2016–17 National League 1 Explained

2016–17 National League 1
Date:3 September 2016 – 29 April 2017
Champions:Hartpury College
Count:1
Runnersup:Plymouth Albion
Relegated:Macclesfield, Blaydon
Matches:240
Highest Attendance:2,712
Coventry v Birmingham Moseley (18 December 2016)
Lowest Attendance:113
Loughborough Students v Blaydon (7 January 2017)
Loughborough Students v Old Albanian (4 February 2017)
Top Point Scorer: Harry Leonard
(Rosslyn Park) (265 points)
Top Try Scorer: Jonas Mikalcius (Hartpury College) (34 tries)
Prevseason:2015–16
Nextseason:2017–18

The 2016–17 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1 was the eighth season of the third tier of the English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier RFU Championship was introduced; and was the 30th season since league rugby began in 1987.

Hartpury College were crowned the champions on 11 March 2017 after winning their 25th match and maintaining their 100% record.[1] The college side went on break more National League 1 records by winning all 30 games and gaining promotion to the highest level in the club's history. Other records by Hartpury included most league points in a season (143), most points scored (1,455), as well as tying with Ealing Trailfinders (2014–15) for most bonus points gained in a season (28).

Due to London Welsh going into liquidation in January 2017 and being expelled from the RFU Championship, only two teams were relegated from National League 1.[2] On 1 April 2017 newly promoted Macclesfield were the first team to be relegated after they lost 18–21 at home to Plymouth Albion.[3] The second relegation spot was keenly contested and went to the last game of the season with 14th placed Hull Ionians 3 points ahead of 15th placed Blaydon. In the end Blaydon lost their final game while Hull Ionians won theirs to finish 6 points clear.[4] It ended a run of 10 years in the 3rd tier for Blaydon.

Structure

The league consisted of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There was one promotion place with the champions promoted to the Greene King IPA Championship. There are usually three relegation places with the bottom three teams relegated to either National League 2 North or National League 2 South depending on the geographical location of the team. Due to the expulsion of the championship team London Welsh in January 2017, there was no relegation from the championship and subsequently only two teams relegated from this league.[5]

Participating teams and locations

Twelve of the sixteen teams participated in the preceding season's competition. The 2015–16 champions, Richmond, were promoted to the 2016–17 RFU Championship and replaced by Birmingham Moseley (who changed their name from Moseley prior to the season) and were relegated from the 2015–16 RFU Championship. The three teams relegated last season, were Henley Hawks and Cinderford (both to the 2016–17 National League 2 South) and Wharfedale (2016–17 National League 2 North) – with Wharfedale dropping from the third tier for the first time in 20 years.[6] [7] [8] The promoted teams are Cambridge and Macclesfield champions of the 2015–16 National League 2 South and 2015–16 National League 2 North respectively, and Old Albanian who won the promotion play-off against Sedgley Park.[9] [10] [11]

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Dillingham Park 3,000 4th
5,000 (1,300 seated) relegated from RFU Championship
Well Hall 1,650 (550 seats) 3rd
Crow Trees 2,000 (400 seats) 11th
2,200 (200 seats) Promoted from National League 2 South (champions)
4,000 (3,000 seats) 9th
25,000 6th
3,500 (1,200 seats) 7th
9,000 10th
College Stadium 2,000 2nd
Brantingham Park 1,500 (240 seats) 12th
Loughborough University Stadium 3,000 13th
Priory Park 1,250 (250 seats) Promoted from National League 2 North (champions)
Woollam Playing Fields 1,000 Promoted from National League 2 South (play-off)
8,500 8th
The Rock 2,000 5th

Fixtures

Round 1

[12] ----

Round 2

[13] ----

Round 3

[14] ----

Round 4

[15] ----

Round 5

[16] ----

Round 6

[17] ----

Round 7

[18] ----

Round 8

[19] ----

Round 9

[20] ----

Round 10

[21] ----

Round 11

[23] ----

Round 12

[24] ----

Round 13

[25] ----

Round 14

[26] ----

Round 15

[27] ----

Round 16

----

Round 17

[29] ----

Round 18

[30] ----

Round 19

[31] ----

Round 20

[32] ----

Round 21

[33] ----

Round 22

[34] ----

Round 23

[35] ----

Rescheduled matches (from 14 January)

[36] ----

Round 24

[37] ----

Round 25

[38] ----

Round 26

[39] ----

Round 27

----

Round 28

[40] ----

Round 29

[41]

----

Round 30

[42]

