020–21 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the 2019–20 National League 2 North with the winner being promoted. The last three teams are relegated to either London & South East Premier or South West Premier depending on the geographical location of the team (in some cases teams may join the Midlands regional leagues).

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.

Participating teams and locations

Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2018–19 National League 2 South season. The 2018–19 champions Rams and play-off winners Canterbury, who won the promotion play-off against Chester, were promoted into the 2019–20 National League 1, while Esher were relegated into the division from the 2018–19 National League 1. Sides relegated from the 2018–19 National League 2 South included Birmingham & Solihull (to Greater Birmingham Merit Leagues), Guernsey (London & South East Premier) and London Irish Wild Geese (South West Premier). In the case of Birmingham & Solihull, they had initially been supposed to drop to Midlands Premier but on further reflection decided to become an amateur club and drop out of the league system.

The promoted teams are Bournemouth who come up as champions of South West Premier while Sutton & Epsom (champions) and Westcliff (play-off) came up from London & South East Premier. Leicester Lions were level transferred into the division from National League 2 North in order to address an imbalance of teams in National 2, with Rams and Canterbury being promoted and only Esher dropping down from National League 1. Although there were several candidates for the level-transfer in the end Leicester Lions were deemed the most suitable due to being the most southerly club in a central position, making access to both the south-east and south-west more straightforward than alternatives such as Luctonians.

Tables

Fixture & Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

• Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by bad weather (rain). Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

• Abandoned after 60 minutes due to power cut. Game eventually rescheduled for 22 February 2020.

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

• Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 21 February 2020.

• Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020.

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Round 23

• Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.

• Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.

• Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.

• Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020.

Rounds 10, 13 & 16 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 21 December 2019.

• Game originally rescheduled from 9 November 2019 but postponed again due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 11 April 2020.

• Game rescheduled from 21 December 2019.

• Game rescheduled from 30 November 2019.

Round 24

• Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 11 April 2020.

• Postponed due to unplayable pitch caused by heavy rain. Game to be rescheduled for 11 April 2020.

Round 25

Round 23 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020.

• Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 but postponed again due a Dings player being potentially exposed to coronavirus. Game to be rescheduled.

• Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020.

• Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020.

Round 26

Round 27

Round 28

Rounds 10 & 24 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 29 February 2020.

• Game rescheduled from 29 February 2020.

• Game rescheduled from 9 November 2019 and then 22 February 2020.

Round 29

Round 30

Attendances

• Does not include promotion play-off.

Individual statistics

• Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Top points scorers Rank Player Team Points 1 Gary Kingdom Taunton Titans 230 2 Fraser Honey Redruth 201 3 Will Robinson Tonbridge Juddians 200 4 Matthew McLean Worthing Raiders 181 5 Bradley Barnes Clifton 175 Grant Hancox Bournemouth 175 6 Kodie Drury-Hawkins Bury St Edmunds 166 7 Josh Hammett Barnes 146 8 Tristan Roberts Esher 142

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Tries 1 Hugo Watson Tonbridge Juddians 22 2 Isaac Dalton Taunton Titans 16 3 Ewan Fenley Henley Hawks 14 Sam Lunnon Henley Hawks 14 4 Devon Constant Leicester Lions 13 5 Jack Arnott Taunton Titans 12 Jack Robinson Henley Hawks 12 Ed Sumpter Leicester Lions 12 Duncan Tout Tonbridge Juddians 12

Season records

Notes

1. Rugby Statbunker gives an attendance of 505 for the Redruth v Esher game on 7 September 2019, while The Rugby Paper give a figure of 535. The Rugby Paper figure is correct as it is backed up by Redruth RFC official match report.
2. Rugby Statbunker gives an attendance of just 426 for Dings Crusaders v Clifton on 14 September 2019, while The Rugby Paper give a figure of 1,076. The Rugby Paper figure is correct as it is backed up by Dings Crusaders official match report.
3. Rugby Statbunker gives an attendance of 320 for Dings Crusaders v Barnes on 28 September 2019, while The Rugby Paper give a figure of 438. As Rugby Statbunker has tended to underestimate the Dings attendances, The Rugby Paper figure is used instead.
4. The Sutton & Epsom v Bournemouth game was abandoned after 60 minutes with the score at 20 - 15 to Sutton & Epsom due to local power cut causing failure to floodlights. Game to be replayed.
5. Sutton & Epsom's attendance of 210 against Bournemouth on 30 November 2019 will not be counted towards their final attendance due to the game being abandoned and later rescheduled. The rescheduled game's figure on 22 February 2020 will be used instead.
6. Due to flooding Tonbridge Juddians home game against Sutton & Espom on 21 September 2019 was held at Juddians 3G training ground at The Judd School.
7. Due to flooding of Barn Elms, Barnes game against Taunton Titans on 29 February 2020 was instead held at The Rock, the home ground of Rosslyn Park, with kickoff moved from 14:30 to 15:30.
8. Due to unplayable pitch at The Slade, Tonbridge Juddians home game against Clifton on 7 March 2020 was held at Juddians 3G training ground at The Judd School.
9. Tonbridge Juddians home game against Sutton & Epsom on 21 December 2019 was a closed game due to flooding making it unsafe for spectators.

