2017–18 National League 2 North
The 2017–18 National League 2 North is the ninth season (31st overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
| 2017–18 National League 2 North | |
|---|---|
| Countries | England |
| Date | 2 September 2017 – May 2018 |
| Champions | Sale FC (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Sedgley Park (not promoted) |
| Relegated | Sheffield, Blaydon, Luctonians |
| Matches played | 237 |
| Attendance | 76,227 (average 322 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 1,820 Sheffield v Sheffield Tigers 23 December 2017 |
| Lowest attendance | 57 Sedgley Park v Otley 17 March 2018 |
| Top point scorer | Rickie Aley (South Leicester) 343 points |
| Top try scorer | Myles Bean (South Leicester) 27 tries |
On 21 April 2018 Sheffield became the first side to be relegated after losing heavily to promotion chasing Sedgley Park away from home. This meant that Sheffield would equal the unwanted record set by Morley of being the most demoted side in tier 4 (north) history with what was their third relegation from this level since the leagues started in 1987. The championship took a little longer to decide when on 28 April 2018 Sale FC clinched the title by winning 37-5 away to Leicester Lions, with a (rescheduled) game to spare. Sale FC were deserving winners, although runners up Sedgley Park kept the title race going to the wire thanks to their outstanding bonus points tally of 30 (a divisional record), helping Park to the runners up spot and a place in the promotion playoff game. On the same day the second relegation spot was sealed when Blaydon suffered their second successive relegation, losing a tight game 36-40 at Kingston Park to Hinckley.
Runners up Sedgley Park failed to join Sale FC in the 2018–19 National League 1 after they lost 30-41 away to 2017–18 National League 2 South runners up Chinnor in the promotion play-off game played on 5 May 2018. Due to poor weather causing delays to the end of the season it took till 12 May 2018 to determine the final relegation spot with Luctonians losing 21-22 to champions Sale FC at home in their re-arranged fixture, condemning the Herefordshire side to the drop, 3 points below 13th placed Wharfedale, who could have gone down instead had Luctonians won via a bonus point.