2006–07 National Division Three North


The 2006–07 National Division Three North was the seventh season of the fourth division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included Orrell who were relegated from the 2005–06 National Division Two while promoted teams included Rugby Lions who came up as champions of Midlands Division 1 as well as Morley and West Park St Helens who came up from North Division 1. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing 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 South for the final promotion place.
At the end of the season Blaydon would pip Tynedale to the title by just one point with Tynedale actually having a better league record in terms of wins and draws but having fewer bonus points. After missing out on the league title by the finest of margins, Tynedale would fail to gain promotion to the 2007–08 National Division Two at the second attempt losing away to the 2006–07 National Division Three South runners up Westcombe Park in the promotion playoff. In terms of relegation Orrell would suffer their third relegation in a row, with just two draws all season, with the much more competitive Cleckheaton and Darlington going down at a later date. In Darlington's case they finished level with newly promoted West Park St Helens, with the same number of wins but with more defeats as West Park managed to draw two extra games. Cleckheaton and Darlington would join North Division 1 for the subsequent season. In the case of Orrell the impact of relegation was much more drastic as the club folded due to its financial backers pulling out. However, an amateur version of the club would carry on playing in the South Lancs/Cheshire 2 league for 2007-08.

Participating teams and locations

TeamStadiumCapacityCity/Area
BlaydonCrow Trees2,000 Swalwell, Tyne and Wear
CleckheatonCleckheaton Sports ClubCleckheaton, West Yorkshire
DarlingtonBlackwell Meadows3,000Darlington, County Durham
Darlington Mowden ParkYiewsley DriveDarlington, County Durham
FyldeWoodlands Memorial Ground9,000Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire
Hull IoniansBrantingham Park1,500 Brantingham, East Riding of Yorkshire
Leicester LionsWestleigh Park2,000Blaby, Leicestershire
MacclesfieldPriory Park1,250 Macclesfield, Cheshire
MorleyScatcherd LaneMorley, Leeds, West Yorkshire
OrrellEdge Hall Road3,000Orrell, Greater Manchester
Preston GrasshoppersLightfoot Green5,000Preston, Lancashire
Rugby LionsWebb Ellis Road1,000Rugby, Warwickshire
TynedaleTynedale Park2,000 Corbridge, Northumberland
West Park St HelensRed RocksSt Helens, Merseyside

Final league table

Results

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 7

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Round 8

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Round 9

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Round 10

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Round 11

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Round 12

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Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 11 (rescheduled game)

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Round 15

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Round 16

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Round 17

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Round 18

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Round 19

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Round 20

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Round 21

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Round 22

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Round 23

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Round 24

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Round 25

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Round 26

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Round 25 (rescheduled game)

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

Total season attendances

Individual statistics

Top try scorers

Season records

Team

;Largest home win — 124 pts
124 - 0 Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007
;Largest away win — 106 pts
106 - 0 Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007
;Most points scored — 124 pts
124 - 0 Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007
;Most tries in a match — 18
Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007
;Most conversions in a match — 17
Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Tynedale away to West Park St Helens on 2 September 2006
Rugby Lions at home to Fylde on 27 January 2007
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Fylde at home to Blaydon on 14 October 2006

Player

;Most points in a match — 35
Nick Royle for Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007
;Most tries in a match — 7
Nick Royle for Fylde away to Orrell on 31 March 2007
;Most conversions in a match — 17
Anthony Mellalieu for Blaydon at home to Orrell on 24 March 2007
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Phillip Belgian for Tynedale away to West Park St Helens on 2 September 2006
James Hawken for Rugby Lions at home to Fylde on 27 January 2007
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
John Armstrong for Fylde at home to Blaydon on 14 October 2006

Attendances

;Highest — 1,987
Fylde at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 23 December 2006
;Lowest — 60
Leicester Lions at home to Tynedale on 25 November 2006
;Highest Average Attendance — 552
Fylde
;Lowest Average Attendance — 117
Leicester Lions