The 2002–03 National Division Three South was the third season (sixteenth 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 Rosslyn Park who were relegated from the 2001–02 National Division Two while Havant (champions) and Basingstoke (playoffs) were promoted from London Division 1 along with champions of South West Division 1 – Weston-super-Mare. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. 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.
By the end of the season, Rosslyn Park made an instant return to National Division Two by winning the league championship, beating runners up Lydney to the title by virtue of just two points. Lydney would join Rosslyn Park in the 2003–04 National Division Two by winning their playoff game against the 2002–03 National Division Three North runners up New Brighton. At the other end of the table, Camberley were comfortable the worst team in the division with 26 defeats out of the 26 games played and over 1,000 points conceded. Newly promoted Havant made a much better fight out of it in what was a very close relegation scrap, winning their last 3 games but eventually going down with only 2 points separating them from 9th placed Tabard. Camberley would drop down to London Division 1 while Havant went back into South West Division 1.
Participating teams and locations
TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBarkingGoresbrook1,000Becontree, Dagenham, LondonBasingstokeDown Grange2,500 (250 seats)Basingstoke, HampshireBlackheathRectory Field3,500 (500 seats)Blackheath, LondonCamberleyWatchetts Recreation GroundCamberley, SurreyHavantHook's Lane2,000 (200 seats)Havant, HampshireLydneyRegentsholme3,000 (340 seats)Lydney, GloucestershireNorth WalshamNorwich Road1,200Scottow, North Walsham, NorfolkOld ColfeiansHorn ParkLee, LondonOld PatesiansEverest RoadCheltenham, GloucestershireRedruthThe Recreation Ground3,500 (580 seats)Redruth, CornwallRosslyn ParkThe Rock2,000 (630 seats)Roehampton, LondonTabardCobden HillRadlett, HertfordshireWestcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200Orpington, LondonWeston-super-MareRecreation Ground3,000Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
Final league table
Results
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.
Round 10
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.
Round 11
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 6 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.
Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.
Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.
Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.
Round 16
Postponed. Game rescheduled for 8 March 2003.
Round 17
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 April 2003.
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.
Round 21
Rounds 9 & 17 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Game rescheduled from 9 November 2002.
Game rescheduled from 9 November 2002.
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Round 22
Round 23
Rounds 11, 16, 17 & 20 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003.
Game rescheduled from 23 November 2002.
Round 24
Rounds 10, 17 & 20 (rescheduled games)
Game rescheduled from 16 November 2002.
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Round 25
Round 20 (rescheduled game)
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.
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. Lydney were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, New Brighton, they hosted the play-off match.
Total season attendances
ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Barking 3 750 250 300 200 25% Basingstoke 3 700 233 250 200 9% Blackheath 1 300 300 300 300 9% Camberley 2 450 225 250 200 Havant 2 600 300 300 300 15% Lydney 0 0 0 0 0 0% North Walsham 3 1,150 383 500 300 32% Old Colfeians 2 500 250 300 200 Old Patesians 2 700 350 400 300 Redruth 5 2,850 570 650 500 16% Rosslyn Park 2 800 400 400 400 20% Tabard 3 630 210 250 180 Westcombe Park 5 1,550 310 400 250 10% Weston-super-Mare 3 700 233 250 200 8%
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 Adam Westall Lydney 26 373 2 Sam Howard Rosslyn Park 22 359 3 Derek Coates Westcombe Park 26 267 4 Ian Calder Basingstoke 25 245 5 Jonathan Griffin Blackheath 19 204 6 Sid Claffey Havant 23 175 7 Justin Azzopardi Barking 20 172 8 Len Wilmot North Walsham 23 167 9 Scott Pollock Old Patesians 17 152 10 Micky Skinner Tabard 17 145
Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Andy Thorpe North Walsham 21 21 2 Ben Thomas Westcombe Park /Rosslyn Park 15 15 Charles Abban Blackheath 18 15 James Justice Rosslyn Park 18 15 3 Sam Howard Rosslyn Park 22 14 Brendan Higgins Tabard 24 14 Adam Westall Lydney 26 14 4 Christopher Norton Basingstoke 21 13 Anton Petzer Havant 23 13 5 Richard Jackson Rosslyn Park 25 12
Season records
Team Largest home win — 72 pts 77 - 5 Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003 Largest away win — 57 pts 67 - 10 Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Most points scored — 82 pts 82 - 17 Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Most tries in a match — 14 Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003 Most conversions in a match — 8 (x3) Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003 Most penalties in a match — 7 Blackheath at home to Redruth on 14 December 2002 Most drop goals in a match — 2 Lydney away to North Walsham on 28 December 2012
Player Most points in a match — 32 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Most tries in a match — 4 (x3) Scott Pollock for Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 1 February 2003 Christopher for Basingstoke at home to North Walsham on 8 March 2003 Nick Marval for Rosslyn Park at home to Tabard on 22 March 2003 Most conversions in a match — 8 (x3) Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Owen Cobbe for Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003 Most penalties in a match — 7 Jonathan Griffin for Blackheath at home to Redruth on 14 December 2002 Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players
Attendances Highest — 650 Redruth at home to Rosslyn Park on 7 September 2002 Lowest — 180 Tabard at home to Blackheath on 9 November 2002 Highest Average Attendance — 570 Redruth Lowest Average Attendance — 180 Tabard
Extremely poor attendance tracking meant it was impossible to get an accurate figure for attendances during this season. The figures above are simply the ones documented and larger/smaller attendances than those mentioned are very likely.
See also English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References
External links NCA Rugby