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2003–04 National Division One

FieldValue
name2003–04 National Division One
countriesEngland
championsWorcester
runnersupOrrell
relegatedWakefield and Manchester
highest attendance6,025 Worcester at home to Pertemps Bees on 24 April 2004
attendance198,428 (average 1,470 per match)
lowest attendance187 Manchester at home to Pertemps Bees on 3 April 2004
top point scorerENG Tony Yapp
(Exeter Chiefs) 320 points
top try scorerENG Lee Robinson
(Plymouth Albion)
ENG Leigh Hinton
(Orrell) 23 tries
prevseason[2002–03](2002-03-national-division-one)
nextseason[2004–05](2004-05-national-division-one)

(Exeter Chiefs) 320 points (Plymouth Albion) ENG Leigh Hinton (Orrell) 23 tries

The 2003–04 National Division One was the seventeenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Bristol Shoguns who had been relegated from the Zurich Premiership 2002–03 while Penzance & Newlyn and Henley Hawks were promoted from the 2002–03 National Division Two. In terms of ground changes Plymouth Albion had a new home - moving from Beacon Park to newly built Brickfields which at 6,500 had twice the capacity of the original ground.

After three consecutive seasons finishing second, Worcester became champions and were promoted to the Zurich Premiership for season 2004–05. Orrell were runners–up, and Wakefield and Manchester were relegated to the 2004–05 National Division Two. Wakefield's final match was on 26 April 2004 against Coventry, who won the match 15–11 and with that defeat, consigned Wakefield, after fourteen consecutive seasons in National Division One, to relegation; while Coventry finished above Wakefield only on points difference. Wakefield folded during the summer for financial reasons.

Participating teams

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/Area
Bedford BluesGoldington Road5,000Bedford, Bedfordshire
Bristol ShogunsMemorial Stadium8,500 (1,200 seats)Bristol
CoventryCoundon Road10,000 (1,100 seats)Coventry, West Midlands
Exeter ChiefsCounty Ground5,750 (750 seats)Exeter, Devon
Henley HawksDry Leas4,000Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
London WelshOld Deer Park4,500 (1,500 seats)Richmond, London
ManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
OrrellEdge Hall Road5,300 (300 seats)Orrell, Greater Manchester
OtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West Yorkshire
Penzance & NewlynMennaye Field3,500Penzance, Cornwall
Pertemps BeesSharmans Cross4,000Solihull, West Midlands
Plymouth AlbionThe Brickfields6,500Plymouth, Devon
WakefieldCollege Grove4,000 (500 seats)Wakefield, West Yorkshire
WorcesterSixways8,477Worcester, Worcestershire

Final table

  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: (1) difference between points for and against; (2) total number of points for.

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 8 (Rescheduled games)

Round 13

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 January 2004.

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 January 2004.

Round 13 (Rescheduled games)

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 8 & 25 (Rescheduled games)

  • Game brought forward from 17 April 2004.

Round 20

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled for 7 March 2004.

Round 20 & 25 (Rescheduled games)

  • Game brought forward from 17 April 2004.

Round 21

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled for 27 March 2004.

Round 22

Round 21 (Rescheduled game)

Round 23

Round 24

Round 25

  • Coventry's last ever home game at Coundon Road.

  • Game brought forward to 6 March 2004.

  • Game brought forward to 21 February 2004.

  • Postponed. Game rescheduled for 21 April 2004.

Round 25 (Rescheduled game)

Round 26

Total Season Attendances

ClubHome
GamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues1017,4821,7483,4271,01735%
Bristol Shoguns1347,8953,6844,2172,83130%
Coventry915,4471,7163,1001,00017%
Exeter Chiefs610,0841,6812,5001,06929%
Henley Hawks88,2401,0302,02045026%
London Welsh910,7701,1971,75065027%
Manchester124,92541076018710%
Orrell127,9536633,20728612%
Otley74,5856557905759%
Penzance & Newlyn919,8102,2015,1001,00058%
Pertemps Bees85,3856732,00030017%
Plymouth Albion1028,4672,8474,3421,64844%
Wakefield93,3003676002509%
Worcester1345,3303,4876,0252,02741%

Individual statistics

  • Note that points scorers include tries as well as conversions, penalties, and drop goals.

