2001–02 National Division Two

The 2001–02 National Division Two was the second version (fifteenth overall) of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Orrell and Waterloo who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division One while Stourbridge (champions) and Sedgley Park (playoffs) came up from the 2000–01 National Division Three North and Plymouth Albion as champions of the 2000-01 National Division Three South. The league points system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.

The title race was extremely tight and went to the last game with Orrell winning their rescheduled game away to Nottingham to draw dead level with Plymouth Albion at the top of the table and take the title by virtue of a better points difference – the fact Orrell had won both of their games against Plymouth was largely responsible for their victory. Both sides would be promoted to the 2002–03 National Division One with Orrell making an instant return following their relegation at the start of the season while Plymouth would make it a second promotion in a row. As well as gaining promotion the Devon-based side would also be easily the most popular side in the division with over 19,000 fans in total attending throughout the season. At the opposite end of the table Preston Grasshoppers and Waterloo would be the first sides to be relegated, followed by Rosslyn Park who battled to the end but never had quite enough to overtake relegation rivals Stourbridge and Kendal. Preston and Waterloo would drop down to the 2002–03 National Division Three North while Rosslyn Park went down to the 2002–03 National Division Three South, with Waterloo suffering their second consecutive relegation. It was quite a turn around for Rosslyn Park who went within a whisker to being promoted the previous season only to be relegated this season.

Participating teams and locations

Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area EsherMolesey Road3,000Hersham, SurreyFyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground7,500 (500 seats)Lytham St. Annes, LancashireHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North YorkshireKendalMint Bridge4,600 (600 seats) Kendal, CumbriaNewbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireNottinghamIreland Avenue4,990 (590 seats) Beeston, NottinghamshireOrrellEdge Hall Road5,300 (300 seats) Orrell, Greater ManchesterPlymouth AlbionBeacon Park3,500 (450 seats)Plymouth, DevonPreston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green2,250 (250 seats)Preston, LancashireRosslyn ParkThe Rock2,000 (630 seats)Roehampton, LondonSedgley ParkPark Lane3,000Whitefield, Greater ManchesterStourbridgeStourton Park 3,500 (450 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 29 December 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Round 14

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 10 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 24 November 2001.

Game rescheduled from 24 November 2001.

Round 15

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 19

Round 20

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Rounds 13 & 15 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 15 December 2001.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Round 21

Rounds 14, 18 & 20 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.

Game rescheduled from 9 February 2002.

Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Round 22

Round 23

Round 24

Round 25

Round 26

Round 15 (rescheduled game)

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Total season attendances

ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Esher 11 3,600 327 500 150 11% Fylde 11 4,850 441 500 300 6% Harrogate 13 5,829 448 784 263 10% Kendal 12 5,121 427 728 232 9% Newbury Blues 12 4,765 397 720 220 5% Nottingham 12 4,185 349 546 211 7% Orrell 13 9,300 715 1,300 300 13% Plymouth Albion 12 19,117 1,593 2,100 1,080 46% Preston Grasshoppers 12 3,995 333 680 85 7% Rosslyn Park 12 6,175 515 750 175 26% Sedgley Park 13 5,415 417 800 240 14% Stourbridge 13 4,520 348 700 100 10% Waterloo 12 2,998 250 464 100 3% Wharfedale 12 5,750 479 650 400 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 Phil Jones Orrell 26 343 2 Jonathon Gregory Esher 26 311 3 Ben Harvey Stourbridge 25 298 4 Lee Cholewa Harrogate 26 284 5 Jonathon Davies Wharfedale 26 278 6 Mike Scott Kendal 26 271 7 Colin Stephens Sedgley Park 21 244 8 Tom Barlow Plymouth 26 211 9 Chris Glynn Preston Grasshoppers 25 210 10 Russell Southam Nottingham 17 203

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Dan Ward-Smith Plymouth Albion 26 23 2 Neil Kerfoot Orrell 23 19 Andy Craig Orrell 25 19 3 John Dudley Harrogate 25 16 Freeman Payne Waterloo 26 16 4 Phil Jones Orrell 26 15 Andrew Hodgson Wharfedale 25 15 5 Wes Davies Orrell 15 13 6 Ross Bullough Sedgley Park 15 12 Rob Moon Sedgley Park 17 12

Season records

Team Largest home win — 57 pts 92 - 0 Plymouth Albion at home to Esher on 30 March 2002 Largest away win — 59 pts 67 - 8 Orrell away to Preston Grasshoppers on 16 March 2002 Most points scored — 67 pts 67 - 8 Orrell away to Preston Grasshoppers on 16 March 2002 Most tries in a match — 11 Orrell away to Preston Grasshoppers on 16 March 2002 Most conversions in a match — 8 (x2) Plymouth Albion at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 23 February 2002 Orrell away to Nottingham on 20 April 2002 Most penalties in a match — 8 Esher at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 1 December 2001 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Kendal away to Esher on 10 November 2001 Sedgley park away to Fylde on 1 December 2001

Player Most points in a match — 30 (x2) Colin Stephens for Sedgley Park at home to Wharfedale on 15 December 2001 Ben Harvey for Stourbridge at home to Esher on 6 April 2002 Most tries in a match — 4 Mark Farrar for Harrogate against Preston Grasshoppers on 6 April 2002 Most conversions in a match — 8 (x2) Chris Atkinson for Plymouth Albion at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 23 February 2002 Richard Welding for Orrell away to Nottingham on 20 April 2002 Most penalties in a match — 8 Jonathon Gregory for Esher at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 1 December 2001 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Mike Scott for Kendal away to Esher on 10 November 2001 Colin Stephens for Sedgley park away to Fylde on 1 December 2001

Attendances Highest — 2,100 Plymouth Albion at home to Fylde on 5 January 2002 Lowest — 85 Preston Grasshoppers at home to Newbury Blues on 2 March 2002 Highest Average Attendance — 1,593 Plymouth Albion Lowest Average Attendance — 250 Waterloo

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

References

External links NCA Rugby