National Leagues

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

Ace Eden aiming for promised land with Bristol

8 December 2019 0 comments

NEWS EXTRA By LUKE JARMYN BRISTOL BEARS’ dual-registered fly-half Tiff Eden is targeting a place in the Premiership’s title-chasing side by the end of the […]

Hancox the hero as second win arrives late

8 December 2019 0 comments

■By ADAM HUNTER Bournemouth 24 Old Redcliff ….23 BOURNEMOUTHbanished the demons of a torrid few weeks as they emerged victors 24-23 against Old Redcliffians in […]

Third time’s a charm for Cliff

8 December 2019 0 comments

■By NICK CROWE Westcliff ……..22 Esher …………….17 WESTCLIFF enjoyed a dream start to life at their splendid new ground with a heart-stopping win over a […]

Tout the ticket as TJs plow on

8 December 2019 1 comment

By GARETH WITHERS Tonbridge J….38 Dings Crus ……..5 Juddians stretched their lead at the top of National 2 South, taking all five points whilst Taunton […]

Aigbokhae leads way as Caldy take charge

8 December 2019 0 comments

By JOE TULIP Tynedale ……..14 Caldy…………….47 UNDEFEATED Caldy continued their title charge with a ruthless performance at Tynedale. Winger Adam Aigbokhae scored two tries and […]

Cards dealt at Raiders as Worthing get trumps

8 December 2019 0 comments

■By LYNDON EDNEY Worthing ……..27 Leics Lions ….23 THE boot of Matt McLean helped Worthing continue their recent home form, as the Raiders saw off […]

Morgan hits four to put DMP on cloud nine!

1 December 2019 3 comments

By KEV ROBINSON AFTER an early penalty exchange Darlington Mowden Park demolished visitors Birmingham Moseley, scoring nine tries in the process with Morgan Passman grabbing […]

Mike enjoys the Perks of the job

1 December 2019 1 comment

Blackheath ….33 Rotherham ……17 By GRAHAM COX A FIVE-TRY win for Blackheath kept them in the hunt at the head of the table, but this […]

Worrall leaves hosts five alive

1 December 2019 1 comment

Chinnor…………34 Cambridge……22 By JACK JOHNSON JASON Worrall scored two tries as Chinnor made it five games unbeaten with a bonuspoint victory over Cambridge. Josh McNulty, […]

Pocock weighs in on Folau captaincy claims

1 December 2019 1 comment

NEWS EXTRA FORMER Wallaby captain David Pocock has questioned Israel Folau’s claim that he was in line to become Australia captain. Folau, the former Wallabies […]

Superb Shepherd leads flock to victory

1 December 2019 0 comments

Redruth…………..13 O Redcliffians….0 By BILL HOOPER REDRUTH battled to a hard-fought win over Old Redcliffians in a game the visitors will feel they could have […]

Lavenders love a nine-try blitz

1 December 2019 0 comments

Clifton…………..59 Westcliff ……..14 By ROGER OPIE DOUBLES from Chris Levesley and Henry Harper helped Clifton continue their impressive start to the season with an emphatic […]

Wolfpack howl to maintain run

1 December 2019 1 comment

Bury St Edmund..36 Worthing…………….31 By SIMON LORD BURY’S unbeaten home record remained intact but it could have been so different after an admirable away showing […]

Lucs take the edge in battle down the bottom

1 December 2019 0 comments

Luctonians……29 Preston …………..3 By GEOFF VICKRESS LUCTONIANS secured a valuable home victory against fellow strugglers Preston Grasshoppers with an emphatic 29-3 win. The win was […]

Rory and Ryan run riot as TJs hit super six

1 December 2019 0 comments

Barnes …………..12 Tonbridge ……32 By TOM DEAN TONBRIDGE Juddians proved too much for Barnes as the visitors continued their fine form this season with a […]

