# Eastern Counties 2

Eastern Counties 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League - currently divided into 3 regional divisions (north, south, west). Promoted teams move up to Eastern Counties 1 with teams in this league tending to be from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. Currently a three divisions, Eastern Counties 2 has previously been divided into North and South divisions with teams from Essex taking part, and had relegation to Eastern Counties 3. In 2003-04 the Essex teams broke away, forming a new league - with Essex 2 being the equivalent division to Eastern Counties 2.
In 2014-15 Eastern Counties 2 split into three regional divisions - north, south and west to allow for more 2nd and 3rd teams to take part. Due to the reorganization of the divisions, relegation is now possible to Eastern Counties 3.

## Participating Clubs 2013-14

* Fakenham
* Felixstowe
* Hadleigh (relegated from Eastern Counties 1)
* Haverhill & District
* Mildenhall Red Lodge
* Mistley
* Norwich Medics
* Norwich Union
* Thetford
* Thurston (relegated from Eastern Counties 1)

## Participating Clubs 2012–13

* Broadland – Great Yarmouth
* Felixstowe
* Haverhill & District
* Mildenhall Red Lodge
* Mistley
* Norwich Medics
* Norwich Union
* Sawston
* Swaffham
* Thetford

## Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
* Basildon
* Braintree
* Canvey Island
* Chelmsford
* Diss
* East London
* Ilford Wanderers
* Port of London Authority
* Upminster
* Wanstead
* Woodbridge

## Eastern Counties 2 Honours
### Eastern Counties 2 (1987–1993)

The original Eastern Counties 2 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to Eastern Counties 1 and relegation down to Eastern Counties 3.
Eastern Counties 2 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1987–88 | 11 | Basildon | Canvey Island | Ilford Wanderers |
| 1988–89 | 11 | Old Edwardians | Braintree | Thetford |
| 1989–90 | 11 | Chelmsford | Woodbridge | Wanstead |
| 1990–91 | 11 | Campion | Port of London Authority | Ipswich YMCA |
| 1991–92 | 11 | Maldon | Upminster | No relegation |
| 1992–93 | 13 | Wymondham | Harwich & Dovercourt | Redbridge, South Woodham Ferrers |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2 (1993–96)

The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 2 dropped from a tier 9 league to a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 3 respectively.
Eastern Counties 2 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1993–94 | 13 | Diss | Holt | Ipswich YMCA, Crusaders |
| 1994–95 | 12 | Ilford Wanderers | Loughton | East London |
| 1995–96 | 13 | Cantabrigian | Wanstead | Old Bealonians, Lakenham Hewett |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 2 reverted to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 3, which would split into two regional divisions - north and south - ahead of the 1997–98 season.
Eastern Counties 2 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1996–97 | 13 | Hadleigh | Bancroft | Ravens |
| 1997–98 | 10 | Met Police Chigwell | Thetford | Loughton, Fakenham |
| 1998–99 | 9 | Billericay | Old Cooperians | Southwold, Old Palmerians |
| 1999–00 | 9 | Wanstead | Mersea Island | Harwich & Dovercourt |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2: North / South (2000–2003)

East Counties 2 was split into two regional divisions - north and south - and the introduction of London 4 North East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant the divisions dropped to become tier 10 leagues. Promotion was to Eastern Counties 1 and relegation to Eastern Counties 3 - north or south.
Eastern Counties 2: North / South :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name |
| 2000–01 | 10 | Beccles | Ipswich Y.M. | Brightlingsea, Norwich Union, Southwold | East Counties 2 North |
| 2000–01 | 9 | Stanford Le Hope | Epping Upper Clapton | Old Cooperians | East Counties 2 South |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Colchester | Stowmarket | Harwich & Dovercourt | East Counties 2 North |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Wanstead | East London | May & Baker, Millwall | East Counties 2 South |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Ipswich Y.M. | Southwold | No relegation | East Counties 2 North |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Westcliff | East London | No relegation | East Counties 2 South |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2 (2003–2009)

Eastern Counties 2 re-merged into a single division ahead of the 2003–04 season, continuing to be a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1 and after the cancellation of Eastern Counties 3 at the end of the 2003–04 season, there was no relegation.
Eastern Counties 2 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2003–04 | 8 | Crusaders | Wisbech | No relegation |
| 2004–05 | 9 | Newmarket | Fakenham | No relegation |
| 2005–06 | 11 | Woodbridge | Dereham | No relegation |
| 2006–07 | 11 | Cantabrigian | Ely | No relegation |
| 2007–08 | 11 | Thetford | Newmarket | No relegation |
| 2008–09 | 10 | Southwold | Ely | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2 (2009–2014)

