2009–10 National League 1

The 2009-10 National League 1, previously known as National Division 2, is the first season of the third division of the English rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced with widespread league changes made by the RFU. As the new second division would reduce teams from 16 to 12, there were plenty of new additions to National League 1, itself increasing from 14 to 16 teams, with Esher, Newbury, Manchester, Manchester and Sedgley Park all dropping down from the old National 1 while Nuneaton and London Scottish came up from the 2008–09 National Division Three North and 2008–09 National Division Three South respectively (these divisions themselves now renamed National League 2 North/South).

At the end of the season Esher finished as champions, way ahead of runners up and newly promoted London Scottish, suffering only one defeat and going straight back up to the 2010–11 RFU Championship. At the other end of the table, Manchester had an absolutely awful season, suffering their second successive relegation, with no wins, no bonus points, only 114 points scored and over 2,500 points conceded. The other two sides to join them would be Nuneaton who went straight back down after one season and Newbury Blues who also suffered a second relegation in a row, losing out to 13th place Otley by just 2 points. Manchester and Nuneaton would drop to the 2010–11 National League 2 North while Newbury would go down into the 2010–11 National League 2 South.

Participating teams and locations

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Blackheath, LondonBlaydonCrow Trees2,000 (400 seats)Swalwell, Tyne and WearCambridgeGrantchester Road2,200 (200 seats)Cambridge, CambridgeshireCinderfordDockham Road2,500Cinderford, GloucestershireEsherMolesey Road3,000 (1,200 seats)Hersham, SurreyLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000Launceston, CornwallLondon ScottishAthletic Ground4,500 (1,000 seats)Richmond, LondonManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater ManchesterNewbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshireOtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West YorkshireRedruthThe Recreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, CornwallSedgley ParkPark Lane3,000Whitefield, Greater ManchesterStourbridgeStourton Park3,500 (499 seats)Stourbridge, West MidlandsTynedaleTynedale Park2,000 (400 seats)Corbridge, NorthumberlandWharfedaleThe Avenue2,000Threshfield, Craven, North Yorkshire

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

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.

Round 16

Postponed. Game rescheduled for 20 March 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 May 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2010.

Round 17

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2010.

Postponed. Game rescheduled for 14 April 2010.

Round 19

Round 20

Postponed. Game rescheduled for 2 February 2010.

Round 20 (Rescheduled game)

Rescheduled from 30 January 2010.

Round 15 (Rescheduled games)

Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.

Round 21 (Rescheduled game)

Brought forward from 13 February 2010.

Round 21

Brought forward to 7 February 2010.

Round 22

Round 23

Postponed. Game rescheduled for 8 May 2010.

Round 24

Round 25

Rounds 16 & 17 (Rescheduled games)

Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.

Rescheduled from 2 January 2010.

Round 26

Round 27

Round 28

Round 18 (Rescheduled game)

Rescheduled from 16 January 2010.

Round 29

Round 30

Round 17 (Rescheduled games)

Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.

Rounds 18 & 23 (Rescheduled games)

Rescheduled from 16 January 2010.

Rescheduled from 27 February 2010.

Round 16 (Rescheduled game)

Rescheduled from 2 January 2010. Game cancelled as Cinderford did not have enough front row players and match would not have any outcome as Esher had already won the title and Cinderford were safe from relegation.

Total season attendances

ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Blackheath 15 9,387 626 942 352 18% Blaydon 15 5,127 342 1,021 105 17% Cambridge 15 8,606 574 1,020 344 26% Cinderford 14 3,505 250 400 195 17% Esher 15 14,122 941 1,294 654 31% Launceston 15 10,801 720 1,437 537 24% London Scottish 15 15,216 1,014 2,485 455 23% Manchester 14 2,840 203 320 110 5% Newbury Blues 15 6,855 457 571 328 6% Nuneaton 15 3,553 237 424 149 6% Otley 15 6,217 414 894 271 6% Redruth 15 13,974 932 2,010 708 27% Sedgley Park 14 5,113 365 512 176 12% Stourbridge 15 7,500 500 650 400 14% Tynedale 15 7,158 477 910 310 24% Wharfedale 15 7,876 525 868 402 26%

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 Sam Ulph Esher 24 399 2 Frankie Neale London Scottish 25 279 3 Tony Yapp Launceston 28 274 4 Paul Humphries Blackheath 27 264 5 Mark Bedworth Wharfedale 28 251 6 Mitch Burton Newbury Blues 29 216 7 Huw Thomas Nuneaton 30 201 8 Stephen Nutt Sedgley Park 27 187 9 Matthew Riley Sedgley Park 29 180 10 James Murray Otley 21 170

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Johannes Schmidt Cambridge 28 30 2 Seb Jewell Esher 25 22 3 Charles Broughton London Scottish 23 20 Tyson Lewis Blackheath 24 20 4 Shaun Renwick Esher 27 19 David Sleman Esher 27 19 Lewis Vinnicombe Redruth 28 19 5 Charlie Ingall Tynedale 22 18 6 David Allen Blackheath 21 17 7 Chris Malherbe Wharfedale 22 16

Season records

Team Largest home win — 119 pts 124 - 5 Wharfedale at home to Manchester on 26 September 2009 Largest away win — 148 pts 148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Most points scored — 148 pts 148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Most tries in a match — 23 Blaydon away to Manchester on 19 September 2009 Most conversions in a match — 19 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Most penalties in a match — 5 N/A - multiple teams Most drop goals in a match — 2 Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009

Player Most points in a match — 51 Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Most tries in a match — 6 (x2) Johannes Schmidt for Cambridge at home to Manchester on 10 April 2010 Seb Jewell for Esher at home to Manchester on 24 April 2010 Most conversions in a match — 18 Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Most penalties in a match — 5 N/A - multiple players Most drop goals in a match — 2 Mitch Burton for Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009

Attendances Highest — 2,485 London Scottish at home to Esher on 16 January 2010 Lowest — 105 Blaydon at home to Nuneaton on 17 April 2010 Highest Average Attendance — 1,014 London Scottish Lowest Average Attendance — 203 Manchester

See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England

References

External links NCA Rugby

2009–10 National League 1

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