The league champions were Bracknell who won the title by five points and gained promotion to the 2001–02 National Division One. They would be joined by runners up Rugby Lions (making an instant return to the division) who squeaked past Rosslyn Park despite being level on points due to a better points for/conceded record.[3] At the other end of the table West Hartlepool, Lydney and Camberley would be the unfortunate teams to be relegated.[3] West Hartlepool were easily the worse team in the division, failing to win a single game all season and suffering their second successive relegation in a row (part of a slide that would see them drop out of the national league system into regional rugby) while Lydney went down having only played 22 games due to fixture congestion/cancellations – although even if the Gloucestershire-based side won these remaining fixtures it would not have been enough to keep them up. West Hartlepool would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three North while Camberley and Lydney would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three South.[4][5]
Some of the early-season scores from Rugby Statbunker are incorrect (possibly due to an automatic scoring system used on that website) as they are different from those reported in the Telegraph. I[who?] have used scores from the England Rugby website to ensure that they are accurate with reports from Statbunker primarily used to show scorers, attendances and referees were relevant. Statbunker scores are consistent with rest of sources from 16 December 2000 onwards.[3]
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
30 December 2000
Kendal
P - P
Fylde
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
30 December 2000
Lydney
C - C
Rosslyn Park
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 and was initially postponed once again - eventually being cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
30 December 2000
Nottingham
P - P
Bracknell
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
30 December 2000
Preston Grasshoppers
P - P
Newbury Blues
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
30 December 2000
Rugby Lions
P - P
Wharfedale
Game originally rescheduled from 4 November 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Brinkburn Attendance: 270[15] Referee: Stuart Piercy
17 March 2001
Lydney
C - C
Rugby Lions
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
Webb Ellis Road Attendance: 450[19] Referee: Andrew Pearce
14 April 2001
Wharfedale
C - C
Lydney
Game was initially postponed but would eventually be cancelled due to fixture congestion and the result being irrelevant to Lydney's eventual relegation.
^Note that 76 home attendances are missing (see below) - so the total attendance will not be 100% accurate. The average attendance has also been taken into account with the missing games not included.
^Missing home attendances v Camberley on 2 September 2000, Fylde on 16 September 2000, Wharfedale on 30 September 2000, Newbury on 14 October 2000, Preston on 28 October 2000, Rugby on 18 November 2000, Kendal on 9 December 2000, Rosslyn Park on 23 December 2000, Nottingham on 13 January 2001, Lydney on 27 January 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Rugby on 14 October 2000, Esher on 28 October 2000, Rosslyn Park on 9 December 2000, Harrogate on 23 December 2000, Kendal on 13 January 2001, Preston on 27 January 2001, Bracknell on 10 March 2001, West Hartlepool on 24 March 2001 and Nottingham on 14 April 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Nottingham on 23 September 2000, Preston on 16 December 2000, Wharfedale on 6 January 2001 and West Hartlepool on 27 January 2001.
^Lydney only played 11 home games due to game cancellations. Missing home attendances include Kendal on 16 September 2000, Fylde on 16 December 2000 & West Hartlepool on 6 January 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Harrogate on 9 September 2000, Rugby on 28 October 2000, Esher on 18 November 2000, Wharfedale on 3 December 2000, Lydney on 9 December 2000, Kendal on 23 December 2000, Preston on 13 January 2001 and Fylde on 10 February 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Newbury on 2 September 2000, Rugby on 16 September 2000, Esher on 30 September 2000, Fylde on 25 November 2000, Rosslyn Park on 6 January 2001 and Harrogate on 27 January 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Rugby on 23 December 2000 & Camberley on 10 February 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Wharfedale on 2 September 2000, Preston on 16 September 2000, Kendal on 30 September 2000, Nottingham on 28 October 2000, Bracknell on 11 September 2000, West Hartlepool on 16 December 2000, Lydney on 13 January 2001 and Esher on 27 January 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Lydney on 9 September 2000, Rosslyn Park on 23 September 2000, Preston on 11 November 2000, Esher on 9 December 2000, Newbury on 6 January 2001, West Hartlepool on 10 February 2001 and Fylde on 6 April 2001.
^Missing home attendances v Newbury on 16 September 2000, Rugby on 30 September 2000, Esher on 14 October 2000, Lydney on 28 October 2000, Rosslyn Park on 18 November 2000, Bracknell on 25 November 2000 and Nottingham on 23 December 2000.
^Wharfedale only played 12 home games due to a game cancellation. Missing home attendances include Kendal on 16 September 2000, Fylde on 16 December 2000 & West Hartlepool on 6 January 2001.
England
