Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland

Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 2, is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from North East England. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland and the bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland. Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 2 are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase (a national competition for clubs at level 8) - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Ponteland won their fourth title in 2020 with Sunderland also promoted.

Participating clubs 2024–25

Departing were Horden and Peterlee and Darlington, promoted to DN1 as champions and runners-up respectively. Whitby (11th) and Seaham (12th) were relegated to DN3.

Participating clubs 2023–24

Departing were Ryton and Bishop Auckland, promoted to DN1 as champions and runners-up respectively. Winlaton Vulcans (11th) and Wallsend (12th) were relegated to DN3.

Participating clubs 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competetion Review.

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 DN2 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019-20

Original teams

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

Bishop Auckland
Consett
Hartlepool
Hartlepool B.B.O.B.
Houghton
North Durham
Medicals
Mowden Park
Seaham
Sunderland
Wallsend

Durham/Northumberland 2 honours

Durham/Northumberland 2 (1987–1993)

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

Durham/Northumberland 2 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 2 dropped to being a tier 11 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Durham/Northumberland 2 remain at tier 11.

Durham/Northumberland 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 Durham/Northumberland 2 became a tier 8 league.