The 2003–04 National Division Three North was the fourth season (sixteenth overall) of the fourth division (north) of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

domestic

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

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

Kendal Kendal, once Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England, south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster. Historically in Westmorland, it lies within the dale of th ...

who were relegated from the 2002–03 National Division Two while promoted teams included

Longton Longton may refer to several places: * Longton, Kansas, United States * Longton, Lancashire, United Kingdom * Longton, Staffordshire, United Kingdom See also * Longtan (disambiguation) * Longtown (disambiguation) Longtown may refer to several plac ...

who came up as champions of Midlands Division 1 while

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...

(champions) and

Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Bollin in the east of the county, on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east ...

(playoffs) came up from North Division 1. 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 National One (last season known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Leagu ...

for the following season. After two seasons spent in the division

Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat * Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place. Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Antarctica *King George Island (S ...

would pip Halifax to the title by the narrowest of margins finishing dead level on points but going up to the

2004–05 National Division Two The 2004–05 National Division Two was the fifth version (eighteenth overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Manchester who were relegated f ...

by virtue of a massively better for and against record. Halifax would suffer a double disappointment by missing out on their second stab at promotion as they lost narrowly at home to

2003–04 National Division Three South The 2003–04 National Division Three South was the fourth season (17th 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 included Lau ...

runners up Launceston in the promotion playoff. Relegated teams included newly promoted Longton (who gained only 4 points all season),

Liverpool St Helens Liverpool St Helens Football Club is an English rugby union team formed from the merger of Liverpool Football Club and St. Helens RUFC. The institution is not to be confused with either Liverpool F.C. (playing association football) or St. Hele ...

and

Preston Grasshoppers Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team from Preston, Lancashire. The men's senior team play in the RFU National League 2 North, a level 4 league in the RFU league pyramid. History The club was founded on 28 Se ...

. Longton would drop back down to Midlands Division 1 while Liverpool St Helens and Preston Grasshoppers would fall to North Division 1.

Participating teams and locations

Final league table

Results

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004. ----

Round 5

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Round 6

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 March 2004. ----

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 11

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Round 12

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 April 2004. ----

Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 15

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Round 16

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Round 17

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004. ----

Round 18

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2004. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004. ----

Round 19

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Round 20

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Rounds 4, 17 & 18 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 31 January 2004. *Game rescheduled from 18 October 2003. *Game rescheduled from 31 January 2004. *Game rescheduled from 24 January 2004. *Game rescheduled from 18 October 2003. ----

Round 21

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 March 2004. *Postponed. Game rescheduled to 27 March 2004. *Game would initially be postponed but due to fixture congestion it would ultimately be cancelled. ----

Rounds 6 & 21 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004. *Game rescheduled from 1 November 2003. ----

Round 22

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Round 23

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Round 21 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004. ----

Round 24

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Round 25

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Round 26

*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2004. ----

Round 12 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 13 December 2003. ----

Round 18 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 31 January 2004. ----

Round 26 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 17 April 2004. ----

Promotion play-off

The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Halifax were the northern divisions runners up and as they had a superior league record than southern runners-up, Launceston, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances

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 — 91 pts 91 - 5 Waterloo at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 28 February 2004 ;Largest away win — 50 pts 53 - 3 Waterloo away to Fylde on 17 January 2004 ;Most points scored — 91 pts 91 - 5 Waterloo at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 28 February 2004 ;Most tries in a match — 14 Waterloo at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 28 February 2004 ;Most conversions in a match — 9 Waterloo at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 28 February 2004 ;Most penalties in a match — 7 New Brighton at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 13 September 2003 ;Most drop goals in a match — 2 (x2) Longton at home to Fylde on 8 November 2003
Fylde away to Halifax on 24 January 2004

Player

;Most points in a match — 29 Alistair J Murray for Tynedale at home to Longton on 18 October 2003 ;Most tries in a match — 4 Jamie Bloem for Halifax at home to Darlington on 13 December 2003 ;Most conversions in a match — 9 John Broxson for Waterloo at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 28 February 2004 ;Most penalties in a match — 7

Anthony Birley Anthony Richard Birley (8 October 1937 – 19 December 2020) was a British ancient historian, archaeologist and academic. He was the son of Margaret Isabel (Goodlet) and historian and archaeologist Eric Birley. Early life and education Anthony ...

for New Brighton at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 13 September 2003 ;Most drop goals in a match — 2 Mike Scott for Fylde away to Halifax on 24 January 2004

Attendances

;Highest — 1,500 Halifax at home to Waterloo on 10 April 2004 ;Lowest — 120 Blaydon at home to Darlington on 10 April 2004 ;Highest Average Attendance — N/A ;Lowest Average Attendance — N/A

References

External links

NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National3 2003-04 2003–04 in English rugby union leagues