in bold. 2nd Bundesliga champions until 2001 Before the establishment of the single-division Bundesliga, the two 2nd Bundesligas determined their champion in the autumn half of the season before splitting each division into two groups, the upper half playing for Bundesliga promotion together with the bottom clubs of the Bundesliga, and the lower half against 2nd Bundesliga relegation. Teams from the two regional divisions did not meet and now country-wide 2nd Bundesliga championship as such was played. The autumn champions were: Placings in the 2nd Bundesliga since 2001 Since 1998, the following clubs have played in the league. From 1999 to 2001, the league consisted of two regional divisions of six teams each. After an autumn (A) round, the top three from each group would reach the championship finals round in spring (S). The bottom three, together with the top three from each of the two 2nd Bundesligas would play a promotion round in spring with the top three in each group playing in the Bundesliga the following autumn. In 1997-98 and from 2001 to 2012, the league has been played in a single-division format. From 2012–13 to 2014–15 it had been divided into a first (I) and second round (II), followed by play-offs: North/East 1 DSV 78 Hannover and SV 08 Ricklingen fielded a combined team, the DSV 78/08 Ricklingen, from 2003 to 2009. 2 Post SV Berlin Rugby left the Post SV Berlin club in 2003 to form RK 03 Berlin. 3 The SG Schwalbe/DRC Hannover II was a combined team of FC Schwalbe Hannover and the reserve team of DRC Hannover for the 2008-09 season. 4 SV Odin Hannover and VfR Döhren field a combined team, the SG SV Odin/VfR Döhren, from 2008 onwards. South/West 5 The SG Heidelberger TV/SC Neuenheim II was a combined team of Heidelberger TV and the reserve team of SC Neuenheim for the 2008-09 season. Key See also Rugby union in Germany German rugby union cup References External links German Rugby Union Scrum.de - Result archive Rugbyweb.de - Result archive Rugby union leagues in Germany Rugby-Bundesliga Germany