National Leagues

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s National Leagues news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Hornets hold off Students in 12-try thriller

3 September 2023 0 comments

Hornets…………………43 Loughborough S….38 ■ By JAMES GALLAGHER HORNETS managed to hold off the visiting Loughborough Students in a heart-stopping 12-try affair, jam-packed with plot twists, […]

Five-star Bowyer downs Bournville

3 September 2023 0 comments

Hinckley………………45 Bournville……………28 ■ By CHRIS CAMPBELL A FIVE-TRY performance from Dale Bowyer ensured Hinckley overcame Bournville to secure a bonus point win in the sunshine […]

Redruth stage gritty fightback

3 September 2023 0 comments

Redruth………………..28 O Redcliffians…….. 21 ■ By BILL HOOPER REDRUTH battled back in an error strewn game to get their season underway with a victory. The […]

Hawks get better of frenetic islanders tussle

3 September 2023 0 comments

Henley………….. 43 Guernsey……….33 ■ By ALASTAIR BEYNON HENLEY Hawks just about came away with an encouraging fivepoint win over resilient Guernsey Raiders after a real […]

Hawkins kicks Bury to last-gasp victory

3 September 2023 0 comments

Bury St Ed’s…………. 21 Old Albanians…….. 20 ■ By ANDREW HERLIHY A LAST-MINUTE penalty kick from Kodie Hawkins earned Bury St Edmunds a dramatic win […]

Barnes off to flyer as Esher fall short

3 September 2023 0 comments

Esher…………………….38 Barnes………………….39 ■ By SAM BYTHEWAY BARNES began the season in dramatic style with a narrow victory at Esher. In a tight see-saw contest, it […]

Dons taught a lesson by ruthless Dorking

3 September 2023 0 comments

Wimbledon…….22pts Dorking……………57pts ■ By MO SHER Charge: Dorking’s Fred Dowson races through Thomasz Pozniak scores the first try for Wimbledon PICTURES: Gary House TEAMS WIMBLEDON: […]

New-look Juddians hold off gutsy Park comeback

3 September 2023 0 comments

Tonbridge J…………26 Westcombe P……… 20 ■ By GARETH WITHERS TONBRIDGE Juddians handed debuts to seven players as they opened their campaign with a home victory […]

Raiders run riot at youthful Vikings

3 September 2023 0 comments

North Walsham……. 7 Worthing………………45 ■ By RICHARD HEWITT WORTHING Raiders got off to a flying start against a young North Walsham side featuring 11 debutants. […]

Oaks stand firm as visitors battle back

3 September 2023 0 comments

Sevenoaks…………..23 Canterbury…………..22 ■ By STEVE FITZMAURICE SEVENOAKS defended superbly to stave off a Canterbury comeback in the opening match of the season. The visitors had […]

Elvis to make his return at Taunton

27 August 2023 0 comments

Former Exeter hooker Elvis Taione has joined National 1 outfit Taunton Titans two months after announcing he was retiring from the sport. The 40-year-old spent […]

Fijian Matavesi to turn on style for Camborne

27 August 2023 0 comments

National League Previews – League Two West This season’s National Two West features three new sides but newly promoted Camborne are the team that has caught […]

Richmond in the mood to bounce back into big time

27 August 2023 0 comments

National League Previews: League One National One’s dramatic three-horse title race could only be settled on the final day last season and the ultra-competitive division […]

Winterbottom sets Esher’s sights on quick promotion

27 August 2023 0 comments

National League Previews – League Two East National Two East gets underway tomorrow with Esher going in as favourites, but multiple teams look set to […]

Leeds Tykes and Hull add heft to battle at the top

27 August 2023 0 comments

National League Previews – League Two North Sedgley Park were runaway winners in National Two North last season but this year’s title race looks set […]

Park lead the way as teams power up

13 August 2023 0 comments

Ben Jaycock looks at the comings and goings at National One ahead of the new season which kicks off on September 2 Title-hunting Rosslyn Park […]

Honey aiming to make his mark at Rams

6 August 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Dead-eye goal kicker Fraser Honey has taken the step up to National 1 side Rams and is hoping to secure a place […]

Chester ready for test against best in West

6 August 2023 0 comments

A re-shuffle of National Two meant much confusion during the off season for Chester but after receiving confirmation of a place in the West league, […]

Oldest club gets extra help

2 July 2023 0 comments

Blackheath rugby club is among 52 community assets which will be revived thanks to almost £13 million of government levelling up funding. Blackheath – the […]

Young Guns: Loughborough centre Chris Preen

2 July 2023 0 comments

Loughborough Students’ Chris Preen has been on a rollercoaster journey so far in his career that has seen him change sports, suffer horrific injuries and […]

Noot: Blackheath aiming for top six

25 June 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Alex Noot has stressed that his new Blackheath side are not there to merely make up the numbers next season in National […]

Moseley move for Brough

25 June 2023 0 comments

National 1 side Birmingham Moseley have signed Dan Brough from Cambridge, who won the league to secure promotion to the Championship. A young talented back […]

When the collective carries all before it

11 June 2023 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Dings Crusaders? Crazy name, cracking club. One of the oldest and most successful of the dozens of local teams in Bristol, […]

Harvey set for life on the other side

4 June 2023 0 comments

By RICHARD KITZINGER After 11 seasons with Taunton Titans, Brett Harvey has decided it’s time to enjoy the game from the other side of the […]

Luctonians, Lions share spoils

4 June 2023 0 comments

THE BEST XV FROM THE 2022-23 SEASON Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our National Two West reporters to compile The Rugby Paper’s 2022-23 Team […]

Blackheath take lion’s share

28 May 2023 0 comments

THE BEST XV FROM THE 2022-23 SEASON Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our National Two East reporters to compile The Rugby Paper’s 2022-23 Team […]

