Wikipedia

1997–98 National League 1

The 1997–98 National League 1, sponsored by Jewson, was the eleventh full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system, currently known as National League 1.

1997–98 NationalLeague 1
Countries England
ChampionsWorcester (1st title)
Runners-upLeeds Tykes (also promoted)
Relegatedno relegation

Structure

edit

The league consisted of fourteen teams, playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of twenty-six matches for each team. There were four promotion places with the top four teams promoted to the 1998–99 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two. There was no relegation, this season, to either National Division 4 North or South due to an increase, from twelve teams to fourteen, in the top two divisions.[1][2]

Participating teams and locations

edit
class=notpageimage|
1997–98 Courage League National Division Three teams in England

National Division Three was reduced from sixteen teams to fourteen with ten of the clubs participating in last seasons competition. To make up the numbers two of the teams (Rugby Lions and Nottingham) were relegated from National League 2, and the champions of National 4 North (Worcester) and National 4 South (Newbury) were both promoted.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Last season
Harrogate Claro Road 3,000 Harrogate, North Yorkshire 5th
Leeds Tykes Headingley Stadium 22,250 Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd
Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane 3,000[3] St Helens, Merseyside 12th
London Welsh Old Deer Park 5,850 Richmond, London 11th
Lydney Regentsholm 1,500 Lydney, Gloucestershire 10th
Morley Scatcherd Lane Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 4th
Newbury Monks Lane 8,000 Newbury, Berkshire Promoted from National 4 South (champions)
Nottingham Ireland Avenue 4,950 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Courage National League 2 (12th)
Otley Cross Green 5,000 Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th
Reading Holme Park Sonning, Berkshire 6th
Rosslyn Park The Rock 2,000 Roehampton, London 8th
Rugby Lions Webb Ellis Road 4,000[4] Rugby Warwickshire Relegated from Courage National League 2 (11th)
Wharfedale The Avenue 2,000 Threshfield, North Yorkshire 7th
Worcester Sixways 8,477 Worcester, Worcestershire Promoted from National 4 North (champions)

League table

edit
1997–98 Jewson National Division One table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Worcester (C) 26 24 0 2 1001 331 +670 48 Promoted
2 Leeds Tykes 26 21 1 4 858 407 +451 43
3 London Welsh 26 21 1 4 848 478 +370 43
4 Rugby Lions 26 21 0 5 733 405 +328 42
5 Rosslyn Park 26 13 1 12 486 537 −51 27
6 Nottingham 26 13 0 13 527 602 −75 26
7 Newbury 26 12 2 12 639 545 +94 24[a]
8 Reading 26 11 1 14 620 697 −77 23
9 Otley 26 10 1 15 447 682 −235 21
10 Wharfedale 26 8 3 15 476 684 −208 19
11 Liverpool St Helens 26 8 1 17 430 767 −337 15[a]
12 Lydney 26 5 0 21 361 575 −214 10
13 Morley 26 5 0 21 372 844 −472 10
14 Harrogate 26 4 1 21 463 707 −244 9
Source: [5]
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. There was no relegation this season.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ a b 2 points deducted

Sponsorship

edit

For the first ten seasons Courage Brewery sponsored the league. Following reorganisation the top two divisions are sponsored by the assurance company Allied Dunbar and the rest of the divisions, including National League 1 is sponsored by the building suppliers, Jewson.[2]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 (26 ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 87–100. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
  2. ^ a b Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99 (27th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 84–98. ISBN 0 7472 7653 6.
  3. ^ "Liverpool St Helens". Rugby Journal. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Gloucester v. Leicester (PDF, opens in a new window)" (PDF). Gloucester Rugby Heritage. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Leagues 1997/98". Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1997–98_National_League_1&oldid=1252985954"