Counties 2 Yorkshire Explained

Counties 2 Yorkshire
Current Season:	2022–23 Counties 2 Yorkshire
Sport:	Rugby union
Teams:	14
Champion:	Keighley (1st title)
Season:	2021–22) (promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire
Most Champs:	Scarborough
Count:	3
Website:	England RFU

Counties 2 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 2 is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from Yorkshire. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Yorkshire 2 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8.

Participating clubs 2024-25

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Baildon	Jenny Lane			5th
	Wagon Lane	4,000		Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (12th)
Bramley Phoenix	The Warrels			9th
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			8th
	Warley Town Lane			Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (runners-up)
Hemsworth	Moxon Fields			11th
Huddersfield Laund Hill	Laund Hill Stadium			7th
Northallerton	Brompton Lodge			Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (champions)
Ossett	Queens Terrace			10th
Ripon	Mallorie Park			4th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Groun			6th
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			3rd

Participating clubs 2023–24

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Baildon	Jenny Lane			3rd
Bramley Phoenix	The Warrels			8th
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (11th)
Hemsworth	Moxon Fields			Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (champions)
Huddersfield Laund Hill	Laund Hill Stadium			Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (10th)
Leeds Corinthians	Nutty Slack			9th
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			7th
Ossett	Queens Terrace			Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (runners-up)
Ripon	Mallorie Park			5th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Groun			Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (12th)
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			4th
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			6th

Participating clubs 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 2 with teams ranked 4th to 12th returning (1st to 3rd were 'promoted' to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two 'relegated' to Counties 3 Yorkshire) and supplemented by top 3 from Yorkshire 3 and so with five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Baildon	Jenny Lane			7th Yorkshire 2
Barnsley	Shaw Lane			Champions Yorkshire 3
Bramley Phoenix	The Warrels			3rd Yorkshire 3
Harrogate Pythons	The Jim Saynor Ground		Harrogate, North Yorkshire,	Runners-Up Yorkshire 3
Leeds Corinthians	Nutty Slack			12th Yorkshire 2
Northallerton	Brompton Lodge			8th Yorkshire 2
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			10th Yorkshire 2
Ripon	Mallorie Park			11th Yorkshire 2
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			5th Yorkshire 2
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			9th Yorkshire 2
Wensleydale	Cawkill Park			6th Yorkshire 2
Wheatley Hills	Brunnel Road			4th Yorkshire 2

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
Baildon	Jenny Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners-up)
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (12th)
	Rose Cottage	800 (84 seated)		Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (11th)
Leeds Corinthians	Nutty Slack			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions)
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			7th
Northallerton	Brompton Lodge			8th
Old Grovians				9th
Ripon	Mallorie Park			5th
Thornensians	Coulman Road			10th
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			4th
Wensleydale	Cawkill Park			3rd
Wetherby				12th
Wheatley Hills	Brunnel Road			6th
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			11th

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 Yorkshire 2 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Barnsley	Shaw Lane			13th (not relegated)
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			8th
Northallerton	Brompton Lodge			4th
Old Grovians				9th
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th)
Ripon	Mallorie Park			11th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Ground			7th
Thornensians	Coulman Road			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up)
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			3rd
Wensleydale	Cawkill Park			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions)
West Park Leeds	The Sycamores			12th
Wetherby				10th
Wheatley Hills	Brunnel Road			5th
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			6th

Participating clubs 2018–19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Barnsley	Shaw Lane			4th
Goole	Westfield Banks			5th
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			12th
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th)
Northallerton	Brompton Lodge			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions)
Old Grovians				11th
Old Otliensians	Chaffers Field			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up)
Ripon	Mallorie Park			7th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Ground			9th
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			6th
West Park Leeds	The Sycamores			10th
Wetherby				8th
Wheatley Hills	Brunnel Road			Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (14th)
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			3rd

Participating clubs 2017–18

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Barnsley	Shaw Lane			7th
Goole	Westfield Banks			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up)
Halifax Vandals	Warley Town Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions)
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			12th
Old Crossleyans	Broomfield Avenue			13th
Old Grovians				10th
	Moor Lane			3rd
Ripon	Mallorie Park			6th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Ground			5th
Thornensians	Coulman Road			9th
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			11th
West Park Leeds	The Sycamores			8th
Wetherby				4th
Yarnbury	Brownberrie Lane			Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th)

Participating clubs 2016–17

• Barnsley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Crossleyans (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Old Grovians
• Old Rishworthians
• Pontefract
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• Thornensians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Wath-upon-Dearne
• West Park Leeds (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Wetherby (promoted from Yorkshire 3)

Participating clubs 2015–16

• Barnsley
• Castleford (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Keighley
• Knottingley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Grovians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Old Rishworthians
• Pontefract (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• Wath-upon-Dearne (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• West Leeds

