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2001–02 National Division One Countries England Champions Rotherham Runners-up Worcester Relegated Henley Hawks and Bracknell Attendance 168,490 (average 931 per match)[ b 1] Highest attendance 4,800 Worcester at home to Rotherham on 22 September 2001 Lowest attendance 150 (x2) Bracknell at home to Exeter Chiefs on 2 March 2002 & Moseley at home to Rugby Lions on 23 March 2002 Top point scorer Simon Binns Otley ) 283 PointsTop try scorer Chris Garrard Worcester ) 25 tries
The 2001–02 National Division One rugby union within the second tier of the English league system , currently known as the RFU Championship . New teams to the division included Rotherham who had been relegated from the Zurich Premiership 2000–01 while Bracknell and Rugby Lions had been promoted from the 2000–01 National Division Two .[ 1] [ 2]
For the first time the team finishing first, Rotherham , were denied promotion to the Zurich Premiership for season 2002–03 because their ground was not of the required standard - this was the first time a team had been denied entry to the top flight of English rugby since the leagues started in 1987 due to the introduction of the controversial 'minimum standards' rule for clubs seeking to join the Premiership.[ 3] [ 4] Worcester were runners-up for the second consecutive season, and Henley Hawks and Bracknell were relegated to the 2002–03 National Division Two with Bracknell spending just one season in the division.[ 5]
Participating teams
Locations of the 2001–02 National Division One teams
Team
Stadium
Capacity
City/Area
Bedford Blues
Goldington Road
7,000
Bedford , Bedfordshire
Birmingham & Solihull
Sharmans Cross
2,500
Solihull , West Midlands
Bracknell
Lily Hill Park
1,250 (250 seats)[ a 1]
Bracknell , Berkshire
Coventry
Coundon Road
9,000+
Coventry , West Midlands
Exeter Chiefs
County Ground
5,200
Exeter , Devon
Henley Hawks
Dry Leas
4,000
Henley-on-Thames , Oxfordshire
London Welsh
Old Deer Park
5,850
Richmond , London
Manchester
Grove Park
4,000
Cheadle Hulme , Greater Manchester
Moseley
Bournbrook
Birmingham , West Midlands
Otley
Cross Green
5,000
Otley , West Yorkshire
Rotherham
Clifton Lane
2,500
Rotherham , South Yorkshire
Rugby Lions
Webb Ellis Road
1,000
Rugby , Warwickshire
Wakefield
College Grove
3,000
Wakefield , West Yorkshire
Worcester
Sixways
8,477
Worcester , Worcestershire
^ Bracknell would build a 250 seater stand for this season, improving capacity from 1,000 to 1,250.[ 6]
Table
2001–02 National Division One Table [ 7]
Club
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
Points For
Points Against
Points Difference
Points Try
Points Loss
Points
1
Rotherham 26
24
0
2
1,099
325
774
2
22
120
2
Worcester 26
23
0
3
941
364
577
0
14
106
3
Exeter Chiefs 26
19
1
6
707
448
259
1
12
92
4
Coventry 26
16
3
7
730
559
171
4
8
82
5
London Welsh 26
15
0
11
580
557
23
4
5
69
6
Bedford Blues 26
12
3
11
654
600
54
6
8
68
7
Otley 26
11
1
14
601
675
–74
4
6
56
8
Birmingham & Solihull 26
10
1
15
432
626
–194
6
4
52
9
Wakefield 26
9
2
15
514
607
–93
3
4
47
10
Rugby Lions 26
9
1
16
518
668
–150
5
4
47
11
Moseley 26
9
1
16
448
695
–247
3
5
45
12
Manchester 26
8
0
18
381
758
–377
3
1
36
13
Henley Hawks 26
6
1
19
449
767
–318
5
2
33
14
Bracknell 26
4
0
22
418
823
–405
7
3
26
Points are awarded as follows: four points for a win; two points for a draw; no points for a loss; one bonus point for scoring four tries or more in a match; one bonus point for losing by seven points or less.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: (1) difference between points for and against; (2) total number of points for.
Green background are promotion places (there was no promotion this season). Pink background are relegation places.
