LONDON & SE CHAMPIONS
LONDON PREMIER
SUTTON & EPSOM
Captain James Caddy Coaches Jeff Parsons (DoR), Mike Schmid (head-forwards), Paul Hodgson (backs) This was Sutton’s second title in four seasons and lifts them into National Two South for the first time. Their top-quality coaching was spearheaded by former Canada No 8 Schmid. Sutton were previously promoted in 2013 and 2016, and this time they produced the finest comeback in their league history when overturning a 22-point deficit at Westcliff.
A memorable season brought the side’s longest winning streak at Level Five, of 14 games. No 8 Matt Whitaker’s 12 tries made him Sutton’s record league scorer with 98 while wing Kyren Ghumra ran in 13. Wing Sam Hurley amassed 146 points and scrum-half Steve Mumford retired after 199 league appearances.
Westcliff were also promoted after beating Barnstaple 44-5 in a play-off.
LONDON ONE NORTH
ROCHFORD HUNDRED
Captain Harry Hudson Coaches Chris Green (DoR), Mike Guess (forwards), Chris Garstin (backs), James Kellard (defence), Danny Cleare (attack), Mark Williams, Luke Brewster (S&C) A stunning sequence of 48 league wins spanning two seasons brought a second successive promotion for Rochford. It takes them into London Premier, their pinnacle in the pyramid so far. They took a maximum of 130 league points from 26 matches, in which they scored 1,049 points against only 261. Fly-half Cam Greenhall top-scored with 245 points and flanker Hudson bagged 24 tries in 23 games. Newly-retired hooker Tom Corbett also played a huge role in a campaign that included a 71-7 win over Brentwood in the Essex Cup final.
LONDON ONE SOUTH
SEVENOAKS
Stu Coleman Adam Bowman (head), Matt Bates (backs), Paul Dawson (defence), Jonny Short (S&C), Jack Barker, John Henley, Mark Reay, Tom Swallow (assts) Next season Sevenoaks will compete at Level Five for the first time but there was a feeling of wellbeing throughout the whole club.
