The 1995–96 National Division 3 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was the ninth season of the third tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, currently known as National League 1. New teams to the division included Coventry and Fylde (relegated from tier 2) and Reading and Rotherham (promoted from tier 4).
Following relegation last season, Coventry won the division by three points to finish as champions. They would be joined in 1996–97 National Division 2 by runners up Richmond and, owing to an increase in the number of teams in the above divisions for the following season, 3rd place Rugby and 4th place Rotherham were also promoted. There was no relegation because National Division 3 will consist of sixteen teams next season.
Structure Each side played one another twice, in a round robin system, home and away, to make a total of eighteen matches for each team. There are usually two promotion places and two relegation places, with the champions and runner-up promoted to National Division 2 and the last two teams relegated to National Division 4. Owing to a reorganisation of the league system four teams are promoted and none relegated this season.
Participating teams and locations
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonCoventryCoundon Road10,000 (1,100 seats) Coventry, West MidlandsRelegated from National 2 (10th)FyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground7,500 (500 seats)Lytham St Annes, LancashireRelegated from National 2 (9th)Harrogate Claro Road 4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North Yorkshire 7thMorleyScatcherd Lane6,000 (1,000 seats)Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire5thOtley Cross Green 7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West Yorkshire 6thReading Holme Park Reading, Berkshire Promoted from National 4 (1st)RichmondAthletic Ground7,300 (1,300 seats)Richmond, London8thRosslyn ParkThe Rock4,630 (630 seats)Roehampton, London4thRotherham Clifton Lane 2,500 Rotherham, South Yorkshire Promoted from National 4 (2nd)Rugby Webb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, Warwickshire 3rd
League table
See also 1995–96 National Division 1 1995–96 National Division 2 1995–96 National Division 4 1995–96 Courage League Division 5 North 1995–96 Courage League Division 5 South
References