Results
Round 1
Birmingham & Solihull 17 - 21 Coventry Report
Sharmans Cross Martin Fox
Exeter Chiefs 33 - 30 Bracknell Report
County Ground Geraint Ashton-Jones
Henley Hawks 9 - 24 London Welsh Report
Dry Leas David Grashoff
Bournbrook Ashley Rowden
Rugby Lions 32 - 32 Bedford Blues Report
Webb Ellis Road R Glynne Jones
Wakefield 22 - 34 Rotherham Report
College Grove Stuart Piercy
Worcester 45 - 11 Manchester Report
Sixways Trevor Fisher
Round 2
Bedford Blues 36 - 27 Exeter Chiefs Report
Goldington Road Steve Savage
Lily Hill Park Nick Cousins
Coventry 24 - 8 Henley Hawks Report
Coundon Road Eric Woodmason
Cross Green Mark Wilson
Rugby Lions 18-6 Wakefield Report
Webb Ellis Road Tim Miller
Worcester 53 - 3 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Sixways J Barnard
London Welsh 6 - 28 Rotherham Report
Old Deer Park S Terheege
Round 3
Birmingham & Solihull 41 - 16 Otley Report
Sharmans Cross Trevor Fisher
Exeter Chiefs 20 - 15 Rugby Lions Report
County Ground Roy Maybank
Henley Hawks 0-31 Worcester Report
Dry Leas S Terheege
Manchester 28 - 13 Bracknell Report
Grove Park Martin Fox
Moseley 46 - 45 Bedford Blues Report
Bournbrook David Sainsbury
Clifton Lane Geraint Ashton-Jones
Wakefield 18 - 21 London Welsh Report
College Grove David Pearson
Round 4
Bedford Blues 21 - 10 Manchester Report
Goldington Road Nick Cousins
Bracknell 12 - 19 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Lily Hill Park Steve Savage
Coventry 19 - 23 London Welsh Report
Coundon Road Tim Miller
Exeter Chiefs 39 - 3 Wakefield Report
County Ground David Grashoff
Otley 55 - 13 Henley Hawks Report
Cross Green Martin Fox
Rugby Lions 28 - 19 Moseley Report
Webb Ellis Road Eric Woodmason
Worcester 20 - 18 Rotherham Report
Sixways Nigel Yates
Round 5
Birmingham & Solihull 19 - 19 Bedford Blues Report
Sharmans Cross
Henley Hawks 24 - 26 Bracknell Report
Dry Leas D May
London Welsh 3 - 21 Worcester Report
Old Deer Park Geraint Ashton-Jones
Manchester 22-14 Rugby Lions Report
Grove Park Steve Savage
Moseley 6 - 21 Exeter Chiefs Report
Bournbrook Mark Wilson
Clifton Lane David Sainsbury
Wakefield 20 - 20 Coventry Report
College Grove Trevor Fisher
Round 6
Bedford Blues 44 - 9 Henley Hawks Report
Goldington Road Nigel Yates
Bracknell 10 - 42 Rotherham Report
Lily Hill Park Ashley Rowden
Exeter Chiefs 16 - 3 Manchester Report
County Ground Eric Woodmason
Bournbrook Wayne Barnes
Cross Green Mark Wilson
Rugby Lions 6 - 22 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Webb Ellis Road David Grashoff
Worcester 22 - 31 Coventry Report
Sixways Robin Goodliffe
Round 7
Birmingham & Solihull 22 - 26 Exeter Chiefs Report
Sharmans Cross
Coundon Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Henley Hawks 15 - 12 Rugby Lions Report
Dry Leas Ashley Rowden
London Welsh 44 - 20 Bracknell Report
Old Deer Park Robin Goodliffe
Grove Park Martin Fisher
Rotherham 53 - 13 Bedford Blues Report
Clifton Lane Martin Fox
Wakefield 8 - 39 Worcester Report
College Grove Tim Miller
Round 8
Bedford Blues P - P London Welsh
Postponed. Rescheduled for 24 November 2001. Lily Hill Park Nigel Yates
Exeter Chiefs P - P Henley Hawks
Postponed. Rescheduled for 16 February 2002. Postponed. Rescheduled for 15 December 2001. Moseley 6 - 15 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Bournbrook Nick Cousins
Cross Green David Grashoff
Rugby Lions P - P Rotherham
Postponed. Rescheduled for 15 February 2002.
