2018–19 National League 2 South
The 2018–19 National League 2 South is the tenth season of the fourth tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. At the end of the season, Rams became champions when they won away to Clifton on 6 April 2019, sealing promotion with two games to go. It was a fitting reward for the Berkshire club, who were by far the strongest side in the division. The runners up were Canterbury who claimed second spot after beating off stiff competition from the likes of Tonbridge Juddians and Henley Hawks. Despite finishing 21 points behind Rams, Canterbury's league results were still strong enough to enough to book a home promotion playoff against National League 2 North runners up, Chester. On 4 May 2019, Canterbury defeated Chester 19–10 to join Rams in the 2019–20 National League 1. For both clubs, National League 1 is the highest level they have ever reached since the leagues began back in 1987.
At the other end of the table, London Irish Wild Geese became the first team to be relegated after they suffered a heavy loss away to Henley Hawks on 30 March 2019. They were followed a week later by league newcomers Guernsey, who also went down after just one season, following a heavy defeat away to Henley on 6 April 2019. One week later still, Birmingham & Solihull became the third and final team to go down with one round still to play after they lost away to champions, Rams, on 13 April 2019, with a try bonus not enough to keep them up due to results elsewhere. London Irish Wild Geese and Guernsey will drop into London & South East Premier, while Birmingham & Solihull, who had initially been supposed to drop to Midlands Premier, decided to become an amateur club and drop out of the league system altogether.
A final point of note was Worthing's Matthew McLean who once again finished as the leagues top scorer - this time for a record breaking 3rd time. McLean scored 341 points, including 22 tries - an outstanding total for a Worthing side that finished 9th.
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 2019–20 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the 2018–19 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.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 point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Participating teams and locations
The promoted teams are Dings Crusaders who finished as champions of South West Premier while Barnes and Guernsey came up from London & South East Premier. Birmingham & Solihull were also included from the division when they were level transferred from National League 2 North having been promoted as champions of Midlands Premier. They were transferred to address an imbalance of teams in National League 2 caused by both Cinderford and Chinnor being promoted, with only Old Albanian dropping down to the south, and as the most southerly club in the northern division, Birmingham & Solihull were deemed the most suitable for a level transfer.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
| Barnes | Barn Elms | 500 | Barnes, London | Promoted from London & SE Premier |
| Birmingham & Solihull | Portway | Birmingham, West Midlands | Promoted from Midlands Premier | |
| Bury St Edmunds | The Haberden | 3,000 | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk | 8th |
| Canterbury | The Marine Travel Ground | 1,500 | Canterbury, Kent | 10th |
| Clifton | Station Road | 2,500 | Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol | 11th |
| Dings Crusaders | Shaftsbury Park | 2,250 | Frenchay, Bristol | Promoted from South West Premier |
| Guernsey | Footes Lane | 5,000 | Saint Peter Port, Guernsey | Promoted from London & SE Premier |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire | 9th |
| London Irish Wild Geese | Hazelwood | 2,000 | Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey | 13th |
| Old Albanian | Woollam Playing Fields | 1,000 | St Albans, Hertfordshire | Relegated from National 1 |
| Old Redcliffians | Scotland Lane | Brislington, Bristol | 12th | |
| Rams | Old Bath Road | 1,250 | Sonning, Reading, Berkshire | 3rd |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 | Redruth, Cornwall | 5th |
| Taunton Titans | Commsplus Stadium | 2,000 | Taunton, Somerset | 4th |
| Tonbridge Juddians | The Slade | 1,500 | Tonbridge, Kent | 6th |
| Worthing Raiders | Roundstone Lane | 1,500 | Angmering, West Sussex | 7th |
League table
Fixture & Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
----Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
----Round 15
----Round 16
----Round 17
----Round 18
----Round 19
----Round 20
----Round 21
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
- Postponed due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 23 February 2019.
Round 22
----Round 23
----Round 21 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2019.
Round 24
----Round 25
----Round 26
----Round 27
- London Irish Wild Geese are relegated.
Round 28
- Guernsey are relegated.
- Rams are champions.
Round 29
- Birmingham & Solihull are relegated.
- Canterbury qualify for promotion play-off.
Round 30
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 2 North and National League 2 South participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 1. Canterbury were runners up in the 2018–19 National League 2 South, and because they had a better record than the 2018–19 National League 2 North runners up, Chester, they host the play-off match.| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points |
| Canterbury | 30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 894 | 564 | 330 | 21 | 4 | 121 |
| Chester | 30 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 748 | 542 | 206 | 19 | 4 | 109 |
Attendances
- Does not include promotion play-off.
| Club | Home games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Barnes | 15 | 2,642 | 176 | 482 | 75 | 35% |
| Birmingham & Solihull | 15 | 2,673 | 178 | 253 | 105 | |
| Bury St Edmunds | 15 | 5,969 | 398 | 611 | 241 | 13% |
| Canterbury | 15 | 5,059 | 337 | 643 | 183 | 22% |
| Clifton | 15 | 2,412 | 161 | 325 | 98 | 6% |
| Dings Crusaders | 15 | 6,358 | 424 | 850 | 150 | 19% |
| Guernsey | 15 | 8,820 | 588 | 851 | 367 | 12% |
| Henley Hawks | 15 | 5,774 | 385 | 1,160 | 205 | 13% |
| London Irish Wild Geese | 15 | 2,984 | 199 | 380 | 104 | 10% |
| Old Albanian | 15 | 4,320 | 288 | 523 | 176 | 29% |
| Old Redcliffians | 15 | 3,013 | 201 | 328 | 68 | |
| Rams | 15 | 6,785 | 452 | 742 | 303 | 36% |
| Redruth | 15 | 9,110 | 607 | 810 | 485 | 17% |
| Taunton Titans | 15 | 6,292 | 419 | 720 | 250 | 21% |
| Tonbridge Juddians | 15 | 3,033 | 202 | 471 | 133 | 13% |
| Worthing Raiders | 15 | 6,744 | 450 | 610 | 225 | 30% |
Individual statistics
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes. Does not include promotion play-off.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 56 points56 – 0 Old Albanian at home to London Irish Wild Geese on 8 December 2018
;Largest away win — 56 points
61 – 5 Old Albanian away to London Irish Wild Geese on 6 April 2019
;Most points scored — 70 points
70 – 26 Bury St Edmunds at home to Guernsey on 15 September 2018
;Most tries in a match — 12
Bury St Edmunds at home to Guernsey on 15 September 2018
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Worthing Raiders at home to Redruth on 15 September 2018
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Tonbridge Juddians at home Old Redcliffians on 3 November 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
Old Albanian away to Barnes on 15 September 2018
Clifton away to Canterbury on 20 October 2018
Old Redcliffians away to Redruth on 15 December 2018
Attendances
;Highest — 1,160Henley Hawks at home to Rams on 5 January 2019
;Lowest — 68
Old Redcliffians at home to Worthing Raiders on 8 December 2018
;Highest average attendance — 607
Redruth
;Lowest average attendance — 161
Clifton
Player
;Most points in a match — 34Daniel Watt for Old Albanian away to London Irish Wild Geese on 6 April 2019
;Most tries in a match — 5
Henry Bird for Old Redcliffians at home to Guernsey on 17 November 2018
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Matthew McLean for Worthing Raiders at home to Redruth on 15 September 2018
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Will Robinson for Tonbridge Juddians at home to Old Redcliffians on 3 November 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
Tom Bednall for Old Albanian away to Barnes on 15 September 2018
Bradley Barnes for Clifton away to Canterbury on 20 October 2018
Kieran Hill for Old Redcliffians away to Redruth on 15 December 2018