2000–01 National Division One
The 2001–02 National Division One was the fourteenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams to the division included Bedford Blues who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1999-00 while Otley and Birmingham & Solihull had been promoted from National League Two. This season also saw the introduction of the bonus points scoring system. The season would also herald a new change in venue for Moseley who moved from their traditional home at The Reddings to share the University of Birmingham rugby pitch at Bournbrook, with The Reddings being sold to property developers in order to generate funds to keep the club in existence.
Leeds Tykes, the champions, were promoted to the Allied Dunbar Premiership for season 2001–02. There was only one promotion place available and the runners–up Worcester remained in National League 1 while Orrell and Waterloo were relegated to the 2001–02 National Division Two.
Participating teams
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Bedford Blues | Goldington Road | 7,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Birmingham & Solihull | Sharmans Cross | 2,500 | Solihull, West Midlands |
| Coventry | Coundon Road | 9,000+ | Coventry, West Midlands |
| Exeter Chiefs | County Ground | 5,200 | Exeter, Devon |
| Henley Hawks | Dry Leas | 4,000 | Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire |
| Leeds Tykes | Headingley Stadium | 22,250 | Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| London Welsh | Old Deer Park | 5,850 | Richmond, London |
| Manchester | Grove Park | 4,000 | Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester |
| Moseley | Bournbrook | Birmingham, West Midlands | |
| Orrell | Edge Hall Road | 3,000 | Orrell, Greater Manchester |
| Otley | Cross Green | 5,000 | Otley, West Yorkshire |
| Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
| Worcester | Sixways | 8,477 | Worcester, Worcestershire |
Table
Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
----Round 8
----Round 9
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 April 2001.
Round 10
----Round 11
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
Round 12
----Round 13
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 18 February 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 17 February 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 3 March 2001.
Round 14
----Round 15
----Round 16
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 7 April 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.
Round 17
----Round 18
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 8 April 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 4 March 2001.
Round 19
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2001.
Round 11 & 13 (rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
- Game originally rescheduled from 30 December 2000 but postponed once again. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Round 20
----Rounds 11, 13 & 18 (Rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 9 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 3 February 2001.
Round 21
----Round 22
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 25 April 2001.
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 24 March 2001.
Rounds 13, 16 (Rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 18 February 2001 after having been originally rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
- Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 30 December 2000.
Round 23
----Round 16 & 18 (Rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 20 January 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 3 February 2001.
Round 24
----Round 9 (Rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 25 November 2000.
Round 25
----Round 19 & 22 (Rescheduled games)
- Game rescheduled from 17 March 2001.
- Game rescheduled from 10 February 2001.
Round 26
Total Season Attendances
| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Bedford Blues | 13 | 20,490 | 1,576 | 2,190 | 1,100 | 23% |
| Birmingham & Solihull | 11 | 3,540 | 322 | 500 | 200 | 13% |
| Coventry | 13 | 23,266 | 1,790 | 3,185 | 1,000 | 20% |
| Exeter Chiefs | 12 | 11,119 | 927 | 1,250 | 538 | 18% |
| Henley Hawks | 13 | 8,295 | 638 | 1,150 | 310 | 16% |
| Leeds Tykes | 13 | 14,847 | 1,142 | 5,509 | 306 | 5% |
| London Welsh | 12 | 9,330 | 778 | 1,150 | 530 | 13% |
| Manchester | 13 | 8,107 | 624 | 942 | 325 | 16% |
| Moseley | 13 | 8,982 | 691 | 1,102 | 462 | N/A |
| Orrell | 13 | 6,900 | 531 | 800 | 300 | 18% |
| Otley | 13 | 6,700 | 515 | 850 | 400 | 10% |
| Wakefield | 12 | 4,420 | 368 | 600 | 250 | 12% |
| Waterloo | 11 | 3,821 | 347 | 500 | 250 | 4% |
| Worcester | 13 | 29,007 | 2,231 | 3,065 | 1,600 | 26% |
Individual Statistics
- Note that points scorers includes tries as well as conversions, penalties and drop goals.
Top points scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Appearances | Points |
| 1 |  Sateki Tuipulotu | Worcester | 25 | 396 |
| 2 |  Richard Le Bas | Leeds Tykes | 25 | 364 |
| 3 |  Martyn Davies | Coventry | 22 | 278 |
| 4 | Phillip Belgian | Waterloo | 24 | 241 |
| 5 | Andy Lee | London Welsh | 22 | 226 |
| 6 | Steve Gough | Birmingham & Solihull | 19 | 224 |
| 7 | Matt Jones | Henley Hawks | 25 | 214 |
| 8 | Ben Harvey | Moseley | 18 | 203 |
| 9 | David Sleman | Orrell | 25 | 200 |
| 10 | Stephen Swindells | Manchester | 13 | 199 |
Top try scorers
| Rank | Player | Team | Appearances | Tries |
| 1 |  Graham Mackay | Leeds Tykes | 20 | 19 |
| 2 | Shaun Woof | Leeds Tykes | 25 | 18 |
| 3 | Matt Vines | London Welsh | 21 | 17 |
| 3 | Chris Hall | Leeds Tykes | 23 | 17 |
| 3 | Sateki Tuipulotu | Worcester | 25 | 17 |
| 4 | Kurt Johnson | Coventry | 23 | 14 |
| 5 | Alastair Murdoch | Worcester | 25 | 13 |
| 5 | Scott Benton | Leeds Tykes | 26 | 13 |
| 6 | Nick Baxter | Worcester | 12 | 10 |
| 6 | Carl Houston | Wakefield | 19 | 10 |
Season records
Team
;Largest home win — 61 pts81 - 20 Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001
;Largest away win — 45 pts
48 - 3 Leeds Tykes away to Bedford Blues on 10 February 2001
;Most points scored — 81 pts
81 - 20 Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001
;Most tries in a match — 12
Leeds Tykes at home to Coventry on 4 March 2001
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Leeds Tykes at home to Orrell on 17 March 2001
;Most penalties in a match — 8
Orrell at home to Moseley on 16 September 2000
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
Bedford Blues at home to Henley Hawks on 9 September 2000
Exeter Chiefs at home to Wakefield on 16 September 2000
Otley away to London Welsh on 14 October 2000
Orrell at home to Wakefield on 3 February 2001
Player
;Most points in a match — 31Richard Le Bas for Leeds Tykes at home to Wakefield on 19 November 2000
Sateki Tuipulotu for Worcester at home to Henley Hawks on 20 January 2001
;Most tries in a match — 3
N/A - multiple players
;Most conversions in a match — 9
Richard Le Bas for Leeds Tykes at home to Wakefield on 19 November 2000
;Most penalties in a match — 8
David Sleman for Orrell at home to Moseley on 16 September 2000
;Most drop goals in a match — 2
James Shanahan for Bedford Blues at home to Henley Hawks on 9 September 2000
Sam Howard for Exeter Chiefs at home to Wakefield on 16 September 2000
Dan Clappison for Otley away to London Welsh on 14 October 2000
David Sleman for Orrell at home to Wakefield on 3 February 2001
Attendances
;Highest — 5,509Leeds Tykes at home to Worcester on 1 April 2001
;Lowest — 200
Birmingham & Solihull at home to Waterloo on 14 October 2000, Moseley on 16 December 2001 & Otley on 4 February 2001
;Highest Average Attendance — 2,231
Worcester
;Lowest Average Attendance — 322
Birmingham & Solihull