The 2019–20 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1, was the 11th season of the third tier of the English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier RFU Championship was introduced; and was the 33rd season since league rugby began in 1987. Newly promoted Canterbury were the first team to be relegated after losing away to league leaders

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, ...

on 29 February, with six games still to play. Hull Ionians, also newly promoted, were the second team to be relegated after losing their rescheduled match at home to

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

on 14 March - Ionians having six games still to play. Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confir ...

the Rugby Football Union officially cancelled the season after an initially suspension of all rugby in England including training, from which was scheduled to last until 14 April 2020. After the cancellation was announced the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table. This meant that

, who had been 7 points clear when the league had been suspended, were crowned as champions, beating off stiff opposition from Rosslyn Park (who beat Richmond home and away) and newly promoted

Rams In engineering, RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety)Coventry and Otley as the clubs that had the most league titles. It also was the fourth time Richmond had been promoted from tier 3 - a divisional record. With two relegation spots already decided, it was tough luck for

Rotherham Titans Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans is a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, currently playing in the fourth tier of the English rugby union league system, following their relegation from the Nat ...

who were designated as the third team to go down, despite a late surge which had seen them gaining ground on 13th placed Birmingham Moseley. It was also a great fall for a side that were once playing in the Premiership and the lowest level for the club since the mid 1990s. Richmond would return to the

2020–21 RFU Championship The 2020–21 RFU Championship, also known as the 2020–21 Greene King IPA Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the twelfth season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It featured ten English teams ...

after one season away, while Rotherham Titans and Hull Ionians would relegated to 2021–22 National League North and Canterbury to 2021–22 National League South. Another interesting statistic from the season was Brandon Asher-Wood's 7 tries for Darlington Mowden Park's resounding win against Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019. Wood's tries equalled the league record of 7 previously set by

Hugo Ellis Hugo Ellis (born 4 February 1988, in Isleworth, London, England) is a rugby union player who plays as a back-row forward for Rosslyn Park. He is a former pupil of St Benedict's School, Ealing. In June 2010 Ellis joined Newport Gwent Dragons. ...

of Rosslyn Park back in the 2012–13 season.

Structure

The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one promotion place with the champions promoted to the Greene King IPA Championship. There are usually three relegation places with the bottom three teams relegated to either

National League 2 North National League 2 North is one of three, level four leagues in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in the northern half of England, the North. The remainder of England is covered by the two counte ...

National League 2 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 ...

depending on the geographical location of the team. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows: * 4 points are awarded for a win * 2 points are awarded for a draw * 0 points are awarded for a loss, however * 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer * 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

Participating teams and locations

Twelve of the sixteen teams participated in the preceding season's competition. The 2018–19 champions, Ampthill, were promoted to the

2019–20 RFU Championship The 2019–20 RFU Championship, known as the 2019–20 Greene King IPA Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the eleventh season of the RFU Championship, the professional second tier of rugby union in England. It featured eleven English teams ...

, swapping places with bottom club,

, who were relegated from the

2018–19 RFU Championship The 2018–19 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, is the tenth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Ru ...

. Sides relegated from the 2018–19 National League 1 were Loughborough Students, Esher and

Caldy Caldy is a small, affluent village on the Wirral Peninsula, England, south-east of West Kirby. It is part of the West Kirby & Thurstaston Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. At the ...

. The teams promoted into the division were Hull Ionians and

Rams In engineering, RAMS (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety)2018–19 National League 2 North The 2018–19 National League 2 North is the tenth season (32nd overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Hull Ionians finishe ...

and

2018–19 National League 2 South The 2018–19 National League 2 South is the tenth season (32nd overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. At the end of the seaso ...

respectively, along with the south runners-up Canterbury, who defeated the north's

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

in the promotion play-off. Ionians return to the division after a season's absence, while Rams and Canterbury are debuting in National 1 – the highest level either club have reached since the leagues began.

Tables

At the date the leagues were suspended, the National League 1 table read as follows: On 4 April, the RFU confirmed the final table for the season.

