The 2001–02 National Division One (previously known as the Allied Dunbar Premiership Two and renamed as the Jewson National Division One for sponsorship reasons) was the fourteenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Bedford Blues who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1999-00 while Otley and Birmingham & Solihull had been promoted from National League Two. This season also saw the introduction of the bonus points scoring system. The season would also herald a new change in venue for Moseley who moved from their traditional home at The Reddings to share the University of Birmingham rugby pitch at Bournbrook, with The Reddings being sold to property developers in order to generate funds to keep the club in existence.

Leeds Tykes, the champions, were promoted to the Allied Dunbar Premiership for season 2001–02. There was only one promotion place available and the runners–up Worcester remained in National League 1 while Orrell and Waterloo were relegated to the 2001–02 National Division Two.

Participating teams

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonBedford BluesGoldington Road5,000Bedford, BedfordshireRelegated from Premiership 1 (12th)Birmingham & SolihullSharmans Cross4,000Solihull, West MidlandsPromoted from National 1 (1st)CoventryCoundon Road10,000 (1,100 seats) Coventry, West Midlands6thExeter ChiefsCounty Ground5,750 (750 seats)Exeter, Devon4thHenley HawksDry Leas4,000Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire9thLeeds TykesHeadingley Stadium22,250Leeds, West Yorkshire2ndLondon WelshOld Deer Park4,500 (1,500 seats)Richmond, London5thManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester8thMoseleyBournbrookBirmingham, West Midlands7thOrrellEdge Hall Road5,300 (300 seats) Orrell, Greater Manchester11thOtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West YorkshirePromoted from National 1 (1st)WakefieldCollege Grove4,000 (500 seats) Wakefield, West Yorkshire10thWaterlooSt Anthony's Road9,950 (950 seats) Blundellsands, Merseyside12thWorcesterSixways8,477Worcester, Worcestershire3rd

Table

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 April 2001.

Round 10

Round 11

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

Round 12

Round 13

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.

Round 17

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 March 2001.

Round 19

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2001.

Round 11 & 13 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Game originally rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Round 20

Rounds 11, 13 & 18 (Rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 3 February 2001.

Round 21

Round 22

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.

Rounds 13, 16 (Rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 18 February 2001 after having been originally rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001.

Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

Round 23

Round 16 & 18 (Rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

Game rescheduled from 3 February 2001.

Round 24

Round 9 (Rescheduled game)

Game rescheduled from 25 November 2000.

Round 25

Round 19 & 22 (Rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001.

Game rescheduled from 10 February 2001.

Round 26

Total Season Attendances

ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% CapacityBedford Blues 13 20,490 1,576 2,190 1,100 32%Birmingham & Solihull 11 3,540 322 500 200 8%Coventry 13 23,266 1,790 3,185 1,000 18%Exeter Chiefs 12 11,119 927 1,250 538 16%Henley Hawks 13 8,295 638 1,150 310 16%Leeds Tykes 13 14,847 1,142 5,509 306 5%London Welsh 12 9,330 778 1,150 530 17%Manchester 13 8,107 624 942 325 16%Moseley 13 8,982 691 1,102 462 N/AOrrell 13 6,900 531 800 300 10%Otley 13 6,700 515 850 400 7%Wakefield 12 4,420 368 600 250 9%Waterloo 11 3,821 347 500 250 3%Worcester 13 29,007 2,231 3,065 1,600 26%

Individual statistics

Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Sateki Tuipulotu Worcester 25 396 2 Richard Le Bas Leeds Tykes 25 364 3 Martyn Davies Coventry 22 278 4 Phillip Belgian Waterloo 24 241 5 Andy Lee London Welsh 22 226 6 Steve Gough Birmingham & Solihull 19 224 7 Matt Jones Henley Hawks 25 214 8 Ben Harvey Moseley 18 203 9 David Sleman Orrell 25 200 10 Stephen Swindells Manchester 13 199

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Graham Mackay Leeds Tykes 20 19 2 Shaun Woof Leeds Tykes 25 18 3 Matt Vines London Welsh 21 17 Chris Hall Leeds Tykes 23 17 Sateki Tuipulotu Worcester 25 17 4 Kurt Johnson Coventry 23 14 5 Alastair Murdoch Worcester 25 13 Scott Benton Leeds Tykes 26 13 6 Nick Baxter Worcester 12 10 Carl Houston Wakefield 19 10

Season records

Team Largest home win — 61 pts 81 - 20 Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001 Largest away win — 45 pts 48 - 3 Leeds Tykes away to Bedford Blues on 10 February 2001 Most points scored — 81 pts 81 - 20 Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001 Most tries in a match — 12 Leeds Tykes at home to Coventry on 4 March 2001 Most conversions in a match — 9 Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001 Most penalties in a match — 8 Orrell at home to Moseley on 16 September 2000 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x4) Bedford Blues at home to Henley Hawks on 9 September 2000 Exeter Chiefs at home to Wakefield on 16 September 2000 Otley away to London Welsh on 14 October 2000 Orrell at home to Wakefield on 3 February 2001

Player Most points in a match — 31 (x2) Richard Le Bas for Leeds Tykes at home to Wakefield on 19 November 2000 Sateki Tuipulotu for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 20 January 2001 Most tries in a match — 3 (x15) N/A - multiple players Most conversions in a match — 9 Richard Le Bas for Leeds Tykes at home to Wakefield on 19 November 2000 Most penalties in a match — 8 David Sleman for Orrell at home to Moseley on 16 September 2000 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x4) James Shanahan for Bedford Blues at home to Henley Hawks on 9 September 2000 Sam Howard for Exeter Chiefs at home to Wakefield on 16 September 2000 Dan Clappison for Otley away to London Welsh on 14 October 2000 David Sleman for Orrell at home to Wakefield on 3 February 2001

Attendances

Highest — 5,509 Leeds Tykes at home to Worcester on 1 April 2001 Lowest — 200 (x3) Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 14 October 2000, Moseley on 16 December 2001 & Otley on 4 February 2001 Highest Average Attendance — 2,231 Worcester Lowest Average Attendance — 322 Birmingham & Solihull

Notes

See also 2000–01 Premiership Rugby 2000–01 National Division Two 2000–01 National Division Three North 2000–01 National Division Three South

References