stringtranslate.com

2018–19 National League 1

The 2018–19 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1, is the tenth season of the third tier of the English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier RFU Championship was introduced; and is the 32nd season since league rugby began in 1987.

The league was one of the most competitive for years, with promotion and relegation not decided until the last round. In terms of the championship, at one point it looked like four teams could go on to win it, but in the end it was a two horse race between Ampthill and Old Elthamians. The real decider was when Ampthill won 36-6 at home over Old Elthamians on 3 March 2019, but they still had to keep their head for the remaining five games as Old Elthamians pushed them all the way, eventually claiming the title on 27 April 2019 when they won 52-20 away to Loughborough Students.[1] Ampthill would be promoted to the 2019–20 RFU Championship - the highest level the club had reached - where they could enjoy derby games at Bedford Blues.

The relegation battle was also hotly contested, with all three sides going down on the last day of the season. Loughborough Students had barely escaped relegation the previous year but after a poor first half of the season, they started to rally and gain some victories, helped by their try bonus record which was one of the best in the league, and looked at one point that they might do it yet again. However, defeats in their last two games against Plymouth Albion and champions, Ampthill, condemned them to the drop as the bottom ranked side in the division.[1] They were joined by Esher (15th), who went down despite a valiant win away to Blackheath, and Caldy (14th), who were relegated after losing to Birmingham Moseley, finishing just 2 points shy of 13th place Cambridge, who had an excellent away win to Sale FC to thank for keeping them up.[2][3] Loughborough and Caldy would drop to the 2019–20 National League 2 North while Esher would fall to the 2019–20 National League 2 South. For Esher demotion to level 4 will make it the lowest level they have played at since the 1999-00 season.

Structure

The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one promotion place with the champions promoted to the Greene King IPA Championship. There are usually three relegation places with the bottom three teams relegated to either National League 2 North or National League 2 South depending on the geographical location of the team.

The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:

Participating teams and locations

Twelve of the sixteen teams participated in the preceding season's competition. The 2017–18 champions, Coventry, were promoted to the 2018–19 RFU Championship, swapping places with bottom club, Rotherham Titans, who were relegated from the 2017–18 RFU Championship.[4][5] Sides relegated from the 2017–18 National League 1 included Fylde and Hull Ionians (both National League 2 North) and Old Albanian (National League 2 South).[6][7][4]

Teams promoted into the division include Cinderford and Sale FC, champions of 2017–18 National League 2 South and 2017–18 National League 2 North respectively, along with south runners up Chinnor who defeated the north's Sedgley Park in the promotion play-off.[8][9][10] Cinderford are returning to National League 1 after an absence of two seasons, while Sale FC and Chinnor are both playing at the highest league level in their history.

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 27 April 2019. Source: "National League 1". NCA Rugby.
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Round 1

[11]

Round 2

[12]

Round 3

[13]

Round 4

[14]

Round 5

[15]

Round 6

[16]

Round 7

[17]

Round 8

[18]

Round 9

[19]

Round 10

[20]

Round 11

[21]

Round 12

[22]

Round 13

[23]

Round 14

[24]

Round 15

[25]

Round 16

[26]

Round 17

[27]

Round 18

[28]

Round 19

[29]

Round 20

[30]

Round 21

[35]

Round 22

[36]

Round 23

[37]

Round 21 (rescheduled games)

[38]

Round 24

[39]

Round 25

[40]

Round 26

[42]

Round 27

[43]

Round 28

[44]

Round 29

[45]

Round 30

[46]

