1989–90 National Division 2

1989–90 National Division 2
Countries England
Date9 September 1989 – 28 April 1990
ChampionsNorthampton (1st title)
Runners-upLiverpool St Helens
RelegatedNone
Matches played66
Top point scorer107 – Ian Aitchison (London Irish)[1]
Top try scorer7 – Jim Fallon (Richmond)[1]

The 1989–90 National Division 2 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was the third season of the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, currently known as Champ Rugby. New sides included Waterloo (relegated from the top flight) and Rugby Lions and Plymouth Albion (promoted from tier 3).

Northampton, the champions, were promoted to the 1990–91 National Division 1 along with the runners–up Liverpool St Helens. It was the second time in three seasons that Liverpool St Helens won promotion from the second tier. Due to the expansion of the national divisions there was no relegation to the 1990–91 National Division 3.[2]

Structure

Each team played one match against each of the other teams, playing a total of eleven matches each. The top two clubs were promoted to National Division 1 and there would be no relegation due to the expansion of the division from twelve to thirteen teams for the following season.

Participating teams

Locations of the 1989–90 National Division 2 teams
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area Previous season
Blackheath Rectory Field 3,500 (500 seats)[3] Greenwich, London 8th
Coventry Coundon Road 10,000 (1,100 seats)[4] Coventry, West Midlands 5th
Gosforth Prenton Avenue[a] Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 10th
Headingley Clarence Fields 7,850 (850 seats)[6] Leeds, West Yorkshire 7th
Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane 4,370 (370 seats)[7][8] St Helens, Merseyside Relegated from National 1 (12th)
London Irish The Avenue 3,600 (600 seats)[9] Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey 6th
Northampton Franklin's Gardens 6,000 (2,000 seats)[10] Northampton, Northamptonshire 3rd
Plymouth Albion Beacon Park 1,950 (450 seats)[11] Plymouth, Devon Promoted from National 3 (1st)
Richmond Athletic Ground 7,300 (1,300 seats)[12] Richmond, London 9th
Rugby Webb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats)[13][14] Rugby, Warwickshire Promoted from National 3 (2nd)
Sale Heywood Road 4,000 (500 seats)[15] Sale, Greater Manchester 4th
Waterloo St Anthony's Road 9,950 (950 seats)[16] Blundellsands, Merseyside Relegated from National 1 (11th)

Table

1989–90 National Division 2 table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Northampton (C) 11 9 1 1 192 135 +57 19 Promoted
2 Liverpool St Helens 11 8 2 1 154 106 +48 18
3 Richmond 11 7 1 3 282 135 +147 15
4 Coventry 11 6 1 4 206 185 +21 13
5 London Irish 11 6 0 5 228 247 −19 12
6 Rugby 11 5 0 6 238 172 +66 10
7 Plymouth Albion 11 5 0 6 206 164 +42 10
8 Headingley 11 5 0 6 161 226 −65 10
9 Sale 11 4 0 7 153 182 −29 8
10 Blackheath 11 3 2 6 141 205 −64 8
11 Waterloo 11 3 0 8 147 193 −46 6
12 Gosforth 11 1 1 9 108 266 −158 3
Source: [17]
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows:
  1. 2 pts for a win
  2. 1 pt for a draw
  3. 0 pts for a loss
(There was no relegation this season)
(C) Champions

Fixtures & Results

Round 1

9 September 1989
Blackheath0 – 21Rugby
Rectory Field
9 September 1989
Coventry18 – 25London Irish
Coundon Road
9 September 1989
Liverpool St Helens16 – 11Gosforth
Moss Lane
9 September 1989
Northampton6 – 4Plymouth Albion
Franklin's Gardens
9 September 1989
Richmond16 – 7Sale
Athletic Ground
9 September 1989
Waterloo9 – 6Headingley
St Anthony's Road

[18]

Round 2

23 September 1989
Gosforth12 – 12Blackheath
Prenton Avenue
23 September 1989
Headingley15 – 3Northampton
Clarence Fields
23 September 1989
London Irish24 – 23Waterloo
The Avenue
23 September 1989
Plymouth Albion20 – 3Liverpool St Helens
Beacon Park
23 September 1989
Rugby16 – 28Richmond
Webb Ellis Road
23 September 1989
Sale24 – 22Coventry
Heywood Road

[18]

Round 3

14 October 1989
Blackheath9 – 37Plymouth Albion
Rectory Field
14 October 1989
Coventry18 – 10Rugby
Coundon Road
14 October 1989
Liverpool St Helens10 – 4Headingley
Moss Lane
14 October 1989
Northampton33 – 21London Irish
Franklin's Gardens
14 October 1989
Richmond36 – 3Gosforth
Athletic Ground
14 October 1989
Waterloo12 – 9Sale
St Anthony's Road

[18]

