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.
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.
Participating teams and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Blackheath, London |
| Blaydon | Crow Trees | 2,000 | Swalwell, Tyne and Wear |
| Cambridge | Grantchester Road | 1,250 | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
| Cinderford | Dockham Road | 2,500 | Cinderford, Gloucestershire |
| Esher | Molesey Road | 3,000 | Hersham, Surrey |
| Launceston | Polson Bridge | 3,000 | Launceston, Cornwall |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
| Manchester | Grove Park | 4,000 | Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester |
| Newbury Blues | Monk's Lane | 8,000 | Newbury, Berkshire |
| Nuneaton | Liberty Way | 4,314 | Nuneaton, Warwickshire |
| Otley | Cross Green | 5,000 | Otley, West Yorkshire |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 | Redruth, Cornwall |
| Sedgley Park | Park Lane | 3,000 | Whitefield, Greater Manchester |
| Stourbridge | Stourton Park | 3,500 | Stourbridge, West Midlands |
| Tynedale | Tynedale Park | 2,000 | Corbridge, Northumberland |
| Wharfedale | The Avenue | 2,000 | Threshfield, Craven, North Yorkshire |
League table
Notes: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 for 6 February 2009.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2009.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2009.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2009.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2009.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 6 February 2009.
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 19
----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 22
----Round 23
- Postponed. Game rescheduled for 8 May 2010.
Round 24
----Round 25
----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 26
----Round 27
----Round 28
----Round 18 (Rescheduled game)
- Rescheduled from 16 January 2010.
Round 29
----Round 30
----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 02 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.
Total season attendances
| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Blackheath | 15 | 9,387 | 626 | 942 | 352 | 10% |
| Blaydon | 15 | 5,127 | 342 | 1,021 | 105 | 17% |
| Cambridge | 15 | 8,606 | 574 | 1,020 | 344 | 46% |
| Cinderford | 14 | 3,505 | 250 | 400 | 195 | 17% |
| Esher | 15 | 14,122 | 941 | 1,294 | 654 | 31% |
| Launceston | 15 | 10,801 | 720 | 1,437 | 537 | 24% |
| London Scottish | 15 | 15,216 | 1,014 | 2,485 | 455 | 23% |
| Manchester | 14 | 2,840 | 203 | 320 | 110 | 5% |
| Newbury Blues | 15 | 6,855 | 457 | 571 | 328 | 6% |
| Nuneaton | 15 | 3,553 | 237 | 424 | 149 | 5% |
| Otley | 15 | 6,217 | 414 | 894 | 271 | 8% |
| Redruth | 15 | 13,974 | 932 | 2,010 | 708 | 27% |
| Sedgley Park | 14 | 5,113 | 365 | 512 | 176 | 12% |
| Stourbridge | 15 | 7,500 | 500 | 650 | 400 | 14% |
| Tynedale | 15 | 7,158 | 477 | 910 | 310 | 24% |
| Wharfedale | 15 | 7,876 | 525 | 868 | 402 | 26% |
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.
Top points scorers
Top try scorers
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 119 pts124 - 5 Wharfedale at home to Manchester on 26 September 2009
;Largest away win — 148 pts
148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009
;Most points scored — 148 pts
148 - 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009
;Most tries in a match — 23
Blaydon away to Manchester on 19 September 2009
;Most conversions in a match — 19
Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009
;Most penalties in a match — 5
N/A - multiple teams
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009
Player
;Most points in a match — 51Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009
;Most tries in a match — 6
Johannes Schmidt for Cambridge at home to Manchester on 10 April 2010
Seb Jewell for Esher at home to Manchester on 24 April 2010
;Most conversions in a match — 18
Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009
;Most penalties in a match — 5
N/A - multiple players
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Mitch Burton for Newbury Blues away to Blackheath on 12 September 2009
Attendances
;Highest — 2,485London Scottish at home to Esher on 16 January 2010
;Lowest — 105
Blaydon at home to Nuneaton on 17 April 2010
;Highest Average Attendance — 1,014
London Scottish
;Lowest Average Attendance — 203
Manchester