1995–96 National Division 1
Sports season
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The 1995–96 National Division 1 (sponsored by Courage Brewery) was the ninth season of the top tier of the English rugby union league system, the Courage Clubs Championship, currently known as Premiership Rugby. Leicester were the defending champions and Saracens the promoted team.
| 1995–96 National Division 1 | |
|---|---|
| Countries | |
| Date | 9 September 1995 – 5 May 1995 |
| Champions | Bath (6th title) |
| Runners-up | Leicester |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Official website | |
| www | |
Bath finished as champions for the sixth time, beating holders Leicester by just one point. Despite a disastrous season with 18 defeats in as many matches, West Hartlepool kept its place in the first division due to the expansion of the league from 10 teams to 12 the following season.[1]
Structure
Each side played one another twice, in a round robin system, home and away, to make a total of eighteen matches for each team. Due to the number of teams increasing from ten to twelve for the following season there was no relegation.
Participating teams
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | Recreation Ground | 8,300 (1,000 seats)[2] | Bath, Somerset | 2nd |
| Bristol | Memorial Stadium | 8,500 (1,200 seats)[3] | Bristol, Avon | 6th |
| Gloucester | Kingsholm | 12,000 | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 7th |
| Harlequins | The Stoop | 9,000 (2,000 seats)[4] | Twickenham, London | 8th |
| Leicester | Welford Road | 16,000[a] | Leicester, Leicestershire | Champions |
| Orrell | Edge Hall Road[b] | 5,300 (300 seats)[5] | Orrell, Greater Manchester | 5th |
| Sale | Heywood Road | 4,000 (500 seats)[6] | Sale, Greater Manchester | 4th |
| Saracens | Bramley Road | 2,300 (300 seats)[7][8] | Enfield, London | Promoted from National 2 (1st) |
| Wasps | Repton Avenue | 3,200 (1,200 seats)[9][10] | Sudbury, London | 3rd |
| West Hartlepool | Brierton Lane | 7,000[11] | Hartlepool, County Durham | 9th |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bath (C) | 18 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 575 | 276 | +299 | 31 | Champion 1996–97 Heineken Cup |
| 2 | Leicester | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 476 | 242 | +234 | 30 | Qualified for the 1996–97 Heineken Cup |
| 3 | Harlequins | 18 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 524 | 314 | +210 | 26 | |
| 4 | Wasps | 18 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 439 | 322 | +117 | 22 | |
| 5 | Sale | 18 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 365 | 371 | −6 | 19 | |
| 6 | Bristol | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 329 | 421 | −92 | 16 | |
| 7 | Orrell | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 323 | 477 | −154 | 14 | |
| 8 | Gloucester | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 275 | 370 | −95 | 12 | |
| 9 | Saracens | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 284 | 451 | −167 | 10 | |
| 10 | West Hartlepool | 18 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 288 | 634 | −346 | 0 |
Results
The Home Team is listed in the left column.
