2007–08 National Division One Explained

2007–08 National Division One
Champions:	Northampton Saints
Runnersup:	Exeter Chiefs
Relegated:	Pertemp Bees and Launceston
Highest Attendance:	13,498 Northampton Saints at home to Exeter Chiefs on 22 March 2008
Attendance:	544,725 (average 2,279 per match)
Lowest Attendance:	350 Pertemps Bees (twice) at home to Plymouth Albion on 15 September 2007 & Esher on 10 November 2007
Top Point Scorer:	Gareth Steenson (Cornish Pirates) 287 points
Top Try Scorer:	Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints) 39 tries
Prevseason:	2006–07
Nextseason:	2008–09

The 2007–08 National Division One was the 21st full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams included Northampton Saints (relegated from the Guinness Premiership 2006–07) and Esher and Launceston (both promoted from National Division Two 2006–07).^{[1] [2] [3]} After two seasons Rotherham dropped the 'Earth' from their name to return to 'Rotherham Titans' (which they had been rebranded to in 2005 for the 2005–06 season) as sponsor Earth Mortgages ran into financial difficulties and Complete Technical Services instead became the club's new sponsor.^[4]

Following their relegation from the previous season, Northampton Saints won the National Division One title at the first attempt and returned to the Guinness Premiership for season 2008–09 with Chris Ashton setting what was then the English league try record of 39 tries in a season (although Phil Chesters broke this record with 70 tries in a season in tier 4, Ashton's still stands as the highest ever in tier 2).^{[5] [6]} Exeter Chiefs finished in second place, and Pertemp Bees and Launceston were relegated to the 2008–09 National Division Two.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Participating teams

width=25%	Team	width=25%	Stadium	width=25%	Capacity	width=25%	City/Area
Bedford Blues	Goldington Road	6,000	Bedford, Bedfordshire
Cornish Pirates	Recreation Ground	9,000	Camborne, Cornwall
Coventry	Butts Park Arena	4,000	Coventry, West Midlands
Doncaster Knights	Castle Park	3,075	Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Esher	Molesey Road	3,000	Hersham, Surrey
Exeter Chiefs	Sandy Park	6,000	Exeter, Devon
Launceston	Polson Bridge	3,000	Launceston, Cornwall
London Welsh	Old Deer Park	5,850	Richmond, London
Moseley	Billesley Common	3,000+	Birmingham, West Midlands
Newbury	Monk's Lane	8,000	Newbury, Berkshire
Northampton Saints	Franklin's Gardens	13,600	Northampton, Northamptonshire
Nottingham	Meadow Lane	19,588	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Pertemps Bees	Sharmans Cross	2,500	Solihull, West Midlands
Plymouth Albion	The Brickfields	6,500	Plymouth, Devon
Rotherham Titans	Clifton Lane	2,500	Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Sedgley Park	Park Lane	3,000	Whitefield, Greater Manchester

Notes

Results

Round 1

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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 15

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 March 2008.

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Round 16

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 March 2008.

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Round 17

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 February 2008.

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Round 18

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Round 19

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Round 20

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2008.

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Round 21

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Round 22

• Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2008.

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Round 23

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Round 17 (rescheduled game)

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Round 24

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Round 15 (rescheduled game)

• Launceston had to play 'home game' at Franklin's Gardens due to issues with Polson Bridge floodlights

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Round 25

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Round 16 (rescheduled game)

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Round 26

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Round 27

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Round 28

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Round 20 & 22 (rescheduled games)

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Round 29

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Round 30

Total Season Attendances

Club	Home Games	Total	Average	Highest	Lowest	% Capacity
Bedford Blues	15	35,128	2,342	5,307	1,590	39%
Cornish Pirates	15	52,294	3,486	6,487	2,275	39%
Coventry	15	20,490	1,366	3,100	873	34%
Doncaster Knights	15	18,939	1,263	3,075	500	41%
Esher	15	13,593	906	2,500	426	30%
Exeter Chiefs	15	60,466	4,031	5,859	2,820	67%
Launceston	15	25,307	1,687	8,201	729	55%
London Welsh	15	14,653	977	2,400	420	17%
Moseley	15	13,608	907	1,358	675	30%
Newbury	15	10,756	717	2,345	402	9%
Northampton Saints	15	172,408	11,494	13,498	10,071	85%
Nottingham	15	22,448	1,497	4,751	932	8%
Pertemps Bees	15	9,791	653	1,577	350	26%
Plymouth Albion	15	48,348	3,223	6,381	2,132	50%
Rotherham Titans	15	17,095	1,140	2,807	607	46%
Sedgley Park	15	9,401	627	1,325	467	21%

