2002–03 National Division One
The 2002–03 National Division One 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
Locations of the 2002–03 National Division One teams
Team
Stadium
Capacity
City/Area
Bedford Blues
Goldington Road
7,000
Bedford , Bedfordshire
Birmingham & Solihull
Sharmans Cross
2,500
Solihull , West Midlands
Coventry
Coundon Road
9,000
Coventry , West Midlands
Exeter Chiefs
County Ground
5,200
Exeter , Devon
London Welsh
Old Deer Park
5,850
Richmond , London
Manchester
Grove Park
4,000
Cheadle Hulme , Greater Manchester
Moseley
Bournbrook
Birmingham , West Midlands
Orrell
Edge Hall Road
5,500
Orrell , Greater Manchester
Otley
Cross Green
5,000
Otley , West Yorkshire
Plymouth Albion
Beacon Park
3,500
Plymouth , Devon
Rotherham
Millmoor
8,300
Rotherham , South Yorkshire
Rugby Lions
Webb Ellis Road
4,000 (200 seats)[ 7]
Rugby , Warwickshire
Wakefield
College Grove
3,000
Wakefield , West Yorkshire
Worcester
Sixways
8,477
Worcester , Worcestershire
Table
Source:
rugbyarchive.net Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows: four points for a win; two points for a draw; no points for a loss; one bonus point for scoring four
tries or more in a match; one bonus point for losing by seven points or less.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: (1) difference between points for and against; (2) total number of points for.(C) Champion
Results
Round 1
Bedford Blues 21 - 15 Moseley Report
Goldington Road Eric Woodmason
Birmingham & Solihull 35 - 10 London Welsh Report
Sharmans Cross Nigel Higginson
Coventry 23 - 29 Worcester Report
Butts Park Arena Geraint Ashton-Jones
Exeter Chiefs 51 - 15 Wakefield Report
County Ground Wayne Barnes
Manchester 15 - 24 Plymouth Albion Report
Grove Park Tim Wigglesworth
Orrell 70 - 23 Rugby Lions Report
Edge Hall Road David Grashoff
Cross Green Rob Debney
Round 2
Coventry 50 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Coundon Road Tim Miller
Moseley 19 - 31 London Welsh Report
Bournbrook Mark Wilson
Plymouth Albion 49 - 29 Bedford Blues Report
Beacon Park David Rose
Wakefield 18 - 13 Manchester Report
College Grove Malcom Changleng
Sixways Ashley Rowden
Rotherham 35 - 30 Exeter Chiefs Report
Millmoor Tim Fisher
Webb Ellis Road Tim Wigglesworth
Round 3
Bedford Blues 47 - 14 Wakefield Report
Goldington Road Tim Wigglesworth
Birmingham & Solihull 68 - 14 Moseley Report
Sharmans Cross Geraint Ashton-Jones
Exeter Chiefs 89 - 17 Rugby Lions Report
County Ground Tim Miller
London Welsh 29 - 19 Plymouth Albion Report
Old Deer Park Sean Davey
Manchester 15 - 39 Rotherham Report
Grove Park David Rose
Edge Hall Road Rob Debney
Cross Green Mark Wilson
Round 4
Coundon Road Malcolm Changeleng
Orrell 18 - 27 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Edge Hall Road Eric Woodmason
Plymouth Albion 46 - 15 Moseley Report
Beacon Park Trevor Fisher
Wakefield 13 - 20 London Welsh Report
College Grove David Grashoff
Worcester 28 - 25 Exeter Chiefs Report
Sixways Geraint Ashton-Jones
Rotherham 51 - 6 Bedford Blues Report
Millmoor Wayne Barnes
Rugby Lions 14 - 27 Manchester Report
Webb Ellis Road Alan Biggs
Round 5
Bedford Blues 37 - 13 Rugby Lions Report
Goldington Road Mark Wilson
Birmingham & Solihull 31 - 8 Plymouth Albion Report
Sharmans Cross Martin Fox
Exeter Chiefs 35 - 0 Coventry Report
County Ground David Rose
London Welsh 22 - 49 Rotherham Report
Old Deer Park Tim Miller
Manchester 22 - 66 Worcester Report
Grove Park Trevor Fisher
Bournbrook Nigel Higginson
Cross Green Sean Davey
Round 6
Coventry 14 - 12 Manchester Report
Coundon Road Tim Wigglesworth
Orrell 24 - 24 Exeter Chiefs Report
Edge Hall Road Mark Wilson
Otley 23 - 30 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Cross Green Geraint Ashton-Jones
Rugby Lions 19 - 39 London Welsh Report
Webb Ellis Road Wayne Barnes
Wakefield 22 - 16 Plymouth Albion Report
College Grove Tim Miller
Worcester 69 - 10 Bedford Blues Report
Sixways Sean Davey
Millmoor Rob Debney
Round 7
Bedford Blues 26 - 28 Coventry Report
Goldington Road