Riley back as Park lead the field

21 May 2023 1 comment

Now that the National Two North season has run its course, Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our reporters to compile The Rugby Paper’s 2022-23 […]

Academy at TJs thriving with Withers at the helm

21 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK At a time when participation levels have fallen across the country, Tonbridge Juddians’ academy are revelling in healthy numbers and recently secured […]

Morley holds own among top dogs

14 May 2023 0 comments

Following Cambridge’s run to secure the National One title, Ben Jaycock canvassed the views of our reporters to compile The Rugby Paper’s 2022-23 Team of […]

Asiedu: Title win would have made great TV

7 May 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Kwaku Asiedu believes Amazon should have filmed an All or Nothing series on Cambridge’s remarkable campaign as the Blood & Sand went […]

Reynolds: Don’t prop up failures like Wasps

30 April 2023 1 comment

By PAUL REES Wasps’ presence in the Championship next season after going bust with debts of more than £100m will send out the wrong signal […]

Bowman aiming to build for next season

30 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Sevenoaks director of rugby Adam Bowman is delighted to have steered his side to survival in National Two East and now wants […]

Hayes switches on the style for Titans

30 April 2023 0 comments

By SCOTT EVANS Sheffield Tigers……………….10 Rotherham Titans …………….40 Fly-half Richard Hayes put in a stylish display, pulling the Rotherham strings behind a dominant forward pack […]

Rodgers keeps his cool to seal victory

30 April 2023 0 comments

By NICK DOYLE Otley…………………………………22 Tynedale…………………………24 Tynedal avenged their last minute defeat at Crow Trees with Jake Rodgers’ conversion sealing the win. Two early penalties put […]

A brilliant ten out of ten as Cambridge take title

30 April 2023 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge …….59pts Tries: Conversions: Green 30, 68; Asiedu 35, 42, 79; Maka 40, Duffin 48, Brownlie 51, Priestley 65 James 31, 40, […]

Cook double puts Old Reds on the right road

30 April 2023 0 comments

By LUKE JARMYN Old Redcliffians …33 Bournville ………….. 14 Outside centre Jonathan Cook scored two tries in the final five minutes as Old Redcliffians made […]

Barnes chairman: We are playing too much

30 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Barnes chairman and former prop Michael Whitfield is concerned about the number of games players have been forced to play this season […]

Kick star Price is right for Chinnor

23 April 2023 0 comments

By JACK JOHNSON Chinnor………….38 Darlington MP. 22 Chinnor edged out Darlington Mowden Park in an entertaining clash at Kingsey Road. The sides shared ten […]

Park pip hosts in an 11-try thriller

23 April 2023 0 comments

By JOSHUA MATHESON Cinderford………….. 31 Rosslyn Park………38 Rosslyn Park eventually gained the upper hand on Cinderford after a ding-dong clash at Dockham Road. Prop Jake […]

Rams down gritty Esher to stay top

23 April 2023 0 comments

By STEPHANIE FRANKLIN Esher …………………… 19 Rams ……………………33 Leaders Rams overcame a poor first half to keep their title ambitions alive by beating relegated Esher. […]

Keep ‘proud’ after Sale end season in fine style

23 April 2023 0 comments

By STEPHEN SMITH Sale FC………….. 49pts Tries: Brown 13, Robins 29, Onasanya 44, Barron 49, Priestley-Nangle 70, Longmore 76, Walsh 78 Conversions: Curtis 14, 30, […]

Magic Morris conjures up treble in Bishop’s blitz

23 April 2023 0 comments

By RICHARD GORE Hull………………………. 17 Bishop’s S………….. 44 Winger Jake Morris bagged a seven-minute hat-trick early in the second half to propel Bishop’s Stortford to […]

In-form Cam stay in promotion race

23 April 2023 0 comments

By PATRICK MARSH Plymouth A…………. 10 Cambridge………….. 31 Cambridge maintained their push for promotion with a convincing bonus-point victory over Plymouth Albion. Playing with a […]

Tykes toppled in Titans try surge

23 April 2023 0 comments

By MIKE AMOS Taunton Titans…..59 Leeds Tykes………..28 Taunton Titans hit top form to beat Leeds Tykes in this must-win clash. The home side dominated the […]

Brownlie dreaming of leading his men to glory

23 April 2023 0 comments

By WILL SPARKS Ben Brownlie would love to take Cambridge to the Championship for the first time by lifting the National One title tomorrow, but […]

Smith the star in fine Fylde finale!

23 April 2023 0 comments

By DESMOND HICKIE Chester…………..25 Fylde………………40 This proved a ten-try crowd-pleaser with Greg Smith the star Fylde came out winners with six to Chester’s four, reflecting […]

Gate blown away by early Titan blitz

23 April 2023 0 comments

By TIM THORLEY Harrogate……………. 17 Rotherham T……….45 Rotherham blew hosts Harrogate away with a storming opening display as they led 38-0 early into the second […]

Sam leads Ionians to record triumph

23 April 2023 0 comments

By MALCOLM KNOWLES Hull Ionians………… 80 Blaydon………………..26 Hull Ionians ran in 12 tries to cruise to victory in an end-of-season party atmosphere, setting a new […]

Powerful Park show champion qualities

23 April 2023 0 comments

By NICK DOYLE Otley……………….. 10pts Sedgley P……….28pts Super Sedgley Park Tigers finished off their season with another bonus-point win, although they didn’t have it all […]

Grasshoppers gain revenge with strongest finish

23 April 2023 0 comments

By BEN PITKEATHLY Preston G……………..27 Wharfedale………… 12 Preston Grasshoppers avenged their opening-day defeat against Wharfedale with a 27-12 victory in the return fixture to finish […]

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