2023–24 National League 1 Explained

2023–24 National League One
Date:2 September 2023 – 27 April 2024
Champions:Chinnor
Count:1
Runnersup:Rams
Relegated:Cinderford, Taunton Titans
Matches:182
Highest Attendance:2,270 – Chinnor v Rams, 15 December 2023
Lowest Attendance:160 – Leicester Lions v Rosslyn Park, 11 November 2023
Top Point Scorer:229 – Warren Seals (Sedgley Park)
Top Try Scorer:26 – Max Hayman (Rams)
Prevseason:2022–23
Nextseason:2024–25

The 2023–24 National League 1 is the 36th season of the third tier of the English domestic rugby union competitions.

Chinnor claimed the league title on 13 April with one game still to play following a resounding away win at Birmingham Moseley.[1] Runners up Rams looked like contenders for most of the season but in the end it was comfortable for Chinnor, who finished 13 points clear. In winning the league Chinnor would be promoted to the 2024–25 RFU Championship - the highest level the club had reached in its history.

The relegation race was very tight and went to the last game of the season, with four sides possibly going down. In the end Cinderford and Taunton Titans were the relegated teams.[2] In Taunton's case they would feel particular hard done by having won the final four games of the season but in the end missing out on survival by just one point. Both sides would drop down to the 2024–25 National League 2 West, with Taunton returning to tier 4 for the first time in three seasons and Cinderford in six.

Structure

The league consists of fourteen teams, with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis, to make a total of twenty-six matches each. There is one promotion place, with the champions promoted to the RFU Championship, and typically there are three relegation places to either, National League 2 East, National League 2 North or National League 2 West, depending on the geographical location of the team.[3]

Due to the liquidation of RFU Championship side Jersey Reds in September 2023 and the knock on effect on the league system, there will only be two teams relegated from National League 1 at the end of the 2023–24 season.[4]

The results of the matches contribute points to the league table as follows:

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Billesley Common[5] 5,000 (1,300 seats) 9th
Silver Leys[6] 1,600 6th
Well Hall 1,650 (550 seats) Promoted from National League 2 East (1st)
Kingsey Road[7] 2,500 8th
Beavis Memorial Ground[8] 2,500 7th
The Darlington Arena[9] 25,500 10th
Westleigh Park 2,000 Promoted from National League 2 West (1st)
The Brickfields[10] 8,500 5th
Old Bath Road[11] 2,000 (300 seats)[12] 2nd
Athletic Ground[13] 4,500 (1,000 seats) Relegated from Championship (12th)
The Rock 2,000 4th
Heywood Road[14] 3,387 3rd
Park Lane[15] 3,000 Promoted from National League 2 North (1st)
Veritas Park[16] 2,000 (198 seats) 11th

Fixtures & results

Fixtures for the season were published by the RFU on 12 June 2023.[17]

Round 1

[18] [19] ----

Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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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 11

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Round 12

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Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 12 (rescheduled games)

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Round 15

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Round 16

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Round 17

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Round 16 (rescheduled games)

[37] ----

Round 18

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Round 19

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Round 20

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Round 21

[41] ----

Round 22

[42] ----

Round 23

[43] ----

Round 24

[44] ----

Round 25

[45] ----

Round 26

[46]

Attendances

ClubHome
games		TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Birmingham Moseley 13 9,030 695 1,112 329 14%
Bishop's Stortford 13 7,189 553 983 300 35%
Blackheath 13 6,992 538 938 303 33%
Chinnor 13 13,299 1,023 2,270 311 41%
Cinderford 13 4,323 333 500 250 13%
Darlington Mowden Park 13 10,014 770 978 572 3%
Leicester Lions 13 3,692 284 397 160 14%
Plymouth Albion 13 15,644 1,203 1,708 746 14%
Rams 13 11,793 907 1,431 684 45%
Richmond 13 10,766 828 1,205 486 18%
Rosslyn Park 13 6,932 533 1,150 328 27%
Sale FC 13 10,141 780 1,105 402 23%
Sedgley Park 13 5,050 388 850 274 13%
Taunton Titans 13 9,554 735 1,393 339 37%