Birmingham & Solihull 23 - 20 Wakefield Report
Sharmans Cross
Exeter Chiefs 69 - 11 Otley Report
County Ground
London Welsh 7 - 53 Worcester Report
Old Deer Park Mark Wilson
Grove Park David Sainsbury
Moseley 24 - 15 Rugby Lions Report
Bournbrook Sean Davey
Plymouth Albion 13 - 23 Rotherham Report
Beacon Park David Grashoff
Round 8
Coventry 17 - 26 London Welsh Report
Coundon Road Nigel Higginson
Exeter Chiefs 35 - 35 Birmingham & Solihull Report
County Ground David Sainsbury
Orrell 43 - 23 Bedford Blues Report
Edge Hall Lane Alan Biggs
Cross Green Andrew Pearce
Rugby Lions 36 - 39 Plymouth Albion Report
Webb Ellis Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Sixways Tim Wigglesworth
Rotherham 44 - 6 Wakefield Report
Millmoor Sean Davey
Round 9
Bedford Blues 24 - 16 Otley Report
Goldington Road Wayne Barnes
Birmingham & Solihull 10 - 20 Rotherham Report
Sharmans Cross David Grashoff
London Welsh 18 - 28 Orrell Report
Old Deer Park David Sainsbury
Manchester 5 - 45 Exeter Chiefs Report
Grove Park Rob Debney
Bournbrook Sean Davey
Plymouth Albion 12 - 30 Worcester Report
Beacon Park David Rose
Wakefield 31 - 9 Rugby Lions Report
College Grove Alan Biggs
Round 10
Exeter Chiefs 28 - 12 Bedford Blues Report
County Ground Alan Biggs
Rugby Lions 0 - 31 Rotherham Report
Webb Ellis Road Rob Debney
Coventry 28 - 27 Plymouth Albion Report
Counden Road Wayne Barnes
Manchester 10 - 21 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Grove Park David Rose
Otley 25 - 17 London Welsh Report
Cross Green Nigel Higginson
Worcester 36 - 0 Wakefield Report
Sixways David Grashoff
Edge Hall Road Tim Wigglesworth
Round 11
Bedford Blues 54 - 28 Manchester Report
Goldington Road Andrew Pearce
Birmingham & Solihull 23 - 3 Rugby Lions Report
Sharmans Cross Trevor Fisher
Plymouth Albion 27 - 27 Orrell Report
Beacon Park Eric Woodmason
Rotherham 38 - 13 Worcester Report
Millmoor Martin Fox
Wakefield 17 - 22 Coventry Report
College Grove Nigel Higginson
London Welsh 17 - 15 Exeter Chiefs Report
Old Deer Park Mark Wilson
Bournbrook Nick Williams
Round 12
Bedford Blues 19 - 7 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Goldington Road Martin Fox
Coventry 23 - 37 Rotherham Report
Coundon Road Tim Miller
Exeter Chiefs 73 - 0 Moseley Report
County Ground Nigel Higginson
Manchester 10 - 32 London Welsh Report
Grove Park David Grashoff
Edge Hall Road Steve Lander
Otley 21 - 40 Plymouth Albion Report
Cross Green Tim Wigglesworth
Worcester 67 - 3 Rugby Lions Report
Sixways Trevor Fisher
Round 13
Birmingham & Solihull 17 - 37 Worcester Report
Sharmans Cross Sean Davey
London Welsh 24 - 26 Bedford Blues Report
Old Deer Park David Rose
Moseley 16 - 20 Manchester Report
Bournbrook Trevor Fisher
Plymouth Albion 5 - 12 Exeter Chiefs Report
Beacon Park Martin Fox
Millmoor Wayne Barnes
Rugby Lions 20 - 31 Coventry Report
Webb Ellis Road David Sainsbury
College Grove Tim Miller
Round 14
Rugby Lions 17 - 46 Orrell Report
Webb Ellis Road
London Welsh 30 - 25 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Old Deer Park Malcom Changleng
Moseley P - P Bedford Blues
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003. Plymouth Albion 47 - 20 Manchester Report
Beacon Park Sean Davey
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003. Wakefield P - P Exeter Chiefs
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2003. Worcester 62 - 14 Coventry Report
Sixways David Sainsbury
Round 15
Bedford Blues P - P Plymouth Albion
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2003. Birmingham & Solihull P - P Coventry
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2003. Exeter Chiefs P - P Rotherham
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. Cross Green Tim Beddow
Round 16
Rugby Lions 10 - 27 Exeter Chiefs Report
Webb Ellis Road Rob Debney
Coundon Road Martin Fox
Moseley 0 - 55 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Bournbrook Mark Wilson
Plymouth Albion 0 - 15 London Welsh Report
Beacon Park Wayne Barnes
Wakefield 24 - 18 Bedford Blues Report
College Grove Tim Beddow
