2009–10 National League 2 South

The 2009–10 National League 2 South was the first season (23rd overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Previously known as National Division 3 South, it had been renamed due to widespread changes to the league system by the RFU with National One becoming the Championship, National 2 becoming National 1 and so on. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National League 1 while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National League 2 North (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place. A further change to the league system would see the division increase from 14 to 15 teams (this was originally supposed to be 16 teams but one of the teams relegated from the 2008–09 National Division 2, Mounts Bay, folded at the beginning of the season).

Barking would finish as champions with only two league defeats all season, while runners up Rosslyn Park would join them in the 2010–11 National League 1 by defeating 2009–10 National League 2 North runners up Loughborough Students in the National 2 promotion playoff. At the bottom of the table Bridgwater & Albion and newly promoted Barnes would be condemned to National League 3 South West and National League 3 London & SE respectively.

Participating teams
Eleven of the teams listed below participated in the 2008–09 National League 3 South season; Westcombe Park were relegated from the 2008–09 National Division 2, while Clifton were promoted as champions of South West Division 1 with Shelford (champions) and Barnes (playoffs) coming up from London Division 1.

Round 1
Bye: Ealing Trailfinders

Round 2
Bye: Bridgwater & Albion

Round 3
Bye: Rosslyn Park

Round 4
Bye: Henley Hawks

Round 5
Bye: Worthing Raiders

Round 6
Bye: Southend

Round 7
Bye: Westcombe Park

Round 8
Bye: Clifton

Round 9
Bye: Barnes

Round 10
Bye: Shelford

Round 11
Bye: Richmond

Round 12
Bye: Lydney

Round 13
Bye: Barking

Round 14
Bye: Canterbury

Round 15

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.

Bye: Dings Crusaders
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 February 2010.

Round 16

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Bye: Bridgwater & Albion
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Round 17

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Bye: Rosslyn Park
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.

Round 18

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Bye: Henley Hawks
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 March 2010.

Round 19
Bye: Worthing Raiders

Round 20
Bye: Southend
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2010.

Round 15 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.

Round 21
Bye: Westcombe Park
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 1 May 2010.

Round 22
Bye: Clifton

Round 23
Bye: Barnes

Round 24
Bye: Shelford

Round 25
Bye: Richmond

Round 17 (Rescheduled game)

 * Rescheduled from 16 January 2010 and eventually cancelled altogether due to fixture congestion meaning both Westcombe Park and Shelford would only play 29 games each.

Rounds 16, 17 & 18 (Rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 2 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 16 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 2 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 2 January 2010.

Round 26
Bye: Lydney

Round 27
Bye: Barking
 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2010.

Round 28
Bye: Canterbury

Round 29
Bye: Dings Crusaders

Round 30
Bye: Ealing Trailfinders

Rounds 17 & 21 (Rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 13 February 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 January 2010.

Rounds 20 & 24 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 3 April 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 30 January 2010.

Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 South and National League 2 North participate in a play-off for promotion into National League 1. Loughborough Students were runners-up in the North and would host the game as they had a better record in the league in comparison to the South runners up Rosslyn Park.

Individual statistics

 * Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Does not include North - South playoff game.

Team
96 - 14 Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 75 - 3 Rosslyn Park away to Westcombe Park on 6 February 2010 96 - 14 Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 Westcombe Park away to Henley Hawks on 5 September 2009 Westcombe Park at home to Ealing Trailfinders on 5 December 2009
 * Largest home win — 82 pts
 * Largest away win — 72 pts
 * Most points scored — 96 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 14
 * Most conversions in a match — 13
 * Most penalties in a match — 6
 * Most drop goals in a match — 3

Player
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Craig Ratford for Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rob Viol for Clifton at home to Richmond on 31 October 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Paul Unseld for Rosslyn Park away to Westcombe Park on 6 February 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 James Strong for Rosslyn Park away to Henley Hawks on 27 March 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Craig Ratford for Barking at home to Lydney on 17 April 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lee Audis for Westcombe Park away to Henley Hawks on 5 September 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lee Audis for Westcombe Park at home to Ealing Trailfinders on 5 December 2009
 * Most points in a match — 31
 * Most tries in a match — 4 (x3)
 * Most conversions in a match — 13
 * Most penalties in a match — 6
 * Most drop goals in a match — 3

Attendances
Richmond at home to Rosslyn Park on 26 September 2009 Barnes at home to Shelford on 20 February 2010 Richmond Barnes
 * Highest — 1,473
 * Lowest — 30
 * Highest Average Attendance — 566
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 99