National League 2 South is level four league in the English rugby union system and provides mostly amateur competition for teams in the South East and the South West half of England. Before September 2009, National League 2 South was known as National Division Three South. It was in season 2009–2010 that the RFU restructured the league system in England, during this period of restructuring the league was expanded from 14 to 16 teams. Participating clubs are from English South East and South West England. Each team plays 30 league games on a home and away basis. Champions of National League 2 South are promoted to National League 1 with the team coming runner-up participating in a one-off play-off with the runner-up of National League 2 North, the victor gaining the promotional place. Relegation is dependant upon where the rugby clubs are based to either the National League 3 South East or National League 3 South West leagues.

Points scoring

A club is awarded 4 points for winning a match. Two (2) points are awarded to each club for a drawn match. One (1) bonus point is awarded to a club who scores 4 tries or more in any one game and for any club who loses by 7 points or less in any one game

Promotion/ Relegation

At the end of the current season the bottom club of the Championship is relegated to National League 1 and the top club of National League 1 is promoted. The bottom 3 clubs from National League 1 are relegated - As far as National League 2 North and National League 2 South are concerned the top club in each league is promoted to National League 1. There is a play off between the 2nd placed teams in National League 2 North and National League 2 South for the 2nd promotion place. The bottom three clubs in each league are relegated.

Club positions

If two or more Clubs have the same number of League points at the end of the season the final league positions shall be determined firstly by the number of wins achieved and then on the basis of match points scored. A Club with a larger number of wins in the League shall be placed higher than a Club with the same number of League points but fewer wins. If Clubs have equal League points and an equal number of wins in the League then a Club with a larger difference between match points “for” and match points “against” shall be placed higher in the League than a Club with a smaller difference between match points “for” and match points “against”. Should two Clubs have the same number of League points and an equal number of wins and the same match points difference, a Club having scored more match points “for” shall be placed higher in the League than a Club having the lesser number of match points “for”. If this still does not establish the positions then the Clubs involved shall be ranked according to the number of matches won, excluding the first League match of the season. If necessary this process shall be extended to exclude the second match, third match and so on until the final positions are established.

A new column had appeared on the tables. These represent a clubs best playing record. The full RFU definition reads:: Best Playing Record

RFU REGULATION 1 – DEFINITIONS

Effective from 1 August 2012 as between the Clubs at Level 4 and below: which of the two Clubs had the better percentage record taking the number of league points (including bonus points) gained (or awarded by the appropriate Organising Committee taking into account any appeals and the result thereof) during current Season programme of league matches (as reflected in the final league table) as a percentage of the maximum number of league points it was possible to gain had the Club won every one of its matches against the other Clubs shown in the final league table; in the event of the percentages being identical which of the two clubs had the better percentage record taking the number of wins (as reflected in the league table) as a percentage of the maximum number of matches played during the current Season programme;I n the event of the percentages being identical which of the two Clubs had the higher average winning margin in its said programme of league matches to be calculated by deducting from the points scored by the Club the points scored against the Club and dividing the difference by the number of matches played by the Club (or deemed by that Club’s Organising Committee to have been played by the Club in that Competition points were awarded to the Club) in the Club’s said league programme If this still does not establish the Best Playing Record then the Clubs involved shall be ranked according to the percentage number of matches won, excluding the first League match of the season. If necessary this process shall be extended to exclude the second match, third match and so on until a Best Playing Record is established