2001–02 National Division Three South
The 2001-02 National Division Three South was the second season of the fourth division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Lydney and Camberley who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division Two while promoted teams included Old Colfeians and Old Patesians, champions of London Division 1 and South West Division 1 respectively. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw with the league champions going straight up into National Division Two and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.
Two Cornish teams dominated the division this season, with Penzance & Newlyn finishing 1 point ahead of Launceston to win the league title. Launceston, as runners up, found themselves in a similar position to that of the previous year, where they needed to win a playoff against the runners up of the 2001–02 National Division Three North. This time the Polson Bridge side were successful, beating Dudley Kingswinford 26 – 0 to clinch promotion and join Penzance & Newlyn in the 2002–03 National Division Two. At the opposite end of the table Cinderford and Clifton would be the two teams to be relegated with both sides dropping to South West Division 1.
Participating teams and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Barking | Goresbrook | 1,000 | Becontree, Dagenham, London |
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Blackheath, London |
| Camberley | Watchetts Recreation Ground | Camberley, Surrey | |
| Cinderford | Dockham Road | 2,500 | Cinderford, Gloucestershire |
| Clifton | Station Road | 2,500 | Clifton, Bristol |
| Launceston | Polson Bridge | 3,000 | Launceston, Cornwall |
| Lydney | Regentsholme | 1,500 | Lydney, Gloucestershire |
| North Walsham | Norwich Road | 1,200 | Scottow, North Walsham, Norfolk |
| Old Colfeians | Horn Park | Lee, London | |
| Old Patesians | Everest Road | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | |
| Penzance & Newlyn | Mennaye Field | 3,500 | Penzance, Cornwall |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 | Redruth, Cornwall |
| Tabard | Cobden Hill | Radlett, Hertfordshire | |
| Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 | Orpington, London |
Final league table
Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
----Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
----Round 15
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 16 February 2002.
Round 16
----Round 17
----Round 18
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
Round 19
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 2002.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 2 March 2002.
Round 20
----Round 15 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 5 January 2002.
Round 21
----Rounds 18 & 19 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 26 January 2002.
Round 22
----Round 23
----Round 19 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.
- Game rescheduled from 2 February 2002.
Round 24
----Round 25
----Round 26
----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. Launceston were runners-up in the south and because they had a better league record than north runners-up, Dudley Kingswinford, they hosted the play-off match.Total season attendances
- Not including promotion playoff.
| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Barking | 2 | 600 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 30% |
| Blackheath | 5 | 1,550 | 310 | 450 | 200 | 5% |
| Camberley | 8 | 1,450 | 181 | 250 | 100 | |
| Cinderford | 6 | 1,525 | 254 | 400 | 125 | 10% |
| Clifton | 6 | 940 | 157 | 210 | 100 | 6% |
| Launceston | 8 | 5,520 | 690 | 2,000 | 250 | 23% |
| Lydney | 11 | 4,219 | 384 | 526 | 227 | 26% |
| North Walsham | 10 | 2,900 | 290 | 400 | 200 | 24% |
| Old Colfeians | 7 | 1,155 | 165 | 225 | 100 | |
| Old Patesians | 7 | 1,800 | 257 | 400 | 100 | |
| Penzance & Newlyn | 11 | 12,400 | 1,127 | 3,000 | 600 | 32% |
| Redruth | 9 | 9,170 | 834 | 2,000 | 500 | 24% |
| Tabard | 9 | 1,630 | 181 | 225 | 120 | |
| Westcombe Park | 12 | 4,000 | 333 | 1,000 | 100 | 10% |
Individual statistics
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 80 pts85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001
;Largest away win — 37 pts
56 - 19 Penzance & Newyln away to Old Colfeians on 19 January 2002
;Most points scored — 85 pts
85 - 5 North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001
;Most tries in a match — 14
North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001
Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002
Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001
Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001
Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001
North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001
Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001
Player
;Most points in a match — 34Nat Saumi Penzance & Newlyn at home to Barking on 22 September 2001
;Most tries in a match — 4
Andy Thorpe for North Walsham at home to Cinderford on 6 October 2001
Richard Newton for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Colfeians on 10 November 2001
Victor Olonga for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Tabard on 23 February 2002
Mark Fatialofa for Launceston at home to Old Patesians on 23 March 2002
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Old Patesians on 20 October 2001
Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn at home to Clifton on 16 March 2002
Nat Saumi for Penzance & Newlyn away to Redruth on 30 March 2002
;Most penalties in a match — 6
Danny Sloman for Launceston at home to North Walsham on 1 September 2001
Stephen Webb for Camberley at home to Tabard on 3 November 2001
David Gilmore for Barking at home to Redruth on 10 November 2001
John Dwight for North Walsham away to Blackheath on 10 November 2001
Justin Azzopardi for Barking at home to Westcombe Park on 12 January 2002
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Neil Merrett for Lydney at home to Redruth on 22 September 2001
Attendances
;Highest — 3,000Penzance & Newlyn at home to Launceston on 26 January 2002
;Lowest — 100
Westcombe Park at home to Redruth on 6 October 2001
Old Patesians at home to Camberley on 10 November 2001
Old Colfeians at home to Lydney on 24 November 2001
Clifton at home to Camberley on 9 February 2002
Camberley at home to Launceston on 16 February 2002
Clifton at home to Redruth on 2 March 2002
;Highest Average Attendance — 1,127
Penzance & Newlyn
;Lowest Average Attendance — 157
Clifton