Eastern Counties 2 remained a tier 10 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 1 and there was no relegation.
Eastern Counties 2 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2009–10 | 10 | Harwich & Dovercourt | Haverhill & District | No relegation |
| 2010–11 | 10 | Ipswich Y.M. | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | No relegation |
| 2011–12 | 9 | Hadleigh | Thurston | No relegation |
| 2012–13 | 9 | Swaffham | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | No relegation |
| 2013–14 | 10 | Thetford | Thurston | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### Eastern Counties 2: North / South / West (2014–present)

Eastern Counties 2 was once again restructured - this time into three regional divisions - north, south and west. It remained a tier 10 league with promotion to Eastern Counties 1 and the reintroduction of Eastern Counties 3 meant there was once again relegation to one of its regional divisions - north, south or west.
Eastern Counties 2: North / South / West :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name |
| 2014–15 | 10 | Diss II | Broadland-Great Yarmouth | Watton | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2014–15 | 10 | Colchester II | Harwich & Dovercourt | Brightlingsea | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2014–15 | 10 | Cantabrigian II | Bury St Edmunds III | Sawston | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2015–16 | 10 | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | Norwich Medics | Beccles II | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2015–16 | 10 | Colchester III | Harwich & Dovercourt | Aldeburgh & Thorpeness | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2015–16 | 10 | Bury St Edmunds III | Cantabrigian II | March Bears | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| 2016–17 | 10 | Fakenham | Diss II | Dereham | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2016–17 | 9 | Mersea Island | Ipswich II | Felixstowe | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2016–17 | 9 | Cottenham Renegades | Shelford III | Ely II | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| 2017–18 | 11 | Wymondham II | Norwich II | Broadland - Great Yarmouth II | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2017–18 | 9 | Halstead Templars | Colchester IV | Ipswich Y.M. II | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2017–18 | 6 | March Bears | St Ives II | No relegation | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| 2018–19 | 10 | Holt II | Watton | West Norfolk II | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2018–19 | 9 | Stowmarket | Braintree II | Mersea Island II | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2018–19 | 10 | Shelford IV | Haverhill & District | Sawston | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| 2019–20 | 10 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2019–20 | 9 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2019–20 | 10 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| 2020–21 | 10 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 North |
| 2020–21 | 9 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 South |
| 2020–21 | 10 | | | | Eastern Counties 2 West |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

## Promotion play-offs

From 2000 to 2002 there was a playoff between the runners-up of Eastern Counties 2 North and Eastern Counties 2 South for the third and final promotion place to Eastern Counties 1 with the team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. The promotion playoffs were discontinued when a single Eastern Counties 2 division was created for the 2002–03 season.
Eastern Counties 2 North v Eastern Counties 2 North promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue |
| 2000-01 | Epping Upper Clapton (S) | 21-15 | Ipswich Y.M. (N) | Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex |
| 2001-02 | Stowmarket (N) | 21-12 | East London (S) | Chilton Fields, Stowmarket, Suffolk |
| Green background is the promoted team. N = Eastern Counties 2 North and S = Eastern Counties 2 South |||||||||||

## Number of league titles

* Cantabrigian (2)
* Hadleigh (2)
* Ipswich Y.M. (2)
* Thetford (2)
* Wanstead (2)
* Basildon (1)
* Beccles (1)
* Billericay (1)
* Broadland - Great Yarmouth (1)
* Bury St Edmunds III (1)
* Campion (1)
* Cantabrigian II (1)
* Chelmsford (1)
* Colchester (1)
* Colchester II (1)
* Colchester III (1)
* Cottenham Renegades (1)
* Crusaders (1)
* Diss (1)
* Diss II (1)
* Fakenham (1)
* Halstead Templars (1)
* Harwich & Dovercourt (1)
* Holt II (1)
* Ilford Wanderers (1)
* Maldon (1)
* March Bears (1)
* Mersea Island (1)
* Met Police Chigwell (1)
* Newmarket (1)
* Old Edwardians (1)
* Shelford IV (1)
* Southwold (1)
* Stanford Le Hope (1)
* Stowmarket (1)
* Swaffham (1)
* Westcliff (1)
* Woodbridge (1)
* Wymondham (1)
* Wymondham II (1)