Fixtures & Results
Round 1
| 9 September 1995 |
| Gloucester | 17 – 22 | Sale |
| Kingsholm |
| 9 September 1995 |
| Leicester | 31 – 3 | Saracens |
| Welford Road |
| 9 September 1995 |
| Orrell | 9 – 23 | Harlequins |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 9 September 1995 |
| Wasps | 33 – 5 | Bristol |
| Repton Avenue |
Round 2
| 16 September 1995 |
| Bristol | 12 – 3 | West Hartlepool |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 16 September 1995 |
| Harlequins | 29 – 20 | Wasps |
| The Stoop |
| 16 September 1995 |
| Sale | 12 – 16 | Leicester |
| Heywood Road |
| 16 September 1995 |
| Saracens | 12 – 9 | Orrell |
| Bramley Road |
Round 3
| 23 September 1995 |
| Bristol | 25 – 31 | Harlequins |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 23 September 1995 |
| Orrell | 12 – 6 | Sale |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 23 September 1995 |
| Wasps | 38 – 16 | Saracens |
| Repton Avenue |
| 23 September 1995 |
| West Hartlepool | 19 – 27 | Gloucester |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 4
| 30 September 1995 |
| Gloucester | 14 – 27 | Leicester |
| Kingsholm |
| 30 September 1995 |
| Harlequins | 34 – 18 | West Hartlepool |
| The Stoop |
| 30 September 1995 |
| Sale | 18 – 25 | Wasps |
| Heywood Road |
| 30 September 1995 |
| Saracens | 11 – 24 | Bristol |
| Bramley Road |
Round 5
| 7 October 1995 |
| Bristol | 30 – 6 | Sale |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 7 October 1995 |
| Harlequins | 23 – 15 | Saracens |
| The Stoop |
| 7 October 1995 |
| Orrell | 21 – 3 | Gloucester |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 7 October 1995 |
| West Hartlepool | 12 – 19 | Leicester |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 6
| 14 October 1995 |
| Gloucester | 15 – 26 | Wasps |
| Kingsholm |
| 14 October 1995 |
| Leicester | 22 – 3 | Orrell |
| Welford Road |
| 14 October 1995 |
| Sale | 23 – 9 | Harlequins |
| Heywood Road |
| 14 October 1995 |
| Saracens | 31 – 30 | West Hartlepool |
| Bramley Road |
Round 7
| 21 October 1995 |
| Bristol | 22 – 16 | Gloucester |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 21 October 1995 |
| Orrell | 20 – 10 | West Hartlepool |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 21 October 1995 |
| Saracens | 9 – 24 | Sale |
| Bramley Road |
| 21 October 1995 |
| Wasps | 11 – 21 | Leicester |
| Repton Avenue |
Round 8
| 28 October 1995 |
| Gloucester | 13 – 24 | Harlequins |
| Kingsholm |
| 28 October 1995 |
| Leicester | 43 – 6 | Bristol |
| Welford Road |
| 28 October 1995 |
| Orrell | 32 – 29 | Wasps |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 28 October 1995 |
| West Hartlepool | 11 – 29 | Sale |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 9
| 4 November 1995 |
| Bristol | 33 – 14 | Orrell |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 4 November 1995 |
| Harlequins | 25 – 29 | Leicester |
| The Stoop |
| 4 November 1995 |
| Saracens | 19 – 16 | Gloucester |
| Bramley Road |
| 4 November 1995 |
| Wasps | P – P | West Hartlepool |
| Repton Avenue |
- Postponed due to spectator falling ill.[14] Game rescheduled to 20 April 1996.
Round 10
| 11 November 1995 |
| Bristol | 9 – 17 | Wasps |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 11 November 1995 |
| Harlequins | 21 – 25 | Orrell |
| The Stoop |
| 11 November 1995 |
| Sale | 21 – 13 | Gloucester |
| Heywood Road |
| 11 November 1995 |
| Saracens | 25 – 21 | Leicester |
| Bramley Road |
Round 11
| 30 December 1995 |
| Gloucester | P – P | Bath |
| Kingsholm |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 10 April 1996.
| 30 December 1995 |
| Leicester | P – P | Sale |
| Welford Road |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 April 1996.
| 30 December 1995 |
| Orrell | P – P | Saracens |
| Edge Hall Road |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 13 January 1996.
| 30 December 1995 |
| Wasps | P – P | Harlequins |
| Repton Avenue |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 9 March 1996.
| 30 December 1995 |
| West Hartlepool | P – P | Bristol |
| Brierton Lane |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 5 May 1996.
Round 12
| 6 January 1996 |
| Gloucester | 17 – 16 | West Hartlepool |
| Kingsholm |
| 6 January 1996 |
| Harlequins | 28 – 3 | Bristol |
| The Stoop |
| 6 January 1996 |
| Sale | 39 – 13 | Orrell |
| Heywood Road |
| 6 January 1996 |
| Saracens | 20 – 24 | Wasps |
| Bramley Road |
Round 11 (rescheduled game)
| 13 January 1996 |
| Orrell | 38 – 13 | Saracens |
| Edge Hall Road |
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 1995.