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Points
1 Sedgley Park 229
2 Daniel Lewis Leicester Lions 192
George Worboys Chinnor
3 Fraser Honey Rams 177
4 Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley Birmingham Moseley 151
Joe Winfield Cinderford
5 Thomas Putt Plymouth Albion 145
6 Tom Ffitch Blackheath 143
7 Max Hayman Rams 130
[46]

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Tries
1 Max Hayman Rams 26
2 Chinnor 20
3 Noah Fenton Taunton Titans 19
Charles Walker Rosslyn Park
Charlie Wright Taunton Titans
4 Morgan Passman Chinnor 18
5 Chris Smith Bishop's Stortford 16
Aquile Smith Birmingham Moseley
6 Alexander Post Richmond 15
[46]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Champions! Chinnor celebrate in fine style . The RugbyPaper . 813 . 14 April 2024 . 28-29.
  2. Web site: Heal Chris . Bishop's Stortford and Leicester Lions survive while Rotherham complete centenary year as champions . Talking Rugby Union . 29 April 2024.
  3. Web site: RFU Council confirm three teams will be relegated from National One . National League Rugby . 29 April 2023.
  4. Web site: National League Rugby – Promotion and Relegation: 2023-24 . National League Rugby . 14 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Contact us . Moseley Rugby . 22 June 2023.
  6. Web site: Silver Leys . Bishop Stortford RFC . 22 June 2023.
  7. Web site: Rectory Pavilion . Chinnor Rugby Club . 22 June 2023.
  8. Web site: Contact us . Cinderford RFC . 22 June 2023.
  9. Web site: The Darlington Arena . Darlington Mowden Park RFC . 22 June 2023.
  10. Web site: Contact Us . Plymouth Albion RFC . 22 June 2023.
  11. Web site: Rams Rugby Club . Rams Rugby Football Club . 22 June 2023.
  12. News: Rams would be happy to play in RFU's new Tier 2. The RugbyPaper . 802 . 28 January 2024 . 1-2.
  13. Web site: Richmond Athletic Ground . Richmond Rugby . 23 June 2023.
  14. Web site: Contact Us . SaleFC . 22 June 2023.
  15. Web site: Park Lane - Sedgley Park RUFC . UK Events . 23 June 2023.
  16. Web site: Veritas Park . Taunton Rugby Football Club . 23 June 2023.
  17. Web site: National League Rugby fixtures announced for 2023-24 campaign . National League Rugby . 22 June 2023.
  18. Web site: Opening Day Fixtures . National League Rugby . 22 June 2023.
  19. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 781 . 3 September 2023 . 40.
  20. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 782 . 10 September 2023 . 30-31, 38.
  21. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 783 . 17 September 2023 . 30-31, 38.
  22. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 784 . 24 September 2023 . 30-31, 39.
  23. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 785 . 1 October 2023 . 30-31, 39.
  24. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 786 . 8 October 2023 . 32-33, 41.
  25. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 787 . 15 October 2023 . 30-31, 38.
  26. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 790 . 5 November 2023 . 30-31, 39.
  27. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 791 . 12 November 2023 . 26-27, 34.
  28. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 792 . 19 November 2023 . 30-31, 39.
  29. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 793 . 26 November 2023 . 26-27, 37.
  30. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 794 . 3 December 2023 . 26-27, 37.
  31. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 795 . 10 December 2023 . 30-31, 41.
  32. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 796 . 17 December 2023 . 30-31, 41.
  33. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 799 . 7 January 2024 . 26, 33.
  34. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 800 . 14 January 2024 . 30-31, 41.
  35. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 801 . 21 January 2024 . 30-31, 37.
  36. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 802 . 28 January 2024 . 18, 31, 41.
  37. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 803 . 4 February 2024 . 34-35, 41.
  38. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 804 . 11 February 2024 . 30-31, 41.
  39. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 805 . 18 February 2024 . 26-27, 37.
  40. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 806 . 25 February 2024 . 30-31, 41.
  41. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 808 . 10 March 2024 . 30-31, 41.
  42. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 809 . 17 March 2024 . 28-29, 41.
  43. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 810 . 24 March 2024 . 28-29, 41.
  44. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 812 . 7 April 2024 . 28-29, 41.
  45. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 813 . 14 April 2024 . 28-29, 41.
  46. News: Results . The RugbyPaper . 815 . 28 April 2024 . 26-27, 36.

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