The 1994–95 Courage League National Division Three was the eighth full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system, currently known as National League 1. Bedford finished in first place and are promoted to National Division 2 for next season and they are joined by the runner-up, Blackheath; the teams finished 3rd and 4th respectively last season. Following their promotion last season Clifton finished 9th and are relegated to National League 4 along with the last-placed team Exeter.[1]
| 1994–95 Courage League National Division Three | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Champions | Bedford (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Blackheath (also promoted) |
| Relegated | Clifton, Exeter |
| Matches played | 90 |
Structure
editThe league consists of ten teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of eighteen matches each. There are two promotion places and two relegation places. The champions are promoted to National League 2 and the last two teams are relegated to National Division 4.
Participating teams and locations
edit
| Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | Goldington Road | 7,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire | 3rd |
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London | 4th |
| Clifton | Station Road | 2,500 | Cribbs Causeway, Henbury, Bristol | Promoted from Division 4 (champions) |
| Exeter | County Ground | 5,200 | Exeter, Devon | 6th |
| Harrogate | Claro Road | 3,000 | Harrogate, North Yorkshire | Promoted from Division 4 (runners up) |
| Morley | Scatcherd Lane | Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire | 8th | |
| Otley | Cross Green | 5,000 | Otley, West Yorkshire | Relegated from Courage League Division 2 (10th) |
| Richmond | Athletic Ground | 4,500 | Richmond, London | 7th |
| Rosslyn Park | The Rock | 2,000 | Roehampton, London | 5th |
| Rugby | Webb Ellis Road | 4,000[2] | Rugby, Warwickshire | Relegated from Courage League Division 2 (9th) |
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedford (C) | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 421 | 238 | +183 | 27 | Promoted |
| 2 | Blackheath | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 299 | 190 | +109 | 26 | |
| 3 | Rugby | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 333 | 271 | +62 | 22 | |
| 4 | Rosslyn Park | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 313 | 280 | +33 | 20 | |
| 5 | Morley | 18 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 277 | 326 | −49 | 20 | |
| 6 | Otley | 18 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 278 | 248 | +30 | 18 | |
| 7 | Harrogate | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 275 | 404 | −129 | 16 | |
| 8 | Richmond | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 319 | 290 | +29 | 13 | |
| 9 | Clifton | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 242 | 344 | −102 | 11 | Relegated |
| 10 | Exeter | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 153 | 319 | −166 | 7 |
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows: 2 pts for a win, 1 pt for a draw, 0 pts for a loss. If teams are level at any stage, the following tiebreaker is applied: Difference between points for and against.
(C) Champions
Sponsorship
editNational Division Three is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and is sponsored by Courage Brewery.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96 (24th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 179–195. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
- ^ "Gloucester v. Leicester (PDF, opens in a new window)" (PDF). Gloucester Rugby Heritage. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
- ^ "Courage Clubs Championship-1994/95". Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
 | This article about a rugby union competition is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |