The
2001–02 National Division One (known as the Jewson National Division One for sponsorship reasons) was the 15th full season of
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 ...
within the second tier of the
English league system, currently known as the
RFU Championship
The RFU Championship is an English rugby union competition comprising twelve clubs. It is the second level of men's English rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. The competition has existed since 1987, when Eng ...
. New teams to the division included
Rotherham
Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...
who had been relegated from the
Zurich Premiership 2000–01 while
Bracknell
Bracknell () is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the borough of Bracknell Forest. It lies to the east of Re ...
and
Rugby Lions
The Rugby Lions RFC, 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 ...
had been promoted from the
2000–01 National Division Two
The 2000–01 National Division Two was the fourteenth full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system currently known as National League 1. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool and Rugby Lions who were ...
.
For the first time the team finishing first,
Rotherham
Rotherham ( ) is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Rother, South Yorkshire, River Rother, from which the town gets its name, and the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don. It is the largest settlement ...
, were denied promotion to the
Zurich Premiership
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition, consisting of 10 clubs, and is the top division of the English rugby u ...
for season
2002–03 because their ground was not of the required standard - this was the first time a team had been denied entry to the top flight of English rugby since the leagues started in 1987 due to the introduction of the controversial 'minimum standards' rule for clubs seeking to join the Premiership.
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Engl ...
were runners-up for the second consecutive season, and
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
Bracknell
Bracknell () is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the borough of Bracknell Forest. It lies to the east of Re ...
were relegated to the
2002–03 National Division Two
The 2002–03 National Division Two was the third version (sixteenth overall) of the National League 1, third division of the England, English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division includ ...
with Bracknell spending just one season in the division.
Participating teams
Table
Results
Round 1
----
Round 2
----
Round 3
----
Round 4
----
Round 5
----
Round 6
----
Round 7
----
Round 8
*Postponed. Rescheduled for 24 November 2001.
*Postponed. Rescheduled for 16 February 2002.
*Postponed. Rescheduled for 15 December 2001.
*Postponed. Rescheduled for 15 February 2002.
----
Round 9
----
Round 10
----
Round 8 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
----
Round 11
----
Round 12
----
Round 8 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
----
Round 13
----
Round 14
*Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 17 February 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
*Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
----
Round 15
----
Round 16
----
Round 17
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
----
Round 18
----
Round 19
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
----
Rounds 8 & 14 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
*Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
----
Round 20
----
Round 14 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
----
Round 21
----
Round 22
----
Round 17 & 19 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.
*Game rescheduled from 9 February 2002.
----
Round 23
----
Round 24
----
Round 25
----
Round 26
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 — 73 pts
73 - 0 Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
;Largest away win — 65 pts
72 - 7 Rotherham away to Manchester on 6 April 2002
;Most points scored — 73 pts
73 - 0 Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
;Most tries in a match — 12
Rotherham away to Manchester on 6 April 2002
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002
;Most penalties in a match — 9
Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001
Player
;Most points in a match — 32
Sateki Tuipulotu for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002
;Most tries in a match — 5 (x2)
Chris Garrard for Worcester at home to Otley on 9 March 2002
Michael Wood for Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
;Most conversions in a match — 8 (x2)
Tony Yapp for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002
Link Wilfley for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 30 March 2002
;Most penalties in a match — 9
Marcus Barrow for Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001
;Most drop goals in a match — 3
Chris Malone for Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001
Attendances
;Highest — 4,800
Worcester at home to Rotherham on 22 September 2001
;Lowest — 150 (x2)
Bracknell at home to Exeter Chiefs on 2 March 2002
Moseley at home to Rugby Lions on 23 March 2002
;Highest Average Attendance — 2,376
Worcester
;Lowest Average Attendance — 369
Wakefield
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 consi ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Division 1
2001–02 in English rugby union leagues
2001-02