National League 2 North

After the postponements of two weeks ago, last Saturday saw all 16 teams back in action in National Two North including table-toppers Macclesfield who lead the way heading into the final third of the season.

Two of the form sides in Round 19 of National Two North faced off last weekend as Preston Grasshoppers hosted Stourbridge and it was the hosts who came out on top thanks to a dominant display.

The National Leagues are a hot bed of young rugby talent and whilst the crowds are not as large as Premiership Rugby, it is clear that there are community clubs creating a platform for English Rugby.

After the weather played its part last weekend in calling off five games, it looks as though we are in for a full round of National Two North rugby this Saturday as we head towards the business end of the campaign.

Five games were postponed across National Two North in Round 18 due to the wintery conditions that hit the country towards the end of the week meaning only three matches took place on Saturday.

Johnny Matthews believes Sedgley Park are ‘100 per cent’ still in a title race in National Two North as they prepare to host Otley this weekend at Park Lane.

Last weekend saw drama at the top of National Two North, but this weekend, the main excitement came at the other end of the table as wins for the Luctonians and Broadstreet have shaken things up.

Rain has had a huge influence on rugby in the North of England over the past 5 weeks. Clubs in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire have seen their grounds flooded.

Two tries in the first 11 minutes was enough for Stourbridge to clinch victory over Caldy as they climbed to second in the National Two North table.

It took us all by surprise to see the top two sides in this division lose their opening game of 2016 last weekend and both will be determined to bounce back this Saturday.

Macclesfield and Sedgley Park may have been suffering from festive hangovers as both sides began 2016 with a defeat as the title race took another twist in National Two North.

Not surprisingly the New Year fixture played at Sedgley Park was under rain and lights and it was South Leicester who ran out the winners.

Sale FC and Preston Grasshoppers shared the points in their first game of the New Year in a 22-22 draw at Heywood Road.

Macclesfield begin the New Year on top of National Two North having lost just two matches in the first half of the season while Sedgley Park aim to try and claw back a 12 point deficit.

As we are now at the season’s midway stage, Talking Rugby Union takes a look at the state of play in National Two North as Macclesfield top the tree at Christmas.

More wet weather hit the north of the country this weekend leading to two matches being called off, but for Macclesfield, they did not slip-up as they will be top of National Two North heading into 2016.

With just two games to go before the Christmas break, every team in National Two North will be hoping to enter the festive period with something to cheer about.