The 2000–01 National Division Two was the fourteenth full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system currently known as National League 1. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool and Rugby Lions who were relegated from the 1999–2000 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two while promoted teams included Kendal and Esher who were promoted as champions of National Division Three North and National Division Three South respectively. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
The league champions were Bracknell who won the title by five points and gained promotion to the 2001–02 National Division One. They would be joined by runners up Rugby Lions (making an instant return to the division) who squeaked past Rosslyn Park despite being level on points due to a better points for/conceded record. At the other end of the table West Hartlepool, Lydney and Camberley would be the unfortunate teams to be relegated. West Hartlepool were easily the worse team in the division, failing to win a single game all season and suffering their second successive relegation in a row (part of a slide that would see them drop out of the national league system into regional rugby) while Lydney went down having only played 22 games due to fixture congestion/cancellations – although even if the Gloucestershire-based side won these remaining fixtures it would not have been enough to keep them up. West Hartlepool would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three North while Camberley and Lydney would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three South.
Participating teams and locations
Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area Previous seasonBracknellLily Hill Park1,000Bracknell, Berkshire7thCamberleyWatchetts Recreation Ground2,000Camberley, Surrey12thEsherMolesey Road3,000Hersham, SurreyPromoted from National 2 South (1st)FyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground7,500 (500 seats)Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire9thHarrogateClaro Road4,500 (500 seats)Harrogate, North Yorkshire6thKendalMint Bridge4,600 (600 seats) Kendal, CumbriaPromoted from National 2 North (1st)LydneyRegentsholme3,000 (340 seats)Lydney, Gloucestershire10thNewbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, Berkshire5thNottinghamIreland Avenue4,990 (590 seats) Beeston, Nottinghamshire11thPreston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green2,250 (250 seats)Preston, Lancashire8thRosslyn ParkThe Rock2,000 (630 seats)Roehampton, London4thRugby LionsWebb Ellis Road3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, WarwickshireRelegated from Premiership 2 (13th)West HartlepoolBrinkburn1,000 (76 seats)Hartlepool, County DurhamRelegated from Premiership 2 (14th)WharfedaleThe Avenue2,000Threshfield, Craven, North Yorkshire3rd
Final league table
Results
Some of the early-season scores from Rugby Statbunker are incorrect (possibly due to an automatic scoring system used on that website) as they are different from those reported in the Telegraph. I have used scores from the England Rugby website to ensure that they are accurate with reports from Statbunker primarily used to show scorers, attendances and referees were relevant. Statbunker scores are consistent with rest of sources from 16 December 2000 onwards.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 30 December 2000.
Round 9
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.
Round 10
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Round 11
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.
Round 12
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Round 13
Round 14
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Round 15
Round 8 (rescheduled games)
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 and was initially postponed once again - eventually being cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 April 2001.
Round 19
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.
Rounds 3, 9, 11, 12 & 18 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000.
Game rescheduled from 25 November 2000.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 2 December 2000.
Game rescheduled from 11 November 2000.
Round 20
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.
Rounds 8, 10, 12 & 14 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 18 November 2000.
Game rescheduled from 16 December 2000.
Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Game rescheduled from 2 December 2000.
Round 21
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.
Round 8 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Round 22
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 April 2001.
Round 23
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Round 24
Round 25
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Round 18 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
Round 26
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Rounds 19, 20 & 21 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 27 January 2001.
Game rescheduled from 10 February 2001.
Game rescheduled from 24 February 2001.
Rounds 8 & 23 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 4 November 2000.
Game rescheduled from 10 March 2001.
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Bracknell 3 1,000 333 600 200 33% Camberley 13 2,180 168 250 80 Esher 13 4,000 308 500 150 10% Fylde 4 1,800 450 500 400 6% Harrogate 13 5,200 400 600 250 9% Kendal 9 4,940 549 850 400 12% Lydney 7 2,760 394 580 200 13% Newbury Blues 5 2,210 442 500 300 6% Nottingham 7 1,963 280 420 145 6% Preston Grasshoppers 11 4,230 385 630 220 8% Rosslyn Park 5 3,250 650 1,000 200 33% Rugby Lions 6 2,000 333 450 200 10% West Hartlepool 6 985 164 285 50 16% Wharfedale 4 2,000 500 700 350 25%
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 Mike Scott Kendal 24 290 2 Jonathon Gregory Esher 23 281 3 Chris Glynn Preston Grasshoppers 24 261 4 Russell Southam Nottingham 17 256 5 Lee Cholewa Harrogate 26 231 6 Adam Mounsey Wharfedale 19 189 7 Paul Roblin Rosslyn Park 15 163 8 Mike Kenworthy Bracknell 17 160 9 Brad Mooar Rosslyn Park 8 135 10 Jacques Steyn Rugby Lions 14 130
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Ed Smithies Harrogate 26 17 2 James Justice Rosslyn Park 24 16 Eddie Saunders Rugby Lions 24 16 Jame Morley Nottingham 25 16 James Tapster Harrogate 26 16 3 Jacques Steyn Rugby Lions 14 15 4 Chris Ritchie Rosslyn Park 20 14 Graham Sparks Bracknell 24 14 5 Guy Spencer Bracknell 15 12 Ben Murphy Nottingham 26 12
Season records
Team Largest home win — 92 pts 92 - 0 Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Largest away win — 57 pts 69 - 12 Rugby Lions away to Camberley on 21 April 2001 Most points scored — 92 pts 92 - 0 Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Most tries in a match — 14 (x2) Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Esher at home to West Hartlepool on 8 April 2001 Most conversions in a match — 12 Rugby Lions away to Camberley on 21 April 2001 Most penalties in a match — 8 Lydney away to Fylde on 18 November 2000 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Camberley at home to Nottingham on 17 February 2001 Nottingham away to Fylde on 14 April 2001
Player Most points in a match — 42 Mike Scott for Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Most tries in a match — 4 Mike Scott for Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Most conversions in a match — 11 (x2) Jaques Steyn for Rugby Lions at home to Camberley on 2 December 2000 Mike Scott for Kendal at home to West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001 Most penalties in a match — 7 Rob Smart for Camberley away to Fylde on 9 September 2000 Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Howard Graham for Camberley at home to Nottingham on 17 February 2001 Tom Rolt for Nottingham away to Fylde on 14 April 2001
Attendances Highest — 1,000 Rosslyn Park at home to Rugby Lions on 24 February 2001 Lowest — 50 West Hartlepool at home to Camberley on 31 March 2001 Highest Average Attendance — 650 Rosslyn Park Lowest Average Attendance — 164 West Hartlepool
See also 2000–01 Premiership Rugby 2000–01 National Division One 2000–01 National Division Three North 2000–01 National Division Three South
Notes
References
External links NCA Rugby