1987–88 Courage League National Division Three

1987–88 Courage League National Division Three
Countries  England
Date September 1987 – April 1988
Champions Wakefield (1st title)
Runners-up West Hartlepool
Relegated Morley and
Birmingham
Matches played 66

The 1987–88 Courage League National Division Three was the first full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system, currently known as the National League 1. Both Wakefield and West Hartlepool won ten matches, lost one and finished on twenty points. Wakefield finished as champions due to their superior points difference but neither team was promoted to National Division Two. Morley and Birmingham (without a win) finished in the bottom two places and both clubs were relegated to Area League North for the following season.[1] Almost all clubs in the national divisions reported an increase in attendances.[2]

Structure

Each team played one match against the other teams, playing a total of eleven matches each. There was no set date for matches, clubs having to arrange the fixtures amongst themselves.[3]

Participating teams and locations

Team Ground City/Area
Birmingham Sharmans Cross Road Solihull, West Midlands
Exeter County Ground Exeter, Devon
Fylde Woodlands Memorial Ground Ansdell, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Maidstone William Day Memorial Ground Maidstone, Kent
Metropolitan Police Imber Court Sports Ground East Molesey, Surrey
Morley Scatcherd Lane Morley, Leeds
Nuneaton The Harry Cleaver Ground Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Plymouth Albion Beacon Park Plymouth, Devon
Sheffield Abbeydale Park Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Vale of Lune Powderhouse Lane Lancaster, Lancashire
Wakefield College Grove Wakefield, West Yorkshire
West Hartlepool Brierton Lane Hartlepool, Cleveland

[1][2]

League table

1987–88 Courage League National Division Three Table
Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Points
1 Wakefield 11 10 0 1 308 90 218 20
2 West Hartlepool 11 10 0 1 249 105 144 20
3 Plymouth Albion 11 8 0 3 276 125 151 16
4 Sheffield 11 7 1 3 134 161 −27 15
5 Vale of Lune 11 7 0 4 183 149 34 14
6 Fylde 11 6 0 5 269 170 99 12
7 Metropolitan Police 11 5 0 6 130 128 2 10
8 Maidstone 11 4 0 7 134 162 −28 8
9 Exeter 11 3 2 6 128 197 −69 8
10 Nuneaton 11 2 1 8 94 157 −63 5
11 Morley 11 1 1 9 109 235 −126 3
12 Birmingham 11 0 1 10 46 381 −335 1
  • Points were awarded as follows:
  1. 2 pts for a win
  2. 1 pt for a draw
  3. 0 pts for a loss
  • Some publications listed league tables with 4 pts for a win, 2 pt for a draw and 1 pt for a loss. (This scoring system is not the same as the current bonus points system introduced in 2000–01.)
  • If teams were level at any stage, tiebreakers were applied in the following order:
  1. Difference between points for and against
Pink background are relegation places, (there was no promotion this season)
Updated: 7 July 2015

Sponsorship

National Division Three is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.
  2. 1 2 Stephen Jones, ed. (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89. London: Rothmans Publications Ltd.
  3. ↑ "Courage Club Championship 1987/88". Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
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