On a dramatic final day, Taunton Titans – despite winning their final four games of the campaign – slipped through the trapdoor alongside Cinderford, Leicester Lions securing their survival right at the death with a 10-point spree in the last four minutes of a 23-14 success at Sale as Bishop’s Stortford also retained their place at Level Three with victory in the Forest of Dean.

With champions Chinnor stepping up to the Championship, the three departing sides are replaced by the three National Two winners, with Esher (East), Rotherham (North) and Dings (West) filling what promises to be an ever-competitive 14-team league.

Rotherham won the hardest fought of places with a remarkable effort in overhauling a Leeds Tykes side who won their first 22 games of the campaign, Titans beating their nearest rivals 32-26 and then seeing their fellow Yorkshiremen go down at Fylde in the penultimate round.

The Clifton Lane side come back to National One for the first time since the Covid-shortened 2019/20 campaign with 25 wins from 26 games and a stunning haul of 123 points from a possible 130.

Esher also return after a year’s absence having wrapped up the title in the penultimate week, ending with 113 points despite a final-day 26-24 loss at runners-up Barnes.

Dings, meanwhile, climb to their highest-ever state in English rugby after signing off the season in style with an astonishing 109-0 success against Camborne, a result which saw them close on 111 points.

Rams last played the Bristolians in the National Two South title-winning season of 2018/19, Ben Henderson’s memorable chip-and-collect try the stand-out moment of a 48-19 win at Landseer Avenue.

Joining Rams, Esher, Rotherham, Dings, Leicester and Stortford in the league next year are, in this season’s finishing order, Rosslyn Park, Plymouth Albion, Birmingham Moseley, Richmond, Darlington Mowden Park, Blackheath, Sedgley Park and Sale.