1996–97 National Division 3

1996–97 National Division 3
Countries England
ChampionsExeter (1st title)
Runners-upFylde (also promoted)
RelegatedWalsall, Havant, Redruth, Clifton
Matches played240

The 1996–97 National Division 3 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was the tenth season of the top tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, currently known as Champ Rugby, and was the first season that saw professional rugby openly introduced into the English game. It was also the tenth and final season of sponsorship by Courage. Widespread restructuring of the leagues, including the discontinuation of National Division 4, at the end of the following season meant there a lot of new sides in the division; Clifton, Exeter, Havant, Leeds, Liverpool St Helens, London Welsh, Redruth and Walsall were promoted from tier 4, along with Lydney and Wharfedale who were promoted from tier 5, and there was no relegation from tier 2.

Exeter finished as league champions, one point clear of runners up Fylde, with both clubs promoted to the new look 1997–98 Premiership 2 (formerly National Division 2). For Exeter it would be the second league title and promotion in succession. Four teams were relegated; Walsall to the 1997–98 National League 2 North (formerly National Division 4 North) and Havant, Redruth and Clifton to the 1997–98 National League 2 South (formerly National Division 4 South).

Structure

The league consists of sixteen teams, playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches for each team. There are two promotion places and four relegation places, with the champions and runner-up promoted to the new Premiership 2 and the last four teams relegated to either National League 2 North or National League 2 South (formerly National Division 4 North & South), depending on their location.[1][2]

Participating teams and locations

1996–97 National Division 3 teams in England
Team Stadium Capacity City/Area Previous season
Clifton Station Road 2,200 (200 seats)[3] Cribbs Causeway, Henbury, Bristol Promoted from National 4 (6th)
Exeter County Ground 5,750 (750 seats)[4] Exeter, Devon Promoted from National 4 (1st)
Fylde Woodlands Memorial Ground 7,500 (500 seats)[5] Lytham St Annes, Lancashire 10th (no relegation)
Harrogate Claro Road 4,500 (500 seats)[6] Harrogate, North Yorkshire 6th
Havant Hook's Lane 2,000 (200 seats)[7] Havant, Hampshire Promoted from National 4 (8th)
Leeds Headingley Stadium 22,250 Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire[a] Promoted from National 4 (5th)
Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane 4,370 (370 seats)[9][10] St Helens, Merseyside Promoted from National 4 (3rd)
London Welsh Old Deer Park 4,500 (1,500 seats)[11] Richmond, London Promoted from National 4 (2nd)
Lydney Regentsholm 3,000 (340 seats)[12] Lydney, Gloucestershire Promoted from National 5 South (1st)
Morley Scatcherd Lane 6,000 (1,000 seats)[13] Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire 5th
Otley Cross Green 7,000 (852 seats)[14] Otley, West Yorkshire 7th
Reading Holme Park Reading, Berkshire 8th
Redruth Recreation Ground 12,000 Redruth, Cornwall Promoted from National 4 (4th)
Rosslyn Park The Rock 4,630 (630 seats)[15] Roehampton, London 9th
Walsall Broadway Ground 2,250 (250 seats)[16] Walsall, West Midlands Promoted from National 4 (4th)
Wharfedale The Avenue 2,000 Threshfield, North Yorkshire Promoted from National 5 North (champions)

League table

1996–97 National Division 3 table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Exeter (C) 30 25 0 5 923 443 +480 50 Promoted
2 Fylde 30 24 1 5 813 439 +374 49
3 Leeds 30 24 0 6 1209 432 +777 48
4 Morley 30 22 0 8 928 570 +358 44
5 Harrogate 30 18 0 12 832 599 +233 36
6 Reading 30 17 1 12 869 631 +238 35
7 Wharfedale 30 17 0 13 710 635 +75 34
8 Rosslyn Park 30 17 0 13 630 620 +10 34
9 Otley 30 13 0 17 720 766 −46 26
10 Lydney 30 13 0 17 668 766 −98 26
11 London Welsh 30 12 0 18 632 777 −145 24
12 Liverpool St Helens 30 9 0 21 665 827 −162 18
13 Walsall 30 8 0 22 640 980 −340 16 Relegated
14 Havant 30 8 0 22 580 954 −374 16
15 Redruth 30 8 0 22 565 1116 −551 16
16 Clifton 30 4 0 26 518 1347 −829 8
Source: [17]
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows: 2 pts for a win, 1 pt for a draw, 0 pts for a loss. If teams are level at any stage, the following tiebreaker is applied: Difference between points for and against.
(C) Champions

Notes

  1. ^ For the 1996–97 season Leeds would move from Clarence Fields to groundshare with Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Mick Cleary and John Griffiths, ed. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97 (25 ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 150–163. ISBN 978-0-7472-7771-2.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Clifton R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 135.
  4. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Exeter R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 138.
  5. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Fylde R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 142.
  6. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Harrogate R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 172.
  7. ^ Bill Mitchell, ed. (1994). "Havant RFC (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95. Taunton: Tony Williams Publications. p. 236.
  8. ^ "History 1878 to 2020". Leeds Tykes RUFC. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  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 Welsh R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 194.
  12. ^ Bill Mitchell, ed. (1994). "Lydney R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95. Taunton: Tony Williams Publications. p. 308.
  13. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Morley R.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 152.
  14. ^ Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Otley R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 178.
  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, ed. (1995). "Walsall R.F.C. (Club & Ground Details)". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1995–96 (8th ed.). Taunton: Tony Williams Publications. p. 298.
  17. ^ "Courage Clubs Championship 1996/97". Moseley Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 2015-03-16. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
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