^[10]

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			27	287
2			30	263
3			29	262
4			29	225
5			27	209
6			25	197
7			23	196
8			25	190
9			24	181
10			19	172

^[11]

Top try scorers

Rank	Player	Team	Appearances	Tries
1			25	39
2			29	28
3			27	22
4			26	19
5			24	17
			30	17
6			28	14
7			18	13
			19	13
8			19	11
			24	11
			28	11
			29	11
			29	11

^[12]

Season records

Team

Largest home win — 93 pts96 - 3 Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Largest away win — 51 pts59 - 8 Northampton Saints away to Sedgley Park on 6 October 2007

Most points scored — 93 pts96 - 3 Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Most tries in a match — 14Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Most conversions in a match — 13Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Most penalties in a match — 6Cornish Pirates at home to Exeter Chiefs on 7 October 2007

Most drop goals in a match — 3Exeter Chiefs away to Plymouth Albion on 8 September 2007

^{[13] [14] [15] [16]}

Player

Most points in a match — 36 Bruce Reihana for Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Most tries in a match — 6 Chris Ashton for Northampton Saints at home to Launceston on 26 April 2008

Most conversions in a match — 13 Bruce Reihana for Northampton Saints at home to Sedgley Park on 26 January 2008

Most penalties in a match — 6 Gareth Steenson for Cornish Pirates at home to Exeter Chiefs on 7 October 2007

Most drop goals in a match — 3 Danny Gray for Exeter Chiefs away to Plymouth Albion on 8 September 2007

^{[17] [18] [19] [20] [21]}

Attendances

Highest — 13,498Northampton Saints at home to Exeter Chiefs on 22 March 2008

Lowest — 350 (x2)Pertemps Bees (twice) at home to Plymouth Albion on 15 September 2007 & Esher on 10 November 2007

Highest Average Attendance — 11,494Northampton Saints

Lowest Average Attendance — 627Sedgley Park

^[22]

See also

• English rugby union system

Notes and References

1. Web site: Too little too late for relegated Northampton . The Telegraph. 29 April 2007 .
2. Web site: Rugby - Esher celebrate championship win . Get Surrey . 25 April 2007 .
3. Web site: Launceston on way up . Telegraph . 23 April 2007 .
4. Web site: Snyman to bow out with trophy . Yorkshire Post . 20 April 2007 .
5. Web site: Northampton clinch promotion to Premiership . The Telegraph. 24 March 2008 .
6. Web site: Northampton Saints Annual Report and Accounts 2008 . Northampton Saints . 21 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160208034240/http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/media/docs/Annual_Report_Accounts_2008.pdf . 8 February 2016 . dead .
7. Web site: Leagues 2007/08. Moseley Rugby Club. 17 August 2012.
8. Web site: Hollow win as Pertemps Bees are relegated . Birmingham Post . 28 April 2008 .
9. Web site: Launceston relegated by huge loss . BBC News . 27 April 2008 .
10. Web site: National One 07/08 Home attendances . Rugby Statbunker. 25 April 2008.
11. Web site: National One 07/08 Leading point scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 25 April 2008.
12. Web site: National One 07/08 Leading try scorers . Rugby Statbunker. 25 April 2008.
13. Web site: National One 07/08 Most tries in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
14. Web site: National One 07/08 Most conversions in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
15. Web site: National One 07/08 Most penalties in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
16. Web site: National One 07/08 Most drop goals in a match (Team) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
17. Web site: National One 07/08 Most points in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
18. Web site: National One 07/08 Most tries in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
19. Web site: National One 07/08 Most conversions in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
20. Web site: National One 07/08 Most penalties in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
21. Web site: National One 07/08 Most drop goals in a match (Player) . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .
22. Web site: National One 07/08 Home attendance . Rugby Statbunker . 26 April 2008 .