Attendances

Individual statistics

Season records

Notes

  1. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 300 while Rugby Statbunker gives 100. Following discussion with Esher officials the Rugby Paper figure is the correct one.
  2. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 1,770 while Rugby Statbunker gives 400. Following discussion with the Old Elthamians chairman it turns out The Rugby Paper figure is correct.
  3. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 487 while Rugby Statbunker gives 600. As 600 is higher than any attendance that Esher have got so far this season and Caldy are not a local team, The Rugby Paper figure will be used until more info can be gained.
  4. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 663 while Rugby Statbunker gives 660. As 660 is a round figure, the 663 figure from The Rugby Paper will be used.
  5. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 813 while Rugby Statbunker gives 811. Although it is a small discrepancy, The Rugby Paper will be used as it has become more accurate in its reporting of attendance figures.
  6. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 823 while Rugby Statbunker gives 780. From looking at the match report on the Darlington Mowden Park RFC website it seems the correct figure was the one in The Rugby Paper.[41]
  7. ^ The Rugby Paper give an attendance of 312 while Rugby Statbunker gives 213. The Rugby Paper will be used as the Rugby Statbunker figure was released several weeks later and may well be a mistype.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Gr-eight win at Students sees Amps as champs". The RugbyPaper. No. 554. 28 April 2019. pp. 26–27.
  2. ^ a b "Esher denied their great escape despite triumph". The RugbyPaper. No. 554. 28 April 2019. pp. 26–27.
  3. ^ a b "Jacque's last-gasp attack relegates Caldy". The RugbyPaper. No. 554. 28 April 2019. p. 26.
  4. ^ a b "Coventry 38 Hull Ionians 21". Coventry RFC. 28 April 2018.
  5. ^ "Titans officially relegated after defeat". Rotherham Advertiser. 24 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Fylde relegated whilst Coventry take a step closer to glory". NCA Rugby. 12 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Brave Old Albanian lose battle with National One drop after Plymouth Albion loss". Herts Advertiser. 26 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Brave Bury push champions Cinderford all the way in a thriller". East Anglian Daily Times. 22 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Sale FC crowned champions, Blaydon suffer back to back relegations". NCA Rugby. 30 April 2018.
  10. ^ "National Leagues". The RUGBYPaper. No. 503. Rugby Paper Ltd. 6 May 2018. pp. 26 & 30.
  11. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 520. 2 September 2018. pp. 30–31 & 41.
  12. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 521. 9 September 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  13. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 522. 16 September 2018. pp. 30–31 & 38.
  14. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 523. 23 September 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  15. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 524. 30 September 2018. pp. 28–29 & 39.
  16. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 525. 7 October 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  17. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 526. 14 October 2018. pp. 32–33 & 40.
  18. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 527. 21 October 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  19. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 528. 28 October 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  20. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 529. 4 November 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  21. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 531. 18 November 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  22. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 532. 25 November 2018. pp. 32–33 & 41.
  23. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 533. 2 December 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  24. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 534. 9 December 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  25. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 535. 16 December 2018. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  26. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 536. 23 December 2018. pp. 26–27 & 34.
  27. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 538. 6 January 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  28. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 539. 13 January 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  29. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 540. 20 January 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  30. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 541. 27 January 2019. pp. 16, 33 & 41.
  31. ^ "BREAKING NEWS 1st XV match v Rotherham postponed". Chinnor RFC (Pitchero). 2 February 2019.
  32. ^ "BSat 2nd Feb – 1st XV v Caldy POSTPONED". Ampthill RUFC. 2 February 2019.
  33. ^ "1st XV Team Fixtures for 2018 - 2019". Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  34. ^ "GAME OFF v DMP". Sale FC Rugby. 1 February 2019.
  35. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 542. 3 February 2019. pp. 30–31 & 35.
  36. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 543. 10 February 2019. pp. 28–29 & 39.
  37. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 544. 17 February 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  38. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 545. 24 February 2019. pp. 35 & 41.
  39. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 546. 3 March 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  40. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 547. 10 March 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  41. ^ "DMPRFC 26 - 33 AMPTHILL & DISTRICT RFC". Darlington Mowden Park RFC (Pitchero). 23 March 2019.
  42. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 549. 24 March 2019. pp. 30–31 & 47.
  43. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 550. 31 March 2019. pp. 22–23 & 31.
  44. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 551. 7 April 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  45. ^ "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 552. 14 April 2019. pp. 30–31 & 39.
  46. ^ a b c "National League 1". The RugbyPaper. No. 553. 28 April 2019. pp. 22–23 & 31.
  47. ^ "National One 18/19 Leading top scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  48. ^ "National One 18/19 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  49. ^ "National One 18/19 Most tries in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  50. ^ "National One 18/19 Most conversions in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  51. ^ "National One 18/19 Most penalties in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  52. ^ "National One 18/19 Most drop goals in a match (Team)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  53. ^ "National One 18/19 Most points in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  54. ^ "National One 18/19 Most tries in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  55. ^ "National One 18/19 Most conversions in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  56. ^ "National One 18/19 Most penalties in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.
  57. ^ "National One 18/19 Most drop goals in a match (Player)". Rugby Statbunker. 27 April 2019.

External links