2002–03 National Division One Explained

2002–03 National Division One
Champions:Rotherham
Runnersup:Worcester
Relegated:Moseley and Rugby Lions
Highest Attendance:5,700 Worcester at home to Rotherham on 12 April 2003
Attendance:190,949 (average 1,073 per match)
Lowest Attendance:250 Wakefield at home to Rugby Lions on 2 November 2002
Top Point Scorer: James Pritchard
(Bedford Blues) 374 points
Top Try Scorer: Duncan Roke
(Worcester) 26 tries
Prevseason:2001–02
Nextseason:2003–04

The 2002–03 National Division One (for sponsorship reasons known as the Jewson National Division One) was the 16th 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 Orrell and Plymouth Albion who were promoted from 2001–02 National Division Two while no team was relegated from the 2001–02 Zurich Premiership as Rotherham's ground was not deemed suitable for top flight games.[1] [2]

For the second year in a row Rotherham, were champions, and this year they were promoted to the Zurich Premiership for season 2003–04 with Worcester finishing as runners–up for the third consecutive season. Moseley and Rugby were relegated to the 2003–04 National Division Two.[3] [4] [5] [6]

Participating teams

width=25%Teamwidth=25%Stadiumwidth=25%Capacitywidth=25%City/Area
Bedford BluesGoldington Road7,000Bedford, Bedfordshire
Birmingham & SolihullSharmans Cross2,500Solihull, West Midlands
CoventryCoundon Road9,000+Coventry, West Midlands
Exeter ChiefsCounty Ground5,200Exeter, Devon
London WelshOld Deer Park5,850Richmond, London
ManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
MoseleyBournbrookBirmingham, West Midlands
OrrellEdge Hall Road5,500Orrell, Greater Manchester
OtleyCross Green5,000Otley, West Yorkshire
Plymouth AlbionBeacon Park3,500Plymouth, Devon
RotherhamMillmoor8,300Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Rugby LionsWebb Ellis Road1,000Rugby, Warwickshire
WakefieldCollege Grove3,000Wakefield, West Yorkshire
WorcesterSixways8,477Worcester, Worcestershire

Results

Round 1

----

Round 2

----

Round 3

----

Round 4

----

Round 5

----

Round 6

----

Round 7

----

Round 8

----

Round 9

----

Round 10

----

Round 11

----

Round 12

----

Round 13

----

Round 14

----

Round 15

----

Round 16

----

Round 17

----

Round 18

----

Round 19

----

Round 14 & 15 (rescheduled games)

----

Round 21 (rescheduled game)

----

Round 20

----

Round 21

----

Round 15, 17 & 21 (rescheduled games)

----

Round 22

----

Rounds 15 & 21 (rescheduled games)

----

Round 23

----

Rounds 18, 21 & 26 (rescheduled games)

----

Round 24

----

Round 25

----

Round 14 (rescheduled game)

----

Round 26

Total Season Attendances

ClubHome
Games		TotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity
Bedford Blues 13 20,696 1,592 2,227 1,159 23%
Birmingham & Solihull 13 6,500 500 1,200 200 20%
Coventry 11 16,745 1,522 2,500 850 17%
Exeter Chiefs 13 17,663 1,359 2,958 786 26%
London Welsh 13 12,155 935 1,475 400 16%
Manchester 13 6,712 516 1,200 125 13%
Moseley 13 6,214 478 750 323 N/A
Orrell 13 9,165 705 1,410 400 13%
Otley 12 9,065 755 2,000 435 15%
Plymouth Albion 13 24,578 1,891 3,420 1,056 54%
Rotherham 12 19,823 1,652 4,000 1,000 20%
Rugby Lions 12 4,970 414 682 275 41%
Wakefield 13 4,679 360 850 250 12%
Worcester 13 31,984 2,460 5,700 800 29%
[7]

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Points
1 26 374
2 23 349
3 26 346
4 23 269
5 17 265
6 24 166
7 22 152
8 20 137
9 21 134
10 21 133
[8]

Top try scorers

Rank Player Team Appearances Tries
1 25 26
2 22 22
3 26 21
4 23 19
5 15 16
22 16
26 16
6 14 15
21 15
26 15
[9]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 99 pts102 - 3 Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
  • Largest away win — 68 pts75 - 7 Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003
  • Most points scored — 102 pts102 - 3 Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
  • Most tries in a match — 14 (x2)Exeter Chiefs at home to Rugby Lions on 14 September 2002
    Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
  • Most conversions in a match — 10 (x3)Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
    Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003
    Worcester away to Moseley on 22 March 2003
  • Most penalties in a match — 8 (x2)Bedford Blues at home to Otley on 2 November 2002
    Coventry at home to Exeter Chiefs on 9 April 2003
  • Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3)Plymouth Albion at home to Wakefield on 8 February 2003
    Bedford Blues at home to Plymouth Albion on 23 March 2003
    Exeter Chiefs at home to Plymouth Albion on 19 April 2003

    • [10] [11] [12] [13]

    Player

    Most points in a match — 37 Ramiro Pez for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
  • Most tries in a match — 4 (x4) Drew Hickey for Orrell at home to Rugby Lions on 1 September 2002
    Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion away to Rugby Lions on 26 October 2002
    Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion at home to Manchester on 4 January 2003
    Duncan Roke for Worcester away to Rugby Lions on 26 April 2003
  • Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2) Ramiro Pez for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
    Jon Benson for Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003
  • Most penalties in a match — 8 (x2) James Pritchard for Bedford Blues at home to Otley on 2 November 2002
    Luke Smith for Coventry at home to Exeter Chiefs on 9 April 2003
  • Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3) Tom Barlow for Plymouth Albion at home to Wakefield on 8 February 2003
    Ed Barnes for Bedford Blues at home to Plymouth Albion on 23 March 2003
    Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs at home to Plymouth Albion on 19 April 2003

    • [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

    Attendances

    Highest — 5,700Worcester at home to Rotherham on 12 April 2003
  • Lowest — 250Wakefield at home to Rugby Lions on 2 November 2002
  • Highest Average Attendance — 2,460Worcester
  • Lowest Average Attendance — 360Wakefield

    • [19]

    See also

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Rotherham denied promotion . BBC News . 9 May 2002 .
    2. Web site: Rugby Union round-up . Liverpool Echo . 22 April 2002 .
    3. Web site: Rotherham promoted . The Telegraph . 12 May 2003 .
    4. Web site: Local rivals have plenty to play for . Coventry Telegraph . 18 April 2003 .
    5. Web site: RUGBY UNION: Struggling Moseley miss their last chance; OTLEY 65 MOSELEY 27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181119201556/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-100039054.html . dead . 19 November 2018 . Birmingham Evening Mail . 14 April 2003 .
    6. Web site: Leagues 2002/03. Moseley Rugby club. 12 August 2012.
    7. Web site: National One 02/03 Home attendances . Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2003.
    8. Web site: National One 02/03 Leading point scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2003.
    9. Web site: National One 02/03 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 26 April 2003.
    10. Web site: National One 02/03 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    11. Web site: National One 02/03 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    12. Web site: National One 02/03 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    13. Web site: National One 02/03 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    14. Web site: National One 02/03 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    15. Web site: National One 02/03 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    16. Web site: National One 02/03 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    17. Web site: National One 02/03 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    18. Web site: National One 02/03 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .
    19. Web site: National One 02/03 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2003 .

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2002–03 National Division One".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.