The 2003–04 National Division Three North was the fourth season (sixteenth overall) of the
fourth division (north) of the
English domestic
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 ...
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 unitary authority of Westmorland and Furness, England. It lies within the River Kent's dale, from which its name is derived, just outside the boundary of t ...
who were relegated from 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 ...
while promoted teams included
Longton who came up as champions of
Midlands Division 1 while
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. It lies on the River Skerne, west of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. Darlington had a population of 107,800 at the 2021 Census, making it a "large town" ...
(champions) and
Macclesfield
Macclesfield () is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, Cheshire, England. It is sited on the River Bollin and the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east; the town lies south of Ma ...
(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 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 for the following season.
After two seasons spent in the division
Waterloo
Waterloo most commonly refers to:
* Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces
* Waterloo, Belgium
Waterloo may also refer to:
Other places
Australia
* Waterloo, New South Wale ...
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 National League 1, third division of the England, English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Man ...
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 runners up
Launceston in the promotion playoff.
Relegated teams included newly promoted Longton (who gained only 4 points all season),
Liverpool St Helens and
Preston Grasshoppers
Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club is an England, 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 founde ...
.
[ 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.
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Round 5
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Round 6
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 6 March 2004.
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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
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 April 2004.
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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
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.
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Round 18
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2004.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.
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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.
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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.
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Rounds 6 & 21 (rescheduled games)
*Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004.
*Game rescheduled from 1 November 2003.
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Round 22
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Round 23
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Round 21 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 28 February 2004.
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Round 24
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Round 25
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Round 26
*Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2004.
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Round 12 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 13 December 2003.
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Round 18 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 31 January 2004.
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Round 26 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 17 April 2004.
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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
Jamie Bloem (born 26 May 1971) is a former dual code rugby player and rugby league referee. He currently coaches amateur rugby league side Elland ARLFC. He played representative rugby league for South Africa and Scotland. At club level for Ca ...
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 one of the leaders of excavations at of the Roman fortress at Vindolanda and also published several books on Roman ...
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
See also
* English Rugby Union Leagues
* 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 ...
* 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 invol ...
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:National3
2003-04
2003–04 in English rugby union leagues