The
2005–06 National Division One was the 19th full season of
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 ...
within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the
RFU Championship
The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men's English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when Eng ...
. New teams to the division included
Harlequins who had been relegated from the
2004–05 Zurich Premiership, while
Doncaster
Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...
and
Newbury were promoted from the
2004–05 National Division Two
The 2004–05 National Division Two was the fifth version (eighteenth overall) of the National League 1, third division of the England, English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Man ...
. Additional changes saw Penzance & Newyln RFC rebrand themselves as the
Cornish Pirates
The Cornish Pirates () are a professional rugby union team who play in the RFU Championship, Championship, the second level of the English rugby union pyramid, and are the premier Cornish rugby club. The Cornish Pirates team are the 'First XV' o ...
as well as moving from their home ground, the
Mennaye Field
The Mennaye Field is a sports stadium located in Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The ground was provided by the Borough of Penzance for the Penzance and Newlyn RFC formed on Tuesday, 12 December 1944 with the amalgamation of Penzance RFC and Newlyn RFC ...
in
Penzance
Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...
, to a more central location in
Truro
Truro (; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England; it is the southernmost city in the United Kingdom, just under west-south-west of Charing Cross in London. It is Cornwall's county town, s ...
at the
Kenwyn Rugby Ground (a temporary stadium built in the city) with the aim to appeal more to Cornish fans on the whole as well as making home games more accessible.
Rotherham Titans
Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans is a rugby union club from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, currently playing in the third tier of the English rugby union league system, following their promotion from the National League ...
also rebranded themselves as 'Earth Titans' for sponsorship purposes for this season.
After only one season
Harlequins won the National Division One at the first attempt and returned to the
Guinness Premiership
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition, consisting of 10 clubs, and is the top division of the English rugby u ...
for season
2006–07.
Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues are a semi-professional rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in the RFU Championship.
History
Foundation and 19th century
Bedford RUFC was founded in 1886 after an amalgamation between Bedford Rove ...
finished in second place and there was no relegation to
National Division Two following the
RFU's decision to expand National Division One from 14 to 16 teams for the
2006–07 season.
Participating teams
Table
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
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 December 2005.
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Round 10
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 9 (rescheduled game)
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Round 13
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Round 14
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 February 2006.
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Round 15
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Round 16
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Round 17
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Round 14 (rescheduled game)
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Round 18
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Round 19
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Round 20
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 March 2006.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 March 2006.
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Round 20 (rescheduled games)
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Round 23
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Round 25 (rescheduled game)
*Game brought forward from 15 April 2006.
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Round 24
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Round 25
*Rescheduled. Game brought forward to 8 April 2006.
*Newbury were awarded a 0–0 win and 4 league points following this match. Pertemps Bees won the match by 35 pts to 22 pts but due to a severe injury crisis had to field three unregistered players with the prior approval of FDR in order to fulfil the fixture. All points gained by either side in the match will be disregarded for the purpose of the official league table in accordance with the RFU Regulations.
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Round 26
Season attendances
Leading scorers
* 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 — 65 pts
70 - 5 Harlequins at home to Exeter Chiefs on 22 October 2005
;Largest away win — 52 pts
68 - 16 Bedford Blues away to Pertemps Bees on 11 March 2006
;Most points scored — 79 pts
79 - 22 Bedford Blues at home to Newbury on 29 April 2006
;Most tries in a match — 12 (x2)
Harlequins at home to Exeter Chiefs on 22 October 2005
Bedford Blues at home to Newbury on 29 April 2006
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Bedford Blues at home to Newbury on 29 April 2006
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Coventry at home to Newbury on 11 March 2006
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Plymouth Albion at home to Exeter Chiefs on 3 September 2005
Player
;Most points in a match — 34
Alastair Hepher for Bedford Blues at home to Newbury on 29 April 2006
;Most tries in a match — 5 (x2)
Richard Welding for Cornish Pirates at home to Earth Titans on 18 September 2005
Ugo Monye
Ugochukwu Chiedozie Monye (born 13 April 1983) is an English former rugby union player who is now a sports pundit. Monye played 14 times for , 241 times for his only club Harlequins and twice for the British & Irish Lions on their 2009 tour ...
for Harlequins at home to Exeter Chiefs on 22 October 2005
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Alastair Hepher for Bedford Blues at home to Newbury on 29 April 2006
;Most penalties in a match — 7
James Moore for Coventry at home to Newbury on 11 March 2006
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A - multiple players
Attendances
;Highest — 12,500
Harlequins at home to Plymouth Albion on 29 April 2006
;Lowest — 325
Sedgley Park at home to Newbury on 18 February 2006
;Highest Average Attendance — 8,996
Harlequins
;Lowest Average Attendance — 549
Orrell
See also
*
English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England consi ...
References
External links
national1.co.uk
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Division 1
2005–06 in English rugby union leagues
2005–06