Round 9
Birmingham & Solihull 27 - 8 Manchester Report
Sharmans Cross David Grashoff
Coventry 15 - 15 Bedford Blues Report
Coundon Road Tim Miller
Henley Hawks 24 - 29 Moseley Report
Rotherham 13 - 19 Exeter Chiefs Report
Clifton Lane Nigel Yates
College Grove Wayne Barnes
London Welsh 37 - 15 Rugby Lions Report
Old Deer Park
Worcester 32 - 6 Bracknell Report
Round 10
Bedford Blues 11 - 20 Worcester Report
Goldington Road Nigel Yates
Birmingham & Solihull 18 - 22 Wakefield Report
Sharmans Cross Tim Fisher
Lily Hill Park Rob Debney
Exeter Chiefs 52 - 22 London Welsh Report
County Ground Geraint Ashton-Jones
Manchester 25 - 26 Henley Hawks Report
Grove Park Nick Cousins
Bournbrook Ashley Rowden
Rugby Lions 22 - 27 Coventry Report
Webb Ellis Road Wayne Barnes
Bedford Blues 39 - 27 London Welsh Report
Goldington Road Rob Debney
Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
Round 11
Coventry 16 - 15 Exeter Chiefs Report
Coundon Road Mark Wilson
Henley Hawks 20 - 26 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Dry Leas Rob Debney
London Welsh 18 - 29 Moseley Report
Old Deer Park
Otley 26 - 10 Bedford Blues Report
Cross Green Trevor Fisher
Rotherham 55 - 10 Manchester Report
Clifton Lane Geraint Ashton-Jones
Wakefield 33 - 22 Bracknell Report
College Grove Nick Cousins
Worcester 30 - 5 Rugby Lions Report
Sixways Tim Miller
Round 12
Bedford Blues 27 - 10 Bracknell Report
Goldington Road Wayne Barnes
Birmingham & Solihull 16 - 56 Rotherham Report
Sharmans Cross Martin Fox
Exeter Chiefs 21 - 10 Worcester Report
County Ground S Leyshon
Henley Hawks 20 - 13 Wakefield Report
Dry Leas Geraint Ashton-Jones
Manchester 12 - 11 London Welsh Report
Grove Park David Sainsbury
Bournbrook Trevor Fisher
Webb Ellis Road David Grashoff
Manchester 27 - 16 Wakefield Report
Grove Park Wayne Barnes
Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001.
Round 13
Bracknell 23 - 35 Rugby Lions Report
Lily Hill Park S Terheege
Coventry 47 - 13 Manchester Report
Coundon Road David Sainsbury
London Welsh 28 - 25 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Old Deer Park Steve Savage
Otley 26 - 5 Exeter Chiefs Report
Cross Green Tim Miller
Rotherham 48 - 6 Henley Hawks Report
Clifton Lane David Grashoff
Wakefield 18 - 16 Bedford Blues Report
College Grove Martin Fox
Sixways Trevor Fisher
Round 14
Bedford Blues P - P Rugby Lions
Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002. Bracknell P - P Exeter Chiefs
Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002. Coventry P - P Birmingham & Solihull
Game rescheduled to 17 February 2002. London Welsh P - P Henley Hawks
Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
Round 15
Birmingham & Solihull 13 - 30 Worcester Report
Sharmans Cross Ashley Rowden
Exeter Chiefs 18 - 13 Bedford Blues Report
County Ground Tim Miller
Henley Hawks 18 - 22 Coventry Report
Dry Leas Martin Fox
Grove Park Nick Cousins
Bournbrook
Rotherham 28 - 21 London Welsh Report
Clifton Lane Wayne Barnes
Wakefield 16 - 18 Rugby Lions Report
College Grove Trevor Fisher
Round 16
Bedford Blues 36 - 25 Moseley Report
Goldington Road Nigel Yates
Bracknell 15 - 22 Manchester Report
Lily Hill Park Martin Fox
Coventry 28 - 41 Rotherham Report
Coundon Road J Barnard
London Welsh 16 - 8 Wakefield Report
Old Deer Park Mark Wilson
Otley 18 - 3 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Cross Green Wayne Barnes
Rugby Lions 10 - 34 Exeter Chiefs Report
Webb Ellis Road David Grashoff
Worcester 66 - 17 Henley Hawks Report
Sixways Robin Goodliffe
Round 17
Birmingham & Solihull 10 - 3 Bracknell Report
Sharmans Cross Mark Wilson
Henley Hawks 12 - 22 Otley Report
Dry Leas Tim Miller
London Welsh 19 - 5 Coventry Report
Old Deer Park Geraint Ashton-Jones
