2003 Rugby League National Leagues

2003 LHF Healthplan National League
League National League
National League One
Champions Salford City Reds
League leaders Salford City Reds
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from NL1 Salford City Reds
Relegated to NL2 Dewsbury Rams
National League Two
Champions Keighley Cougars
League leaders Sheffield Eagles
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from NL2 Keighley Cougars
National League Three
Champions Warrington Woolston Rovers
League leaders Bradford Dudley Hill

The 2003 National Leagues (known as the LHF National Leagues due to sponsor ship) are the second, third and fourth divisions of rugby league played in the UK.

National Leagues One and Two were made up of the 18 clubs that competed in the Northern Ford Premiership during the previous season, plus London Skolars and York City Knights. National League Three consisted of ten additional teams from the amateur leagues. There was no automatic promotion and relegation with National League Two, but the RFL hoped to introduce this in the future.

National League One was won by Salford City Reds, and won promotion to the Super League after defeating runners-up Leigh Centurions in the play-off final. Dewsbury Rams were relegated to National Two.

National League Two was won by Sheffield Eagles, but lost to Keighley Cougars in the play-off final.

National League Three was won by Bradford Dudley Hill, with the play-offs being won by Warrington Woolston Rovers.

National League One

Table

Position Club Played Won Drawn Lost Pts for Pts agst Points
1 Salford City Reds 18 14 2 2 732 294 30
2 Leigh Centurions 18 15 0 3 702 309 30
3 Rochdale Hornets 18 13 0 5 647 477 26
4 Hull Kingston Rovers 18 10 0 8 401 373 20
5 Oldham 18 7 2 9 404 500 16
6 Whitehaven Warriors 18 5 5 8 443 438 15
7 Featherstone Rovers 18 7 0 11 387 478 14
8 Doncaster Dragons 18 6 1 11 429 632 13
9 Batley Bulldogs 18 5 1 12 366 543 11
10 Dewsbury Rams 18 2 1 15 284 751 5

Playoffs

Home Score Away Match Information
Venue Crowd
ELIMINATION MATCHES
Rochdale Hornets 40-38 Whitehaven Spotland Stadium
Hull Kingston Rovers 38-24 Oldham Craven Park
SEMI-FINALS
Salford City Reds 26-18 Leigh Centurions The Willows
Rochdale Hornets 26-30 Hull Kingston Rovers Spotland Stadium
ELIMINATION FINAL
Leigh Centurions 42-12 Hull Kingston Rovers The Colleseum
GRAND FINAL
Salford City Reds 31-14 Leigh Centurions Halton Stadium 9,186

Grand Final

5 October 2003
Salford City Reds 31–14 Leigh Centurions
Tries: Hunte (2), Beverley, Littler
Goals: Charles (6), Blakeley
Drop goals: Blakeley		 Report Tries: Richardson, Halliwell, Swann
Goals: Turley
Halton Stadium, Widnes
Attendance: 9,186[1]
Referee: Richard Silverwood

National League Two

Table

Position Club Played Won Drawn Lost Pts for Pts agst Points
1 Sheffield Eagles 18 13 0 5 644 326 26
2 Chorley Lynx 18 13 0 5 584 362 26
3 Keighley Cougars 18 13 0 5 488 340 26
4 York City Knights 18 11 1 6 576 381 23
5 Barrow Raiders 18 11 0 7 546 419 22
6 Hunslet Hawks 18 10 1 7 513 425 21
7 Swinton Lions 18 8 1 9 445 426 17
8 Workington Town 18 4 1 13 393 558 9
9 Gateshead Thunder 18 3 1 14 365 663 7
10 London Skolars 18 1 1 16 222 876 3

Playoffs

Home Score Away Match Information
Venue Crowd
ELIMINATION MATCHES
Keighley Cougars 25-12 Hunslet Hawks Cougar Park
York City Knights 30-50 Barrow Raiders Bootham Crescent
SEMI-FINALS
Sheffield Eagles 31-14 Chorley Lynx Don Valley Stadium
Keighley Cougars 35-26 Barrow Raiders Cougar Park
ELIMINATION FINAL
Chorley Lynx 12-45 Keighley Cougars Bloomfield Road
GRAND FINAL
Keighley Cougars 13-11 Sheffield Eagles Halton Stadium 9,186

Grand Final

5 October 2003
Keighley Cougars 13–11 Sheffield Eagles
Tries: M. Foster, Robinson
Goals: Ashton (2)
Drop goals: Firth		 Report Tries: O'Reilly
Goals: G. Brown (3)
Drop goals: Reilly
Halton Stadium, Widnes
Attendance: 9,186[1]
Referee: Peter Taberner

National League Three

Table

Position Club Played Won Drawn Lost Pts for Pts agst Points
1 Bradford Dudley Hill 14 13 0 1 545 178 26
2 Teesside Steelers 14 10 1 3 343 273 21
3 Warrington Woolston Rovers 14 9 1 4 480 244 19
4 St Albans Centurions 14 9 0 5 410 284 18
5 Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks 14 7 1 6 395 246 15
6 Underbank Rangers 14 7 0 7 412 396 14
7 South London Storm 14 6 0 8 274 362 12
8 Coventry Bears 14 4 1 9 273 385 9
9 Manchester Knights 14 3 0 11 228 584 6
10 Hemel Stags 14 0 0 14 160 568 0

Play-offs

Week 1

Warrington Woolston Rovers 18–10 Underbank Rangers

St Albans Centurions 20–8 Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks

Bradford Dudley Hill 8–10 Teesside Steelers

Week 2

Warrington Woolston Rovers 24–10 St Albans Centurions

Week 3

Bradford Dudley Hill 12–34 Warrington Woolston Rovers

Grand Final

Warrington Woolston Rovers 42–6 Teesside Steelers

References

  1. 1 2 Tim Butcher; Daniel Spencer. Gillette Rugby League Yearbook 2011–12. League Publications Limited. ISBN 978-1-901347-24-1.

See also

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