2008–09 National Division One

The 2008–09 National Division One was the 22nd full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Leeds Carnegie joined National Division One, having been relegated from the Guinness Premiership after the 2007–08 season. Otley and Manchester were promoted from the 2007–08 National Division Two.

Leeds Carnegie won a quick promotion back to the Guinness Premiership, while five teams were relegated to the newly named 2009–10 National League 1: Esher, Sedgley Park, Newbury, Otley and Manchester. The reason for the large number of teams being relegated was due to the league being restructured the next season from 16 to 12 teams as the new RFU Championship was introduced.

Participating teams

 * Notes

Round 15

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2009.

Round 16

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 May 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.

Round 19

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 April 2009.

Round 20

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 22 March 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 May 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 28 February 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2009.

Round 23

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 April 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 April 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 29 April 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 February 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 19 April 2009.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 April 2009.

Round 16 & Round 20 Rescheduled Games

 * Game rescheduled from 28 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 13 December 2008.


 * Game rescheduled from 28 February 2009.

Round 19, 20 & 23 Rescheduled Games

 * Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009. Game was also a double header - league match and EDF National Cup semi final.


 * Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009.

Round 19 Rescheduled Game

 * Game rescheduled from 3 January 2009.

Round 20 Rescheduled Game

 * Game rescheduled from 11 January 2009. Game also switched from Grove Park to Headingley in Leeds as Manchester did not have floodlights.

Round 15 & 23 Rescheduled Games

 * Game rescheduled from 15 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 15 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 7 December 2008.

Rounds 16, 20 & 23 Rescheduled Games

 * Game rescheduled from 14 February 2009.


 * Game rescheduled from 13 December 2008.


 * Game rescheduled from 10 January 2009 but would be cancelled by Otley due to the club having 8 players on county duty for Yorkshire. The FDR gave Moseley a 20–0, 5 point win by default.

Total Season Attendances

 * Notes

Individual statistics

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

Team
95 - 5 Nottingham at home to Otley on 8 March 2009 104 - 0 Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 104 - 0 Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 Nottingham at home to Otley on 8 March 2009 Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 Rotherham Titans at home to Exeter Chiefs on 11 April 2009 Cornish Pirates at home to Plymouth Albion on 12 April 2009
 * Largest home win — 90 pts
 * Largest away win — 104 pts
 * Most points scored — 104 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 16
 * Most conversions in a match — 12 (x2)
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 3

Player
Tim Taylor for Nottingham at home to Otley on 8 March 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Tom Brown for London Welsh at home to Manchester on 28 March 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Jason Strange for Leeds Carnegie away to Manchester on 8 April 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Michael Whitehead for Rotherham Titans at home to Exeter Chiefs on 11 April 2009 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Rhys Jones for Cornish Pirates at home to Plymouth Albion on 12 April 2009
 * Most points in a match — 29
 * Most tries in a match — 5
 * Most conversions in a match — 12
 * Most penalties in a match — 7
 * Most drop goals in a match — 3

Attendances
Exeter Chiefs at home to Cornish Pirates on 27 December 2008 Manchester at home to Esher on 31 January 2009 Exeter Chiefs Manchester
 * Highest — 7,345
 * Lowest — 283
 * Highest Average Attendance — 4,599
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 473