Manchester 12 - 24 Bedford Blues Report
Grove Park J Barnard
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002. Rotherham 18 - 8 Worcester Report
Clifton Lane David Pearson
Wakefield 15 - 27 Exeter Chiefs Report
College Grove Ashley Rowden
Round 18
Bedford Blues 23 - 10 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Goldington Road Robin Goodliffe
Coventry 37 - 19 Wakefield Report
Coundon Road Tony Spreadbury
Exeter Chiefs 28 - 7 Moseley Report
County Ground Martin Fox
Cross Green Ashley Rowden
Rugby Lions 25 - 13 Manchester Report
Webb Ellis Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Worcester 10 - 6 London Welsh Report
Sixways Chris White
Bracknell 13 - 6 Henley Hawks Report
Lily Hill Park J Barnard
Round 19
Birmingham & Solihull 13 - 11 Rugby Lions Report
Sharmans Cross
Coventry 26 - 33 Worcester Report
Coundon Road Nigel Yates
Henley Hawks 25 - 37 Bedford Blues Report
Dry Leas Mark Wilson
London Welsh 34 - 15 Otley Report
Old Deer Park David Sainsbury
Manchester P - P Exeter Chiefs
Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002. Rotherham 55 - 8 Bracknell Report
Clifton Lane Trevor Fisher
College Grove Peter Marshall
Rugby Lions 14 - 47 Rotherham Report
Webb Ellis Road Nigel Yates
Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001. Exeter Chiefs 43 - 23 Henley Hawks Report
Dry Leas Nigel Higginson
Game rescheduled from 27 October 2001. Manchester 17 - 62 Worcester Report
Grove Park David Sainsbury
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002. Coventry 46 - 13 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Coundon Road Trevor Fisher
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
Round 20
Bedford Blues 31 - 36 Rotherham Report
Goldington Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Bracknell 22 - 24 London Welsh Report
Lily Hill Park Wayne Barnes
Exeter Chiefs 35 - 10 Birmingham & Solihull Report
County Ground S Terheege
Bournbrook Tim Miller
Cross Green Rob Debney
Rugby Lions 25 - 13 Henley Hawks Report
Webb Ellis Road David Rose
Worcester 36 - 8 Wakefield Report
Sixways J Barnard
Bedford Blues 25 - 15 Rugby Lions Report
Goldington Road Martin Fox
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002. Bracknell 6 - 27 Exeter Chiefs Report
Lily Hill Park David Rose
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002. London Welsh 33 - 20 Henley Hawks Report
Old Deer Park Robin Goodliffe
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002. Cross Green J Barnard
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002. Rotherham 30 - 8 Wakefield Report
Clifton Lane Tony Spreadbury
Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
Round 21
Birmingham & Solihull 14 - 10 Moseley Report
Sharmans Cross Nigel Yates
Coventry 63 - 14 Bracknell Report
Coundon Road Mark Wilson
Henley Hawks 28 - 19 Exeter Chiefs Report
Dry Leas David Sainsbury
London Welsh 26 - 20 Bedford Blues Report
Old Deer Park Trevor Fisher
Rotherham 30 - 8 Rugby Lions Report
Clifton Lane Roy Maybank
Wakefield 56 - 10 Manchester Report
College Grove
Sixways David Pearson
Round 22
Bracknell 24 - 59 Worcester Report
Lily Hill Park Nigel Yates
Bedford Blues 29 - 24 Coventry Report
Goldington Road Andrew Cole
Exeter Chiefs 23 - 32 Rotherham Report
County Ground Ashley Rowden
Manchester 16 - 11 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Grove Park David Rose
Moseley 21 - 26 Henley Hawks Report
Bournbrook David Grashoff
Cross Green Martin Fox
Rugby Lions 20 - 41 London Welsh Report
Webb Ellis Park Geraint Ashton-Jones
Moseley 17 - 12 Rugby Lions Report
Bournbrook Robin Goodliffe
Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002. Manchester 5 - 53 Exeter Chiefs Report
Grove Park Rob Debney
Game rescheduled from 9 February 2002.
