The 2004–05 National Division Two was the fifth version (eighteenth overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Manchester who were relegated from the 2003–04 National Division One while Waterloo came up as champions of the 2003–04 National Division Three North with Blackheath (champions) and Launceston (playoffs) coming up from the 2003–04 National Division Three South. Wakefield had also been supposed to join the division having finished 13th in National Division One but due to financial difficulties the club would go into liquidation and cease to exist. This season would see the league points system being overhauled in the division with four points being awarded for a win, two points for a draw as well as bonus points being introduced (the Premiership had been using them since 2000) with teams being awarded an extra point for scoring four or more tries during a game or if losing, being within seven points of the victor.
Doncaster would finish as league champions, 13 points clear of nearest rivals, Newbury Blues. Both sides would go up to the 2005–06 National Division One. At the other end of the table, apart from Rosslyn Park who were comfortably bottom, it was a very tight relegation battle with Bracknell and Nuneaton eventually going down to join Rosslyn Park despite both sides winning their last games – in the end only 2 points separated 10th placed Esher from 12th placed Nuneaton. Nuneaton would drop down to the 2005–06 National Division Three North while Bracknell and Rosslyn Park went into the 2005–06 National Division Three South.
Participating teams and locations
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area BlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Blackheath, LondonBracknellLily Hill Park1,250 (250 seats)Bracknell, BerkshireDoncasterCastle Park3,075Doncaster, South YorkshireEsherMolesey Road3,000Hersham, SurreyHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North YorkshireLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000Launceston, CornwallManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater ManchesterMoseleyBournbrook Birmingham, West MidlandsNewbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshireRosslyn ParkThe Rock2,000 (630 seats)Roehampton, LondonStourbridgeStourton Park3,500 (499 seats)Stourbridge, West MidlandsWaterlooSt Anthony's Road9,950 (950 seats) Blundellsands, MerseysideWharfedaleThe 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
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 12 February 2005.
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 10 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 27 November 2004.
Round 19
Round 20
Round 21
Round 22
Round 23
Round 24
Round 25
Round 26
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Blackheath 13 8,731 672 1,500 273 19% Bracknell 12 3,004 250 384 100 20% Doncaster 10 8,786 879 2,000 470 29% Esher 13 5,675 437 600 350 15% Harrogate 13 5,367 413 778 200 9% Launceston 13 7,290 561 700 420 19% Manchester 12 3,699 308 457 208 8% Moseley 12 4,241 353 450 195 Newbury Blues 12 5,316 443 825 280 6% Nuneaton 8 2,490 311 500 100 8% Rosslyn Park 13 6,505 500 750 280 25% Stourbridge 13 6,024 463 700 300 13% Waterloo 10 4,075 408 652 200 4% Wharfedale 13 6,110 470 800 375 24%
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 Oliver Thomas Moseley 25 328 2 Rob Liley Doncaster 24 321 3 David Harvey Newbury Blues 23 285 4 Neil Hallett Bracknell / Esher 22 248 5 Stephen McCashin Blackheath 24 228 6 Jonathon Davies Wharfedale 25 214 7 Lee Cholewa Harrogate 25 196 8 Andy Frost Bracknell 19 172 9 Ben Harvey Stourbridge 20 164 10 Steven Perry Launceston 25 149
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Lucas Onyango Manchester 22 24 2 Donovan van Vuuren Doncaster 20 20 3 Nathan Bressington Moseley 26 16 4 James Tapster Harrogate 23 13 5 Martin Lacey Launceston 16 12 Andre Wilson Manchester 26 12 Jan Van Deventer Waterloo 25 12 6 Martin Nutt Newbury 17 11 7 Richard Briggs Doncaster 15 10 Marc Dibble Launceston 20 10
Season records
Team Largest home win — 74 pts 79 - 5 Harrogate at home to Bracknell on 27 November 2004 Largest away win — 45 pts 57 - 12 Doncaster away to Wharfedale on 20 4 September 2004 Most points scored — 74 pts 79 - 5 Harrogate at home to Bracknell on 27 November 2004 Most tries in a match — 11 Harrogate at home to Bracknell on 27 November 2004 Most conversions in a match — 9 Harrogate at home to Bracknell on 27 November 2004 Most penalties in a match — 6 Blackheath away to Stourbridge on 26 February 2005 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple teams
Player Most points in a match — 29 Jonathan Davies for Wharfedale at home to Nuneaton on 9 October 2004 Most tries in a match — 3 N/A - multiple players Most conversions in a match — 9 Lee Cholewa for Harrogate at home to Bracknell on 27 November 2004 Most penalties in a match — 6 Stephen McCashin for Blackheath away to Stourbridge on 26 February 2005 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 2,000 Doncaster at home to Manchester on 9 October 2004 Lowest — 120 (x3) Nuneaton at home to Bracknell on 23 October 2004 and Waterloo on 13 November 2004 Bracknell at home to Esher on 20 November 2004 Highest Average Attendance — 879 Doncaster Lowest Average Attendance — 250 Bracknell
See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby