2005–06 National Division Three North

The 2005–06 National Division Three North was the sixth season (eighteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included Nuneaton who were relegated from the 2004–05 National Division Two while Leicester Lions came up as champions of Midlands Division 1 along with Preston Grasshoppers (champions) and Hull Ionians (playoffs) who were promoted from North Division 1. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National Division Two while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National Division Three South (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.

After just missing out on the playoffs last season, Bradford & Bingley went two places better by winning the championship, finishing 13 points clear of runners up Nuneaton to gain promotion to the 2006–07 National Division Two. Nuneaton would, however, make an instance return to National Division Two after their relegation a season ago, by defeating 2005–06 National Division Three South runners up North Walsham away in the north–south playoff. There were only two relegation spots this year with the two teams to go down being Kendal and New Brighton. They were easily the weakest in the division with 13th placed New Brighton finishing 41 points behind 12th placed Leicester Lions. Both sides would drop down to North Division 1.

Participating teams and locations

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBlaydonCrow Trees2,000 (400 seats)Swalwell, Tyne and WearBradford & BingleyWagon Lane4,000Bingley, West YorkshireCleckheatonCleckheaton Sports ClubCleckheaton, West YorkshireDarlingtonBlackwell Meadows3,000Darlington, County DurhamDarlington Mowden ParkYiewsley Drive Darlington, County DurhamFyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground7,500 (500 seats)Lytham St. Annes, LancashireHull IoniansBrantingham Park1,500 (240 seats)Brantingham, East Riding of YorkshireKendalMint Bridge4,600 (600 seats) Kendal, CumbriaLeicester LionsWestleigh Park2,000Blaby, LeicestershireMacclesfieldPriory Park1,250 (250 seats)Macclesfield, CheshireNew BrightonHartsfield2,000Wirral, MerseysideNuneatonLiberty Way3,800 (500 seats)Nuneaton, WarwickshirePreston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green2,250 (250 seats)Preston, LancashireTynedaleTynedale Park2,000 (400 seats)Corbridge, Northumberland

Final league table

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 10 (rescheduled game)

Game brought forward from 26 November 2005.

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2006.

Round 8

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 April 2006.

Round 9

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Round 10

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 April 2006.

Game brought forward to 17 September 2005.

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 7 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 5 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 5 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 5 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 5 November 2005.

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 April 2006.

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Game initially postponed but due to fixture congestion and the fact that the result would not affect the final league table the game would ultimately be cancelled.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 March 2006.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 April 2006.

Rounds 9, 13 & 21 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 4 March 2006.

Game rescheduled from 4 March 2006.

Game rescheduled from 19 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 19 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 4 March 2006.

Game rescheduled from 17 December 2005.

Round 22

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 May 2006.

Round 23

Game initially postponed but due to fixture congestion and the fact that the result would not affect the final league table the game would ultimately be cancelled.

Round 24

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 April 2006.

Round 25

Rounds 10, 21 & 24 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 26 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 1 April 2006.

Game rescheduled from 4 March 2006.

Round 26

Rounds 8 & 18 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 12 November 2005.

Game rescheduled from 11 February 2006.

Round 22 (rescheduled game)

Game rescheduled from 18 March 2006.

Promotion play-off The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. North Walsham were the southern division runners up and as they had a superior league record than northern runners-up, Nuneaton, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% Capacity Blaydon 9 1,985 221 350 180 11% Bradford & Bingley 11 3,341 304 750 210 8% Cleckheaton 11 4,500 409 800 300 Darlington 13 2,625 202 550 125 7% Darlington Mowden Park 12 1,785 149 280 87 Fylde 10 4,790 479 1,575 250 6% Hull Ionians 9 3,100 344 500 200 23% Kendal 12 2,650 221 350 150 5% Leicester Lions 11 1,140 104 250 50 5% Macclesfield 10 2,547 255 347 147 20% New Brighton 7 1,857 265 400 150 13% Nuneaton 10 2,260 226 500 100 6% Preston Grasshoppers 8 3,007 376 574 150 17% Tynedale 13 3,200 246 500 100 12%

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 Tom Rhodes Bradford & Bingley 24 270 2 Paul Bailey Preston Grasshoppers 24 269 3 Mike Scott Fylde 24 264 4 Gareth Cull Nuneaton 22 259 5 Dan Yuill Leicester Lions 25 174 6 Ross Winney Macclesfield 22 167 7 Phillip Belgian Tynedale 19 165 8 Chris Quinn Cleckheaton 23 162 9 Dan Clappison Blaydon 19 158 Stephen Dean New Brighton 25 158

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Alan Brown Darlington 24 25 2 Phil Read Nuneaton 25 21 3 Oliver Viney Preston Grasshoppers 24 20 4 Mark Kirkby Bradford & Bingley 23 17 5 Nick Royle Fylde 18 16 6 Lee Parry Nuneaton 21 14 Gareth Collins Leicester Lions 23 14 Joe Simpson Bradford & Bingley 24 14 Derek Eves Hull Ionians 26 14 7 Barry Jacobsz Bradford & Bingley 17 13 Katilimoni Tuipulotu New Brighton 20 13 Francis Coulson Darlington 25 13

Season records

Team Largest home win — 74 pts 74 - 0 Nuneaton at home to Kendal on 22 April 2006 Largest away win — 61 pts 68 - 7 Preston Grasshoppers away to New Brighton on 22 October 2005 Most points scored — 90 pts 90 - 21 Bradford & Bingley at home to New Brighton on 18 February 2006 Most tries in a match — 14 Bradford & Bingley at home to New Brighton on 18 February 2006 Most conversions in a match — 10 Bradford & Bingley at home to New Brighton on 18 February 2006 Most penalties in a match — 6 Fylde away to Leicester Lions on 25 February 2006 Most drop goals in a match — 3 Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006

Player Most points in a match — 32 Paul Bailey for Preston Grasshoppers at home to Fylde on 10 September 2005 Most tries in a match — 6 Mark Kirkby for Fylde away to Leicester Lions on 25 February 2006 Most conversions in a match — 10 Tom Rhodes for Bradford & Bingley at home to New Brighton on 18 February 2006 Most penalties in a match — 6 Mike Scott for Fylde away to Leicester Lions on 25 February 2006 Most drop goals in a match — 3 Mike Scott for Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006

Attendances Highest — 1,575 Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 7 January 2006 Lowest — 50 Leicester Lions at home to Cleckheaton on 7 January 2006 Highest Average Attendance — 479 Fylde Lowest Average Attendance — 104 Leicester Lions

See also English Rugby Union Leagues English rugby union system Rugby union in England

References

External links NCA Rugby