Attendances

ClubHome
Games		TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Ampthill 15 6,221 415 823 303 14%
Birmingham Moseley 15 12,450 830 1,232 656 17%
Blackheath 15 11,075 738 1,187 401 45%
Blaydon 15 3,748 250 620 120 12%
Cambridge 15 7,320 488 750 380 22%
Coventry 15 18,963 1,264 2,712 939 32%
Darlington Mowden Park 15 13,270 885 1,407 622 4%
Esher 15 9,090 606 1,400 330 17%
Fylde 15 9,240 616 765 517 7%
Hartpury College 15 5,838 389 803 150 19%
Hull Ionians 15 3,450 230 355 151 15%
Loughborough Students 15 4,070 271 543 113 9%
Old Albanian 15 4,874 325 419 225 32%
Macclesfield 15 5,104 340 478 198 27%
Plymouth Albion 15 16,085 1,072 1,821 688 13%
Rosslyn Park 15 9,897 660 1,347 150 33%

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Points
1 Rosslyn Park 265
2 Will Maisey Coventry 245
3 James (Matt) Williams Birmingham Moseley 242
4 Jacob Perry Hartpury College 231
5 Joseph Tarrant Ampthill 200
6 Leo Fielding Blackheath 194
7 Greg Smith Fylde 193

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Tries
1 Jonas Mikalcius Hartpury College 36
2 Sam Baker Ampthill 21
3 Ed Sheldon Birmingham-Moseley 19
3 Luke Eves Hartpury College 19
5 Gair Currie Loughborough Students 16
5 Hartpury College 16
5 Darlington Mowden Park 16
5 Robin Wedlake-Millecham Plymouth Albion 16

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 85 pts92 – 7 Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
  • Largest away win — 65 pts8 – 73 Coventry away to Old Albanian on 8 April 2017
  • Most points scored — 92 pts92 – 7 Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
  • Most points scored away from home — 73 pts8 – 73 Coventry away to Old Albanian on 8 April 2017
  • Most tries in a match — 1592 – 7 Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
  • Most conversions in a match — 12Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
  • Most penalties in a match — 6Plymouth Albion at Fylde on 8 October 2016
  • Most drop goals in a match — 1 (6)Hull Ionians at home to Darlington Mowden Park on 3 September 2016
    Cambridge away to Plymouth Albion, both on 3 September 2016
    Cambridge away to Rosslyn Park on 10 September 2016
    Blaydon away to Birmingham Moseley on 24 September 2016
    Rosslyn Park away to Loughborough Students on 8 October 2016
    Blaydon at home to Hull Ionians on 12 November 2016

    • Attendances

    Highest — 2,712Coventry at home to Birmingham Moseley on 17 December 2016
  • Lowest — 113 (2)Loughborough Students v Blaydon (7 January 2017)
    Loughborough Students v Old Albanian (4 February 2017)
  • Highest average attendance — 1,264Coventry
  • Lowest average attendance — 230Hull Ionians

    • Player

    Most points in a match — 29 (2)Protheroe for Hartpury College at Cambridge on 28 October 2016
    Law for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Fylde on 8 April 2017
    Most tries in a match — 3 (25)Gair Currie for Loughborough Students away to Cambridge on 1 October 2016
    Dan George for Blackheath at home to Blaydon on 8 August 2016
    Luke Eves for Harpury College at home to Hull Ionians on 8 October 2016
    Ed Sheldon for Birmingham Moseley at home to Old Albanian on 22 October 2016
    Joe Brown for Esher at home to Blaydon on 22 October 2016
    Scott Armstrong for Fylde at home to Hull Ionians on 22 October 2016
    Jonas Mikacius for Hartpury College at home to Ampthill on 22 October 2016
    Jonas Mikacius for Hartpury College at home to Rosslyn Park on 5 November 2016
    Matt Thompson for Blaydon at home to Hull Ionians on 12 November 2016
    Caven for Hartpury College at home to Darlingham Mowden Park on 19 November 2016
    Ali Thomson for Hull Ionians away to Cambridge on 26 November 2016
    Dan Williams for Plymouth Albion home to Hartpury College on 17 December 2016
    Matt Thompson for Blaydon at home to Blackheath on 28 January 2017
    Andy Radwan for Darlington Mowden Park at Old Albanian on 28 January 2017
    Liebeneberg for Cambridge at Macclesfield on 4 February 2017
    Peter White for Coventry at home to Hull Ionians on 18 February 2017
    Chris Briers for Fylde at Ampthill on 4 March 2017
    Andy Radwan for Darlington Mowden Park home to Macclesfield on 4 March 2017
    Protheroe for Hartpury College home to Old Albanian on 11 March 2017
    Nigel Baker for Ampthill away to Blaydon on 1 April 2017
    Garry Law for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Fylde on 8 April 2017
    Max Trimble for Coventry at Old Albanian on 8 April 2017
    Jonas Mikacius for Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
    Callum Irvine for Hull Ionians at home to Old Albanian on 22 April 2017
    Jonas Mikacius for Hartpury College away to Blackheath on 29 April 2017
  • Most conversions in a match — 11Adam Hastings for Hartpury College at home to Macclesfield on 22 April 2017
  • Most penalties in a match — 6Kieran Hallett for Plymouth Albion away to Fylde on 8 October 2016
  • Most drop goals in a match — 1 (7)Lee Millar for Hull Ionians at home to Darlington Mowden Park on 3 September 2016
    Jack Green for Cambridge away to Plymouth Albion on 3 September 2016
    Dan Lewis for Cambridge at Rosslyn Park on 10 September 2016
    Nathan Horsfall for Blaydon at Birmingham Moseley on 24 September 2016
    Scott Sneddon for Rosslyn Park away to Loughborough Students on 8 October 2016
    Ryan Foreman for Blaydon at home to Hull Ionians on 12 November 2016
    Callum Irvine for Hull Ionians at home to Cambridge on 1 April 2017[12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [21] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [31] [32] [33] [35] [37] [38] [39] [3] [40] [41] [42]