Participating clubs 2014–15

• Barnsley
• Bradford Salem
• Goole (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Keighley (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Knottingley
• Leeds Medics and Dentists (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Rishworthians
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds

Participating clubs 2013–14

• Baildon (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Barnsley (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Bradford Salem
• Hullensians
• Knottingley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Rishworthians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds
• Yarnbury

Participating clubs 2012–13

• Bradford Salem
• Castleford
• Doncaster Phoenix
• Hullensians
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Selby
• Sheffield Medicals
• Skipton
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds
• Yarnbury

Original teams

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

• Doncaster
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.
• Ilkley
  • Ionians Leodiensian
• Malton & Norton
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Otliensians
• Sheffield Tigers
• Wath upon Dearne
• Wheatley Hills

Yorkshire 2 honours

Yorkshire 2 (1987–1993)

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

<											----> Yorkshire 2
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	11	North Ribblesdale		Leodiensian, Old Otliensians
1988–89	11	Bridlington		Ionians, Marist
1989–90	11	Malton & Norton	York Railway Institute	Sheffield Tigers
1990–91	11	Old Otliensians		Wath upon Dearne
1991–92	11	Bradford Salem		No relegation
1992–93	13	Wath upon Dearne		Knottingly
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 2 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 2 dropped to become a tier 11 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 2 remain at tier 11.

<											----> Yorkshire 2
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1993–94	13	Barnsley		Leeds CSSA
1994–95	13	Wibsey	Halifax Vandals	York Railway Institute
1995–96	13	Northallerton		Multiple teams
1996–97	10	Castleford		Phoenix Park
1997–98	9	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.		Old Modernians
1998–99^[2]	10	Scarborough		Stanley Rodillians, Barnsley, Moortown
1999–00^[3]	10	Dinnington
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 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 Yorkshire 2 became a tier 8 league.

<											----> Yorkshire 2
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01^[4]	12	Scarborough		Wath Upon Dearne, Bradford Salem, Roundhegians
2001–02^[5]	12	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.		Hemsworth, Castleford, York Railway Institute
2002–03^[6]	12	Keighley
2003–04^[7]	12	Beverley
2004–05^[8]	12	Sheffield Tigers
2005–06^[9]	12	Scarborough
2006–07^[10]	12	Selby
2007–08^[11]	12	Old Brodleians
2008–09^[12]	11	Wheatley Hills		No relegation
2009–10^[13]	14	North Ribblesdale
2010–11^[14]	14	Pocklington
2011–12^[15]	14	Barnsley
2012–13^[16]	14	Selby
2013–14^[17]	14	Yarnbury		Baildon
2014–15^[18]	14	Bradford Salem
2015–16^[19]	14	West Leeds
2016–17^[20]	14	Moortown
2017–18^[21]	14	Pontefract
2018–19^[22]	14	Goole
2019–20^[23]	14	Roundhegians
2020–21	14
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Scarborough (3)
• Barnsley (2)
• Bradford Salem (2)
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (2)
• North Ribblesdale (2)
• Selby (2)
• Beverley (1)
• Bridlington (1)
• Castleford (1)
• Dinnington (1)
• Goole (1)
• Keighley (2)
• Malton & Norton (1)
• Moortown (1)
• Northallerton (1)
• Old Brodleians (1)
• Old Otliensians (1)
• Pocklington (1)
• Pontefract (1)
• Roundhegians (1)
• Sheffield Tigers (1)
• Wath upon Dearne (1)
• West Leeds (1)
• Wheatley Hills (1)
• Wibsey (1)
• Yarnbury (1)

See also

• Yorkshire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes and References

1. Web site: RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season . RFU . 2020-10-20 . 2020-11-09.
2. Web site: 1998–1999 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
3. Web site: 1999–2000 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
4. Web site: 2000–2001 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
5. Web site: 2001–2002 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
6. Web site: 2002–2003 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
7. Web site: 2003–2004 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
8. Web site: 2004–2005 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
9. Web site: 2005–2006 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
10. Web site: 2006–2007 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
11. Web site: 2007–2008 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
12. Web site: 2008–2009 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
13. Web site: 2009–2010 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
14. Web site: 2010–2011 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
15. Web site: 2011–2012 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
16. Web site: 2012–2013 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
17. Web site: 2013–2014 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
18. Web site: 2014–2015 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2015.
19. Web site: 2015–2016 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 4 May 2016.
20. Web site: 2016–2017 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 30 April 2017.
21. Web site: 2017-18 Northern Division. England Rugby. 28 April 2018.
22. Web site: 2018-19 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 13 April 2019.
23. Web site: Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.