1997–98 National League 1

1997–98 NationalLeague 1
Countries  England
Champions Worcester (1st title)
Runners-up Leeds Tykes, London Welsh and Rugby (also promoted)
Relegated no relegation

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.

Structure

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 1998–1999 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 clubs

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 City/Area Last season
Harrogate County Ground Harrogate, North Yorkshire 5th
Leeds Tykes Headingley Stadium Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd
Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane St Helens, Merseyside 12th
London Welsh Old Deer Park Richmond, London 11th
Lydney Regentsholm Lydney, Gloucestershire 10th
Morley Scatcherd Lane Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 4th
Newbury Monks Lane Newbury, Berkshire promoted from National 4 South
Nottingham Ireland Avenue Nottingham, Nottinghamshire relegated from National League 2 (12th)
Otley Cross Green Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th
Reading Holme Park Sonning, Berkshire 6th
Rosslyn Park Priory Lane Roehampton, London 8th
Rugby Lions Webb Ellis Road Rugby Warwickshire relegated from National League 2 (11th)
Wharfedale Wharfedale Avenue Threshfield, North Yorkshire 7th
Worcester Sixways Worcester, Worcestershire promoted from National 4 North

League table

1997–98 Jewson National Division One Table[3]
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Points
1 Worcester 26 24 0 2 1001 331 670 48
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 96 24*
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*
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
  • * Newbury and Liverpool St Helens deducted 2 pts
  • Points are awarded as follows:
  1. 2 pts for a win
  2. 1 pt for a draw
  3. 0 pts for a loss
  • If teams are level at any stage, the following tiebreaker is applied:
  1. Difference between points for and against
Green background are promotion places. (There was no relegation this season)

Sponsorship

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]

References

  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. 1 2 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. ↑ "Leagues 1997/98". Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
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