    • See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: Beacham. Andrew. Students seal title with time to spare. The RugbyPaper. 443. 12 March 2017. 30.
    2. Web site: London Welsh: RFU refuses permission for Exiles to stay in Championship. BBC Sport. 24 January 2017.
    3. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 446. 2 April 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    4. Web site: Old Albanian provide perfect send off with Blaydon victory. The Herts Advertiser. 29 April 2017.
    5. News: Harvey. Neale. Proposals for National One play-off submitted. The RugbyPaper. 437. 29 January 2017. 2.
    6. Web site: HAWKS ARE RELEGATED BACK INTO NATIONAL 2 SOUTH. Henley Hawks . 9 April 2016 .
    7. Web site: Cinderford's relegation confirmed by defeat at Rosslyn Park. Gloucester Citizen. 17 April 2016.
    8. Web site: Wharfedale relegated from English rugby's third tier after 20 years . Telegraph & Argus . 18 April 2016 .
    9. Web site: Cambridge promoted as National League 2S champions. Cambridge News . 30 April 2016 .
    10. Web site: Macclesfield crowned National Two North champions. Talking Rugby Union. 16 April 2016 .
    11. Web site: Old Albanian back in National One after play-off win secures promotion. The Herts Advertiser . 16 May 2016 .
    12. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 416. 4 September 2016. 28–29 & 41.
    13. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 417. 11 September 2016. 28–29 & 39.
    14. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 418. 18 September 2016. 28–29 & 39.
    15. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 419. 25 September 2016. 28–29 & 39.
    16. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 420. 2 October 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    17. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 421. 9 October 2016. 28–29 & 39.
    18. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 422. 16 October 2016. 32–3 & 41.
    19. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 423. 23 October 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    20. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 424. 30 October 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    21. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 425. 6 November 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    22. News: Quinn. Bryan. Record-breaking Hartpury stay perfect with five-try win. The RugbyPaper. 426. 13 November 2016. 32–33.
    23. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 426. 13 November 2016. 32–33 & 41.
    24. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 427. 20 November 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    25. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 428. 27 November 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    26. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 429. 4 December 2016. 32–33 & 41.
    27. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 430. 11 December 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    28. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 431. 18 December 2016. 30–31 & 39.
    29. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 434. 8 January 2017. 26–27 & 35.
    30. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 435. 15 January 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    31. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 436. 22 January 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    32. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 437. 29 January 2017. 16, 33 & 41.
    33. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 438. 5 February 2017. 32–33 & 39.
    34. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 439. 12 February 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    35. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 440. 19 February 2017. 28–29 & 39.
    36. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 441. 26 February 2017. 34 & 39.
    37. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 442. 5 March 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    38. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 443. 12 March 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    39. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 445. 26 March 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    40. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 447. 9 April 2017. 30–31 & 39.
    41. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 449. 23 April 2017. 32–33 & 41.
    42. News: National League 1. The RugbyPaper. 450. 30 April 2017. 28–29 & 37.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2016–17 National League 1".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.