The 2000–01 National Division Three North was the first season (fourteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included

Dudley Kingswinford Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union football club based in Kingswinford in the West Midlands. The club currently participate in the fifth tier of English club rugby, Regional 1 Midlands, following their relegatio ...

who were promoted as the champions of Midlands Division 1 and

Tynedale __NOTOC__ Tynedale was a local government district in Northumberland, England. The district had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 census. The main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe. The district contained part of ...

who were champions of North Division 1 with no northern based teams being relegated from the 1999-00 Jewson National League One. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the promotion system changing for this season with a playoff system being introduced. The champions of both National Division Three North and

National Division Three South National League 2 South (known before September 2009 as National Division Three South) was a level four league in the English rugby union system until the end of season 2021–22. It was one of two leagues at this level, with its counterpart, N ...

would automatically go up but the runners up of these two divisions would meet each other in a one off match (at the home ground of the side with the superior league record) to see who would claim the third and final promotion place to National Division Two for the following season. The season was a very fractured one due to the

2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. This epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease on farms across most of the British countryside. Over 6 million cows and ...

which primarily affected the two northernmost clubs in the division -

Aspatria Aspatria is a town and civil parish in Cumberland, Cumbria, England. The town rests on the north side of the Ellen Valley, overlooking a panoramic view of the countryside, with Skiddaw to the South and the Solway Firth to the North. Its dev ...

and Tynedale - leading to a large number of fixtures being cancelled in the latter half of the season. The league champions were

Stourbridge Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham, at the southwester ...

who pipped

Sedgley Park Prestwich ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, north of Manchester, north of Salford and south of Bury. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Prestwich was the seat of the ...

to the league title by just one point to gain promotion to the

2001–02 National Division Two The 2001–02 National Division Two was the second version (fifteenth overall) of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Orrell and Waterloo ...

. Sedgley Park would join them soon after when they won their promotion playoff game at home against the 2000-01 National Division Three South runners up Launceston in front of over 1,000 fans. The foot-and-mouth outbreak made relegation far from straightforward as initially the bottom two were Aspatria and Tynedale, who had played 18 games each - less than any of the other teams in the division. In Tynedale's case this was particularly hard as they were only 1 point behind 12th placed

Sandal Sandals are an open type of shoe, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometim ...

but had played six games less. In the end the

RFU The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It prom ...

had to re-think relegation and used a complicated process based on early season form which meant that 14th placed

and 11th placed

Walsall Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located ...

went down. Aspatria dropped to North Division 1 while Walsall went into Midlands Division 1.

Participating teams and locations

Final league table

Results

''Be aware that some of the early season scores from Rugby Statbunker may be incorrect (possibly due to an automatic scoring system used on that website) as they are different from those reported in the Telegraph. I have used references from the Telegraph wherever possible which should tie in with the results from the England rugby website.''

Round 1

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Round 2

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 September 2000. ----

Round 3

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 October 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. ----

Round 2 & 3 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 10 September 2000. *Game brought forward from 10 February 2001. *Game rescheduled from 10 September 2000. *Game rescheduled from 10 September 2000. ----

Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 3 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000. ----

Round 6

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Round 7

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. ----

Round 8

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Round 9

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Round 10

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Round 11

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. ----

Round 12

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001. ----

Round 13

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001. ----

Round 14

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Round 15

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 February 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001. ----

Round 16

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Round 17

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001. ----

Round 18

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001. ----

Round 19

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Rounds 3, 7, 11 & 15 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 4 November 2000. *Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 16 September 2000. *Game rescheduled from 4 November 2000. *Game rescheduled from 2 December 2000. ----

Round 20

*Game brought forward to 23 September 2000. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. ----

Rounds 12, 13 & 18 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001. *Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 16 December 2000. *Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000. ----

Round 21

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Rounds 13, 15 & 18 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 16 December 2000. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but would be postponed again until 28 April 2001. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but would be postponed again until 28 April 2001. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but would be postponed again until 14 April 2001. *Game initially rescheduled from 20 January 2001 but would be ultimately cancelled due to fixture congestion. ----

Round 22

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 May 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 May 2001. ----

Round 23

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to ?. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 April 2001. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 April 2001. ----

Round 24

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 May 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 May 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 May 2001. ----

