The 2017–18 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1 is the ninth season of the
third tier of the
English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier
RFU Championship was introduced; and is the 31st season since league rugby began in 1987.
Following defeat at Blackheath on 10 March, Fylde are the first team to be relegated.
A week later Coventry became the league champions with five games to go after beating Caldy away on the 17 March.
On 21 April Old Albanian became the second team to go down with a game to go, losing 21-24 away to Plymouth Albion.
The third and final relegation spot went to the taken by Hull Ionians who lost 21-38 away to champions Coventry on 28 April 2018 in front of a divisional record attendance of 3,758.
As champions, Coventry are promoted into 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 ...
, while relegated sides Fylde and Hull Ionians drop to the
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 Old Albanian into the
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 ...
.
Of further interest were a number of divisional records set or equalled during the course of the season. These included a record crowd (3,758 at Coventry) and record overall league average attendance (653), while Coventry's promotion meant they now had 3 tier titles (equal with
Otley).
Ampthill also equalled a more obscure record of four league draws previously achieved by both
Wharfedale and
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, ...
.
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 or
National League 2 South depending on the geographical location of the team.
Participating teams and locations
Twelve of the sixteen teams participated in the preceding season's competition. The 2016–17 champions,
Hartpury College, were promoted to the
2017–18 RFU Championship
The 2017–18 RFU Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the Greene King IPA Championship, was the ninth season of the professionalised format of the RFU Championship, the second tier of the English rugby union league system run by the Rugb ...
, replacing
London Welsh who went into liquidation, in the second half of the season, and ceased to exist as a professional team.
Due to London Welsh's liquidation only two teams (instead of the usual three) were relegated last season –
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 ...
and
Blaydon
Blaydon is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, and historically in County Durham. Blaydon, and neighbouring Winlaton, which Blaydon is now contiguous with, form the postal town of Blaydon-on-Tyne. The Blay ...
– both of whom drop to the
2017–18 National League 2 North
The 2017–18 National League 2 North is the ninth season (31st overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced.
On 21 April 2018 She ...
.
The promoted teams are
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town in Hertfordshire, England, just west of the M11 motorway on the county boundary with Essex, north-east of central London, and by rail from Liverpool Street station. Stortford had an estimated po ...
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 ...
, champions of the
2016–17 National League 2 South
The 2016–17 National League 2 South was the eighth season (30th overall) of the fourth tier (south) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the di ...
and
2016–17 National League 2 North
The 2016–17 National League 2 North is the eighth season (30th overall) of the fourth tier (north) of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. New teams to the divisio ...
respectively, and
Old Elthamians who won the promotion play-off against
Sale FC. National League 1 is the highest level all three of these sides have ever reached.
League table
Fixtures
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
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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 due to bad weather (snow), game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow), game rescheduled to 24 February 2018.
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Round 15
*Postponed due to a frozen pitch, game rescheduled for 24 February 2018.
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Round 16
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Round 17
* Postponed due to waterlogged pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
* Postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
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Round 18
* Postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Match rescheduled for 24 February 2018.
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Round 19
* Postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Game rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
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Round 20
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Round 21
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Round 22
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Round 23
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Rounds 14, 15 & 18 (rescheduled matches)
*Game rescheduled from 13 January 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 16 December 2017.
*Game rescheduled from 9 December 2017.
*Game rescheduled from 9 December 2017.
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Round 24
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 30 March 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 30 March 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 17 March 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 31 March 2018.
*Postponed due to bad weather (snow). Game rescheduled for 5 May 2018.
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Round 25
*Fylde are relegated.
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Rounds 17 & 24 (rescheduled matches)
*Game rescheduled from 6 January 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 6 January 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018. Coventry win league title.
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Round 26
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Rounds 19 & 24 (rescheduled matches)
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
*Game rescheduled from 20 January 2018 but postponed again due to a waterlogged pitch. Game to be rescheduled for 12 May 2018.
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Round 27
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Round 28
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Round 29
*Old Albanian are relegated.
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Round 30
*Hull Ionians are relegated. Coventry's attendance of 3,758 is a divisional record.
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Round 24 (rescheduled game)
*Game rescheduled from 3 March 2018.
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Round 19 (rescheduled game)
*Game originally rescheduled from 20 January 2018 and then from 31 March 2018.
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 — 53 pts
68 – 15 Plymouth Albion at home to Fylde on 23 September 2017
;Largest away win — 64 pts
64 – 0 Coventry away to Fylde on 14 October 2017
;Most points scored — 81
81 – 33 Loughborough Students away to Fylde on 21 April 2018
;Most points scored away from home — 81
81 – 33 Loughborough Students away to Fylde on 21 April 2018
;Most tries in a match — 11 (2)
Bishop's Stortford at home to Fylde on 7 April 2018
Loughborough Students away to Fylde on 21 April 2018
;Most tries in an away match — 11
Loughborough Students away to Fylde on 21 April 2018
;Most conversions in a match — 9 (3)
Plymouth Albion at home to Fylde on 23 September 2017
Coventry at home to Ampthill on 9 December 2017
Caldy at home to Loughborough Students on 6 January 2018
;Most penalties in a match — 7
Cambridge away to Loughborough Students on 23 December 2017
;Most drop goals in a match — 1 (4)
Cambridge away to Fylde on 2 September 2017
Hull Ionians at home to Cambridge on 4 November 2017
Old Albanian at home to Ampthill on 23 December 2017
Hull Ionians at home to Rosslyn Park on 24 February 2018
Attendances
;Highest — 3,758
Coventry at home to Hull Ionians on 28 April 2018
;Lowest — 103
Loughborough Students at home to Cambridge on 23 December 2017
;Highest average attendance — 1,869
Coventry
;Lowest average attendance — 257
Loughborough Students
Player
;Most points in a match — 26
Gavin Roberts
Gavin Roberts (born 1984) is a Welsh rugby union footballer, currently playing at Centre for Caldy in National League 1. Roberts is one of the most prolific points and try scorers in National League 2 North history with over 1,200 points includ ...
for Caldy at home to Loughborough Students on 6 January 2018
;Most tries in a match — 5
Ryan Hutler
Ryan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
*Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
Places Australia
* Division of Ryan, an electo ...
for Bishop's Stortford at home to Fylde on 7 April 2018
;Most tries in an away match — 4
Mark Harrison for Birmingham Moseley away to Esher on 14 October 2017
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Dan Mugford for Plymouth Albion at home to Fylde on 23 September 2017
Gavin Roberts
Gavin Roberts (born 1984) is a Welsh rugby union footballer, currently playing at Centre for Caldy in National League 1. Roberts is one of the most prolific points and try scorers in National League 2 North history with over 1,200 points includ ...
for Caldy at home to Loughborough Students on 6 January 2018
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Isaac Green for Hull Ionians away to Rosslyn Park on 14 April 2018
;Most drop goals in a match — 1 (4)
Jack Green for Cambridge away to Fylde on 2 September 2017
Chris Bell for Hull Ionians at home to Cambridge on 4 November 2017
Tom Bednall for Old Albanian at home to Ampthill on 23 December 2017
Greg Lound for Hull Ionians at home to Rosslyn Park on 24 February 2018
Notes
See also
*
English rugby union system
*
Rugby union in England
References
External links
NCA Rugby
{{DEFAULTSORT:2017-18 National League 1
3
National League 1 seasons