2007–08 National Division Two Explained
| 2007–08 National Division Two |
| Champions: | Otley |
| Runnersup: | Manchester (also promoted) |
| Relegated: | Halifax, Henley Hawks, Nuneaton |
| Highest Attendance: | 1,453 Blackheath at home to Westcombe Park on 24 November 2007 |
| Attendance: | 87,398 (average 483 per match) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 100 Nuneaton at home to Manchester on 10 November 2007 |
| Top Point Scorer: | Gareth Wynne
Manchester 286 points |
| Top Try Scorer: | Christoff Lombaard
Cambridge 21 tries |
| Prevseason: | 2006-07 |
The 2007–08 National Division Two was the eighth version (twenty first overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Waterloo and Otley who were relegated from the 2006–07 National Division One while promoted teams included Blaydon coming up from the 2006–07 National Division Three North while Southend (champions) and Westcombe Park (playoffs) came up from the 2006–07 National Division Three South.[1] [2] [3] [4]
At the end of the season Otley made an instant return to their former division by beating runners up Manchester to the title by just one point, with Manchester also gaining promotion by virtue of their second-place finish - both teams would be promoted to the 2008–09 National Division One.[5] Relegated teams included Halifax, Henley Hawks and Nuneaton with Halifax picking up just two wins all season.[6] [7] [8] Halifax and Nuneaton would drop to the 2008–09 National Division Three North while Henley Hawks would go into the 2008–09 National Division Three South.
One of the more bizarre events to take place over the season was Redruth's game away at Cambridge. Trailing 30 – 0 at half time the Reds returned to their dressing room to find that it had been raided by thieves while they had been playing. Incensed at the missing valuables, including wedding rings, the Redruth team refused to come out for the second half. This led to the game finishing 30 – 0 to Cambridge (who also got a bonus point for scoring four tries) and the RFU would dock Redruth 10 points for failing to complete the game.
Participating teams and locations
| width=29% | Team | width=29% | Stadium | width=12% | Capacity | width=30% | City/Area |
|---|
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Blackheath, London |
| Blaydon | Crow Trees | 2,000 (400 seats) | Swalwell, Tyne and Wear |
| Cambridge | Grantchester Road | 2,200 (200 seats) | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
| Halifax | Ovenden Park | | Halifax, West Yorkshire |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire |
| Manchester | Grove Park | 4,000 | Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester |
| Nuneaton | Liberty Way | 4,314
(514 seats) | Nuneaton, Warwickshire |
| Otley | Cross Green | 5,000 | Otley, West Yorkshire |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 (580 seats) | Redruth, Cornwall |
| Southend | Warners Bridge Park | | Southend, Essex |
| Stourbridge | Stourton Park | 3,500 (499 seats) | Stourbridge, West Midlands |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000
(200 seats) | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
| Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200
(200 seats) | Orpington, London |
| Wharfedale | The Avenue | 2,000 | Threshfield, Craven, North Yorkshire |
|
Results
Round 1
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Round 2
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
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Round 3
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Round 4
- Game abandoned after 40 minutes as Redruth players refused to play second half after thieves raided the players dressing room. Redruth deducted 10 points for failing to finish game.
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Round 5
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Round 6
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Round 7
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Round 8
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Round 9
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Round 10
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Round 2 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
- Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
- Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2008.
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Round 14
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Round 15
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Round 16
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2008.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2008.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 February 2008.
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Round 17
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Round 16 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
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Round 18
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2008.
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Round 19
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Round 20
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Round 21
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Round 16 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
- Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
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Round 22
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Rounds 13 & 18 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 9 February 2008.
- Game rescheduled from 15 December 2007.
