2004–05 National Division Three South
The 2004-05 National Division Three South was the fifth 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 who were relegated from 2003–04 National Division Two as well as Havant and Hertford who were promoted from London Division 1 while Reading came up as champions of South West Division 1. The season would also see the introduction of a new points system with 4 points being awarded for a win, 2 points being awarded for a draw with the addition of a bonus point being given for scoring 4 or more tries as well as a bonus point given if you manage to lose a game within 7 points of the victorious team. In terms of promotion the league champions would go straight up into National Division Two while the runners up would have a one game playoff against the runners up from National Division Three North for the final promotion place.
At the end of the season Barking finished as champions with a fantastic record of 24 wins out of 26 games, finishing 12 points ahead of runners up Redruth, with the Cornish side perhaps having finished champions in a different season with just 3 defeats. Redruth would join Barking in the 2005–06 National Division Two by defeating the 2004–05 National Division Three North runners up Macclesfield in the north-south playoff in front of a huge crowd of 4,000 fans at the Recreation Ground in Redruth. At the other end of the table Haywards Heath and Tabard were the first teams to be relegated. Weston-super-Mare were more competitive but still went down in the final relegation place, 7 points off 11th placed Old Patesians. Haywards Heath and Tabard would drop down to London Division 1 while Weston-super-Mare went into South West Division 1.
Participating teams and locations
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
| Barking | Goresbrook | 1,000 | Becontree, Dagenham, London |
| Dings Crusaders | Landseer Avenue | 1,500 | Lockleaze, Bristol |
| Havant | Hook's Lane | 1,500 | Havant, Hampshire |
| Haywards Heath | Whitemans Green | Cuckfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex | |
| Hertford | Highfields | Ware, Hertfordshire | |
| Lydney | Regentsholme | 1,500 | Lydney, Gloucestershire |
| North Walsham | Norwich Road | 1,200 | Scottow, North Walsham, Norfolk |
| Old Patesians | Everest Road | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | |
| Reading | Holme Park | Sonning, Reading, Berkshire | |
| Redruth | The Recreation Ground | 3,500 | Redruth, Cornwall |
| Southend | Warners Bridge Park | Southend, Essex | |
| Tabard | Cobden Hill | Radlett, Hertfordshire | |
| Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 | Orpington, London |
| Weston-super-Mare | Recreation Ground | 6,000 | Weston-super-Mare, Somerset |
Final league table
Results
Round 1
----Round 2
----Round 3
----Round 4
----Round 5
----Round 6
----Round 7
- Postponed. Game rescheduled to 12 February 2005.
Round 8
----Round 9
----Round 10
----Round 11
----Round 12
----Round 13
----Round 14
----Round 15
----Round 16
----Round 17
----Round 18
----Round 7 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 6 November 2004.
Round 19
----Round 20
----Round 21
- Game rescheduled for 26 March 2005.
Round 22
----Round 23
----Round 21 (rescheduled game)
- Game rescheduled from 5 March 2005.
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. Redruth were the southern division runners up and as they had a superior league record than northern runners-up, Macclesfield, they hosted the play-off match.Total season attendances
- Does not include promotion playoff game.
| Club | Home Games | Total | Average | Highest | Lowest | % Capacity |
| Barking | 9 | 3,224 | 358 | 1,200 | 185 | 36% |
| Dings Crusaders | 9 | 2,120 | 236 | 427 | 153 | 16% |
| Havant | 10 | 5,084 | 462 | 692 | 346 | 31% |
| Haywards Heath | 11 | 2,040 | 185 | 250 | 140 | |
| Hertford | 12 | 5,782 | 482 | 720 | 345 | |
| Lydney | 5 | 2,440 | 488 | 570 | 320 | 33% |
| North Walsham | 11 | 5,045 | 459 | 1,000 | 180 | 38% |
| Old Patesians | 2 | 316 | 158 | 198 | 118 | |
| Reading | 10 | 2,220 | 222 | 700 | 100 | |
| Redruth | 11 | 9,916 | 901 | 1,500 | 450 | 26% |
| Southend | 10 | 1,538 | 154 | 230 | 114 | |
| Tabard | 10 | 2,200 | 220 | 400 | 200 | |
| Westcombe Park | 7 | 1,750 | 250 | 350 | 150 | 8% |
| Weston-super-Mare | 2 | 640 | 320 | 350 | 290 | 5% |
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 — 70 pts70 - 0 Barking at home to Haywards Heath on 19 March 2005
;Largest away win — 62 pts
77 - 15 Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
;Most points scored — 77 pts
77 - 15 Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
;Most tries in a match — 12
Lydney at home to Weston-super-Mare on 19 March 2005
;Most conversions in a match — 11
Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Barking at home to Havant on 4 September 2004
Havant away to Tabard on 30 October 2004
Redruth at home to Tabard on 6 November 2004
Hertford at home to Southend on 22 January 2005
Haywards Heath away to Havant on 29 January 2005
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A - multiple teams
Player
;Most points in a match — 45Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
;Most tries in a match — 4
Tom Johnson for Reading at home to Dings Crusaders on 29 January 2005
Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
Lloyd Williams for Barking at home to Haywards Heath on 19 March 2005
Tom Johnson for Reading at home to Lydney on 23 April 2005
;Most conversions in a match — 11
Adam Westall for Lydney away to Haywards Heath on 12 March 2005
;Most penalties in a match — 5
Ben Montgomery for Barking at home to Havant on 4 September 2004
Sid Claffey for Havant away to Tabard on 30 October 2004
Bede Brown for Redruth at home to Tabard on 6 November 2004
Neil Barrela for Hertford at home to Southend on 22 January 2005
Owen Ashton for Haywards Heath away to Havant on 29 January 2005
;Most drop goals in a match — 1
N/A - multiple players
Attendances
;Highest — 1,500Redruth at home to North Walsham on 5 March 2005 & Barking on 12 March 2005
;Lowest — 100
Reading at home to Tabard on 20 November 2004, Westcombe Park on 12 March 2005 and Hertford on 2 April 2005
;Highest Average Attendance — 901
Redruth
;Lowest Average Attendance — 154
Southend