2001–02 National Division Three South

The 2001–02 National Division Three South was the second season (fifteenth overall) of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Lydney and Camberley who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division Two while promoted teams included Old Colfeians and Old Patesians, champions of London Division 1 and South West Division 1 respectively. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the league champions going straight up into National Division Two and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.

Two Cornish teams dominated the division this season, with Penzance & Newlyn finishing 1 point ahead of Launceston to win the league title. Launceston, as runners up, found themselves in a similar position to that of the previous year, where they needed to win a playoff against the runners up of the 2001–02 National Division Three North. This time the Polson Bridge side were successful, beating Dudley Kingswinford 26 – 0 to clinch promotion and join Penzance & Newlyn in the 2002–03 National Division Two. At the opposite end of the table Cinderford and Clifton would be the two teams to be relegated with both sides dropping to South West Division 1.

Participating teams and locations

Team Stadium CapacityCity/Area BarkingGoresbrook1,000Becontree, Dagenham, LondonBlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Blackheath, LondonCamberleyWatchetts Recreation GroundCamberley, SurreyCinderfordDockham Road2,500Cinderford, GloucestershireCliftonStation Road2,200 (200 seats) Clifton, BristolLauncestonPolson Bridge3,000Launceston, CornwallLydneyRegentsholme3,000 (340 seats)Lydney, GloucestershireNorth WalshamNorwich Road1,200Scottow, North Walsham, NorfolkOld ColfeiansHorn ParkLee, LondonOld PatesiansEverest RoadCheltenham, GloucestershirePenzance & NewlynMennaye Field3,500Penzance, CornwallRedruthRecreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, CornwallTabardCobden HillRadlett, HertfordshireWestcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200Orpington, London

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

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 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.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 19

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 20

Round 15 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Round 21

Rounds 18 & 19 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.

Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Round 22

Round 23

Round 19 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.

Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.

Round 24

Round 25

Round 26

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 Not including promotion playoff.

ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Barking 2 600 300 300 300 30% Blackheath 5 1,550 310 450 200 9% Camberley 8 1,450 181 250 100 Cinderford 6 1,525 254 400 125 10% Clifton 6 940 157 210 100 7% Launceston 8 5,520 690 2,000 250 23% Lydney 11 4,219 384 526 227 13% North Walsham 10 2,900 290 400 200 24% Old Colfeians 7 1,155 165 225 100 Old Patesians 7 1,800 257 400 100 Penzance & Newlyn 11 12,400 1,127 3,000 600 32% Redruth 9 9,170 834 2,000 500 24% Tabard 9 1,630 181 225 120 Westcombe Park 12 4,000 333 1,000 100 10%

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 Nat Saumi Penzance & Newlyn 24 374 2 Derek Coates Westcombe Park 26 326 3 Matthew Townsend Westcombe Park 25 248 4 Steve Larkins Redruth 22 217 5 Micky Skinner Tabard 26 203 6 Barend Vorster Launceston 20 191 7 Danny Sloman Launceston 17 176 8 Richard Newton Penzance & Newlyn 25 140 9 John Barnes Clifton 15 126 10 Len Wilmot North Walsham 11 125 Mark Roberts Cinderford 23 125

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Richard Newton Penzance & Newlyn 25 28 2 Laka Waqanivere Penzance & Newlyn 24 23 Victor Olonga Penzance & Newlyn 25 23 3 Mark Fatialofa Launceston 21 20 4 Mark Richards Penzance & Newlyn 19 17 5 Andy Thorpe North Walsham 16 16 Barend Vorster Launceston 20 16 6 Nat Saumi Penzance & Newlyn 24 15 7 Will Morgan Old Patesians 24 13 Chris Randall Clifton 25 13

Season records

Team Largest home win — 80 pts 85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 Largest away win — 37 pts 56 - 19 Penzance & Newyln away to Old Colfeians on 19 January 2002 Most points scored — 85 pts 85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 Most tries in a match — 14 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 Most conversions in a match — 9 (x3) Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001 Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002 Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x5) Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001 Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001 Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001 North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001 Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001

Player Most points in a match — 34 Nat Saumi Penzance & Newlyn at home to Barking on 22 September 2001 Most tries in a match — 4 (x4) Andy Thorpe for North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 Richard Newton for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Colfeians on 10 November 2001 Victor Olonga for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Tabard on 23 February 2002 Mark Fatialofa for Launceston at home to Old Patesians on 23 March 2002 Most conversions in a match — 9 (x3) Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002 Most penalties in a match — 6 (x5) Danny Sloman for Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001 Stephen Webb for Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001 David Gilmore for Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001 John Dwight for North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001 Justin Azzopardi for Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Neil Merrett for Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001

Attendances Highest — 3,000 Penzance & Newlyn at home to Launceston on 26 January 2002 Lowest — 100 (x6) Westcombe Park at home to Redruth on 6 October 2001 Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 10 November 2001 Old Colfeians at home to Lydney on 24 November 2001 Clifton at home to Camberley on 9 February 2002 Camberley at home to Launceston on 16 February 2002 Clifton at home to Redruth on 2 March 2002 Highest Average Attendance — 1,127 Penzance & Newlyn Lowest Average Attendance — 157 Clifton

See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England

References

External links NCA Rugby