2004–05 National Division Three South

The 2004–05 National Division Three South was the fifth season (18th 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 who were relegated from 2003–04 National Division Two as well as Havant (champions) and Hertford (playoffs) who were promoted from London Division 1 while Reading came up as champions of South West Division 1. The season would also see the introduction of a new points system with 4 points being awarded for a win, 2 points being awarded for a draw (replacing the old system of 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw) with the addition of a bonus point being given for scoring 4 or more tries as well as a bonus point given if you manage to lose a game within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National Division Two while the runners up would have a one-game playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.

At the end of the season Barking finished as champions with a fantastic record of 24 wins out of 26 games, finishing 12 points ahead of runners up Redruth, with the Cornish side perhaps having finished champions in a different season with just 3 defeats. Redruth would join Barking in the 2005–06 National Division Two by defeating the 2004–05 National Division Three North runners up Macclesfield in the north–south playoff in front of a huge crowd of 4,000 fans at the Recreation Ground in Redruth. At the other end of the table Haywards Heath and Tabard were the first teams to be relegated. Weston-super-Mare were more competitive but still went down in the final relegation place, 7 points off 11th placed Old Patesians. Haywards Heath and Tabard would drop down to London Division 1 while Weston-super-Mare went into South West Division 1.

Round 7

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 12 February 2005.

Round 7 (rescheduled game)

 * Game rescheduled from 6 November 2004.

Round 21

 * Game rescheduled for 26 March 2005.

Round 21 (rescheduled game)

 * Game rescheduled from 5 March 2005.

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. Redruth were the southern division runners up and as they had a superior league record than northern runners-up, Macclesfield, they hosted the play-off match.

Total season attendances

 * Does not include promotion playoff game.

Individual statistics

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

Team
70 - 0 Barking at home to Haywards Heath on 19 March 2005 77 - 15 Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 77 - 15 Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 Lydney at home to Weston-super-Mare on 19 March 2005 Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 Barking at home to Havant on 4 September 2004 Havant away to Tabard on 30 October 2004 Redruth at home to Tabard on 6 November 2004 Hertford at home to Southend on 22 January 2005 Haywards Heath away to Havant on 29 January 2005 N/A - multiple teams
 * Largest home win — 70 pts
 * Largest away win — 62 pts
 * Most points scored — 77 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 12
 * Most conversions in a match — 11
 * Most penalties in a match — 5 (x5)
 * Most drop goals in a match — 1

Player
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tom Johnson for Reading at home to Dings Crusaders on 29 January 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Lloyd Williams for Barking at home to Haywards Heath on 19 March 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tom Johnson for Reading at home to Lydney on 23 April 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Ben Montgomery for Barking at home to Havant on 4 September 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sid Claffey for Havant away to Tabard on 30 October 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Bede Brown for Redruth at home to Tabard on 6 November 2004 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Neil Barrela for Hertford at home to Southend on 22 January 2005 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Owen Ashton for Haywards Heath away to Havant on 29 January 2005 N/A - multiple players
 * Most points in a match — 45
 * Most tries in a match — 4 (x4)
 * Most conversions in a match — 11
 * Most penalties in a match — 5 (x2)
 * Most drop goals in a match — 1

Attendances
Redruth at home to North Walsham on 5 March 2005 & Barking on 12 March 2005 Reading at home to Tabard on 20 November 2004, Westcombe Park on 12 March 2005 and Hertford on 2 April 2005 Redruth Southend
 * Highest — 1,500 (x2)
 * Lowest — 100 (x3)
 * Highest Average Attendance — 901
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 154