The 2007–08 National Division Two was the eighth version (twenty first overall) of the
third division of the
English 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 ...
league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included
Waterloo
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces
* Waterloo, Belgium
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Australia
* Waterloo, New South Wale ...
and
Otley
Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 2011 c ...
who were relegated from the
2006–07 National Division One while promoted teams included
Blaydon
Blaydon is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, and historically in County Durham. Blaydon, and neighbouring Winlaton, which Blaydon is now contiguous with, form the town of Blaydon-on-Tyne. The Blaydon/Winl ...
coming up from the
2006–07 National Division Three North while
Southend
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...
(champions) and
Westcombe Park
Westcombe Park is a largely residential area in Blackheath in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, South East London, England. It is bounded by the main London-Dartford railway line to the north, the Blackwall Tunnel southern approach to the east, ...
(playoffs) came up from the
2006–07 National Division Three South
The 2006–07 National Division Three South was the seventh season (20th overall) of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division only includ ...
.
At the end of the season Otley made an instant return to their former division by beating runners up
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
to the title by just one point, with Manchester also gaining promotion by virtue of their second-place finish - both teams would be promoted to the
2008–09 National Division One
The RFU Championship, 2008–09 National Division One was the 22nd full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Leeds Tykes, Leeds Carnegie joined National Division One, ha ...
. Relegated teams included
Halifax,
Henley Hawks
Henley Hawks is a rugby union club based in Henley-on-Thames and is one of the leading rugby clubs in the Thames Valley. The first team play in the fourth tier of the English league system; National League 2 East.
History
Henley RFC was foun ...
and
Nuneaton
Nuneaton ( ) is a market town in Warwickshire, England, close to the county border with Leicestershire to the north-east.OS Explorer Map 232 : Nuneaton & Tamworth: (1:25 000) : Nuneaton's population at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 censu ...
with Halifax picking up just two wins all season. Halifax and Nuneaton would drop to the
2008–09 National Division Three North while Henley Hawks would go into the
2008–09 National Division Three South
The 2008–09 National Division Three South was the ninth and last season (22nd overall) of the National League 2 South, fourth division (south) of the England, English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South ...
.
One of the more bizarre events to take place over the season was
Redruth's game away at
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
. Trailing 30 – 0 at half time the Reds returned to their dressing room to find that it had been raided by thieves while they had been playing. Incensed at the missing valuables, including wedding rings, the Redruth team refused to come out for the second half. This led to the game finishing 30 – 0 to Cambridge (who also got a bonus point for scoring four tries) and 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 ...
would dock Redruth 10 points for failing to complete the game.
[
]
Participating teams and locations
Final league table
Results
Round 1
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Round 2
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 November 2007.
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Round 3
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Round 4
*Game abandoned after 40 minutes as Redruth players refused to play second half after thieves raided the players dressing room. Redruth deducted 10 points for failing to finish game.[
----
]
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
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Round 10
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Round 2 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
*Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
*Game rescheduled from 15 September 2007.
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2008.
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Round 14
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Round 15
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Round 16
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2008.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2008.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 February 2008.
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Round 17
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Round 16 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
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Round 18
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2008.
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Round 19
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Round 20
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Round 21
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Round 16 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 19 January 2008.
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Round 22
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Rounds 13 & 18 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 9 February 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 15 December 2007.
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Round 23
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Round 24
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Round 25
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Round 26
Total season attendances
Individual statistics
* Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances will come first. Also 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
67 - 3 Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
;Largest away win — 31 pts
39 - 8 Westcombe Park away to Nuneaton on 16 February 2008
;Most points scored — 67 pts (x2)
67 - 15 Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
67 - 3 Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
;Most tries in a match — 11
Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
;Most conversions in a match — 7 (x4)
Westcombe Park at home to Halifax on 5 January 2008
Manchester at home to Blaydon on 8 March 2008
Southend at home to Henley Hawks on 15 March 2008
Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
;Most penalties in a match — 4
N/A - multiple teams
;Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3)
Nuneaton away to Blaydon on 13 October 2007
Nuneaton away to Halifax on 27 October 2007
Stourbridge at home to Otley on 15 March 2008
Player
;Most points in a match — 27
Robin Kitching for Otley at home to Blackheath on 19 April 2008
;Most tries in a match — 4
Adam Slade for Westcombe Park at home to Nuneaton on 20 October 2007
;Most conversions in a match — 7 (x3)
Paul Trendell for Westcombe Park at home to Halifax on 5 January 2008
Gareth Wynne for Manchester at home to Blaydon on 8 March 2008
Gareth Wynne for Manchester at home to Halifax on 22 March 2008
;Most penalties in a match — 4
N/A - multiple players
;Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x3)
Howard Graham for Nuneaton away to Blaydon on 13 October 2007
Rob Cook for Nuneaton away to Halifax on 27 October 2007
Rod Petty for Stourbridge at home to Otley on 15 March 2008
Attendances
;Highest — 1,453
Blackheath at home to Westcombe Park on 24 November 2007
;Lowest — 100
Nuneaton at home to Manchester on 10 November 2007
;Highest Average Attendance — 788
Redruth
;Lowest Average Attendance — 207
Nuneaton
See also
* English Rugby Union Leagues
* 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 ...
* Rugby union in England
Rugby union in England is one of the leading professional and recreational team sports. In 1871 the Rugby Football Union, the governing body for rugby union in England, was formed by 21 rugby clubs, and the first international match, which invol ...
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:2007-08 National League 1
N2
National League 1 seasons