2009–10 National League 1

The 2009-10 National League 1, previously known as National Division 2, is the first season of the third division of the English rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced with widespread league changes made by the RFU. As the new second division would reduce teams from 16 to 12, there were plenty of new additions to National League 1, itself increasing from 14 to 16 teams, with Esher, Newbury, Manchester, Manchester and Sedgley Park all dropping down from the old National 1 while Nuneaton and London Scottish came up from the 2008–09 National Division Three North and 2008–09 National Division Three South respectively (these divisions themselves now renamed National League 2 North/South).

At the end of the season Esher finished as champions, way ahead of runners up and newly promoted London Scottish, suffering only one defeat and going straight back up to the 2010–11 RFU Championship. At the other end of the table, Manchester had an absolutely awful season, suffering their second successive relegation, with no wins, no bonus points, only 114 points scored and over 2,500 points conceded. The other two sides to join them would be Nuneaton who went straight back down after one season and Newbury Blues who also suffered a second relegation in a row, losing out to 13th place Otley by just 2 points. Manchester and Nuneaton would drop to the 2010–11 National League 2 North while Newbury would go down into the 2010–11 National League 2 South.

Round 15

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2010.

Round 16

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 20 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 15 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 21 March 2010.

Round 17

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 March 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 1 May 2010.

Round 18

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 May 2010.


 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 14 April 2010.

Round 20

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 2 February 2010.

Round 20 (Rescheduled game)

 * Rescheduled from 30 January 2010.

Round 15 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.


 * Rescheduled from 19 December 2009.

Round 21 (Rescheduled game)

 * Brought forward from 13 February 2010.

Round 21

 * Brought forward to 7 February 2010.

Round 23

 * Postponed. Game rescheduled for 8 May 2010.

Rounds 16 & 17 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 2 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 2 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 2 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 2 January 2010.

Round 18 (Rescheduled game)

 * Rescheduled from 16 January 2010.

Round 17 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 9 January 2010.

Rounds 18 & 23 (Rescheduled games)

 * Rescheduled from 16 January 2010.


 * Rescheduled from 27 February 2010.

Round 16 (Rescheduled game)

 * Rescheduled from 2 January 2010. Game cancelled as Cinderford did not have enough front row players and match would not have any outcome as Esher had already won the title and Cinderford were safe from relegation.

Individual statistics

 * Note if players are tied on tries or points the player with the lowest number of appearances will come first. Also note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.

Team
124 - 5 Wharfedale at home to Manchester on 26 September 2009 148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Blaydon away to Manchester on 19 September 2009 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 N/A - multiple teams Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009
 * Largest home win — 119 pts
 * Largest away win — 148 pts
 * Most points scored — 148 pts
 * Most tries in a match — 23
 * Most conversions in a match — 19
 * Most penalties in a match — 5
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Player
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 Johannes Schmidt for Cambridge at home to Manchester on 10 April 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Seb Jewell for Esher at home to Manchester on 24 April 2010 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 N/A - multiple players 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Mitch Burton for Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009
 * Most points in a match — 51
 * Most tries in a match — 6 (x2)
 * Most conversions in a match — 18
 * Most penalties in a match — 5
 * Most drop goals in a match — 2

Attendances
London Scottish at home to Esher on 16 January 2010 Blaydon at home to Nuneaton on 17 April 2010 London Scottish Manchester
 * Highest — 2,485
 * Lowest — 105
 * Highest Average Attendance — 1,014
 * Lowest Average Attendance — 203