2002–03 National Division Three South

The 2002–03 National Division Three South was the third season (sixteenth 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 Rosslyn Park who were relegated from the 2001–02 National Division Two while Havant (champions) and Basingstoke (playoffs) were promoted from London Division 1 along with champions of South West Division 1 – Weston-super-Mare. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. 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.

By the end of the season, Rosslyn Park made an instant return to National Division Two by winning the league championship, beating runners up Lydney to the title by virtue of just two points. Lydney would join Rosslyn Park in the 2003–04 National Division Two by winning their playoff game against the 2002–03 National Division Three North runners up New Brighton. At the other end of the table, Camberley were comfortable the worst team in the division with 26 defeats out of the 26 games played and over 1,000 points conceded. Newly promoted Havant made a much better fight out of it in what was a very close relegation scrap, winning their last 3 games but eventually going down with only 2 points separating them from 9th placed Tabard. Camberley would drop down to London Division 1 while Havant went back into South West Division 1.

Round 6

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 December 2002.

Round 9

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.

Round 10

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.

Round 11

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.

Round 6 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 19 October 2002.

Round 16

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 8 March 2003.

Round 17

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 February 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.

Round 20

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 March 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 April 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2003.

Rounds 9 & 17 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 November 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 9 November 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Rounds 11, 16, 17 & 20 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 4 January 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 23 November 2002.

Rounds 10, 17 & 20 (rescheduled games)

 * Game rescheduled from 16 November 2002.


 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.


 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2003.

Round 20 (rescheduled game)

 * Game rescheduled from 1 February 2003.

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. Lydney were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, New Brighton, they hosted the play-off match.

Individual statistics

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

Team
77 - 5 Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003 67 - 10 Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 82 - 17 Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Rosslyn Park at home to Basingstoke on 11 January 2003 Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003 Blackheath at home to Redruth on 14 December 2002 Lydney away to North Walsham on 28 December 2012
 * Largest home win — 72 pts
 * Largest away win — 57 pts
 * Most points scored — 82 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 14
 * Most conversions in a match — 8 (x3)
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Player
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Scott Pollock for Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 1 February 2003 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Christopher for Basingstoke at home to North Walsham on 8 March 2003 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Nick Marval for Rosslyn Park at home to Tabard on 22 March 2003 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park away to Old Colfeians on 14 December 2002 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sam Howard for Rosslyn Park at home to Westcombe Park on 21 December 2002 Owen Cobbe for Havant v Weston-super-Mare on 5 April 2003 Jonathan Griffin for Blackheath at home to Redruth on 14 December 2002 N/A - multiple players
 * Most points in a match — 32
 * Most tries in a match — 4 (x3)
 * Most conversions in a match — 8 (x3)
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 1

Attendances
Redruth at home to Rosslyn Park on 7 September 2002 Tabard at home to Blackheath on 9 November 2002 Redruth Tabard
 * Highest — 650
 * Lowest — 180
 * Highest Average Attendance — 570
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 180

''Extremely poor attendance tracking meant it was impossible to get an accurate figure for attendances during this season. The figures above are simply the ones documented and larger/smaller attendances than those mentioned are very likely.''