2017–18 National League 2 South
The 2017–18 National League 2 South is the ninth season of the fourth tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
On 7 April 2018 Broadstreet became the first club to be relegated, a 12-16 defeat away to fellow strugglers Barnstaple condemning them to the drop with three games to go. On 21 April Cinderford became champions with a game to go following a narrow 21-19 win away to Bury St Edmunds. Cinderford were easily the best team in the division, finishing 12 points clear of second place Chinnor, who on most other seasons would have been good enough to finish champions but instead had to settle for the promotion playoff game. In winning the league title Cinderford set several National League 2 South records including winning the most games and gaining the most points.
The battle for the final two relegation spots was one of the most keenest in several years with three teams threatened by the drop on the last day of the season. In the end it was Wimbledon and Barnstaple who went down on the 28 April, despite Barum getting a 17-14 win at home against the Londoners, as Old Redcliffians managed to win at home to Redruth. Old Reds had looked dead certs for relegation earlier in the season but turned it around with eight wins in the second half of the season to stay safe by 3 points, even leapfrogging 13th placed London Irish Wild Geese who had secured safety the week before. Wimbledon also did well in the second half of the season getting eight wins but were ultimately left with two much to do and were 7 points from safety after their defeat at Pottingham Road. Barnstaple, by contrast, had looked safe earlier in the season but endured a torrid second half with just four wins after Christmas. Injuries, along with poor try scoring and improvements from the teams around them, were primary contributors to Barum's downfall.
On 5 May 2018 Chinnor would join Cinderford in the 2018–19 National League 1 after they defeated 2017–18 National League 2 North runners up Sedgley Park 40-31 in the promotion play-off game played at Kingsey Road.
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 2018–19 National League 1 and the runners-up play the second-placed team in the 2017–18 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 Old Redcliffians who finished as champions of National League 3 South West, while Tonbridge Juddians and Wimbledon came up from National League 3 London & SE. Broadstreet were also included in the division when they were level transferred from National League 2 North having been promoted as champions of National League 3 Midlands. Broadstreet's inclusion came due to an imbalance of teams as both Bishop's Stortford and Old Elthamians had gone up into National League 1 coupled with no teams coming down the opposite way, and as the most southerly club, Broadstreet were deemed the most suitable for a level transfer.
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
| Barnstaple | Pottington Road | 2,000 | Barnstaple, Devon | 14th |
| Broadstreet | Ivor Preece Field | 1,500 | Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands | Promoted from National 3 Midlands |
| Bury St Edmunds | The Haberden | 3,000 | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk | 11th |
| Canterbury | The Marine Travel Ground | 1,075 | Canterbury, Kent | 8th |
| Chinnor | Kingsey Road | 2,000 | Thame, Oxfordshire | 3rd |
| Cinderford | Dockham Road | 2,500 | Cinderford, Gloucestershire | 7th |
| Clifton | Station Road | 2,500 | Cribbs Causeway, Patchway, Bristol | 10th |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire | 9th |
| London Irish Wild Geese | Hazelwood | 2,000 | Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey | 13th |
| Old Redcliffians | Scotland Lane | Brislington, Bristol | Promoted from National 3 South West | |
| Redingensians Rams | Old Bath Road | 1,250 | Sonning, Reading, Berkshire | 6th |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 | Redruth, Cornwall | 5th |
| Taunton Titans | Hyde Park | 2,000 | Taunton, Somerset | 4th |
| Tonbridge Juddians | The Slade | 1,500 | Tonbridge, Kent | Promoted from National 3 London & SE |
| Wimbledon | Beverley Meads | Raynes Park, Merton, London | Promoted from National 3 London & SE | |
| Worthing Raiders | Roundstone Lane | 1,500 | Angmering, West Sussex | 12th |
League table
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
----Round 22
----Round 23
----Round 24
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
- Postponed due to bad weather. Game rescheduled to 17 March 2018.
Round 25
----Round 24 (rescheduled games)
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
- Game originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 but postponed again due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 30 March 2018.
Round 26
----Round 24 (rescheduled game)
- Game originally rescheduled from 3 March 2018 & then 18 March 2018 when it was postponed again.
Round 27
- Broadstreet are relegated.
Round 28
----Round 29
- Cinderford are champions.
Round 30
- Barnstaple and Wimbledon are both relegated.
Promotion play-off
| Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points |
| Chinnor | 30 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 1010 | 679 | 331 | 25 | 0 | 131 |
| Sedgley Park | 30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 1111 | 674 | 437 | 26 | 4 | 126 |
Attendances
- Does not include promotion play-off.
| Club | Home games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Barnstaple | 15 | 8,367 | 558 | 850 | 350 | 28% |
| Broadstreet | 15 | 3,718 | 248 | 365 | 127 | 17% |
| Bury St Edmunds | 15 | 7,372 | 491 | 759 | 250 | 16% |
| Canterbury | 15 | 4,669 | 311 | 587 | 132 | 29% |
| Chinnor | 15 | 6,280 | 419 | 1,016 | 109 | 21% |
| Cinderford | 15 | 4,343 | 290 | 449 | 154 | 12% |
| Clifton | 15 | 2,359 | 157 | 393 | 89 | 6% |
| Henley Hawks | 15 | 6,035 | 402 | 940 | 180 | 13% |
| London Irish Wild Geese | 15 | 3,263 | 218 | 308 | 99 | 11% |
| Old Redcliffians | 15 | 2,542 | 169 | 284 | 95 | |
| Redingensians Rams | 15 | 3,998 | 267 | 589 | 168 | 21% |
| Redruth | 15 | 11,615 | 774 | 920 | 545 | 22% |
| Taunton Titans | 15 | 7,792 | 519 | 692 | 325 | 26% |
| Tonbridge Juddians | 15 | 3,708 | 247 | 351 | 122 | 16% |
| Wimbledon | 15 | 3,747 | 250 | 407 | 90 | |
| Worthing Raiders | 15 | 6,714 | 448 | 582 | 205 | 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 playoff.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 67 points81 - 14 Taunton Titans at home to Worthing Raiders on 8 October 2017
;Largest away win — 73 points
90 - 17 Cinderford away to Henley Hawks on 16 September 2017
;Most points scored — 90
90 - 17 Cinderford away to Henley Hawks on 16 September 2017
;Most tries in a match — 14
Cinderford away to Henley Hawks on 16 September 2017
;Most conversions in a match — 10
Cinderford away to Henley Hawks on 16 September 2017
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Clifton at home to Canterbury on 11 November 2017
Old Redcliffians at home to Worthing Raiders on 7 April 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Broadstreet away to Wimbledon on 9 December 2017
Attendances
;Highest — 1,016Chinnor at home to Henley Hawks on 9 September 2017
;Lowest — 89
Clifton at home to Bury St Edmunds on 17 March 2018
;Highest average attendance — 774
Redruth
;Lowest average attendance — 157
Clifton
Player
;Most points in a match — 30Ollie Rice for Taunton Titans at home to Wimbledon on 13 January 2018
;Most tries in a match — 6
Ollie Rice for Taunton Titans at home to Wimbledon on 13 January 2018
;Most conversions in a match — 10
James Moffat for Cinderford away to Henley Hawks on 16 September 2017
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Bradley Barnes for Clifton at home to Canterbury on 11 November 2017
Kieran Hill for Old Redcliffians at home to Worthing on 7 April 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Clifford Hodgson for Broadstreet away to Wimbledon on 9 December 2017