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.

Counties 2 Yorkshire

Current season or competition: 2022–23 Counties 2 Yorkshire
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987; 38 years ago (1987)
Number of teams	14
Country	England
Holders	Keighley (1st title) (2021–22) (promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire)
Most titles	Scarborough (3 titles)
Website	England RFU

Participating clubs 2025-26

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

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 4th Bradford & Bingley Wagon Lane 4,000 Bingley, West Yorkshire 9th Bramley Phoenix The Warrels Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 10th Bridlington Dukes Park Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (13th) Halifax RUFC Ovenden Park Halifax, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (runners-up) Halifax Vandals Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire 5th Huddersfield Laund Hill Laund Hill Stadium Nettleton_Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 8th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire 11th Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (champions) Ossett Queens Terrace Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 7th Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 3rd Roundhegians The Memorial Groun Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire 6th

Baildon B & B Bridlington Halifax Halifax Vandals Huddersfield LH Leeds Northallerton Otliensians Ripon Ossett Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams Bramley Phoenix Roundhegians Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams in Greater Leeds area

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 5th Bradford & Bingley Wagon Lane 4,000 Bingley, West Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (12th) Bramley Phoenix The Warrels Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th Dinnington Lodge Lane Dinnington, South_Yorkshire, Sheffield 8th Halifax Vandals Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (runners-up) Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire 11th Huddersfield Laund Hill Laund Hill Stadium Nettleton_Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire 7th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (champions) Ossett Queens Terrace Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire 10th Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 4th Roundhegians The Memorial Groun Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire 6th Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd

Bramley Roundhegians Yarnbury Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams in Greater Leeds area Baildon B & B Dinnington Halifax Vandals Hemsworth Huddersfield LH Leeds Northallerton Ripon Ossett Locations of the 2024–25 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 3rd Bramley Phoenix The Warrels Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 8th Dinnington Lodge Lane Dinnington, South_Yorkshire, Sheffield Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (11th) Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (champions) Huddersfield Laund Hill Laund Hill Stadium Nettleton_Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (10th) Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th North Ribblesdale Grove Park Settle, North Yorkshire 7th Ossett Queens Terrace Ossett, Wakefield, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Yorkshire (runners-up) Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 5th Roundhegians The Memorial Groun Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 1 Yorkshire (12th) Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 4th Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 6th

Bramley Leeds Corinthians Roundhegians Yarnbury Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams in Greater Leeds area Baildon Dinnington Hemsworth Huddersfield LH Leeds North Ribblesdale Ripon Ossett Thornensians Wath-upon-Dearne Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 7th Yorkshire 2 Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire Champions Yorkshire 3 Bramley Phoenix The Warrels Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd Yorkshire 3 Harrogate Pythons The Jim Saynor Ground Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Runners-Up Yorkshire 3 Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 12th Yorkshire 2 Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire 8th Yorkshire 2 North Ribblesdale Grove Park Settle, North Yorkshire 10th Yorkshire 2 Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 11th Yorkshire 2 Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 5th Yorkshire 2 Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th Yorkshire 2 Wensleydale Cawkill Park Leyburn, North Yorkshire 6th Yorkshire 2 Wheatley Hills Brunnel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire 4th Yorkshire 2

Baildon Barnsley Bramley Harrogate Pythons Leeds Corinthians Northallerton North Ribblesdale Ripon Wath-upon-Dearne Wensleydale Wheatley Hills Yarnbury Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 2 Yorkshire teams

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners-up) Hullensians Springhead Lane Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (12th) Keighley Rose Cottage 800 (84 seated) Keighley, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (11th) Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions) North Ribblesdale Grove Park Settle, North Yorkshire 7th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire 8th Old Grovians Woodhouse Grove School Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire 9th Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 5th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire 10th Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 4th Wensleydale Cawkill Park Leyburn, North Yorkshire 3rd Wetherby Grange Park Wetherby, West Yorkshire 12th Wheatley Hills Brunnel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire 6th Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 11th

Baildon Grovians Leeds Corinthians Yarnbury Locations of the 2021–22 Yorkshire 2 teams in Greater Leeds area Leeds Hullensians Keighley North Ribblesdale Northallerton Ripon Thornensians Wath-upon-Dearne Wensleydale Wetherby Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2021–22 Yorkshire 2 teams

Season 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced^[1] 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

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire 13th (not relegated) North Ribblesdale Grove Park Settle, North Yorkshire 8th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire 4th Old Grovians Woodhouse Grove School Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire 9th Old Rishworthians Hollas Lane Copley, Halifax, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th) Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 11th Roundhegians The Memorial Ground Moortown, Leeds, West Yorkshire 7th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up) Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 3rd Wensleydale Cawkill Park Leyburn, North Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions) West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 12th Wetherby Grange Park Wetherby, West Yorkshire 10th Wheatley Hills Brunnel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire 5th Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 6th

Roundhegians West Park Yarnbury Locations of the 2019–20 Yorkshire 2 teams in Leeds Barnsley Leeds North Ribblesdale Northallerton Grovians Rishworthians Ripon Thornensians Wath-upon-Dearne Wensleydale Wetherby Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2019–20 Yorkshire 2 teams

