Counties 2 Yorkshire

Counties 2 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 2 is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from Yorkshire. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Yorkshire 2 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8.

Participating clubs 2025–26

Departing were Dinnington and Yarnbury, promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire. Hemsworth were relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire.

Participating clubs 2024–25

Departing were North Ribblesdale and Wath-upon-Dearne, promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire. Leeds Corinthians were relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire.

Participating clubs 2023–24

Departing were Wensleydale and Harrogate Pythons, promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire. Northallerton (10th), Wheatley Hills (11th) and Barnsley (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire.

Participating clubs 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 2 with teams ranked 4th to 12th returning (1st to 3rd were 'promoted' to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two 'relegated' to Counties 3 Yorkshire) and supplemented by top 3 from Yorkshire 3 and so with five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.

Participating clubs 2021–22

The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019-20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020-21.

Season 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Yorkshire 2 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Participating clubs 2018–19

Participating clubs 2017–18

Participating clubs 2016–17

• Barnsley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Crossleyans (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Old Grovians
• Old Rishworthians
• Pontefract
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• Thornensians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Wath-upon-Dearne
• West Park Leeds (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Wetherby (promoted from Yorkshire 3)

Participating clubs 2015–16

• Barnsley
• Castleford (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Keighley
• Knottingley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Grovians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Old Rishworthians
• Pontefract (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• Wath-upon-Dearne (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• West Leeds

Participating clubs 2014–15

• Barnsley
• Bradford Salem
• Goole (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Keighley (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Knottingley
• Leeds Medics and Dentists (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Rishworthians
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds

Participating clubs 2013–14

• Baildon (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Barnsley (relegated from Yorkshire 1)
• Bradford Salem
• Hullensians
• Knottingley
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Old Rishworthians (promoted from Yorkshire 3)
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Sheffield Medicals
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds
• Yarnbury

Participating clubs 2012–13

• Bradford Salem
• Castleford
• Doncaster Phoenix
• Hullensians
• Leodiensian
• Moortown
• Ripon
• Roundhegians
• Selby
• Sheffield Medicals
• Skipton
• West Leeds
• West Park Leeds
• Yarnbury

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Doncaster
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.
• Ilkley
• Ionians
• Leodiensian
• Malton & Norton
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Otliensians
• Sheffield Tigers
• Wath upon Dearne
• Wheatley Hills

Yorkshire 2 honours

Yorkshire 2 (1987–1993)

The original Yorkshire 2 was a tier 10 league with promotion up to Yorkshire 1 and relegation down to Yorkshire 3.

Yorkshire 2 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 2 dropped to become a tier 11 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 2 remain at tier 11.

Yorkshire 2 (2000–present)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Yorkshire 2 became a tier 8 league.

Number of league titles

• Scarborough (3)
• Barnsley (2)
• Bradford Salem (2)
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (2)
• North Ribblesdale (2)
• Selby (2)
• Beverley (1)
• Bridlington (1)
• Castleford (1)
• Dinnington (1)
• Goole (1)
• Keighley (2)
• Malton & Norton (1)
• Moortown (1)
• Northallerton (1)
• Old Brodleians (1)
• Old Otliensians (1)
• Pocklington (1)
• Pontefract (1)
• Roundhegians (1)
• Sheffield Tigers (1)
• Wath upon Dearne (1)
• West Leeds (1)
• Wheatley Hills (1)
• Wibsey (1)
• Yarnbury (1)

See also

• Yorkshire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes