2001–02 National Division Three South

The 2001–02 National Division Three South was the second season (fifteenth overall) of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Lydney and Camberley who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division Two while promoted teams included Old Colfeians and Old Patesians, champions of London Division 1 and South West Division 1 respectively. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the league champions going straight up into National Division Two and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.

Two Cornish teams dominated the division this season, with Penzance & Newlyn finishing 1 point ahead of Launceston to win the league title. Launceston, as runners up, found themselves in a similar position to that of the previous year, where they needed to win a playoff against the runners up of the 2001–02 National Division Three North. This time the Polson Bridge side were successful, beating Dudley Kingswinford 26 – 0 to clinch promotion and join Penzance & Newlyn in the 2002–03 National Division Two. At the opposite end of the table Cinderford and Clifton would be the two teams to be relegated with both sides dropping to South West Division 1.

Round 15

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.

Round 18

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 19

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.

Round 15 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.

Rounds 18 & 19 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.

Round 19 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.

Promotion play-off
The league runners up of National Division Three South and North would meet in a playoff game for promotion to National Division Two. Launceston were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, Dudley Kingswinford, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances

 * Not including promotion playoff.

Individual statistics

 * Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Team
85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 56 - 19 Penzance & Newyln away to Old Colfeians on 19 January 2002 85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001 Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002 Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002 Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001 Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001 Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001 North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001 Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002 Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001
 * Largest home win — 80 pts
 * Largest away win — 37 pts
 * Most points scored — 85 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 14
 * Most conversions in a match — 9 (x3)
 * Most penalties in a match — 6 (x5)
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Player
🇫🇯 Nat Saumi Penzance & Newlyn at home to Barking on 22 September 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andy Thorpe for North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Richard Newton for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Colfeians on 10 November 2001 Victor Olonga for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Tabard on 23 February 2002 Mark Fatialofa for Launceston at home to Old Patesians on 23 March 2002 🇫🇯 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001 🇫🇯 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002 🇫🇯 Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Danny Sloman for Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Stephen Webb for Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 David Gilmore for Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 John Dwight for North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Justin Azzopardi for Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Neil Merrett for Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001
 * Most points in a match — 34
 * Most tries in a match — 4 (x4)
 * Most conversions in a match — 9 (x3)
 * Most penalties in a match — 6 (x5)
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Attendances
Penzance & Newlyn at home to Launceston on 26 January 2002 Westcombe Park at home to Redruth on 6 October 2001 Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 10 November 2001 Old Colfeians at home to Lydney on 24 November 2001 Clifton at home to Camberley on 9 February 2002 Camberley at home to Launceston on 16 February 2002 Clifton at home to Redruth on 2 March 2002 Penzance & Newlyn Clifton
 * Highest — 3,000
 * Lowest — 100 (x6)
 * Highest Average Attendance — 1,127
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 157