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.

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.

Participating teams

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaBedford BluesGoldington Road5,000Bedford, BedfordshireBirmingham & SolihullSharmans Cross4,000Solihull, West MidlandsCoventryCoundon Road10,000 (1,100 seats) Coventry, West MidlandsExeter ChiefsCounty Ground5,750 (750 seats)Exeter, DevonLondon WelshOld Deer Park4,500 (1,500 seats)Richmond, LondonManchesterGrove Park4,000Cheadle Hulme, Greater ManchesterMoseleyBournbrookBirmingham, West MidlandsOrrellEdge Hall Road5,300 (300 seats) Orrell, Greater ManchesterOtleyCross Green7,000 (852 seats)Otley, West YorkshirePlymouth AlbionBeacon Park3,500 (450 seats)Plymouth, DevonRotherhamMillmoor8,300Rotherham, South YorkshireRugby LionsWebb Ellis Road3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, WarwickshireWakefieldCollege Grove4,000 (500 seats) Wakefield, West YorkshireWorcesterSixways8,477Worcester, Worcestershire

Table

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

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2003.

Round 15

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003.

Round 16

Round 17

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.

Round 18

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 April 2003.

Round 19

Round 14 & 15 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003..

Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003.

Round 21 (rescheduled game)

Game brought forward from 1 March 2003.

Round 20

Round 21

Game brought forward to 19 February 2003.

Game postponed. Rescheduled to 8 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2003.

Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 April 2003.

Round 15, 17 & 21 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 25 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003.

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Round 22

Rounds 15 & 21 (rescheduled games)

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003.

Round 23

Rounds 18, 21 & 26 (rescheduled games)

Game brought forward from 26 April 2003.

Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003.

Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.

Round 24

Round 25

Round 14 (rescheduled game)

Round 26

Game brought forward to 5 April 2003.

Total Season Attendances

ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest% CapacityBedford Blues 13 20,696 1,592 2,227 1,159 32%Birmingham & Solihull 13 6,500 500 1,200 200 13%Coventry 11 16,745 1,522 2,500 850 15%Exeter Chiefs 13 17,663 1,359 2,958 786 24%London Welsh 13 12,155 935 1,475 400 21%Manchester 13 6,712 516 1,200 125 13%Moseley 13 6,214 478 750 323 N/AOrrell 13 9,165 705 1,410 400 13%Otley 12 9,065 755 2,000 435 11%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 13%Wakefield 13 4,679 360 850 250 9%Worcester 13 31,984 2,460 5,700 800 29%

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 James Pritchard Bedford Blues 26 374 2 Tony Yapp Exeter Chiefs 23 349 3 Phil Jones Orrell 26 346 4 Simon Binns Otley 23 269 5 Ramiro Pez Rotherham 17 265 6 Luke Smith Rotherham / Birmingham & Solihull 24 166 7 Brett McCormack Plymouth Albion 22 152 8 Simon Verbickas Manchester 20 137 9 Jon Boden Rugby Lions 21 134 10 Jon Benson Rotherham 21 133

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Appearances Tries 1 Duncan Roke Worcester 25 26 2 Michael Wood Rotherham 22 22 3 Dan Ward-Smith Plymouth Albion 26 21 4 Nmandi Ezulike Worcester 23 19 5 David Officer Worcester 15 16 Wes Davies Orrell 22 16 Nick Baxter Birmingham & Solihull 26 16 6 Andy Craig Orrell 14 15 Chris Garrard Worcester 21 15 Phil Jones Orrell 26 15

Season records

Team Largest home win — 99 pts 102 - 3 Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002 Largest away win — 68 pts 75 - 7 Rotherham away to Moseley on 8 February 2003 Most points scored — 102 pts 102 - 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

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

Attendances

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

Notes

See also English rugby union system

References