Participating clubs 2018–19

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire 4th Goole Westfield Banks Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire 5th Leodiensian Crag Lane Alwoodley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 12th North Ribblesdale Grove Park Settle, North Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th) Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions) Old Grovians Woodhouse Grove School Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire 11th Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up) Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 7th Roundhegians The Memorial Ground Moortown, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 6th West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 10th Wetherby Grange Park Wetherby, West Yorkshire 8th Wheatley Hills Brunnel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (14th) Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd

Leodiensian Roundhegians West Park Yarnbury Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 2 teams in Leeds Barnsley Goole Leeds North Ribblesdale Northallerton Grovians Otliensians Ripon Wath-upon-Dearne Wetherby Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 2 teams

Participating clubs 2017–18

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire 7th Goole Westfield Banks Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (runners up) Halifax Vandals Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 3 (champions) Leodiensian Crag Lane Alwoodley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 12th Old Crossleyans Broomfield Avenue Halifax, West Yorkshire 13th Old Grovians Woodhouse Grove School Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire 10th Pontefract Moor Lane Pontefract, West Yorkshire 3rd Ripon Mallorie Park Ripon, North Yorkshire 6th Roundhegians The Memorial Ground Moortown, Leeds, West Yorkshire 5th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire 9th Wath-upon-Dearne Moor Road Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire 11th West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 8th Wetherby Grange Park Wetherby, West Yorkshire 4th Yarnbury Brownberrie Lane Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 1 (13th)

Leodiensian Roundhegians West Park Yarnbury Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 2 teams in Leeds Barnsley Goole Halifax Vandals Leeds Crossleyans Grovians Pontefract Ripon Thornensians Wath-upon-Dearne Wetherby Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 2 teams

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^[a]
• 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
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	11	North Ribblesdale	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.	Leodiensian, Old Otliensians
1988–89	11	Bridlington	Doncaster	Ionians, Marist
1989–90	11	Malton & Norton	York Railway Institute	Sheffield Tigers
1990–91	11	Old Otliensians	Leodiensian	Wath upon Dearne
1991–92	11	Bradford Salem	Goole[b]	No relegation[c]
1992–93	13	Wath upon Dearne	Ilkley	Knottingly
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

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
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1993–94	13	Barnsley	Castleford	Leeds CSSA
1994–95	13	Wibsey	Halifax Vandals	York Railway Institute
1995–96	13	Northallerton	Moortown	Multiple teams[d]
1996–97	10	Castleford	Dinnington	Phoenix Park
1997–98	9	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.	West Leeds	Old Modernians
1998–99[3]	10	Scarborough	Hemsworth	Stanley Rodillians, Barnsley, Moortown
1999–00[4]	10	Dinnington	Sheffield Tigers	Bramley Phoenix, Hullensians, Old Otliensians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

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.

Yorkshire 2
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01[5]	12	Scarborough	Sheffield Tigers	Wath Upon Dearne, Bradford Salem, Roundhegians
2001–02[6]	12	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.	Dinnington	Hemsworth, Castleford, York Railway Institute
2002–03[7]	12	Keighley	Malton and Norton	Pocklington, Northallerton
2003–04[8]	12	Beverley	Ilkley	Skipton, West Leeds
2004–05[9]	12	Sheffield Tigers	Bradford Salem	Castleford, Heath
2005–06[10]	12	Scarborough	Old Brodleians	West Leeds, Yarnbury
2006–07[11]	12	Selby	Heath	York Railway Institute, Barnsley
2007–08[12]	12	Old Brodleians	Skipton	West Park Leeds, Goole
2008–09[13]	11	Wheatley Hills	Castleford[e]	No relegation[f]
2009–10[14]	14	North Ribblesdale	Knottingley	Hessle, Goole
2010–11[15]	14	Pocklington	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.	Old Rishworthians, Roundhegians
2011–12[16]	14	Barnsley	Wath Upon Dearne	Goole
2012–13[17]	14	Selby	Doncaster Phoenix	Castleford, Skipton
2013–14[18]	14	Yarnbury	Hullensians	Baildon
2014–15[19]	14	Bradford Salem	West Park Leeds	Leeds Medics and Dentists, Goole
2015–16[20]	14	West Leeds	Keighley	Castleford, Knottingley
2016–17[21]	14	Moortown	Old Rishworthians	Sheffield Medicals[g]
2017–18[22]	14	Pontefract	Old Crossleyans	Halifax Vandals, Thornensians
2018–19[23]	14	Goole	Leodiensian	Old Otliensians
2019–20[24]	14	Roundhegians	Old Rishworthians	West Park Leeds, Barnsley
2020–21	14
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

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

1. Ionians would later merge with Hull & East Riding to form Hull Ionians for the 1989–90 season.^[2]
2. League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant five clubs were promoted into Yorkshire 1 including Wheatley Hills, Yarnbury and Sheffield Oaks.
3. League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant no clubs were relegated and seven clubs would be promoted from Yorkshire 3.
4. Yorkshire league restructuring due to reintroduction of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1996–97 season meant that seven clubs, including Skipton, West Leeds, Aireborough, Hemsworth, Hessle, Wetherby, Huddersfield Y.M.C.A., were relegated into Yorkshire 3.
5. Dinnington and Yarnbury were also promoted.
6. No relegation as division due to increase from 11 to 14 teams for the following season.
7. Only 1 team relegated this season meaning 13th placed Old Crossleyans were safe.