Students down Dale in style

1 December 2019 0 comments

Loughborough.48 Wharfedale ….12 By JONATHAN BUSH NOTHING was left on the field by the Students as Loughborough fought hard for a resounding 48- 12 victory […]

Henderson the hero to keep Lions in the hunt

1 December 2019 0 comments

Leicester L ……..12pts Taunton …………….6pts Roaring: Kaz Henderson scores for Leicester Lions On target: Gary Kingdom PICTURES: Phil Hutchinson By MIKE HOWKINS LEICESTER Lions head […]

Caldy grind out 13th on spin

1 December 2019 1 comment

By JOHN LYON HUDDERSFIELD came to Paton Field with the singular objective of upsetting Caldy’s perfect record, but the hosts answered all questions asked of […]

Hawks soaring high after Fenley hits four

1 December 2019 2 comments

Dings …………..27 Henley ……….36 By JOHN WHITE THREE tries in five secondhalf minutes secured a hard-fought away victory for a jubilant Henley at Dings. The […]

Fylde fight back on the road as Otley fold

1 December 2019 1 comment

Otley …………….14 Fylde …………….23 By NICK DOYLE FYLDE emerged victorious but were denied a bonus point on their travels by a resolute Otley side. The […]

Power cuts short relegation battle

1 December 2019 0 comments

By JOHN CROYSDILL SUTTON toppled Bournemouth in bizarre circumstances after a local power cut in Cheam saw referee Calum Howard with no choice but to […]

Mullis & co hold off the gritty OEs

1 December 2019 1 comment

Cinderford ……24 Old Elthamians18 By NIGEL WILCE CINDERFORD edged out Old Elthamians in a tense affair that remained in the balance right up until the […]

Park back pack to put Tigers in a cage

1 December 2019 0 comments

Sheffield T ……..19pts Sedgley Park….29pts By ANDREW SMITH SEDGLEY Park head coach Matt Bebbington heaped praise on his dominant pack as the in-form visitors ground […]

OAs succumb to gentlest of touch

1 December 2019 0 comments

By MATT BALDWIN A LATE surge in the second half saw Esher come from behind to beat Old Albanian in a tight affair at Molesey […]

Brady’s treble too strong for Ionians

1 December 2019 0 comments

Hull Ionians ……7 Sale FC …………36 By MALCOLM KNOWLES THE RESULT of this fixture was determined well before Sale scored their bonus-point try, after just […]

Heard leads the way as Hull win again

1 December 2019 1 comment

Hull …………….34 Scunthorpe ..16 By RICHARD GORE HULL won back-to-back games for the second time this season as they ran in six tries to down […]

Lewis leads Blues in second-half riot

1 December 2019 0 comments

Bishop’s St ….43 Canterbury……..0 By JOHN ALLANSON TOM LEWIS crossed for a double as Bishop’s Stortford dispatched Canterbury with a minimum of fuss. The first […]

Hinckley turn on the after-burners

1 December 2019 0 comments

Hinckley ……….32 Stourbridge ……3 By BARBARA MEEKINS MITCHELL Lamb helped Hinckley to a bonus-point triumph as his double against Stourbridge secured West Midlands bragging rights. […]

Our finest hour says Rams boss after they pip Park

1 December 2019 1 comment

Hand-off: Rams’ Robbie Stapley on the attack Inset: Park scrumhalf Dave Lewis tries to step Rams Conor Hayhow PICTURES: Paul Clark By RICHARD ASHTON RAMS […]

Chester make it four in Dale defeat

1 December 2019 1 comment

Chester …………36 Tynedale ……..17 By STEVE SMITH CHESTER Rugby stretched their unbeaten run to four games with a bonus-point victory against Tynedale at Hare Lane. […]

Skelcey helps Albion to stunning comeback win

1 December 2019 0 comments

Richmond ….30 Plymouth ……31 By TIM FORRESTER WHEN Richmond scored their fourth try after 45 minutes to take the score to 27-7, the result seemed […]