Round 13
| 10 February 1996 |
| Bristol | P – P | Saracens |
| Memorial Stadium |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 1996.
| 10 February 1996 |
| Leicester | P – P | Gloucester |
| Welford Road |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 April 1996.
| 10 February 1996 |
| Orrell | P – P | Bath |
| Edge Hall Road |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 20 April 1996.
| 10 February 1996 |
| Wasps | P – P | Sale |
| Repton Avenue |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 1996.
| 10 February 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | P – P | Harlequins |
| Brierton Lane |
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 23 March 1996.
Round 14
| 17 February 1996 |
| Gloucester | 27 – 0 | Orrell |
| Kingsholm |
| 17 February 1996 |
| Leicester | 48 – 15 | West Hartlepool |
| Welford Road |
| 17 February 1996 |
| Sale | 15 – 6 | Bristol |
| Heywood Road |
| 17 February 1996 |
| Saracens | 6 – 13 | Harlequins |
| Bramley Road |
Round 11 (rescheduled game)
| 9 March 1996 |
| Wasps | 3 – 34 | Harlequins |
| Repton Avenue |
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 1995.
Round 13 (rescheduled games)
| 23 March 1996 |
| Wasps | 25 – 16 | Sale |
| Repton Avenue |
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 1996.
| 23 March 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | 21 – 91 | Harlequins |
| Brierton Lane |
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 1996.
Round 15
| 30 March 1996 |
| Harlequins | 55 – 0 | Sale |
| The Stoop |
| 30 March 1996 |
| Orrell | 10 – 38 | Leicester |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 30 March 1996 |
| Wasps | 21 – 10 | Gloucester |
| Repton Avenue |
| 30 March 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | 3 – 14 | Saracens |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 16
| 6 April 1996 |
| Gloucester | 18 – 14 | Bristol |
| Kingsholm |
| 6 April 1996 |
| Leicester | 15 – 12 | Wasps |
| Welford Road |
| 6 April 1996 |
| Sale | 18 – 15 | Saracens |
| Heywood Road |
| 6 April 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | 22 – 44 | Orrell |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 11 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 1995.
Round 17
| 13 April 1996 |
| Bristol | 29 – 43 | Leicester |
| Memorial Stadium |
| 13 April 1996 |
| Harlequins | 33 – 19 | Gloucester |
| The Stoop |
| 13 April 1996 |
| Sale | 44 – 13 | West Hartlepool |
| Heywood Road |
| 13 April 1996 |
| Wasps | 51 – 16 | Orrell |
| Repton Avenue |
Round 11 (rescheduled game)
| 17 April 1996 |
| Leicester | 32 – 10 | Sale |
| Welford Road |
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 1995.
Rounds 9 & 13 (rescheduled games)
| 20 April 1996 |
| Bristol | 21 – 7 | Saracens |
| Memorial Stadium Referee: Chris White |
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 1996.
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 1996.
| 20 April 1996 |
| Wasps | 52 – 12 | West Hartlepool |
- Game rescheduled from 4 November 1995.
Round 13 (rescheduled game)
| 24 April 1996 |
| Leicester | 28 – 6 | Gloucester |
| Welford Road |
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 1996.
Round 18
- Bath are champions.
| 27 April 1996 |
| Gloucester | 17 – 10 | Saracens |
| Kingsholm |
| 27 April 1996 |
| Leicester | 19 – 21 | Harlequins |
| Welford Road |
| 27 April 1996 |
| Orrell | 26 – 29 | Bristol |
| Edge Hall Road |
| 27 April 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | 3 – 34 | Wasps |
| Brierton Lane |
Round 11 (rescheduled game)
| 5 May 1996 |
| West Hartlepool | 15 – 37 | Bristol |
| Brierton Lane |
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 1995.
Note
- Ground capacity at Welford Road increased from 14,700 to 16,000 with a capacity crowd achieved versus Bath on 23 September 1995.
- Orrell would also play one home game at the 18,000 capacity Central Park in Wigan.