Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland

English Rugby Union league

Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland
Current season or competition:
2022–23 Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams12
Country England
HoldersGuisborough (2nd title) (2021–22)
(promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland)
Most titlesPonteland (4 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 2, is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from North East England. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland and the bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland. Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 2 are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase (a national competition for clubs at level 8) - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Ponteland won their fourth title in 2020 with Sunderland also promoted.

Participating clubs 2022–23

  • Durham University Rugby Football Club
  • Ashington
  • Barnard Castle
  • Bishop Auckland
  • Gateshead
  • North Shields
  • Redcar
  • Ryton
  • Seaham
  • Sedgefield
  • Wallsend (promoted from Durham / Northumberland 3 North)
  • Whitby
  • Winlaton Vulcans

Participating clubs 2021–22

The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019-20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020-21.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Ashington The Recreation Ground Ashington, Northumberland 7th
Bishop Auckland West Mills Playing Fields Bishop Auckland, County Durham 9th
Barnard Castle Birch Road Barnard Castle, County Durham Relegated from Durham/Northumberland 1 (14th)
Darlington Blackwell Meadows 3,000 Darlington, County Durham 10th
Gateshead Eastwood Gardens Gateshead, Tyne and Wear Relegated from Durham/Northumberland 1 (12th)
Guisborough Belmangate Guisborough, North Yorkshire 3rd
Hartlepool Mayfield Park Hartlepool, County Durham 4th
North Shields Preston Playing Fields Preston, North Shields, Tyne and Wear Relegated from Durham/Northumberland 1 (13th)
Redcar Mackinlay Park Redcar, North Yorkshire Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 3 (champions)
Ryton Main Road Ryton, Tyne and Wear 6th
Seaham Seaham Leisure Centre Seaham, County Durham Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 3 (runners-up)
Sedgefield Sedgefield Cricket Club Sedgefield, County Durham 11th
Whitby Recreation Ground Whitby, North Yorkshire 8th
Winlaton Vulcans Axwell View Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear 5th


Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland is located in North East England
Ashington
Ashington
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Gateshead
Gateshead
Guisborough
Guisborough
Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Ryton
Ryton
Seaham
Seaham
Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Whitby
Whitby
Winlaton
Winlaton
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2021-22 Durham/Northumberland 2 teams

Season 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning DN2 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019-20

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Ashington The Recreation Ground Ashington, Northumberland 6th
Bishop Auckland West Mills Playing Fields Bishop Auckland, County Durham 8th
Blyth Plessey Road Blyth, Northumberland Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 3 (runners up)
Darlington Blackwell Meadows 3,000 Darlington, County Durham 11th
Gosforth Broadway West Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 7th
Guisborough Belmangate Guisborough, North Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (14th) (level transfer)
Hartlepool Mayfield Park Hartlepool, County Durham 3rd
Ponteland Ponteland Leisure Centre Ponteland, Tyne and Wear Relegated from Durham/Northumberland 1 (13th)
Ryton Main Road Ryton, Tyne and Wear 9th
Seaton Carew Hornby Park Seaton Carew, County Durham Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 3 (champions)
Sedgefield Sedgefield Cricket Club Sedgefield, County Durham 10th
Sunderland Ashbrooke Sports Club Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 4th
Whitby Recreation Ground Whitby, North Yorkshire Relegated from Durham/Northumberland 1 (14th)
Winlaton Vulcans Axwell View Winlaton, Blaydon-on-Tyne, Tyne and Wear 5th


Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland is located in North East England
Ashington
Ashington
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Blyth
Blyth
Guisborough
Guisborough
Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Ponteland
Ponteland
Ryton
Ryton
Seaton Carew
Seaton Carew
Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sunderland
Sunderland
Whitby
Whitby
Winlaton
Winlaton
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Locations of the 2019-20 Durham/Northumberland 2 teams

Original teams

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

Durham/Northumberland 2 honours

Durham/Northumberland 2 (1987–1993)

The original Durham/Northumberland 2 was a tier 10 league with promotion up to Durham/Northumberland 1 and relegation down to Durham/Northumberland 3.

