The 2008–09 National Division Three South was the ninth and last season (22nd overall) of the
fourth division (south) 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 South. The division was set to be re-branded National League 2 South for the following season due to an
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 pro ...
reshuffle of the entire league system. New teams to the division included
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 fo ...
who were relegated from the
2007–08 National Division Two
The 2007–08 National Division Two was the eighth version (twenty first overall) of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Waterloo and Otley who w ...
while promoted teams included
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
(champions) and
Worthing Raiders (playoffs) from
London Division 1,
Chinnor
Chinnor is a large village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Thame, close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The village is a spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern Hills ...
who returned after an absence of just one year as champions of
South West Division 1 and finally
Rugby Lions
The Rugby Lions, nicknamed The Lions, is an English rugby union club based in Rugby, Warwickshire. The club plays its home matches at Webb Ellis Road. Its developmental squad is known as the Crusaders. The club also has a ladies team known as ...
who were transferred from the
2008–09 National Division Three North
The 2008–09 National Division Three North was the tenth and last season (twenty-second overall) of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. The division was set ...
to ensure that there was not an imbalance of teams between the two regional leagues. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into what would be known as
National League 1
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 ...
from 2009-10 but unlike previous years, there would be no promotion playoff between the runners up of the division and the runners up of National Division Three North due to the league restructuring.
London Scottish finished the season as champions and clinched the only promotion spot to the (newly named)
2009–10 National League 1
The 2009-10 National League 1, previously known as National Division 2, is the first season of the third division of the English rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced with widespread leag ...
.
The Richmond-based side had a fantastic season with only the one draw against
Rugby Lions
The Rugby Lions, nicknamed The Lions, is an English rugby union club based in Rugby, Warwickshire. The club plays its home matches at Webb Ellis Road. Its developmental squad is known as the Crusaders. The club also has a ladies team known as ...
early on in the season blemishing what would have been a perfect record (this was achieved by Plymouth Albion back in the
2001-02 season). Fellow Londoners, runners up
Rosslyn Park had a good season which could have seen them champions on any other year but even they finished 22 points behind Scottish and did not have the consolation of a playoff due to the league restructuring. The two relegation spots were filled by
Havant
Havant ( ) is a town in the south-east corner of Hampshire, England between Portsmouth and Chichester. Its borough (population: 125,000) comprises the town (45,826) and its suburbs including the resort of Hayling Island as well as Rowland's Castl ...
, who were comfortably the worst team in the division (ending a five-year stay in National 3 South), and Chinnor, who went straight back down yet again but were much improved from their last time spent in the division.
[ Havant would drop to National League 3 London & South East (formerly London Division 1) while Chinnor would drop to ]National League 3 South West
Regional 1 South West (formerly South West Premier and National League 3 South West) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as South West D ...
(formerly South West Division 1).
Participating teams and locations
Final league table
Results
Round 1
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
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
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Round 10
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Round 11
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Round 12
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Round 13
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Round 14
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 January 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 January 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 January 2009.
[
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]
Round 15
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 January 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
[
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]
Rounds 14 & 15 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
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Round 16
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.[
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]
Round 17
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Round 18
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 14 March 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 11 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2009.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2009.
[
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]
Round 19
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.[
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]
Round 20
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Rounds 1, 14, 15 & 18 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 6 September 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
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Round 23
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Round 24
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Round 25
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Rounds 15 & 18 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.
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Round 26
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Round 18 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2008.
*Game rescheduled from 7 February 2008.
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Rounds 16 & 19 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 24 January 2009.
*Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.
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 — 82 pts
85 - 3 London Scottish at home to Rugby Lions on 21 March 2009
;Largest away win — 58 pts
71 - 13 London Scottish away to Worthing Raiders on 11 April 2009
;Most points scored — 85 pts
85 - 3 London Scottish at home to Rugby Lions on 21 March 2009
;Most tries in a match — 12
London Scottish at home to Barking on 6 December 2008
;Most conversions in a match — 10
London Scottish at home to Barking on 6 December 2008
;Most penalties in a match — 6 (x3)
Rugby Lions at home to Bridgwater & Albion on 6 September 2008
Richmond at home to Lydney on 13 September 2008
Lydney away to Henley Hawks on 29 November 2008
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Lydney at home to Worthing Raiders on 6 September 2008
Player
;Most points in a match — 28
Ben Ward for Ealing Trailfinders at home to Lydney on 11 October 2008
;Most tries in a match — 5
David Howells
David Howells (born 15 December 1967) is an English football coach and former professional footballer.
As a player, he was a midfielder who notably played in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton. He played 277 times for Spur ...
for Ealing Trailfinders away to Bridgwater & Albion on 29 November 2008
;Most conversions in a match — 10
James Brown
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
for London Scottish at home to Barking on 6 December 2008
;Most penalties in a match — 6 (x2)
Matt Goode for Rugby Lions at home to Bridgwater & Albion on 6 September 2008
Mart Hart for Richmond at home to Lydney on 13 September 2008
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Mark Davies for Lydney at home to Worthing Raiders on 6 September 2008
Attendances
;Highest — 2,100
London Scottish at home to Richmond on 24 January 2009
;Lowest — 75
Chinnor at home to Havant on 29 November 2008
;Highest Average Attendance — 948
London Scottish
;Lowest Average Attendance — 118
Chinnor
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 cons ...
* 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 involv ...
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National3
2008-09
2008–09 in English rugby union leagues