With our league season reaching completion it’s interesting now to look at the full promotion/relegation/play-off picture affecting our league (National 2 North).

The re-introduction of play-offs this season has certainly added interest to Tynedale’s league campaign and it’s possible that we will be going into the final match of the season with the runners-up spot (and play-off place) still to be decided.

The last time the final match of the season held such interest was at the end of the 2015-2016 when on the final day of the season Tynedale were one of a group of 5 teams who could be relegated. Tynedale had to travel to Leicester Lions needing a win to be sure of avoiding relegation – Tynedale won that match.

MOVEMENT BETWEEN NATIONAL 1 AND NATIONAL 2 NORTH.

FINAL LEAGUE PLACINGS/RECORDS

FINAL LEAGUE RESULTS - played 25th April
NATIONAL ONE
BIRMINGHAM 35 BISHOPS STORTFORD 33
BLACKHEATH 52 CLIFTON 28
DINGS 40 ROSSLYN PARK 52
NATIONAL 2 NORTH
Wharfedale 20 Tynedale 45
Sheffield Tigers 34 Macclesfield 38
NATIONAL 2 EAST
Bury St Edmunds 95 Old Albanian 28
Havant 29 Oundle 39
NATIONAL 2 WEST
Lymm 32 Luctonians 29

FOLLOWING THE FINAL ROUND OF RESULTS the following movements wIll take place:-
Sheffield RUFC are promoted into National 1.
Leicester Lions, Sedgley Park and Clifton are relegated. (Likely that Sedgley Park will be relegated into National 2 North.)

The play-offs will be:-
Tie 1 - Birmingham Moseley v Luctonians
Tie 2 - Tynedale v Oundle (Peterborough area)

The winners of Tie 1 and Tie 2 will play each other in the Final.
If Birmingham reach the final they will host it otherwise the final will be hosted by the winners of Tie 2 (Tynedale or Oundle)

The winners of the final will play in National 1. (the others in National 2)

Note: National League Play-Offs scheduled for May 9th and May 16th

MOVEMENTS BETWEEN NATIONAL 2 NORTH AND REGIONAL LEAGUES

FINAL LEAGUE PLACINGS/RECORDS

FOLLOWING THE FINAL GAMES the following movements will take place:-
Hull and Scunthorpe are relegated into Regional Leagues.

Heath (from Halifax) and Huddersfield have finished as champions of their Regional Leagues and will be promoted into National 2.

REGIONAL PLAY-OFFS
Tie 1 - Alnwick 35 Harrogate 45 (25th April)
Tie 2 - Anselmians 31 Stockport 25 (25th April)
Anselmians will play Harrogate in the Regional Play-Off Final (2nd May) - the venue will be Anselmians.

The winner of this Regional Play-Off Final (above) will then play Rossendale at Rossendale.
- the winners of this match will play in National 2 North next season, the loser in Regional Leagues.

FINAL RESULTS IN BATTLE TO AVOID RELEGATION

APRIL 25th
Otley 42 Sheffield 36
Rossendale 82 Hull 24
Darlington MP 50 Scunthorpe 43
MAY 2nd
Sheffield v Scunthorpe

RFU REGULATIONS
CLICK HERE if you want to read the RFU Regulations on the RFU website.

THE DREADED LEVEL TRANSFERS
When the play-offs are finished and we think the dust has settled there is still the cloud of "Level Transfers" hovering over several clubs who are deemed to reside close to regional boundaries. These transfers are necessary to ensure the number of teams in each league remains constant.

Example: Prior to the start of this season Lymm and Chester were transferred from National 2 North to National 2 West while Macclesfield were switched from National 2 West to National 2 North.
Its possible, for example, that if Macclesfield are not promoted they will be switched back to National 2 West while after serving their one season in National 2 West, Chester and Lymm may be moved back to National 2 North!

Why Dreaded? - This season Macclesfield’s longest away journey was to Tynedale (174 miles). Last season, in National 2 West, Macclesfield had journeys to Camborne (322 miles), Redruth (319 miles), Plymouth (267 miles), Exeter (224 miles) and Taunton (195 miles)!!! BUT, who knows, perhaps several long journeys into the balmy climes of the south-west is preferable to a shorter trek up to the wind-swept, frozen, saturated north-east!

Thankfully Tynedale, in the far north of England , are very unlikely to be a candidate for a level transfer, unless, of course the English and Scottish National Leagues merge!!

LEAGUE POSITIONING RULES
For the benefit of anybody who wasn’t sure (everybody?!?) :-

If two or more clubs are equal on league points, their position is decided by the following criteria, applied in order:
1. Highest number of wins: A club with a higher number of wins in the league is placed higher.
2. Highest number of draws: A club with a higher number of draws is placed higher.
3. Match points difference: The greater difference between match points "for" and match points "against".
4. Points "for": The club with the higher total number of match points "for".
5. Aggregate score: Aggregate points scored in matches between the tied teams.
6. Subsequent wins: Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second, and so on until the tie is settled.