1996–97 National Division 3

Rugby union competition in England 1996–97 National Division 3 England Exeter (1st title) Fylde (also promoted) Walsall, Havant, Redruth, Clifton 240 1995–96 1997–98 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.Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97 1996 Headline Book Publishing London 978-0-7472-7771-2 Mick Cleary and John Griffiths 150–163 25Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 1997 Headline Book Publishing London 0 7472 7732 X Mick Cleary and John Griffiths 87–100 26 Participating teams and locations England 400 right 1996–97 National Division 3 teams in England England 51.460000 -2.620000 white Clifton left 80 England 50.7167 -3.5339 white Exeter right 80 England 53.756629 -3.021319 white Fylde left 80 England 53.992120 -1.541811 white Harrogate right 80 England 50.8518324 -.9847132 white Havant right 80 England 53.81607 -1.58058 white Leeds right 80 England 53.456307 -2.737094 white LiverpoolSt Helens left 80 England 51.4689 -0.2953 white L Welsh top 80 England 51.729130 -2.530504 white Lydney right 80 England 53.744513 -1.598044 white Morley bottom 80 England 53.905825 -1.691785 white Otley left 80 England 51.4668 -.9132 white Reading left 80 England 50.233022 -5.226666 white Redruth right 80 England 51.463457 -0.249171 white RosslynPark right 80 England 52.5696734 -1.9712583 white Walsall right 80 England 54.073666 -2.014421 white Wharfedale left 80 TeamStadiumCapacityCity/AreaPrevious seasonClifton Station Road 2,200 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 135 Clifton R.F.C. (Ground Details) Cribbs Causeway, Henbury, Bristol Promoted from National 4 (6th)Exeter County Ground 5,750 (750 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 138 Exeter R.F.C. (Ground Details)Exeter, DevonPromoted from National 4 (1st)FyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground7,500 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 142 Fylde R.F.C. (Ground Details)Lytham St Annes, Lancashire10th (no relegation)Harrogate Claro Road 4,500 (500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 172 Harrogate R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)Harrogate, North Yorkshire 6thHavantHook's Lane 2,000 (200 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95 1994 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Bill Mitchell 236 Havant RFC (Ground Details)Havant, HampshirePromoted from National 4 (8th)Leeds Headingley Stadium 22,250 Headingley, Leeds, West YorkshireFor the 1996–97 season Leeds would move from Clarence Fields to groundshare with Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium.https://leedstykes.rfu.club/history-1878-to-2020 History 1878 to 2020 Leeds Tykes RUFC 1 January 2026 Promoted from National 4 (5th)Liverpool St Helens Moss Lane 4,370 (370 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 58 Liverpool St Helens F.C. (Ground Details)https://www.therugbyjournal.com/rugby-blog/liverpool-st-helens Liverpool St Helens Rugby Journal 22 October 2024 St Helens, Merseyside Promoted from National 4 (3rd)London Welsh Old Deer Park4,500 (1,500 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 194 London Welsh R.F.C. (Ground Details)Richmond, London Promoted from National 4 (2nd)Lydney Regentsholm 3,000 (340 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1994–95 1994 Tony Williams Publications Taunton Bill Mitchell 308 Lydney R.F.C. (Ground Details)Lydney, Gloucestershire Promoted from National 5 South (1st)MorleyScatcherd Lane6,000 (1,000 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 152 Morley R.F.C. (Ground Details)Morley, Leeds, West Yorkshire5thOtley Cross Green 7,000 (852 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 178 Otley R.U.F.C. (Ground Details)Otley, West Yorkshire 7thReading Holme Park Reading, Berkshire 8thRedruth Recreation Ground 12,000 Redruth, Cornwall Promoted from National 4 (4th)Rosslyn ParkThe Rock4,630 (630 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 1990 Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd Windsor 3rd Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell 74 Rosslyn Park F.C. (Ground Details)Roehampton, London9thWalsall Broadway Ground 2,250 (250 seats)Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1995–96 1995 Tony Williams Publications Taunton 8th Tony Williams 298 Walsall R.F.C. (Club & Ground Details)Walsall, West Midlands Promoted from National 4 (4th)Wharfedale The Avenue 2,000 Threshfield, North Yorkshire Promoted from National 5 North (champions) League table main WDL 1996–97 National Division 3 table Q 2 points EXE Exeter FYL Fylde LEE Leeds MOR Morley HAR Harrogate REA Reading WHA Wharfedale ROS Rosslyn Park OTL Otley LYD Lydney LON London Welsh LIV Liverpool St Helens WAL Walsall HAV Havant RED Redruth CLI Clifton 25 0 5 923 443 C 24 1 5 813 439 24 0 6 1209 432 22 0 8 928 570 18 0 12 832 599 17 1 12 869 631 17 0 13 710 635 17 0 13 630 620 13 0 17 720 766 13 0 17 668 766 12 0 18 632 777 9 0 21 665 827 8 0 22 640 980 8 0 22 580 954 8 0 22 565 1116 4 0 26 518 1347 #d8ffeb Promoted P P #ffcccc Relegated R R R R 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. complete Courage Clubs Championship 1996/97 http://www.moseleyrugby.co.uk/report_display12.php?menitem=103 https://web.archive.org/web/20150316075206/https://moseleyrugby.co.uk/report_display12.php?menitem=103 2015-03-16 Moseley Rugby Club 19 December 2016 Notes See also 1996–97 National Division 1 1996–97 National Division 2 1996–97 National Division 4 North 1996–97 National Division 4 South References N3 Category:National League 1 seasons