Round 25

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 May 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 26 May 2001. ----

Rounds 15, 17 & 18 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but postponed again till 5 May 2001. ----

Round 26 (includes rescheduled game)

*Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000, then 3 March 2001. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 May 2001. *Game initially postponed but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. ----

Rounds 18 & 23 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001. *Game rescheduled from 7 March 2001. ----

Rounds 15 & 23 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 and then 3 March 2001 before finally being cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 and then 3 March 2001 before finally being cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. ----

Rounds 22 & 24 & ? (rescheduled games)

*Game initially rescheduled from 30 December 2000 and then again from 7 April 2001. *Game rescheduled from 14 April 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game rescheduled from 10 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game rescheduled from 24 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to fixture congestion. ----

Rounds 22 & 24 (rescheduled games)

*Game initially rescheduled from 24 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially rescheduled from 24 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially rescheduled from 10 March 2001 but ultimately cancelled due to fixture congestion. ----

Round 25 (rescheduled games)

*Game initially rescheduled from 31 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Tynedale's season and leading to them being relegated. *Game initially rescheduled from 31 March 2001 but would ultimately be cancelled due to foot & mouth crisis in northern England cutting short Aspatria's season and leading to them being relegated. ----

Promotion play-off

The league runners up of National Division Three North and South would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two.

were runners-up in the north and because they had a better league record than south runners-up, Launceston, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances

*Not including promotion playoff game.

Individual statistics

* Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Top points scorers

Top try scorers

Season records

Team

;Largest home win — 79 pts 79 - 0 New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Largest away win — 42 pts 53 - 11 Doncaster away to Sandal on 14 October 2000 ;Most points scored — 79 pts 79 - 0 New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most tries in a match — 13 New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most conversions in a match — 13 New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most penalties in a match — 7 Tynedale away to Liverpool St Helens on 2 September 2000 ;Most drop goals in a match — 2 Liverpool St Helens away to Bedford Athletic on 18 November 2000

Player

;Most points in a match — 34

Paul Brett Paul Brett (20 June 1947 – 31 January 2024) was an English classic rock guitarist. He played lead guitar with Strawbs (although he was never actually a member), The Overlanders, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, T ...

for New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most tries in a match — 4 (x2) Mike Wilcox for Sedgley Park at home to Whitchurch on 2 December 2000
Steve Belis for New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most conversions in a match — 13

for New Brighton at home to Morley on 9 December 2000 ;Most penalties in a match — 7

Alan Moses Sir Alan George Moses (born 29 November 1945) is a former Lord Justice of Appeal, a Court of Appeal Judge and the former chairman of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He is joint Chair of the United Kingdom's Spoliation Advisory P ...

for Tynedale away to Liverpool St Helens on 2 September 2000 ;Most drop goals in a match — 2 Simon Worsley for Liverpool St Helens away to Bedford Athletic on 18 November 2000

Attendances

;Highest — 1,500 (x2) Dudley Kingswinford at home to Stourbridge on 16 December 2000
Stourbridge at home to Dudley Kingswinford on 31 March 2001 ;Lowest — 100 (x2) Aspatria at home to Sedgley Park on 18 November 2000
Aspatria at home to Tynedale on 2 December 2000 ;Highest Average Attendance — 691 Doncaster ;Lowest Average Attendance — 145 Aspatria

References

External links

NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National3 2000-01 2000–01 in English rugby union leagues

Participating teams and locations

Final league table

Results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 2 & 3 (rescheduled games)

Round 4

Round 5

Round 3 (rescheduled game)

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

Rounds 3, 7, 11 & 15 (rescheduled games)

Round 20

Rounds 12, 13 & 18 (rescheduled games)

Round 21

Rounds 13, 15 & 18 (rescheduled games)

Round 22

Round 23

Round 24

Round 25

Rounds 15, 17 & 18 (rescheduled games)

Round 26 (includes rescheduled game)

Rounds 18 & 23 (rescheduled games)

Rounds 15 & 23 (rescheduled games)

Rounds 22 & 24 & ? (rescheduled games)

Rounds 22 & 24 (rescheduled games)

Round 25 (rescheduled games)

Promotion play-off

Total season attendances

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Top try scorers

Season records

Team

Player

Attendances

See also

References

External links