Park keep up chase in style

24 November 2019 2 comments

By STEVE SMITH Sedgley Park 47 Otley ………19 SEDGLEY Park continued their promotion push with a dominant seventry bonus-point victory over Otley. Two tries in […]

Crusaders cut down by fabulous Forrest

24 November 2019 1 comment

By LYNDON EDNEY Worthing…32 Dings Crus …10 JACK Forrest’s try double inside the first ten minutes set Worthing on their way to a fourth straight […]

Students deal fourth straight loss to Hoppers

24 November 2019 0 comments

By MICHAEL MITCHELL Preston G’h …21 Loughborough34 LOUGHBOROUGH Students piled the misery on Preston Grasshoppers as a fluid first-half performance allowed them to take maximum […]

Win at last for relieved Westcliff

24 November 2019 1 comment

By NICK CROWE Westcliff …24 Redruth …19 AFTER several disappointments Westcliff finally showed what they were capable of with a thoroughly deserved victory over an […]

Hayhow inspires rampant Rams

24 November 2019 3 comments

By RICHARD LEWIS Canterbury …22 Rams ………48 CONNOR Hayhow helped himself to a double as Rams continued their strong start to the campaign with a […]

Forwards deliver for Caldy in gritty win

24 November 2019 0 comments

By ED WILLIAMS Wharfedale……11pts Caldy………16pts CALDY proved that you don’t necessarily need points to make for an exciting game on the rugby field as they […]

Taunton remains Gary’s Kingdom

24 November 2019 0 comments

By MIKE AMOS Taunton T…22 Bury St Ed ……15 MISTAKESand penalties conceded by Bury St Edmunds gave Taunton the result in an extremely hard-fought match. […]

Howard the star as Park keep rolling

24 November 2019 0 comments

By WARREN MUGGLETON Rosslyn Park…36 Hull Ionians ……8 BEN Howard’s brace set up a six-try haul for Rosslyn Park against Hull Ionians at the Rock. […]

Luctonians emphatic as Scunthorpe flail

24 November 2019 0 comments

By STEVE WILLIAMS Scunthorpe …8 Luctonians …40 LUCTONIANS had their pack to thank as they ran out winners at fellow strugglers Scunthorpe. The visitors got […]

YOUNG GUNS

24 November 2019 1 comment

WILL CAPON BRISTOL HOOKER Pat Lam’s stated intent is to inject more homegrown talent into his Bristol side, and one young man making a solid […]

Penfold on point to secure draw

24 November 2019 0 comments

By STEVE JACKSON Cambridge…17 DMP……17 A WAR of attrition at Grantchester Road ended honours even after a heart-stopping final five minutes where Darlington thought they […]

Nothing to split Field and Chester

24 November 2019 0 comments

By ANDREW SMITH Huddersfield…27 Chester ……27 A HIGHLY entertaining game at Lockwood Park saw Huddersfield and Chester settle for just two points each after they […]

Mark puts boot in as Club Cooke up treat at Moseley

24 November 2019 0 comments

By DAVID LAWRENCE Stopped: Buster Lawrence and Danny Wright thwart this Blackheath move PICTURES: Christopher Lowe A PERFECT kicking display from Blackheath’s Mark Cooke helped […]

Penalty heartache as Stour miss out

24 November 2019 0 comments

By NICK PULLEN Stourbridge …17 Sheffield T……20 SHEFFIELD Tigers survived a last gasp scare to tame Stourbridge and stay within striking distance of the league […]

Yawayawa keeps Villagers in the hunt at Albion

24 November 2019 0 comments

By PADDY MARSH PLYMOUTH Albion and Chinnor battled out a hardearned draw in a game where creativity was at a minimum but defence was excellent […]

MY LIFEIN RUGBY

24 November 2019 0 comments

RICHARD BRYAN THE FORMER BATH, BRIDGEND, CELTIC WARRIORS, DRAGONS & LEEDS BACK ROW THE thing that was most influential in terms of deciding my future […]