Top points scorers

RankPlayerTeamAppearancesPoints
1ENG Tony YappExeter Chiefs26320
2ENG Leigh HintonOrrell26313
3ENG Simon BinnsOtley26310
4Cook Islands Tommy HayesWorcester25303
5ENG Barry ReevesHenley Hawks26249
6ENG Tom BarlowPlymouth Albion22185
7WAL Gareth CullCoventry19184
8ENG Danny GrayBristol Shoguns17157
9ENG Seb FitzgeraldLondon Welsh21150
10ENG Ed BarnesBedford Blues19144

Top try scorers

RankPlayerTeamAppearancesTries
1ENG Lee RobinsonPlymouth Albion2523
ENG Leigh HintonOrrell2623
2ENG Daren O'LearyWorcester2619
3IRE Gavin PfisterWorcester2218
4ENG Dan Ward-SmithPlymouth Albion2616
5ENG Dave KnightPertemps Bees2615
6AUS Chris GarrardWorcester2014
7ENG Nick EasterOrrell2313
8ENG Nnamdi ObiHenley Hawks1712
ENG Gary TrumanWorcester2212

Season records

Team

;Largest home win — 79 pts 85 - 6 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 ;Largest away win — 54 pts 54 - 0 Exeter Chiefs away to Wakefield on 13 March 2004 ;Most points scored — 85 pts 85 - 6 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 ;Most tries in a match — 13 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 ;Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2) Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004

Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004 ;Most penalties in a match — 7 Exeter Chiefs away to Otley on 20 September 2003 ;Most drop goals in a match — 2 Coventry at home to Worcester on 10 April 2004

Player

;Most points in a match — 31 ENG Leigh Hinton for Orrell at home to Bedford Blues on 6 December 2003 ;Most tries in a match — 4 (x3) ENG Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion at home to Henley Hawks on 20 March 2004

ENG Richard Welding for Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004

ENG Lee Carruthers for Otley at home to Manchester 13 December 2003 ;Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2) ENG Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004

ENG Leigh Hinton for Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004 ;Most penalties in a match — 7 ENG Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs away to Otley on 20 September 2003 ;Most drop goals in a match — 1 N/A - multiple players

Attendances

;Highest — 6,025 Worcester at home to Pertemps Bees on 24 April 2004 ;Lowest — 187 Manchester at home to Pertemps Bees on 3 April 2004 ;Highest Average Attendance — 2,460 Worcester ;Lowest Average Attendance — 367 Wakefield

References

References

  1. (16 May 2003). "Former players could save Shoguns". The Telegraph.
  2. (26 April 2003). "THE SENIOR LEAGUES 2002-2003". trelawnysarmy.org.
  3. (26 April 2003). "National League Two 2002-03". englandrugby.com.
  4. "History of Plymouth Albion RFC". Plymouth Albion.
  5. (25 May 2004). "Promoted Worcester make play for Burke". The Guardian.
  6. "Season Reviews". official.sportnetwork.net.
  7. Newcombe, Jon. (27 April 2014). "Spirit lives on decade after Wakefield demise". The RUGBYPaper.
  8. "Leagues 2003/04". Moseley Rugby club.
  9. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  10. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  11. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  12. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  13. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  14. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  15. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  16. (1990). "Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91". Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd.
  17. "Final League Tables 2003-04". Trelawny's Army.
  18. (16 September 2003). "Plymouth Match Report". official.sportnetwork.net.
  19. (30 September 2003). "Bees Bench to get a shot". beesrfc.tripod.com.
  20. (30 November 2003). "Rugger is now the number 1 sport". runnersworld.co.uk.
  21. (14 December 2003). "Rugby Union results & team details". The Telegraph.
  22. (15 December 2003). "Rugby Union results & team details". The Telegraph.
  23. (15 February 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  24. (21 February 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  25. (29 February 2004}}{{dead link). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  26. (14 March 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  27. (21 March 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  28. (4 April 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  29. (11 April 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  30. (18 April 2004). "Rugby Union results and team details". The Telegraph.
  31. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Home attendances". Rugby Statbunker.
  32. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Leading point scorers". Rugby Statbunker.
  33. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker.
  34. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most tries in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker.
  35. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most conversions in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker.
  36. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most penalties in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker.
  37. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most drop goals in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker.
  38. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most points in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker.
  39. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most tries in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker.
  40. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most conversions in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker.
  41. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most penalties in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker.
  42. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Most drop goals in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker.
  43. (24 April 2004). "National One 03/04 Home attendance". Rugby Statbunker.
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