The 2003–04 National Division Two was the fourth version (seventeenth overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Moseley and Rugby Lions who were relegated from the 2002–03 National Division One while promoted teams included Nuneation who came up as champions of the 2002–03 National Division Three North with Rosslyn Park (champions) and Lydney (playoffs) coming up from the 2002–03 National Division Three South. This season would be the last using the league points system of 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
In what was a very tight title race, Sedgley Park Park pipped Nottingham to the league championship by just one point – with both sides winning promotion to the 2004–05 National Division One. It was quite a turn around in Nottingham's case as the club had gone from just escaping relegation the previous season to gaining promotion as the league's runner up. At the other end of the table, promoted Lydney finished bottom with easily the worst record of just two wins and a draw from their twenty-six games. Joining them in the second relegation spot were Rugby Lions who went down on the last day of the season by losing heavily to champions Sedgley Park whilst relegation rivals Rosslyn Park stayed up by virtue of their win against Newbury Blues. Lydney would go into the 2004–05 National Division Three South while Rugby Lions dropped to the 2004–05 National Division Three North in what would be the Lions second successive relegation.
Participating teams and locations
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area BracknellLily Hill Park1,250 (250 seats)Bracknell, BerkshireDoncasterCastle Park3,075Doncaster, South YorkshireEsherMolesey Road3,000Hersham, SurreyHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North YorkshireLydneyRegentsholme3,000 (340 seats)Lydney, GloucestershireMoseleyBournbrook Birmingham, West MidlandsNewbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireNottinghamIreland Avenue4,990 (590 seats) Beeston, NottinghamshireNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshireRosslyn ParkThe Rock2,000 (630 seats)Roehampton, LondonRugby LionsWebb Ellis Road3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, WarwickshireSedgley ParkPark Lane3,000Whitefield, Greater ManchesterStourbridgeStourton Park3,500 (499 seats)Stourbridge, West MidlandsWharfedaleThe 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
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.
Round 19
Round 20
Round 18 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 31 January 2004.
Round 21
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 March 2004.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 March 2004.
Round 21 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004.
Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004.
Round 22
Round 23
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 March 2004.
Round 23 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 20 March 2004.
Round 24
Round 25
Round 26
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Bracknell 1 150 150 150 150 12% Doncaster 1 500 500 500 500 16% Esher 6 2,100 350 500 150 12% Harrogate 2 1,300 650 1,000 300 14% Lydney 0 0 N/A N/A N/A Moseley 8 2,686 336 506 263 Newbury Blues 1 275 275 275 275 3% Nottingham 4 3,192 798 1,495 435 16% Nuneaton 1 500 500 500 500 13% Rosslyn Park 1 500 500 500 500 25% Rugby Lions 2 865 433 560 305 14% Sedgley Park 4 1,795 449 640 320 15% Stourbridge 1 400 400 400 400 11% Wharfedale 3 1,400 467 550 400 23%
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 Rob Liley Doncaster 22 268 2 Sam Howard Rosslyn Park 26 267 3 Neil Hallett Bracknell 26 239 4 Neil Stenhouse Nottingham 20 238 5 Lee Cholewa Harrogate 24 222 6 Ben Harvey Stourbridge 19 210 7 Jody Peacock Nuneaton 24 201 8 Adam Westall Lydney 25 180 9 Ryno Veckermann Sedgley Park 25 177 10 Jonathon Gregory Esher 15 164
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 James Aston Moseley 24 18 2 Nathan Bressington Stourbridge 14 17 Jody Peacock Nuneaton 24 17 3 Jamie Barker Harrogate 26 16 4 James Justice Rosslyn Park 24 15 5 Jordan Hands Nuneaton 14 13 Nick Wakeley Doncaster 23 13 6 Nick Hill Nuneaton 14 12 James Tapster Harrogate 25 12 Ross Bullough Sedgley Park 26 12
Season records
Team Largest home win — 91 pts 91 - 0 Nuneaton at home to Lydney on 24 January 2004 Largest away win — 43 pts 58 - 15 Nottingham away to Lydney on 20 December 2003 Most points scored — 91 pts 91 - 0 Nuneaton at home to Lydney on 24 January 2004 Most tries in a match — 15 Nuneaton at home to Lydney on 24 January 2004 Most conversions in a match — 8 Nuneaton at home to Lydney on 24 January 2004 Most penalties in a match — 8 Stourbridge at home to Rosslyn Park on 25 October 2003 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Bracknell away to Sedgley Park on 29 November 2003
Player Most points in a match — 32 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park at home to Bracknell on 3 January 2004 Most tries in a match — 5 John Carter for Doncaster at home to Lydney on 7 February 2004 Most conversions in a match — 8 Peter Glackin for Nuneaton at home to Lydney on 24 January 2004 Most penalties in a match — 8 Ben Harvey for Stourbridge at home to Rosslyn Park on 25 October 2003 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Neil Hallett for Bracknell away to Sedgley Park on 29 November 2003
Attendances Highest — 1,495 Nottingham at home to Lydney on 10 April 2004 Lowest — 150 Bracknell at home to Rugby Lions on 6 September 2003 Highest Average Attendance — 798 Nottingham Lowest Average Attendance — 150 Bracknell
See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby