The 1987–88 National Division 2 was the first season of the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, and the first to be sponsored by Courage Brewery. It was also the first season of a truly national rugby union league, with the second tier currently known as Champ Rugby.
Rosslyn Park, the first ever second division champions, were promoted to the 1988–89 National Division 1 along with the runners-up, Liverpool St Helens. Although Northampton finished in last place they were not relegated to National Division 3. Almost all clubs in the national divisions reported an increase in attendances.
Structure Each team played the others once to make a total of eleven matches each and for this first season there was no fixture list; the teams arranged fixtures amongst themselves. Most teams played eleven games, although some played ten due to cancellations and there were unequal home and away fixtures. The top two sides were promoted to National Division 1 and for this season there was no relegation.
The points scheme was such that a team received four points for a win, two for a draw and one point for a loss.
Participating teams
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBedfordGoldington Road4,800 (800 seats)Bedford, BedfordshireBlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Greenwich, LondonGosforthNorth Road2,000 (400 stand)Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and WearHeadingleyClarence Fields7,850 (850 seats)Leeds, West YorkshireLiverpool St HelensMoss Lane4,370 (370 seats)St Helens, MerseysideLondon IrishThe Avenue3,600 (600 seats)Sunbury-on-Thames, SurreyLondon ScottishAthletic Ground7,300 (1,300 seats)Richmond, LondonLondon WelshOld Deer Park4,500 (1,500 seats)Richmond, LondonNorthamptonFranklin's Gardens6,000 (2,000 seats)Northampton, NorthamptonshireRichmondAthletic Ground7,300 (1,300 seats)Richmond, LondonRosslyn ParkThe Rock4,630 (630 seats)Roehampton, LondonSaracensBramley Road2,300 (300 seats)Enfield, London
League table
Statistics
Team Record wins 50 – 3 London Scottish v Northampton 48 – 12 Saracens at Blackheath 38 – 3 Headingley v Northampton 34 – 0 Saracens v London Scottish Record away win 48 – 12 Saracens at Blackheath Most points scored in a match 60 12 – 48 Blackheath v Saracens 58 25 – 33 Bedford v Liverpool St Helens Most points scored but still lost 25 28 – 25 Richmond v Bedford 25 33 – 25 Bedford v Liverpool St Helens Highest scoring draw 24 24 – 24 London Welsh v London Scottish Fewest points scored in a match 6 6 – 0 Bedford v Blackheath
Player Most points in a match 26 Andy Mitchell for London Scottish v Northampton Most points in a season 75 Andy Finnie for Bedford Most tries in a match 3 Jerry Macklin for London Scottish v Northampton Orsen Blewitt for Northampton v Bedford John Roberts for Headingley v Northampton Peter Shillingford for London Scottish v Northampton Most tries in a season 10 Dave McLagan for Saracens
See also 1987–88 National Division 1 1987–88 National Division 3 1987–88 Area League North 1987–88 Area League South
References