Sixways David Rose
Rotherham 34 - 10 Manchester Report
Millmoor Sean Davey
Round 17
Bedford Blues P - P Rotherham
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003. Birmingham & Solihull 10 - 38 Orrell Report
Sharmans Cross Rob Debney
Exeter Chiefs 16 - 20 Worcester Report
County Ground Ashley Rowden
London Welsh 29 - 8 Wakefield Report
Old Deer Park Nigel Higginson
Manchester 39 - 17 Rugby Lions Report
Grove Park Geraint Ashton-Jones
Moseley 25 - 24 Plymouth Albion Report
Bournbrook Trevor Fisher
Cross Green Mark Wilson
Round 18
Coventry P - P Exeter Chiefs
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 April 2003. Edge Hall Road David Rose
Plymouth Albion 27 - 24 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Beacon Park S Leyshon
Rotherham 18 - 12 London Welsh Report
Millmoor Rob Debney
Rugby Lions 23 - 35 Bedford Blues Report
Webb Ellis Road Nigel Higginson
College Grove Alan Biggs
Worcester 57 - 5 Manchester Report
Sixways Wayne Barnes
Round 19
Bedford Blues 9 - 45 Worcester Report
Goldington Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Birmingham & Solihull 7 - 21 Otley Report
Sharmans Cross Tim Beddow
Exeter Chiefs 27-13 Orrell Report
County Ground Sean Davey
London Welsh 67 - 17 Rugby Lions Report
Old Deer Park Tim Wigglesworth
Manchester 17 - 34 Coventry Report
Grove Park David Sainsbury
Bournbrook Nigel Higginson
Plymouth Albion 27 - 22 Wakefield Report
Beacon Park Tim Miller
Birmingham & Solihull 36 - 25 Coventry Report
Sharmans Cross Geraint Ashton-Jones
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.. Moseley 31 - 51 Bedford Blues Report
Bournbrook David Sainsbury
Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003. Edge Hall Road Ashley Rowden
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003. Millmoor David Grashoff
Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003.
Bedford Blues 26 - 37 Orrell Report
Goldington Road Wayne Barnes
Game brought forward from 1 March 2003.
Round 20
Coventry 22 - 25 Bedford Blues Report
Coundon Road Sean Davey
Otley 27 - 29 Exeter Chiefs Report
Cross Green Rob Debney
Rugby Lions 18 - 21 Moseley Report
Webb Ellis Road Eric Woodmason
Wakefield 6 - 16 Birmingham & Solihull Report
College Grove Mark Wilson
Worcester 35 - 12 London Welsh Report
Edge Hall Road
Rotherham 55 - 6 Plymouth Albion Report
Millmoor Robin Goodliffe
Round 21
Game brought forward to 19 February 2003. Birmingham & Solihull P - P Exeter Chiefs
Game postponed. Rescheduled to 8 March 2003. London Welsh 36 - 16 Coventry Report
Old Deer Park
Grove Park P De Luca
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2003. Plymouth Albion 56 - 12 Rugby Lions Report
Beacon Park Mark Wilson
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 April 2003.
Bedford Blues 13 - 40 Rotherham Report
Goldington Road Trevor Fisher
Game rescheduled from 25 January 2003. Birmingham & Solihull 22 - 24 Exeter Chiefs Report
Sharmans Cross Malcom Changleng
Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003. London Welsh 29 - 0 Moseley Report
Old Deer Park Nigel Higginson
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003. Manchester 15 - 13 Wakefield Report
Grove Park Robin Goodliffe
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.
Round 22
Coundon Road Mark Wilson
Exeter Chiefs 49 - 5 Manchester Report
County Ground Nigel Higginson
Orrell 30 - 27 London Welsh Report
Edge Hall Road Trevor Fisher
Otley 41 - 32 Bedford Blues Report
Cross Green Tim Wigglesworth
Rotherham 38 - 16 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Millmoor Sean Davey
Rugby Lions 36 - 39 Wakefield Report
Webb Ellis Road Tim Miller
Worcester 55 - 36 Plymouth Albion Report
Sixways David Grashoff
Exeter Chiefs 30 - 19 Rotherham Report
County Ground Geraint Ashton-Jones
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003. Bedford Blues 31 - 16 Plymouth Albion Report
Goldington Road 1,442
Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003. Bournbrook Wayne Barnes
Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003.
