2003–04 National Division One

The 2003–04 National Division One was the seventeenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Bristol Shoguns who had been relegated from the Zurich Premiership 2002–03 while Penzance & Newlyn and Henley Hawks were promoted from the 2002–03 National Division Two. In terms of ground changes Plymouth Albion had a new home - moving from Beacon Park to newly built Brickfields which at 6,500 had twice the capacity of the original ground.

After three consecutive seasons finishing second, Worcester became champions and were promoted to the Zurich Premiership for season 2004–05. Orrell were runners–up, and Wakefield and Manchester were relegated to the 2004–05 National Division Two. Wakefield's final match was on 26 April 2004 against Coventry, who won the match 15–11 and with that defeat, consigned Wakefield, after fourteen consecutive seasons in National Division One, to relegation; while Coventry finished above Wakefield only on points difference. Wakefield folded during the summer for financial reasons.

Round 8

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2004.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 December 2003.

Round 13

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 January 2004.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 January 2004.

Round 8 & 25 (Rescheduled games)

 * Game brought forward from 17 April 2004.

Round 20

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 7 March 2004.

Round 20 & 25 (Rescheduled games)

 * Game brought forward from 17 April 2004.

Round 21

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 27 March 2004.

Round 25

 * Game brought forward to 6 March 2004.


 * Game brought forward to 21 February 2004.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 21 April 2004.

Individual statistics

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

Team
85 - 6 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 54 - 0 Exeter Chiefs away to Wakefield on 13 March 2004 85 - 6 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004 Exeter Chiefs away to Otley on 20 September 2003 Coventry at home to Worcester on 10 April 2004
 * Largest home win — 79 pts
 * Largest away win — 54 pts
 * Most points scored — 85 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 13
 * Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2)
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Player
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Leigh Hinton for Orrell at home to Bedford Blues on 6 December 2003 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Dan Ward-Smith for Plymouth Albion at home to Henley Hawks on 20 March 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Richard Welding for Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lee Carruthers for Otley at home to Manchester 13 December 2003 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs at home to Manchester on 28 February 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Leigh Hinton for Orrell at home to Manchester on 10 April 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tony Yapp for Exeter Chiefs away to Otley on 20 September 2003 N/A - multiple players
 * Most points in a match — 31
 * Most tries in a match — 4 (x3)
 * Most conversions in a match — 10 (x2)
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 1

Attendances
Worcester at home to Pertemps Bees on 24 April 2004 Manchester at home to Pertemps Bees on 3 April 2004 Worcester Wakefield
 * Highest — 6,025
 * Lowest — 187
 * Highest Average Attendance — 2,460
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 367