Fixtures & 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

*Postponed due to adverse weather conditions (wind/rain). Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020. ----

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

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Round 15

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Round 16

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Round 17

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Round 18

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Round 19

*Game postponed due to the funeral of Hull Ionians player, Billy Hardy, who died on 28 December 2019 after falling ill following a gym workout. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020. ----

Round 20

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Round 21

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Round 22

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Round 23

*Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 14 March 2020. *Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020. *Postponed. Game to be rescheduled for 22 February 2020. ----

Rounds 8 & 23 (rescheduled games)

*Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020. *Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 but postponed again due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 12 March 2020. *Game rescheduled from 26 October 2019 but postponed again due to poor weather. Game to be rescheduled for 11 April 2020. ----

Round 24

*Postponed due to bad weather. Game to be rescheduled for 2 May 2020. *Canterbury are relegated. ----

Round 25

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Rounds 19 & 23 (rescheduled games)

*Game originally rescheduled from 15 February 2020 and then again from 22 February 2020. *Game rescheduled from 18 January 2020. Hull Ionians are relegated. *Game rescheduled from 15 February 2020. ----

Round 26

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Round 27

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Round 28

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Round 8 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 26 October 2019 and then 22 February 2020. ----

Round 29

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Round 30

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Round 24 (rescheduled game)

*Game rescheduled from 29 February 2020.

Attendances

Individual statistics

* Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals. Appearance figures also include coming on as substitutes (unused substitutes not included).

Top points scorers

Top try scorers

Season records

Team

;Largest home win — 85 points 92 – 7 Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019 ;Largest away win — 50 points 50 – 0 Richmond away to Canterbury on 9 November 2019 ;Most points scored — 92 92 – 7 Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019 ;Most tries in a match — 14 Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019
Richmond at home to Hull Ionians on 11 January 2020 ;Most conversions in a match — 11 Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019 ;Most penalties in a match — 5 (6) Old Elthamians at home to Plymouth Albion on 28 September 2019
Birmingham Moseley at home to Sale FC on 2 November 2019
Rosslyn Park at home to Chinnor on 9 November 2019
Birmingham Moseley at home to Rams on 21 December 2019
Sale FC away to Blackheath on 25 January 2020
Blackheath at home to Plymouth Albion on 8 February 2020 ;Most drop goals in a match — 1 (3) Plymouth Albion at home to Canterbury on 5 October 2019
Sale FC at home to Rosslyn Park on 5 October 2019
Bishop's Stortford at home to Rams on 26 October 2019

Attendances

;Highest — 2,000 Rosslyn Park at home to Richmond on 6 March 2020 ;Lowest — 145 Cinderford at home to Blackheath on 7 March 2020 ;Highest average attendance — 1,005 Plymouth Albion ;Lowest average attendance — 245 Hull Ionians

Player

;Most points in a match — 35

Brandon Asher-Wood Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name *Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales *Brandon, Qu ...

for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019 ;Most tries in a match — 7

for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Hull Ionians on 21 December 2019 ;Most conversions in a match — 9

Warren Seals Warren James Seals (born 12 February 1992) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with English National League 1 side Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C., Darlington Mowden Park following his transfer from Yorkshire Carnegie for the ...

for Darlington Mowden Park at home to Birmingham Moseley on 30 November 2019 ;Most penalties in a match — 5 (6)

Tom White Thomas, Tom or Tommy White may refer to: Entertainment * Thomas White (musician) (born 1984), British musician * ''Tom White'' (film), 2004 Australian drama film * Tommy White (artist), see List of Guggenheim Fellowships awarded in 2007 * Tommy W ...

for Old Elthamians at home to Plymouth Albion on 28 September 2019
Clifford Hodgson for Birmingham Moseley at home to Sale FC on 2 November 2019
Craig Holland for Rosslyn Park at home to Chinnor on 9 November 2019
Clifford Hodgson for Birmingham Moseley at home to Rams on 21 December 2019
Chris Johnson for Sale FC away to Blackheath on 25 January 2020
Mark Cooke for Blackheath at home to Plymouth Albion on 8 February 2020 ;Most drop goals in a match — 1 (3) Connor Eastgate for Plymouth Albion at home to Canterbury on 5 October 2019
Chris Johnson for Sale FC at home to Rosslyn Park on 5 October 2019
Bradley Burr for Bishop's Stortford at home to Rams on 26 October 2019

Notes

References

External links

NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:2019-20 National League 1 3 National League 1 seasons National League 1

Structure

Participating teams and locations

Tables

Fixtures & results

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Round 23

Rounds 8 & 23 (rescheduled games)

Round 24

Round 25

Rounds 19 & 23 (rescheduled games)

Round 26

Round 27

Round 28

Round 8 (rescheduled game)

Round 29

Round 30

Round 24 (rescheduled game)

Attendances

Individual statistics

Top points scorers

Top try scorers

Season records

Team

Attendances

Player

Notes

See also

References

External links