Round 23
Bedford Blues 23 - 32 Exeter Chiefs Report
Goldington Road Eric Woodmason
Birmingham & Solihull 27 - 29 Manchester Report
Sharmans Cross S Leyshon
London Welsh 36 - 27 Otley Report
Old Deer Park Jean Matheu
Bournbrook David Grashoff
Plymouth Albion 19 - 20 Coventry Report
Beacon Park Rob Debney
Rotherham 76 - 13 Rugby Lions Report
Millmoor Tim Beddow
Wakefield 36 - 55 Worcester Report
College Grove David Rose
London Welsh 13 - 10 Manchester Report
Old Deer Park Tim Wigglesworth
Game brought forward from 26 April 2003. Wakefield 0 - 55 Rotherham Report
College Grove Rob Debney
Game rescheduled from 1 March 2003. Coventry 31 - 34 Exeter Chiefs Report
Coundon Road Bruce Robertson
Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.
Round 24
Coventry 63 - 28 Wakefield Report
Coundon Road Tim Beddow
Exeter Chiefs 32 - 11 London Welsh Report
County Ground Rob Debney
Manchester 22 - 35 Bedford Blues Report
Grove Park Nigel Higginson
Orrell 48 - 24 Plymouth Albion Report
Edge Hall Road P Bellett
Cross Green
Rugby Lions 23 - 35 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Webb Ellis Road Tim Wigglesworth
Worcester 9 - 21 Rotherham Report
Sixways S Leyshon
Round 25
Bedford Blues 19 - 18 London Welsh Report
Goldington Road Tim Beddow
Coventry 63 - 10 Rugby Lions Report
Coundon Road Nigel Harrison
Exeter Chiefs 39 - 22 Plymouth Albion Report
County Ground David Sainsbury
Manchester 50 - 10 Moseley Report
Grove Park Robin Goodliffe
Edge Hall Road Martin Fox
Cross Green Malcom Changleng
Worcester 17 - 6 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Sixways Eric Gauzins
Wakefield 27 - 34 Exeter Chiefs
College Grove Nick Williams
Round 26
Birmingham & Solihull 24 - 24 Bedford Blues Report
Sharmans Cross Bruce Robertson
London Welsh P - P Manchester
Game brought forward to 5 April 2003. Moseley 25 - 36 Exeter Chiefs Report
Bournbrook Alan Biggs
Plymouth Albion 50 - 13 Otley Report
Beacon Park Rowan Kitt
Rotherham 25 - 26 Coventry Report
Millmoor Wayne Barnes
Rugby Lions 24 - 76 Worcester Report
Webb Ellis Road David Sainsbury
College Grove Tim Beddow
Total Season Attendances
Club
Home
Total
Average
Highest
Lowest
% 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[ a 2]
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[ a 3]
19,823
1,652
4,000
1,000
20%
Rugby Lions
12[ a 4]
4,970
414
682
275
10%
Wakefield
13
4,679
360
850
250
12%
Worcester
13
31,984
2,460
5,700
800
29%
[ 8]
^ Note that 4 home attendances are missing (see below) - so the total attendance will not be 100% accurate. The average attendance has also been taken into account with the missing games not included.
^ Missing home attendances v Orrell on 18 January 2003 and Bedford Blues on 22 February 2003.
^ Missing home attendance v Wakefield on 27 October 2002.
^ Missing home attendance v Rotherham on 15 January 2003.
Individual statistics
Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
[ 9]
Top try scorers
[ 10]
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
Most conversions in a match — 10 (x3) Rotherham at home to Moseley on 6 October 2002
Most penalties in a match — 8 (x2) Bedford Blues at home to Otley on 2 November 2002
Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3) Plymouth Albion at home to Wakefield on 8 February 2003
[ 11] [ 12] [ 13] [ 14]
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 2002Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion away to Rugby Lions on 26 October 2002Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion at home to Manchester on 4 January 2003Duncan 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 2002Jon 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 2002Luke 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 2003Ed Barnes for Bedford Blues at home to Plymouth Albion on 23 March 2003Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs at home to Plymouth Albion on 19 April 2003
[ 15] [ 16] [ 17] [ 18] [ 19]
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
[ 20]
See also
References
2024–25 teams Former clubs Seasons
Representative team
Governing body National teams
International competitions
Competition divisions
European competitions National competitions London and South East Midland competitions Northern competitions South West competitions County competitions Discontinued competitions Related articles Other
