The 2008-09 National Division Two was the ninth and final version (twenty second overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. The RFU was planning to introduced a new professionalized format of the second division for the 2009-10 season which would lead to widespread league changes throughout the English league system including National Two being renamed National One and being increased from the 14 teams to 16 teams – a decision they made halfway through the season (more information on these changes is provided in the Divisional Changes section below). New teams to the division included Birmingham & Solihull (known the following season as Pertemps Bees) and Launceston who were relegated from the 2007–08 National Division One while promoted teams included Tynedale coming up from the 2007–08 National Division Three North while Mounts Bay (champions) and Cinderford (playoffs) both from the 2007–08 National Division Three South.
At the end of the season Birmingham & Solihull made an instant return to the (newly named) 2009-10 RFU Championship. They edged out runners up Cambridge by just 3 points due to the virtue of a superior bonus points record after both sides finished with 22 wins and 4 defeats each. At the bottom of the table Waterloo, Mounts Bay, Southend and Westcombe Park were relegated with Westcombe Park and Southend dropping to the 2009–10 National League 2 South and Waterloo falling to the 2009–10 National League 2 North. The relegation of Mounts Bay was particularly potent as it led to the club going out of business in June 2009 due to spiraling debts and an inability to cope with the increase of professionalism in the game.
Divisional Changes Halfway through the season the RFU proposed to have a total restructuring of the league system. Resulting in many changes to the division:
The league will be increased to 16 teams The league will be renamed National Division One Only one team would be promoted instead of the usual two, to the new Guinness Championship Five teams would be relegated into the division instead of the usual two Fours teams would be promoted from National Division Three North and National Division Three South (two teams each) instead of the usual three
Participating teams and locations
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBirmingham & SolihullSharmans Cross Road3,500 (1,000 seats)Solihull, West MidlandsBlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Blackheath, LondonBlaydonCrow Trees2,000 (400 seats)Swalwell, Tyne and WearCambridgeGrantchester Road2,200 (200 seats)Cambridge, CambridgeshireCinderfordDockham Road2,500Cinderford, GloucestershireLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000Launceston, CornwallMounts BayMennaye Field3,500Penzance, CornwallRedruthRecreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, CornwallSouthendWarners Park1,500 (150 seats) Southend, EssexStourbridgeStourton Park3,500 (499 seats)Stourbridge, West MidlandsTynedaleTynedale Park2,000 (400 seats)Corbridge, NorthumberlandWaterlooSt Anthony's Road9,950 (950 seats) Blundellsands, MerseysideWestcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200 (200 seats)Orpington, LondonWharfedaleThe Avenue2,000Threshfield, Craven, North Yorkshire
Final league table
Results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 April 2009.
Round 13
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 February 2009.
Round 14
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 January 2009.
Round 15
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 10 April 2009.
Round 16
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.
Round 14 (Rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 20 December 2008.
Round 17
Round 18
Round 13 (Rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 6 December 2008.
Round 19
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 May 2009.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
Round 20
Rounds 13, 15 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 6 December 2008.
Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
Round 21
Rounds 14 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 20 December 2008.
Round 22
Round 23
Round 24
Rounds 15 & 19 (Rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.
Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.
Round 12 (Rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 29 November 2008.
Round 25
Round 26
Rounds 15 & 16 (Rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
Round 19 (Rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Birmingham & Solihull 13 7,522 579 1,177 314 17% Blackheath 13 9,164 705 1,498 363 20% Blaydon 13 5,205 400 752 205 20% Cambridge 13 7,980 614 1,380 350 28% Cinderford 13 6,760 520 815 240 21% Launceston 13 11,746 904 1,911 582 30% Mounts Bay 13 6,178 475 1,500 136 14% Redruth 13 15,212 1,170 2,218 820 33% Southend 12 4,415 368 495 200 25% Stourbridge 13 6,150 473 650 300 14% Tynedale 13 6,046 465 810 210 23% Waterloo 13 3,574 275 450 174 3% Westcombe Park 13 3,035 233 531 131 7% Wharfedale 13 5,981 460 598 368 23%
Individual statistics
Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances will come first. Also note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Points 1 Mark Woodrow Birmingham & Solihull 25 373 2 Alastair Bressington Stourbridge 23 250 3 Mark Bedworth Wharfedale 24 246 4 Daniel Hawkes Mounts Bay 23 197 5 Ben Patston Cambridge 23 183 6 Adam Staniforth Launceston 25 169 7 Andy Frost Southend 14 161 Mark Scrivener Redruth 19 161 8 Simon Hunt Birmingham & Solihull 26 155 9 Matthew Leek Blackheath 24 152
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Simon Hunt Birmingham & Solihull 26 31 2 Luke Fielden Cambridge 22 24 3 Andrew Fenby Blaydon 18 18 Rob Thirlby Redruth 25 18 4 Christoff Lombaard Cambridge 26 17 5 Rob Connolly Birmingham & Solihull 26 15 Reece Spee Birmingham & Solihull 26 15 6 Jack Harrison Tynedale 26 14 7 Rod Petty Birmingham & Solihull 25 13 8 Chris Malherbe Wharfedale 19 12
Season records
Team Largest home win — 115 pts 115 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Largest away win — 61 pts 85 - 24 Blackheath away to Waterloo on 28 February 2009 Most points scored — 115 pts 115 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Most tries in a match — 17 115 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Most conversions in a match — 15 115 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Most penalties in a match — 7 Mounts Bay at home to Southend on 5 November 2008 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple teams
Player Most points in a match — 35 (x2) Alastair Bressington for Stourbridge away to Westcombe Park on 25 October 2008 Mark Woodrow for Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Most tries in a match — 5 Emyr Lewis for Redruth at home to Waterloo on 21 March 2009 Most conversions in a match — 15 Mark Woodrow for Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 4 April 2009 Most penalties in a match — 7 Daniel Hawkes for Mounts Bay at home to Southend on 5 November 2008 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 2,218 Redruth at home to Mounts Bay on 20 December 2008 Lowest — 131 Westcombe Park at home to Wharfedale on 29 November 2008 Highest Average Attendance — 1,170 Redruth Lowest Average Attendance — 233 Westcombe Park
See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby