2000–01 National Division Three South Explained

2000–01 National Division Three South
Champions:	Plymouth
Runnersup:	Launceston (not promoted)
Relegated:	Cheltenham, Basingstoke, Weston-super-Mare, Reading
Highest Attendance:	3,000 Plymouth Albion v Launceston 31 March 2001
Attendance:	64,715 (average 573 per match)
Lowest Attendance:	100 Tabard v Reading 25 November 2000
Top Point Scorer:	Nat Saumi (Penzance & Newlyn) 352 points
Top Try Scorer:	Victor Olonga (Penzance & Newlyn) Dan Ward-Smith (Plymouth Albion) 20 tries
Prevseason:	1999–00

The 2000–01 National Division Three South was the first season (fourteenth 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 Reading and Blackheath who were relegated from the 1999–2000 National League 1 while promoted teams included Basingstoke and Launceston, champions of London Division 1 and South West Division 1 respectively.^{[1] [2] [3]} The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. The promotion system was changed for this season with a playoff system being introduced. The champions of both National Division Three South and National Division Three North would automatically go up but the runners up of these two divisions would meet each other in a one off match (at the home ground of the side with the superior league record) to see who would claim the third and final promotion place to National Division Two.

Plymouth Albion finished the season as champions by winning an incredible 26 games out of 26 to gain promotion to the 2001–02 National Division Two with runners up Launceston 11 points behind.^[4] It was an excellent season for newly promoted Launceston but they were unable to top it with promotion, losing 40 – 23 away to the 2000-01 National Division Three North runners up Sedgley Park.^[5] It was a great season for south-west based clubs in the division with all four sides occupying the top five league places and the twelve derby matches between the sides had over 21,000 spectators attending in total. At the other end of the table, Cheltenham, Basingstoke, Weston-super-Mare and Reading were the sides to be relegated with all sides being fairly competitive across the course of the season but not having quite enough to keep safe.^[4] Cheltenham and Weston-super-Mare would drop to the South West Division 1 for the following season while Basingstoke would make an instant return to London Division 1.^{[6] [7]}

Participating teams and locations

width=25%	Team	width=25%	Stadium	width=25%	Capacity	width=25%	City/Area
Barking	Goresbrook	1,000	Becontree, Dagenham, London
Basingstoke	Down Grange	2,500 (250 seats)	Basingstoke, Hampshire
Blackheath	Rectory Field	6,000	Blackheath, London
Cheltenham	Prince of Wales Stadium	480	Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Clifton	Station Road	2,500 (400 seats)	Clifton, Bristol
Launceston	Polson Bridge	3,000	Launceston, Cornwall
North Walsham	Norwich Road	1,200	Scottow, North Walsham, Norfolk
Penzance & Newlyn	Mennaye Field	3,500	Penzance, Cornwall
Plymouth Albion	Beacon Park	3,500	Plymouth, Devon
Reading	Holme Park		Sonning, Reading, Berkshire
Redruth	The Recreation Ground	3,500 (580 seats)	Redruth, Cornwall
Tabard	Cobden Hill		Radlett, Hertfordshire
Westcombe Park	Goddington Dene	3,200	Orpington, London
Weston-super-Mare	Recreation Ground	6,000	Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Results

Be aware that 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 references from the Telegraph wherever possible which should tie in with the results from the England rugby website.

Round 1

^[8] ----

Round 2

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000.

^[9] ----

Round 3

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 November 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 November 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.

^[10] ----

Round 2 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 9 September 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 9 September 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 9 September 2000.

^[11] ----

Round 4

^[12] ----

Round 5

^[13] ----

Round 6

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 November 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 October 2000.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.

^[14] ----

Round 7

^[15] ----

Rounds 3 & 6 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 21 October 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 21 October 2000.

----

Round 8

^[16] ----

Round 9

^[17] ----

Round 10

^[18] ----

Round 11

^[19] ----

Round 12

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.

^[20] ----

Round 13

^[21] ----

Round 14

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.

^[22] ----

Round 15

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 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 3 March 2001.

^[23] ----

Round 16

^[24] ----

Round 17

^[25] ----

Round 18

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.

^[26] ----

Round 19

^[27] ----

Rounds 3, 12, 14 & 15 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 23 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.

^[28] ----

Round 20

----

Rounds 6, 12 & 18 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 21 October 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 21 October 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 17 February 2001.

• Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

^[29] ----

Round 21

^[30] ----

Rounds 6 & 15 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 21 October 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

^[31] ----

Round 22

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 April 2001.

^[32] ----

Round 23

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 April 2001.

^[33] ----

Round 24

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001.

^[34] ----

Round 25

^[35] ----

Rounds 15 & 18 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

• Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

• Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.

^[36] ----

Round 26

^[37] ----

Rounds 18 & 24 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.

• Game rescheduled from 24 March 2001.

• Game rescheduled from 24 March 2001.

^[38] ----

Rounds 22 & 23 (rescheduled games)

• Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001.

• Game rescheduled from 10 March 2001.

^[39] ----

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. Sedgley Park were runners-up in the north and because they had a better league record than south runners-up, Launceston, they hosted the play-off match.

