1996–97 Courage League National Division Two
1996–97 Courage League National Division Two | |
---|---|
Countries | England |
Champions | Richmond (1st title) |
Runners-up | Newcastle Falcons |
Relegated | Rugby Lions and Nottingham |
Matches played | 132 |
Top point scorer | Simon Mason, (Richmond) 334 points |
Top try scorer | John Bentley, (Newcastle Falcons) 23 tries[1] |
The 1996–97 Courage League National Division Two was the tenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship and was season that saw professional rugby openly introduced into the English game. Joining the eight teams who participated in the division in 1995–96 were Richmond, Coventry, Rugby and Rotherham all of whom were promoted from National Division Three with no teams coming down from National Division One due to league restructuring. The league was sponsored by Courage Brewery for the tenth consecutive year.
The top two teams, Richmond and Newcastle Falcons were automatically promoted, and for the first time there was play–offs between the third and fourth placed teams, and the ninth and tenth placed teams in Division One, for a place in the top tier.[2] The Division Two sides played at home first with the winners of the two matches, on aggregate score, playing in the top division the following season. Coventry and Bedford both failed to win promotion. Rugby Lions and Nottingham were relegated to Division 3 for the 1997–98 season. Last season Nottingham finished in the bottom two and escaped relegation due to the division being increased from ten clubs to twelve clubs. This season they were not so lucky and next season will be their first in Division Three.[3]
Participating teams
Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
---|---|---|---|
Bedford | Goldington Road | 7,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London |
Coventry | Coundon Road | 9,000+ | Coventry, West Midlands |
London Scottish | Athletic Ground, Richmond | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
Moseley | The Reddings | 10,000 (est) | Birmingham, West Midlands |
Newcastle Falcons | Kingston Park | 10,000 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
Nottingham | Ireland Avenue | 4,950 | Beeston, Nottinghamshire |
Richmond | Athletic Ground, Richmond | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
Rotherham | Clifton Lane | 2,500 | Rotherham, South Yorkshire |
Rugby | Webb Ellis Road | 1,000 | Rugby, Warwickshire |
Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
Table
1996–97 Courage League National Division Two Table[2] | ||||||||||||||
Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Points | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Richmond | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 986 | 410 | 576 | 40 | |||||
2 | Newcastle Falcons | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 1255 | 346 | 909 | 39 | |||||
3 | Coventry | 22 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 738 | 394 | 344 | 33 | |||||
4 | Bedford | 22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 720 | 482 | 238 | 30 | |||||
5 | London Scottish | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 549 | 568 | –19 | 22 | |||||
6 | Wakefield | 22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 504 | 557 | –53 | 22 | |||||
7 | Rotherham | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 525 | 661 | –136 | 20 | |||||
8 | Moseley | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 492 | 741 | –249 | 18 | |||||
9 | Waterloo | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 506 | 661 | –155 | 16 | |||||
10 | Blackheath | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 412 | 641 | –229 | 14 | |||||
11 | Rugby Lions | 22 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 317 | 1060 | –743 | 6 | |||||
12 | Nottingham | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 344 | 827 | –483 | 4 | |||||
| ||||||||||||||
Green background are promotion places. Buff background are promotion play–off places. Pink background are relegation places. |
Promotion play–offs
For the first time play–offs took place between the third and fourth placed teams in Division Two and the ninth and tenth placed teams in Division One. The play–offs followed a 4th v 9th, 3rd v 10th system - with the games being played over two legs and the second tier team playing at home in the first leg.[3]
First leg
Second leg
- Bristol won 39 – 23 on aggregate to retain their place in Division One
- London Irish won 42 – 23 on aggregate to retain their place in Division One
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[4]
Player | Team | Appearances | Points |
---|---|---|---|
Simon Mason | Richmond | 22 | 324 |
Rob Andrew | Newcastle Falcons | 22 | 297 |
John Steele | London Scottish | 18 | 256 |
Mike Rayer | Bedford | 21 | 238 |
Jez Harris | Coventry | 20 | 236 |
Mike Jackson | Wakefield | 19 | 199 |
Richard Le Bas | Moseley | 14 | 177 |
Chris Braithwaite | Blackheath | 14 | 137 |
Tim Stimpson | Newcastle Falcons | 21 | 116 |
John Bentley | Newcastle Falcons | 18 | 115 |
Top try scorers[5]
Player | Team | Appearances | Tries |
---|---|---|---|
John Bentley | Newcastle Falcons | 18 | 23 |
Gary Armstrong | Newcastle Falcons | 21 | 21 |
Scott Quinnell | Richmond | 21 | 21 |
Jim Fallon | Richmond | 21 | 19 |
Andy Smallwood | Coventry | 20 | 17 |
Pat Lam | Newcastle Falcons | 11 | 15 |
Darragh O'Mahony | Moseley | 13 | 15 |
Andy McAdam | Coventry | 18 | 14 |
Tim Stimpson | Newcastle Falcons | 18 | 14 |
Ben Whetstone | Bedford | 18 | 13 |
Guy Easterby | Rotherham | 21 | 13 |
See also
References
- ^ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2000). The Official RFU Club Directory 2000–2001. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press.
- ^ a b "Courage League Championship 1996/97". Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ a b Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
- ^ http://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/LeadingTopScorers?comp_id=122
- ^ http://rugby.statbunker.com/competitions/LeadingTryScorers?comp_id=122