1987–88 National Division 2

1987–88 National Division 2
Countries England
ChampionsRosslyn Park (1st title)
Runners-upLiverpool St Helens
RelegatedNo relegation
Matches played65
Top point scorer75 – Andy Finnie (Bedford)[1]
Top try scorer7 – Dave McLagan (Saracens)[1]

The 1987–88 National Division 2 was the first season of the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, and the first to be sponsored by Courage Brewery. It was also the first season of a truly national rugby union league, with the second tier currently known as Champ Rugby.

Rosslyn Park, the first ever second division champions, were promoted to the 1988–89 National Division 1 along with the runners-up, Liverpool St Helens. Although Northampton finished in last place they were not relegated to National Division 3. Almost all clubs in the national divisions reported an increase in attendances.[2][3]

Structure

Each team played the others once to make a total of eleven matches each and for this first season there was no fixture list; the teams arranged fixtures amongst themselves. Most teams played eleven games, although some played ten due to cancellations and there were unequal home and away fixtures.[4] The top two sides were promoted to National Division 1 and for this season there was no relegation.

The points scheme was such that a team received four points for a win, two for a draw and one point for a loss.

Participating teams

Locations of the 1987–88 National Division 2 teams
1987–88 Greater London National Division 2 teams
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area
Bedford Goldington Road 4,800 (800 seats)[5] Bedford, Bedfordshire
Blackheath Rectory Field 3,500 (500 seats)[6] Greenwich, London
Gosforth North Road 2,000 (400 stand)[7] Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Headingley Clarence Fields 7,850 (850 seats)[8] Leeds, West Yorkshire
Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane 4,370 (370 seats)[9][10] St Helens, Merseyside
London Irish The Avenue 3,600 (600 seats)[11] Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey
London Scottish Athletic Ground 7,300 (1,300 seats)[12] Richmond, London
London Welsh Old Deer Park 4,500 (1,500 seats)[13] Richmond, London
Northampton Franklin's Gardens 6,000 (2,000 seats)[14] Northampton, Northamptonshire
Richmond Athletic Ground 7,300 (1,300 seats)[12] Richmond, London
Rosslyn Park The Rock 4,630 (630 seats)[15] Roehampton, London
Saracens Bramley Road 2,300 (300 seats)[16][17] Enfield, London

League table

1987–88 National Division 2 table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Rosslyn Park (C) 11 8 2 1 155 83 +72 37
2 Liverpool St Helens 11 8 1 2 154 97 +57 36
3 Saracens 11 7 2 2 228 86 +142 34
4 Headingley 11 6 2 3 202 164 +38 31
5 Bedford 11 6 2 3 152 139 +13 31
6 Richmond 11 6 0 5 140 156 −16 29
7 London Scottish 11 4 1 6 141 158 −17 24
8 London Irish 11 4 1 6 120 177 −57 24
9 London Welsh 11 3 2 6 153 185 −32 22
10 Gosforth 10 2 1 7 99 129 −30 17[a]
11 Blackheath 11 2 0 9 102 187 −85 17
12 Northampton 10 1 0 9 81 226 −145 13
Source:
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows:
  1. 4 pts for a win
  2. 2 pts for a draw
  3. 1 pt for a loss
  • The scoring system used for this season is not the same as the current bonus points system introduced in 2000–01.
  • Some publications listed league tables with the 2 pts for a win, 1 pt for a draw and 0 pts for a loss.
  • There was no relegation this season.
    (C) Champions
    Notes:
  1. ^ Gosforth had three points and one win deducted for fielding an ineligible player against Bedford

Statistics

Team

  • Record wins
50 – 3     London Scottish v Northampton
48 – 12     Saracens at Blackheath
38 – 3     Headingley v Northampton
34 – 0     Saracens v London Scottish
  • Record away win
48 – 12     Saracens at Blackheath
  • Most points scored in a match
60      12 – 48     Blackheath v Saracens
58      25 – 33     Bedford v Liverpool St Helens
  • Most points scored but still lost
25      28 – 25     Richmond v Bedford
25      33 – 25     Bedford v Liverpool St Helens
  • Highest scoring draw
24     24 – 24     London Welsh v London Scottish
  • Fewest points scored in a match
6      6 – 0     Bedford v Blackheath

Player

  • Most points in a match
26   Andy Mitchell for London Scottish v Northampton
  • Most points in a season
75   Andy Finnie for Bedford
  • Most tries in a match
3   Jerry Macklin for London Scottish v Northampton
     Orsen Blewitt for Northampton v Bedford
     John Roberts for Headingley v Northampton
     Peter Shillingford for London Scottish v Northampton
  • Most tries in a season
10   Dave McLagan for Saracens

[18][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ross Young, ed. (1993). "Season by Season Leading Scorers". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1993–94. Taunton: Tony Williams Publications. p. 50.
  2. ^ Stephen Jones, ed. (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89. London: Rothmans Publications Ltd.
  3. ^ a b Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.
  4. ^ "Courage Club Championship 1987/88". Moseley Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  5. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Bedford R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 85.
  6. ^ Bill Mitchell, ed. (1994). "Blackheath FC (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95. Windsor: Tony Williamson Publications. p. 179.
  7. ^ Bill Mitchell, ed. (1988). "Gosforth". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1988–89. Horsham: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 83.
  8. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Headingley F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 96.
  9. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Liverpool St Helens F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 58.
  10. ^ "Liverpool St Helens". Rugby Journal. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  11. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "London Irish R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 98.
  12. ^ a b Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Richmond F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 112.
  13. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "London Welsh R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 194.
  14. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Northampton F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 64.
  15. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Rosslyn Park F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 74.
  16. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Saracens F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 78.
  17. ^ "Saracens aim for bigger Wembley crowds following Premiership defeat of Worcester". The Telegraph. 15 February 2010.
  18. ^ Stephen McCormack, ed. (2002). The Official RFU Club Directory 2002–2003 (15th ed.). Harpenden: Queen Anne Press.
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