The 1988–89 National Division 3 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was the second season of the third tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, currently known as National League 1. New clubs to the division included Askeans and Rugby who were promoted from tier 4 and there was no relegation from tier 2 at the end of the previous season.

Plymouth Albion won all their eleven matches and won promotion to the 1989–90 National Division 2. Rugby Lions finished second, winning ten of their eleven matches, and were also promoted. Metropolitan Police and Maidstone finished in the bottom two places and both clubs were relegated to the 1989–90 Area League South with Metropolitan Police relegated on points difference and Maidstone losing all of their matches.

Structure Each team played one match against each of the other teams, playing a total of eleven matches each, and for the first time matches were played on fixed Saturdays. The top two clubs were promoted to National Division 2 and the bottom two relegated to Area League North or Area League South depending on locality.

Participating teams and locations

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonAskeans Broad Walk 1,500 (300 seats)Kidbrooke, LondonPromoted from Area South (1st)Exeter County Ground 5,750 (750 seats)Exeter, Devon9thFylde Woodlands 7,500 (500 seats)Lytham St Annes, Lancashire6thMaidstone William Davey Memorial2,000 (100 seats)Maidstone, Kent8thMetropolitan PoliceImber Court3,500 (500 seats)East Molesey, Surrey7thNuneatonHarry Cleaver Ground 5,000 (650 seats)Nuneaton, Warwickshire10th Plymouth Albion Beacon Park1,950 (450 seats)Plymouth, Devon3rdRugbyWebb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, WarwickshirePromoted from Area North (1st)Sheffield Abbeydale Park 3,300 (100 seats)Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire4thVale of Lune Powderhouse Lane 9,860 (360 seats)Lancaster, Lancashire5thWakefield College Grove 4,000 (500 seats) Wakefield, West Yorkshire1st (no promotion)West Hartlepool Brierton Lane 4,950 (450 seats) Hartlepool, Cleveland2nd (no promotion)

League table

Notes

See also 1988–89 National Division 1 1988–89 National Division 2 1988–89 Area League North 1988–89 Area League South

References

External links National Clubs Association