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Round 23
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Round 24
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Round 25
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Round 26
Total season attendances
| Club | Home
Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
|---|
| Blackheath | 13 | 9,582 | 737 | 1,453 | 460 | 12% |
| Blaydon | 13 | 4,718 | 363 | 614 | 210 | 18% |
| Cambridge | 13 | 7,862 | 605 | 1,370 | 402 | 27% |
| Halifax | 13 | 4,660 | 358 | 585 | 220 | N/A |
| Henley Hawks | 13 | 4,741 | 365 | 527 | 190 | 9% |
| Manchester | 13 | 4,455 | 343 | 563 | 243 | 9% |
| Nuneaton | 13 | 2,690 | 207 | 400 | 100 | 5% |
| Otley | 13 | 9,639 | 741 | 1,363 | 461 | 15% |
| Redruth | 13 | 10,249 | 788 | 968 | 612 | 23% |
| Southend | 13 | 5,985 | 460 | 720 | 250 | N/A |
| Stourbridge | 13 | 7,450 | 573 | 800 | 350 | 16% |
| Waterloo | 12 | 4,552 | 379 | 620 | 286 | 4% |
| Westcombe Park | 13 | 4,606 | 354 | 1,021 | 189 | 11% |
| Wharfedale | 13 | 6,209 | 478 | 1,010 | 330 | 24% |
|
Individual statistics
- Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances will come first. Also note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Appearances | Points |
|---|
| 1 | | | 25 | 286 |
| 2 | | | 26 | 282 |
| 3 | | | 22 | 235 |
| 4 | | | 19 | 230 |
| 5 | | | 24 | 187 |
| 6 | | | 26 | 179 |
| 7 | | | 26 | 168 |
| 8 | | | 22 | 154 |
| 9 | | | 20 | 151 |
| 10 | | | 19 | 142 |
|
[9] Top try scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Appearances | Tries |
|---|
| 1 | | | 25 | 21 |
| 2 | | | 20 | 18 |
| 3 | | | 23 | 17 |
| 4 | | | 19 | 15 |
| | 25 | 15 |
| 5 | | | 17 | 13 |
| | 23 | 13 |
| 6 | | | 25 | 12 |
| 7 | | | 23 | 11 |
| | 26 | 11 |
|
[10] Season records
Team
- Largest home win — 65 pts67 - 3 Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
Largest away win — 31 pts39 - 8 Westcombe Park away to Nuneaton on 16 February 2008
Most points scored — 67 pts (x2)67 - 15 Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
67 - 3 Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
Most tries in a match — 11Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
Most conversions in a match — 7 (x4)Westcombe Park at home to Halifax on 5 January 2008
Manchester at home to Blaydon on 8 March 2008
Southend at home to Henley Hawks on 15 March 2008
Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
Most penalties in a match — 4N/A - multiple teams
Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3)Nuneaton away to Blaydon on 13 October 2007
Nuneaton away to Halifax on 27 October 2007
Stourbridge at home to Otley on 15 March 2008
[11] [12] [13] [14]
Player
- Most points in a match — 27 Robin Kitching for Otley at home to Blackheath on 19 April 2008
Most tries in a match — 4 Adam Slade for Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
Most conversions in a match — 7 (x3) Paul Trendell for Westcombe Park at home to Halifax on 5 January 2008
Gareth Wynne for Manchester at home to Blaydon on 8 March 2008
Gareth Wynne for Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
Most penalties in a match — 4N/A - multiple players
Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3) Howard Graham for Nuneaton away to Blaydon on 13 October 2007
Rob Cook for Nuneaton away to Halifax on 27 October 2007
Rod Petty for Stourbridge at home to Otley on 15 March 2008
[15] [16] [17] [18] [19]
Attendances
- Highest — 1,453 Blackheath at home to Westcombe Park on 24 November 2007
Lowest — 100 Nuneaton at home to Manchester on 10 November 2007
Highest Average Attendance — 788Redruth
Lowest Average Attendance — 207 Nuneaton
[20]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Relegation ooooh relegation . therugbyforum.com . 18 April 2007 .
- Web site: Blaydon batter their way to title success . Chronicle Live . 24 April 2007 .
- Web site: Just champion!. Echo News . 24 April 2007 .
- Web site: Tyne's play-off blues . Chronicle Live . 1 May 2007 .
- Web site: Waterloo 15 Otley 37 Champions Otley head back up in fine style . Yorkshire Post . 28 May 2008 .
- Web site: Halifax 20 Waterloo 7: Relegated Halifax celebrate at long last . Yorkshire Post . 21 April 2008 .
- Web site: Henley 5 Redruth 22 Edward Bawden reports . Redruth Rugby . 20 April 2008 .
- Web site: Redruth 39 Nuneaton 16 Roger Watson reports . Redruth Rugby . 27 April 2008 . 2 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150703002007/http://www.redruthrugby.com/1583/uncategorized/redruth-39-nuneaton-16-roger-watson-reports/ . 3 July 2015 . dead .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Leading top scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2008.
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2008.
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
- Web site: National Two 07/08 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