^[5]

Total season attendances

Club	Home Games	Total	Average	Highest	Lowest	% Capacity
Barking	3	750	250	300	200	25%
Basingstoke	5	1,150	230	350	200	9%
Blackheath	8	2,320	290	600	140	5%
Cheltenham	11	2,250	205	250	150	43%
Clifton	4	670	168	200	120	7%
Launceston	13	8,715	670	2,000	300	22%
North Walsham	9	2,420	269	320	200	22%
Penzance & Newlyn	10	11,400	1,140	2,000	800	33%
Plymouth Albion	13	16,650	1,281	3,000	700	37%
Reading	6	1,270	212	270	150
Redruth	13	10,150	781	2,000	400	22%
Tabard	7	1,350	193	250	100
Westcombe Park	11	2,920	265	400	120	8%
Weston-super-Mare	10	2,700	270	500	200	5%

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			23	352
2			25	309
3			25	276
4			24	251
5			22	222
6			24	217
7			21	199
8			17	189
9			18	171
10			22	167

^[40]

Top try scorers

Rank	Player	Team	Appearances	Tries
1			18	20
			26	20
2			23	17
			26	17
3			25	15
4			26	14
			26	14
5			18	13
			23	13
			24	13

^[41]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 68 pts 72 - 6 Plymouth Albion at home to Basingstoke on 23 December 2000

Largest away win — 51 pts68 - 17 Penzance & Newlyn away to Tabard on 6 January 2001

Most points scored — 72 pts 72 - 6 Plymouth Albion at home to Basingstoke on 23 December 2000

Most tries in a match — 11Plymouth Albion at home to Basingstoke on 23 December 2000

Most conversions in a match — 9Penzance & Newlyn at home to North Walsham on 16 December 2000

Most penalties in a match — 6 (x7)Launceston away to Tabard on 11 November 2000
Clifton away to Launceston on 2 December 2000
Weston-super-Mare away to Reading on 2 December 2000
North Walsham at home to Launceston on 9 December 2000
Clifton at home to Penzance & Newlyn on 9 December 2000
Reading at home to Redruth on 10 March 2001
Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 14 April 2001

Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2)Plymouth Albion at home to North Walsham on 28 October 2000
Redruth at home to Plymouth on 18 November 2000

^{[42] [43] [44] [45]}

Player

Most points in a match — 31 (x2) Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn away to Tabard on 6 January 2001
Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Cheltenham on 10 February 2001

Most tries in a match — 4 (x3) Matt Bradshaw for Launceston at home to Cheltenham on 30 September 2000
Richard Newton for Penzance & Newlyn away to Tabard on 6 January 2001
Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Cheltenham on 10 February 2001

Most conversions in a match — 9 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to North Walsham on 16 December 2000

Most penalties in a match — 6 (x7) Danny Sloman for Launceston away to Tabard on 11 November 2000
Jon Martin for Clifton away to Launceston on 2 December 2000
Neil Coleman for Weston-super-Mare away to Reading on 2 December 2000
Phil Friel for North Walsham at home to Launceston on 9 December 2000
Jon Martin for Clifton at home to Penzance & Newlyn on 9 December 2000
Matt Senior for Reading at home to Redruth on 10 March 2001
Billy Murphy for Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 14 April 2001

Most drop goals in a match — 2 Tom Barlow for Plymouth Albion at home to North Walsham on 28 October 2000
Bede Brown for Redruth at home to Plymouth on 18 November 2000

^{[46] [47] [48] [49] [50]}

Attendances

Highest — 3,000 Plymouth Albion at home to Launceston on 31 March 2001

Lowest — 100Tabard at home to Reading on 25 November 2000

Highest Average Attendance — 1,281Plymouth Albion

Lowest Average Attendance — 168Clifton

^[51]

See also

• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

External links

• NCA Rugby

Notes and References

1. Web site: Final League Tables – 1999/2000 . Molesey Rugby . 22 April 2000 . 26 July 2015 . 24 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150724172347/http://moseleyrugby.co.uk/oldsite/%5E%20CLUB_HISTORY/League%20Tables/past%20leagues%20199900.htm . dead .
2. Web site: London 1 1999-00 . englandrugby.com . 22 April 2000 .
3. Web site: South West 1 1999-00 . englandrugby.com . 13 May 2000 .
4. Web site: National League Three 2000-01 . englandrugby.com . 28 April 2001 .
5. Web site: National League 3 Playoffs 2000-01 . englandrugby.com . 26 May 2001 .
6. Web site: South West 1 2001-02 . englandrugby.com . 8 September 2001 .
7. Web site: London 1 2001-02 . englandrugby.com . 1 September 2001 .
8. Web site: Rugby Union results . BBC . 2 September 2000 .
9. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 10 September 2000 .
10. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 17 September 2000 .
11. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 24 September 2000 .
12. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 1 October 2000 .
13. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Scorers . Telegraph . 15 October 2000 .
14. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 21 October 2000 .
15. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 29 October 2000 .
16. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 13 November 2000 .
17. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 19 November 2000 .
18. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 26 November 2000 .
19. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 3 December 2000 .
20. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 10 December 2000 .
21. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 17 December 2000 .
22. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 23 December 2000 .
23. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 30 December 2000 .
24. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details . Telegraph . 7 January 2001 .
25. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details . Telegraph . 14 January 2001 .
26. Web site: Rugby Union Results . BBC . 3 August 2001 .
27. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Team Details . Telegraph . 28 January 2001 .
28. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 3 February 2001 .
29. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 17 February 2001 .
30. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details . Telegraph . 24 February 2001 .
31. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables . Telegraph . 3 March 2001 .
32. Web site: Rugby Results and Details . Telegraph . 10 March 2001 .
33. Web site: Rugby Results and Details . Telegraph . 17 March 2001 .
34. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details . Telegraph . 24 March 2001 .
35. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Team Details . Telegraph . 31 March 2001 .
36. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Team Details . Telegraph . 8 April 2001 .
37. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Tables. Telegraph . 14 April 2001 .
38. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details. Telegraph . 21 April 2001 .
39. Web site: Rugby Union Results and Details. Telegraph . 28 April 2001 .
40. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Leading top scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2001.
41. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2001.
42. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
43. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
44. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
45. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
46. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
47. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
48. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
49. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
50. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .
51. Web site: National Three South 00/01 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker . 28 April 2001 .