2001–02 National Division Three North

The 2001–02 National Division Three North was the second season (fifteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division Two while promoted teams included Scunthorpe who were champions of Midlands Division 1 while Darlington Mowden Park (champions) and Blaydon (playoffs) came up from North Division 1. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the promotion system changing for this season with a playoff system being introduced. The champions of both National Division Three North and National Division Three South would automatically go up but the runners up of these two divisions would meet each other in a one off match (at the home ground of the side with the superior league record) to see who would claim the third and final promotion place to National Division Two for the following season.

After the havoc caused by the previous seasons foot-and-mouth crisis, this year's competition was much more straightforward with all fixtures being fulfilled. Doncaster were easily the top side in the competition, strolling to the league title with almost a perfect record (they lost just the one game) and gaining promotion to the 2002–03 National Division Two. As league runners up, Dudley Kingswinford had a tough playoff game away against 2001–02 National Division Three South runners up Launceston who were ultimately too strong for the Midlands side who lost 26 - 0 and had to spend another season in National Division Three North. Unlike 2000-01 the relegation process was much more straightforward expect that four teams would go down instead of the usual two. West Hartlepool were the first team to be relegated, suffering their fourth relegation in a row (the north-west club were actually a Premiership team at the start of this slide), followed swiftly by Sandal as easily the two worst sides in the league. Morley and Whitchurch were the other teams to be relegated, being much more competitive but not having quite enough to stay safe. West Hartlepool, Sandal and Morley dropped to North Division 1 while Whitchurch went into Midlands Division 1.

Participating teams and locations

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, BedfordshireBlaydonCrow Trees2,000 (400 seats)Swalwell, Tyne and WearDarlington Mowden ParkYiewsley Drive Darlington, County DurhamDoncasterCastle Park3,075Doncaster, South YorkshireDudley KingswinfordHeathbrook2,260Kingswinford, Dudley, West MidlandsLiverpool St HelensMoss Lane4,370 (370 seats)St Helens, MerseysideMorleyScatcherd Lane6,000 (1,000 seats)Morley, Leeds, West YorkshireNew BrightonHartsfield2,000Wirral, MerseysideNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshireSandalMilnthorpe GreenSandal Magna, Wakefield, West YorkshireScunthorpeHeslam Park1,212 (212 seats)Scunthorpe, LincolnshireTynedaleTynedale Park2,000 (400 seats)Corbridge, NorthumberlandWest HartlepoolBrinkburn1,000 (76 seats)Hartlepool, County DurhamWhitchurchEdgeley ParkWhitchurch, Shropshire

Final league table

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 December 2001.

Rounds 7 & 14 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 3 November 2001.

Game initially rescheduled from 29 December 2001 but postponed again until 16 February 2002.

Game initially rescheduled from 3 November 2001 but postponed again until 2 March 2002.

Game initially rescheduled from 29 December 2001 but postponed again until 16 February 2002.

Round 15

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 16

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Round 17

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 2002.

Round 19

Round 20

Rounds 7 & 14 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.

Game rescheduled firstly from 22 December 2001 and then from 29 December 2001.

Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.

Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.

Game rescheduled from 22 December 2001.

Game initially rescheduled from 3 November 2001 & then 29 December 2001.

Round 21

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 April 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 April 2002.

Rounds 14, 15 & 22 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 29 December 2002.

Game brought forward from 9 March 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Round 22

Game brought forward to 2 March 2002.

Round 23

Rounds 15 & 16 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 12 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Round 24

Round 25

Round 26

Round 18 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Round 21 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 23 February 2002.

Game rescheduled from 23 February 2002.

Promotion play-off The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Launceston were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, Dudley Kingswinford, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Bedford Athletic 8 1,225 153 200 125 31% Blaydon 4 980 245 300 150 12% Darlington Mowden Park 2 700 350 400 300 Doncaster 2 3,000 1,500 2,000 1,000 49% Dudley Kingswinford 11 5,520 502 750 300 22% Liverpool St Helens 4 800 200 250 150 5% Morley 1 400 400 400 400 7% New Brighton 1 450 450 450 450 23% Nuneaton 2 270 135 150 120 4% Sandal 8 1,180 148 200 100 Scunthorpe 8 2,400 300 450 250 25% Tynedale 5 1,300 260 400 150 13% West Hartlepool 1 150 150 150 150 15% Whitchurch 5 1,650 330 375 275

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 John Liley Doncaster 26 359 2 Steve Smart Dudley Kingswinford 22 320 3 Paul Brett New Brighton 26 288 4 Simon Worsley Liverpool St Helens 22 227 5 Tim Robinson Scunthorpe 25 198 6 James Lofthouse Blaydon 22 190 7 Alistair Sherlock Morley 20 143 8 Shaun Perry Dudley Kingswinford 24 138 9 Jamie Elphick Bedford Athletic 22 136 10 Phillip Belgian Tynedale 13 120 Derek Eves Doncaster 26 120 Chris Conway Doncaster 26 120

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Shaun Perry Dudley Kingswinford 24 25 2 Derek Eves Doncaster 26 24 Chris Conway Doncaster 26 24 3 Sean Casey Liverpool St Helens 25 22 4 Olly Ryan Bedford Athletic 20 18 5 Matt Donkin Doncaster 21 17 Steve Smart Dudley Kingswinford 22 17 Emrys Evans New Brighton 22 17 Matt Brain Doncaster 23 17 6 Andrew Foreman Blaydon 22 15

Season records

Team Largest home win — 83 pts 86 - 3 Doncaster at home to Darlington Mowden Park on 13 April 2002 Largest away win — 61 pts 71 - 0 Dudley Kingswinford away to Sandal on 24 November 2001 Most points scored — 95 pts 95 - 13 Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001 Most tries in a match — 15 Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001 Most conversions in a match — 10 Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x2) Blaydon at home to New Brighton on 6 October 2001 Scunthorpe at home to Blaydon on 3 November 2001 Most drop goals in a match — 1 (x8) N/A (multiple teams)

Player Most points in a match — 35 Matt Donkin for Doncaster at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001 Most tries in a match — 7 Matt Donkin for Doncaster at home to Whitchurch on 10 November 2001 Most conversions in a match — 10 John Liley for Doncaster at home to West Hartlepool on 24 November 2001 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x2) James Lofthouse for Blaydon at home to New Brighton on 6 October 2001 Tim Robinson for Scunthorpe at home to Blaydon on 3 November 2001 Most drop goals in a match — 1 (x22) N/A (multiple players)

Attendances Highest — 2,000 Doncaster at home to Dudley Kingswinford on 26 January 2002 Lowest — 100 (x2) Sandal at home to Dudley Kingswinford on 24 November 2001 and Whitchurch on 16 February 2002 Highest Average Attendance — 1,500 Doncaster

Lowest Average Attendance — 150 Nuneaton

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

References

External links NCA Rugby