Round 4

28 October 1989
Gosforth0 – 16Coventry
Prenton Avenue
28 October 1989
Headingley31 – 12Blackheath
Clarence Fields
28 October 1989
London Irish12 – 23Liverpool St Helens
The Avenue
28 October 1989
Plymouth Albion11 – 12Richmond
Beacon Park
28 October 1989
Rugby28 – 6Waterloo
Webb Ellis Road
28 October 1989
Sale3 – 16Northampton
Heywood Road

[18]

Round 5

11 November 1989
Coventry13 – 13Liverpool St Helens
Coundon Road
11 November 1989
London Irish25 – 19Headingley
The Avenue
11 November 1989
Rugby49 – 9Gosforth
Webb Ellis Road
11 November 1989
Sale15 – 11Plymouth Albion
Heywood Road
11 November 1989
Waterloo6 – 12Northampton
St Anthony's Road
12 November 1989
Richmond15 – 15Blackheath
Athletic Ground

[18]

Round 6

18 November 1989
Blackheath16 – 21Coventry
Rectory Field
18 November 1989
Gosforth6 – 27London Irish
Prenton Avenue
18 November 1989
Headingley3 – 9Sale
Clarence Fields
18 November 1989
Liverpool St Helens10 – 3Waterloo
Moss Lane
18 November 1989
Northampton12 – 6Richmond
Franklin's Gardens
18 November 1989
Plymouth Albion21 – 16Rugby
Beacon Park

[18]

Round 7

25 November 1989
Coventry21 – 18Richmond
Coundon Road
25 November 1989
Liverpool St Helens13 – 13Northampton
Moss Lane
25 November 1989
Plymouth Albion28 – 13Gosforth
Beacon Park
25 November 1989
Rugby31 – 8Headingley
Webb Ellis Road
25 November 1989
Sale - London Irish19 – 27London Irish
Heywood Road
25 November 1989
Waterloo10 – 19Blackheath
St Anthony's Road

[18]

Round 8

13 January 1990
Blackheath9 – 10Northampton
Rectory Field
13 January 1990
Coventry22 – 12Waterloo
Coundon Road
13 January 1990
Headingley17 – 10Gosforth
Clarence Fields
13 January 1990
London Irish27 – 19Plymouth Albion
The Avenue
13 January 1990
Richmond6 – 17Liverpool St Helens
Athletic Ground
13 January 1990
Sale20 – 13Rugby
Heywood Road

[18]

Round 9

9 March 1990
Gosforth22 – 18Sale
Prenton Avenue
9 March 1990
Liverpool St Helens16 – 3Blackheath
Moss Lane
9 March 1990
Northampton24 – 18Coventry
Franklin's Gardens
9 March 1990
Plymouth Albion9 – 20Headingley
Beacon Park
9 March 1990
Rugby23 – 10London Irish
Webb Ellis Road
9 March 1990
Waterloo13 – 23Richmond
St Anthony's Road

[18]

Round 10

31 March 1990
Gosforth15 – 22Northampton
Prenton Avenue
31 March 1990
Headingley30 – 22Coventry
Clarence Fields
31 March 1990
London Irish12 – 36Richmond
The Avenue
31 March 1990
Plymouth Albion33 – 28Waterloo
Beacon Park
31 March 1990
Rugby6 – 11Liverpool St Helens
Webb Ellis Road
31 March 1990
Sale14 – 18Blackheath
Heywood Road

[18]

Round 11

28 April 1990
Blackheath28 – 18London Irish
Rectory Field
28 April 1990
Coventry15 – 13Plymouth Albion
Coundon Road
28 April 1990
Liverpool St Helens22 – 15Sale
Moss Lane
28 April 1990
Northampton41 – 25Rugby
Franklin's Gardens
28 April 1990
Richmond86 – 8Headingley
Athletic Ground
28 April 1990
Waterloo25 – 7Gosforth
St Anthony's Road

[18]

Notes

  1. ^ Gosforth were previously based North Road but sold the site of their ground for development in 1989. Before they could move into their new ground at Kingston Park they would spend the 1989–90 season ground sharing at the Prenton Avenue, the home ground of Percy Park RFC.[5]

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. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.
  3. ^ Bill Mitchell, ed. (1994). "Blackheath FC (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95. Windsor: Tony Williamson Publications. p. 179.
  4. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Coventry F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 94.
  5. ^ "CLUB HISTORY". Newcastle Red Bulls. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Liverpool St Helens". Rugby Journal. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Plymouth Albion RFC (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 109.
  12. ^ 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). "Rugby F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 116.
  14. ^ "Gloucester v. Leicester (PDF, opens in a new window)" (PDF). Gloucester Rugby Heritage. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  15. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Sale F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 118.
  16. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Waterloo F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 126.
  17. ^ "Courage Clubs Championship–1989/1990". Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Fixtures / Results (September 9, 1989 to April 28, 1990)". Rugby Archives. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
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