Durham/Northumberland 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 11 Mowden Park Hartlepool Houghton
1988–89 11 Whitby Sunderland Hartlepool B.B.O.B.
1989–90 11 Bishop Auckland Darlington Railway Athletic North Shields, Wallsend
1990–91 11 Consett Hartlepool Billingham
1991–92 11 Percy Park Guisborough[a] No relegation[b]
1992–93 13 North Durham North Shields Barnard Castle, Billingham
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Durham/Northumberland 2 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 2 dropped to being a tier 11 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Durham/Northumberland 2 remain at tier 11.

Durham/Northumberland 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–94 12 Ponteland Wallsend Newton Aycliffe, Seaton Carew
1994–95 13 Winlaton Vulcans Medicals Seaton Carew, Seghill
1995–96 13 Hartlepool Guisborough Multiple teams[c]
1996–97 10 Consett North Durham Wensleydale, Darlington Railway Athletic[d]
1997–98 10 Billingham Novocastrians Seaton Carew
1998–99[2] 9 Houghton Seghill Guisborough
1999–00[3] 10 Gosforth[e] Hartlepool Richmondshire, Chester-Le-Street, Barnard Castle
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Durham/Northumberland 2 (2000–present)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Durham/Northumberland 2 became a tier 8 league.

Durham/Northumberland 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[4] 12 Gosforth Billingham Novocastrians
2001–02[5] 12 Acklam Hartlepool Whitley Bay Rockcliff, Medicals
2002–03[6] 12 Consett Houghton Blyth, Whitby
2003–04[7] 12 Ryton Ponteland Sunderland, Barnard Castle
2004–05[8] 12 Gateshead North Shields Richmondshire, Yarm
2005–06[9] 12 Sunderland Gosforth Whitby, Hartlepool
2006–07[10] 12 Wallsend West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. Seaton Carew, Blyth
2007–08[11] 12 Ashington Consett Yarm, Guisborough
2008–09[12] 12 Team Northumbria Hartlepool[f] No relegation[g]
2009–10[13] 12 Ponteland Medicals Houghton, North Shields
2010–11[14] 12 Guisborough Acklam Prudhoe & Stocksfield
2011–12[15] 13 Blyth Consett Yarm, Whitby
2012–13[16] 13 Bishop Auckland Novocastrians Winlaton Vulcans, Seaham
2013–14[17] 13 Ryton Sunderland Prudhoe & Stocksfield, Whitby
2014–15[18] 14 Ponteland Acklam Hartlepool B.B.O.B., South Tyneside College
2015–16[19] 14 Barnard Castle Hartlepool Houghton, Wallsend
2016–17[20] 14 Redcar Ponteland Seaton Carew, South Shields, Blyth[h]
2017–18[21] 14 Acklam Whitby Richmondshire, Newton Aycliffe
2018–19[22] 14 Whitley Bay Rockcliff North Shields South Shields, Houghton
2019–20[23] 14 Ponteland Sunderland Blyth, Seaton Carew, Gosforth
2020–21 14
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes

  1. ^ Runners up Guisborough alongside Whitby, Seaham and West Hartlepool TDSOB were promoted due to league restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4 at the end of season.
  2. ^ Due to league restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4 there would be no relegation this season.
  3. ^ Due to restructuring six clubs, including Sedgefield, Seaham, Hartlepool B.B.O.B., Houghton, Richmondshire, Billingham, were relegated to Durham/Northumberland 3. This was done to decrease league sizes and begin home and away fixtures in order to inaugurate North East 3 and the re-introduction of Durham/Northumberland 4 for the following season.
  4. ^ 9th placed Darlington Railway Athletic would be dissolved at the end of the season.
  5. ^ No promotion this season as division set to increase from 10 to 12 teams for 2000-01.
  6. ^ Redcar, Novocastrians were also promoted. The reason for more promotions than usual was because Durham/Northumberland 1 was due to increase from 12 to 14 teams for 2009-10.
  7. ^ Due to the increased number of teams being promoted from the division to Durham/Northumberland 1 there would be no relegation this season.
  8. ^ 3 teams relegated due to relegations from higher leagues.

See also

References

  1. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  3. ^ "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. ^ "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. ^ "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  6. ^ "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. ^ "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  8. ^ "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  9. ^ "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  10. ^ "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  11. ^ "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  12. ^ "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  13. ^ "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  14. ^ "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  15. ^ "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  16. ^ "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  17. ^ "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  18. ^ "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  19. ^ "2015-16 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  20. ^ "2016-17 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  21. ^ "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  22. ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  23. ^ "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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