See also

• 2019–20 National League 2 North
• 2019–20 National League 1
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. ^ "Terrific TJs end year on high as they run in 13". The RugbyPaper. No. 588. 22 December 2019. p. 34.
2. "Greene King IPA Championship games postponed". Green King Championship. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
3. "RFU". www.championshiprugby.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2020-03-25. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
4. "RFU reveal promotion and relegation from National Leagues". Talking Rugby Union. 4 April 2020.
5. "Rams wrap up the title in fine style at Clifton". The RugbyPaper. No. 551. 7 April 2019. pp. 34–35.
6. "Canterbury 19-10 Chester". Kent Sports News. 4 May 2019.
7. "Esher denied their great escape despite triumph". The RugbyPaper. No. 554. 28 April 2019. pp. 26–27.
8. "Loss at Rams finally consigns Bees to the drop". Birmingham & Solihull RFC (Pitchero). 16 April 2019.
9. "Play-off in touching distance for Canterbury and Bees battle for survival". Talking Rugby Union. 12 April 2018.
10. "Wild Geese relegated but Bees and Guernsey still fighting". Talking Rugby Union. 1 April 2018.
11. "Bees apply to join Greater Birmingham Merit League for 2019/20 season". Birmingham & Solihull RFC (Pitchero). 5 June 2019.
12. "South West Premier 2018–2019". England Rugby. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
13. "2018–2019 London South-East Division". England Rugby. 13 April 2019.
14. "Westcliff Rugby Club secure promotion after big win in play-off final". Echo News. 30 April 2019.
15. FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS 2019/20
16. "REDRUTH 10 - 8 ESHER". Redruth Rugby. 7 September 2019.
17. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 573. 8 September 2019. pp. 30–31 & 35.
18. "DERBY DEFEAT FOR DINGS". Dings Crusaders RFC (Pitchero). 14 September 2019.
19. The Rugby Paper gives an attendance of just 212 for Taunton Titans v Redruth on 14 September 2019, while Rugby Statbunker gives 500. From speaking to Taunton officials it seems the Rugby Statbunker figure is closer, with 480 being the actual attendance.
20. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 574. 15 September 2019. pp. 36–37 & 39.
21. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 575. 22 September 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
22. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 576. 29 September 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
23. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 577. 5 October 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
24. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 578. 13 October 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
25. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 579. 20 October 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
26. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 580. 27 October 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
27. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 581. 3 November 2019. pp. 40–41 & 43.
28. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 582. 10 November 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
29. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 583. 17 November 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
30. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 584. 24 November 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
31. "Power cuts short relegation battle". The RugbyPaper. No. 585. 1 December 2019. p. 35.
32. "Clash between Sutton & Epsom and Bournemouth came to a premature end on Saturday due to power failure". Bournemouth RFC (Pitchero). 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
33. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 585. 1 December 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
34. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 586. 8 December 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
35. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 587. 15 December 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
36. Tonbridge Juddians home game against Sutton & Epsom on 21 December 2019 was a closed game due to flooding making it unsafe for spectators.
37. "Esher 1st XV v Barnes - Game Postponed however Christmas Lunch is still on!". Esher Rugby. 21 December 2019.
38. "21/12/2019 - 1ST XV VS LEICESTER LIONS POSTPONED". OA Rugby. 20 December 2019.
39. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 588. 22 December 2019. pp. 34–35 & 39.
40. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 590. 5 January 2020. pp. 26–27 & 33.
41. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 591. 12 January 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.
42. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 592. 19 January 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.
43. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 593. 26 January 2020. pp. 34–35 & 40.
44. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 594. 2 February 2020. pp. 33–34 & 39.
45. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 595. 9 February 2020. pp. 26–27 & 33.
46. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 596. 16 February 2020. pp. 32–33 & 37.
47. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 597. 23 February 2020. pp. 32 & 39.
48. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 598. 1 March 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.
49. "Drying Out? We Hope So". Tonbridge Juddians RFC. 5 March 2020.
50. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 599. 8 March 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.
51. "POSTPONED - OLD REDCLIFFIANS RFC VS DINGS CRUSADERS RFC". Old Redcliffians RFC (Pitchero). 13 March 2020.
52. ^ "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 600. 15 March 2020. pp. 23 & 28.
53. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 601. 22 March 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.
54. "National League 2 South". The RugbyPaper. No. 602. 29 March 2020. pp. 34–35 & 39.

External links

• NCA Rugby Archived 2015-07-01 at the Wayback Machine

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• National League 2 South seasons
• 2019–20 in English rugby union leagues
• Sports events curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic