London Welsh, whose professional arm played in the top-tier Premiership as recently as 10 years ago before it went into liquidation, with the remnants of the defunct pro club amalgamated into their amateur set-up, have been promoted to National Two East for the 2025-26 campaign as Regional One South Central champions.
They won 21 of the 22 games they played in the recently-completed season, scoring over 1,000 points in the process, with their one defeat coming at the hands of division runners-up Jersey, 28-24, in February. They had beaten the Siam Cup winners 36-28 on their visit to St Peter earlier in the programme.
Raiders also face a long trip to Peterborough next season to face Oundle Rugby Club for the first time.
The Cambridgeshire-based side went through their Regional One South East campaign with a perfect record of 22 consecutive wins, all bar one coming with a four-try bonus point, to finish as runaway winners of their division with 109 points.
Coming down from National One South are Esher, who have become something of a yo-yo club since competition resumed post-pandemic.
They have been crowned National Two East champions in their last two stints at level-four, in 2022 and 2024, only to suffer immediate relegation the following season.
London Welsh, Oundle and Esher take the places of promoted Tonbridge Juddians and relegated Colchester and Worthing in National Two East.
Meanwhile, Raiders wing Anthony Armstrong has been named in the National Two East team of the season for 2024-25.
The Garenne Stand fans' favourite finished the campaign as the division’s top-scorer with 27 tries, including six in the campaign-ending 71-26 victory at Worthing.
National Two East teams for 2025-26
Barnes, Bury St Edmunds, Canterbury, Dorking, Esher, Guernsey, Havant, Henley, London Welsh, Old Albanian, Oundle, Oxford Harlequins, Sevenoaks, Westcombe Park.
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