Round 23
Coventry 47 - 25 Rugby Lions Report
Coundon Road David Rose
Henley Hawks 45 - 20 Manchester Report
Dry Leas S Terheege
London Welsh 19 - 34 Exeter Chiefs Report
Old Deer Park Wayne Barnes
Clifton Lane Martin Fox
Wakefield 26 - 17 Birmingham & Solihull Report
College Grove Tim Miller
Worcester 46 - 22 Bedford Blues Report
Sixways Eric Woodmason
Cross Green Mike Hamlin
Round 24
Bedford Blues 17 - 22 Otley Report
Goldington Road Rob Debney
Birmingham & Solihull 22 - 9 Henley Hawks Report
Sharmans Cross Nigel Yates
Bracknell 8 - 42 Wakefield Report
Lily Hill Park S Leyshon
Exeter Chiefs 23 - 23 Coventry Report
County Ground Geraint Ashton-Jones
Manchester 7 - 72 Rotherham Report
Grove Park Ashley Rowden
Moseley 17 - 15 London Welsh Report
Bournbrook Mark Wilson
Rugby Lions 23 - 41 Worcester Report
Webb Ellis Road David Pearson
Round 25
Bracknell 7 - 41 Bedford Blues Report
Lily Hill Park Tim Miller
Coundon Road David Sainsbury
London Welsh 20 - 13 Manchester Report
Old Deer Park David Rose
Cross Green Wayne Barnes
Rotherham 73 - 0 Birmingham & Solihull Report
Clifton Lane Rob Debney
Wakefield 13 - 13 Henley Hawks Report
College Grove David Grashoff
Worcester 41 - 17 Exeter Chiefs Report
Sixways Martin Fox
Round 26
Bedford Blues 18 - 22 Wakefield Report
Goldington Road Geraint Ashton-Jones
Birmingham & Solihull 26 - 33 London Welsh Report
Old Deer Park Wayne Barnes
Exeter Chiefs 32 - 14 Otley Report
County Ground Nigel Higginson
Henley Hawks 20 - 54 Rotherham Report
Dry Leas David Sainsbury
Manchester 24 - 26 Coventry Report
Grove Park Ashley Rowden
Bournbrook J Barnard
Rugby Lions 49 - 27 Bracknell Report
Webb Ellis Road Trevor Fisher
Total season attendances
Club
Home
Total
Average
Highest
Lowest
% Capacity
Bedford Blues
13
18,445
1,419
1,908
956
20%
Birmingham & Solihull
13
6,350
488
1,000
200
20%
Bracknell
13
4,805
370
750
150
30%
Coventry
13
24,718
1,901
4,132
924
21%
Exeter Chiefs
13
11,932
918
1,530
487
18%
Henley Hawks
13
9,575
737
1,325
300
18%
London Welsh
13
11,750
904
1,400
400
15%
Manchester
13
6,685
514
828
225
13%
Moseley
13
6,673
513
1,529
150
Otley
13
9,300
715
1,500
430
14%
Rotherham
13
18,451
1,419
2,500
1,000
57%
Rugby Lions
13
6,491
499
836
300
50%
Wakefield
13
4,800
369
1,100
250
12%
Worcester
12[ b 2]
28,515
2,376
4,800
1,448
28%
[ 8]
^ Note that 1 home attendance is 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 attendance v Manchester on 1 September 2001.
Individual statistics
Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
[ 9]
Top try scorers
[ 10]
Season records
Team
Largest home win — 73 pts 73 - 0 Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
Largest away win — 65 pts 72 - 7 Rotherham away to Manchester on 6 April 2002
Most points scored — 73 pts 73 - 0 Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
Most tries in a match — 12 Rotherham away to Manchester on 6 April 2002
Most conversions in a match — 9 Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002
Most penalties in a match — 9 Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001
Most drop goals in a match — 3 Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001
[ 11] [ 12] [ 13] [ 14]
Player
Most points in a match — 32 Sateki Tuipulotu for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002
Most tries in a match — 5 (x2) Chris Garrard for Worcester at home to Otley on 9 March 2002Michael Wood for Rotherham at home to Birmingham & Solihull on 13 April 2002
Most conversions in a match — 8 (x2) Tony Yapp for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 19 January 2002Link Wilfley for Rotherham at home to Moseley on 30 March 2002
Most penalties in a match — 9 Marcus Barrow for Manchester at home to Wakefield on 15 December 2001
Most drop goals in a match — 3 Chris Malone for Exeter Chiefs away to Rotherham on 10 November 2001
[ 15] [ 16] [ 17] [ 18] [ 19]
Attendances
Highest — 4,800 Worcester at home to Rotherham on 22 September 2001
Lowest — 150 (x2) Bracknell at home to Exeter Chiefs on 2 March 2002
Highest Average Attendance — 2,376[ b 1] Worcester
Lowest Average Attendance — 369 Wakefield
[ 20]
^ Worcester are missing 1 home attendance so this figure is not 100% accurate.
See also
References
2024–25 teams Former clubs Seasons
Representative team
Governing body National teams
International competitions
Competition divisions
European competitions National competitions London and South East Midland competitions Northern competitions South West competitions County competitions Discontinued competitions Related articles Other
England
Chris Garrard
