Level six rugby union league in England
Regional 2 North West is a level six league in the English rugby union system , with the twelve teams drawn for the most part from Lancashire , Greater Manchester , Cheshire , Merseyside and the Isle of Mann with selected others from neighbouring counties. The other level six leagues in the Northern Division are Regional 2 North for teams in North East England and Cumbria ; and Regional 2 North East for teams, predominantly, in Yorkshire . It was created as a product of the 2022 Adult Competition Review.[ 1]
Birkenhead Park are the current champions and are promoted to Regional 1 North West .
Structure
The league consists of twelve teams who play the others on a home and away basis, to make a total of 22 matches each. The champions are promoted to Regional 1 North West and the bottom sides are relegated to Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire .
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 (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
2024–25
Departing were Birkenhead Park ,[ 2] who were promoted to Regional 1 North West , and Liverpool St Helens , who were relegated to Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire .[ 3] Kirkby Lonsdale (11th) went on a level transfer to Regional 2 North [ 4] as did Whitchurch on a level transfer back to Regional 2 West Midlands after just one season.
Joining were Sandbach [ 5] and Northwich,[ 6] relegated from Regional 1 North West , whilst Eccles[ 7] and Widnes[ 8] were promoted from Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire .
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Altrincham Kersal
Stelfox Avenue
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
8th
Bowdon
Clay Lane
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
3rd
Burnage
Varley Park
Stockport , Greater Manchester
5th
Crewe & Nantwich
Newcastle Road
Nantwich , Cheshire
4th
Douglas
Port-E-Chee
Douglas , Isle of Man
10th
Eccles
Gorton Street
Eccles , Greater Manchester
Promoted from Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire (runners-up)
Firwood Waterloo
St Anthony's Road
9,000 (200 seats)
Blundellsands , Merseyside
2nd
Northwich
Moss Farm
Northwich , Cheshire
Relegated from Regional 1 North West (12th)
Sandbach
Bradwall Road[ 9]
Sandbach , Cheshire
Relegated from Regional 1 North West (11th)
Vale of Lune
Powder House Lane
Lancaster, Lancashire
7th
Widnes
Heath Road
Widnes , Cheshire
Promoted from Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire (champions)
Winnington Park
Burrows Hill
Hartford , Northwich , Cheshire
8th
Locations of the 2024-25 Regional 2 North West teams in NW England
Locations of the 2024-25 Regional 2 North West teams in Greater Manchester
2023–24
Departing were Anselmians promoted to Regional 1 North West [ 10] while Broughton Park and Wilmslow [ 11] were relegated to Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire . Glossop (9th) and Rochdale (4th) went on a level transfer to Regional 2 North East .
Joining were Burnage[ 12] and Kirby Lonsdale,[ 13] relegated from Regional 1 North West , and Liverpool St Helens promoted from Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire .[ 14] Also coming in were Crewe & Nantwich and Whitchurch, both on a level transfer from Regional 2 West Midlands .
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Altrincham Kersal
Stelfox Avenue
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
6th
Birkenhead Park
Upper Park
Birkenhead , Wirral
3rd
Bowdon
Clay Lane
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
2nd
Burnage
Varley Park
Stockport , Greater Manchester
Relegated from Regional 1 North West (11th)
Crewe & Nantwich
Newcastle Road
Nantwich , Cheshire
Level transfer from Regional 2 West Midlands (8th)
Douglas
Port-E-Chee
Douglas , Isle of Man
10th
Firwood Waterloo
St Anthony's Road
9,000 (200 seats)
Blundellsands , Merseyside
5th
Kirkby Lonsdale
Underley Park
Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
Relegated from Regional 1 North West (12th)
Liverpool St Helens
Moss Lane
St. Helens , Lancashire
Promoted from Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire (champions)
Vale of Lune
Powder House Lane
Lancaster, Lancashire
7th
Whitchurch
Edgeley Park
Whitchurch , Shropshire
Level transfer from Regional 2 West Midlands (9th)
Winnington Park
Burrows Hill
Hartford , Northwich , Cheshire
8th
Locations of the 2023–24 Regional 2 North West teams in NW England
Locations of the 2023–24 Regional 2 North West teams in Greater Manchester
League table
Regional 2 North West 2023–24
Team
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
Points for
Points against
Points diff
Try bonus
Loss bonus
Points
Points deducted
1
Birkenhead Park P
22
19
1
2
778
405
373
20
1
97
0
2
Firwood Waterloo
22
16
1
5
661
404
257
13
3
80
0
3
Bowden
22
15
1
6
555
442
113
12
4
76
0
4
Crew & Nantwich
22
14
1
7
549
390
159
9
3
70
0
5
Burnage
22
10
0
12
623
549
74
13
8
61
0
6
Whitchurch
22
10
0
12
425
481
−56
8
6
54
0
7
Vale of Lune
22
8
2
12
519
544
−136
7
4
47
0
8
Altrincham Kersal
22
8
1
13
456
592
−136
6
4
44
0
9
Winnington Park
22
7
1
14
582
721
−139
10
3
43
0
10
Douglas
22
8
2
12
377
428
−51
4
5
41
0
11
Kirkby Lonsdale
22
7
1
14
420
627
−207
6
5
41
0
12
Liverpool St Helens (R)
22
4
1
17
371
733
−362
5
5
26
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of matches won
Number of draws
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.Updated: 7 November 2024 Source:[ 15]
2022–23
This was the first season following the Rugby Football Union (RFU) Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to North 1 West (although smaller as 14 teams were reduced to 12) with nine teams returning supplemented by three from North 2 West - Anselmians, Rochdale and Winnington Park .
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Altrincham Kersal
Stelfox Avenue
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
10th North 1 West
Anselmians
Malone Field
Eastham , Merseyside
1st North 2 West [ 16]
Birkenhead Park
Upper Park
Birkenhead , Wirral
5th North 1 West
Bowdon
Clay Lane
Timperley , Altrincham , Greater Manchester
12th North 1 West
Broughton Park
Hough End
Chorlton-cum-Hardy , Manchester
8th North 1 West
Douglas
Port-E-Chee
Douglas , Isle of Man
13th North 1 West
Firwood Waterloo
St Anthony's Road
9,000 (200 seats)
Blundellsands , Merseyside
4th North 1 West
Glossop
Hargate Hill Lane
Charlesworth , Glossop , Derbyshire
7th North 1 West
Rochdale
Moorgate Avenue
Rochdale , Greater Manchester
2nd North 2 West
Vale of Lune
Powder House Lane
Lancaster, Lancashire
9th North 1 West
Wilmslow
Memorial Ground
Wilmslow , Cheshire
11th North 1 West
Winnington Park
Burrows Hill
Hartford , Northwich , Cheshire
4th North 2 West [ 17]
Locations of the 2022-23 Regional 2 North West teams in NW England
Locations of the 2022-23 Regional 2 North West teams in Greater Manchester
League table
Regional 2 North West 2022–23
Team
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
Points for
Points against
Points diff
Try bonus
Loss bonus
Points
Points deducted
1
Anselmians (P)
22
20
0
2
743
290
453
16
2
99
0
2
Bowden
22
19
0
3
772
472
300
18
0
94
0
3
Birkenhead Park
22
16
0
6
785
409
376
15
4
83
0
4
Rochdale
22
15
0
7
592
401
191
13
3
76
0
5
Firwood Waterloo
22
13
0
9
673
554
119
12
3
67
0
6
Altrincham Kersal
22
10
0
12
483
490
−7
10
4
54
0
7
Vale of Lune
22
9
0
13
452
595
−143
8
1
45
0
8
Winnington Park
22
8
0
14
530
702
−172
7
5
44
0
9
Glossop
22
8
0
14
489
675
−186
7
5
44
0
10
Douglas
22
6
0
16
429
636
−207
5
4
33
0
11
Broughton Park (R)
22
3
1
18
374
829
−455
4
2
20
0
12
Wilmslow (R)
22
4
1
17
340
609
−269
3
2
18
−5
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
Number of matches won
Number of draws
Difference between points for and against
Total number of points for
Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.Updated: 6 November 2024 Source:[ 18]
Regional 2 North West (2022– )
League restructuring by the RFU created twelve leagues at level six. The champions are promoted to Regional 1 North West and the bottom sides are relegated to Counties 1 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire
References