The 2004–05 National Division One was the 18th 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 Rotherham Titans who were demoted from the 2003-04 Zurich Premiership while Sedgley Park and Nottingham were promoted from the 2003–04 National Division Two. Rotherham almost went into liquidation and dropped out of the leagues following their relegation from the Premiership but were saved by a local consortium which enabled them to continue playing in National One. As well as new teams Coventry had a new ground, moving from Coundon Road to the smaller but more modern Butts Park Arena.
The 2002–03 National Division One was the 16th 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 Orrell and Plymouth Albion who were promoted from 2001–02 National Division Two while no team was relegated from the 2001-02 Zurich Premiership as Rotherham's ground was not deemed suitable for top flight games.
The 2003–04 National Division One was the seventeenth 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 Bristol Shoguns who had been relegated from the Zurich Premiership 2002-03 while Penzance & Newlyn and Henley Hawks were promoted from the 2002–03 National Division Two. In terms of ground changes Plymouth Albion had a new home - moving from Beacon Park to newly built Brickfields which at 6,500 had twice the capacity of the original ground.
The 1996–97 Courage League National Division Two was the tenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship and was season that saw professional rugby openly introduced into the English game. Joining the eight teams who participated in the division in 1995–96 were Richmond, Coventry, Rugby and Rotherham all of whom were promoted from National Division Three with no teams coming down from National Division One due to league restructuring. The league was sponsored by Courage Brewery for the tenth consecutive year.
The 2005–06 National Division One was the 19th 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 Harlequins who had been relegated from the 2004–05 Zurich Premiership, while Doncaster and Newbury were promoted from the 2004–05 National Division Two. Additional changes saw Penzance & Newyln RFC rebrand themselves as the Cornish Pirates as well as moving from their home ground, the Mennaye Field in Penzance, to a more central location in Truro at the Kenwyn Rugby Ground with the aim to appeal more to Cornish fans on the whole as well as making home games more accessible. Rotherham Titans also rebranded themselves as 'Earth Titans' for sponsorship purposes for this season.
The 2001–02 National Division One was the 15th 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 Rotherham who had been relegated from the Zurich Premiership 2000–01 while Bracknell and Rugby Lions had been promoted from the 2000–01 National Division Two.
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.
The 2006–07 National Division One was the 20th full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. This season saw the league increased from 14 to 16 teams with new teams including Leeds Tykes, as well as Moseley and Waterloo who were promoted from 2005–06 National Division Two. Other changes saw Exeter Chiefs move from the County Ground to Sandy Park, a modern stadium with room for further expansion, Nottingham moved from Ireland Avenue to groundshare with Notts County at the much larger Meadow Lane and finally Cornish Pirates moved from their temporary ground at Kenwyn in Truro to the larger Recreation Ground owned by Camborne RFC.
The 2007–08 National Division One was the 21st full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. New teams included Northampton Saints and Esher and Launceston. After two seasons Rotherham dropped the 'Earth' from their name to return to 'Rotherham Titans' as sponsor Earth Mortgages ran into financial difficulties and Complete Technical Services instead became the club's new sponsor.
The 1997–98 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the eleventh 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 West Hartlepoool and Orrell who had been relegated from the Courage Premiership 1996-97 while Exeter and Fylde were promoted from National League 1. For the first time Premiership Two, along with the Premiership, was sponsored by the assurance company Allied Dunbar. For the previous ten seasons the league was known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery.
The 2005–06 National Division Two was the sixth version of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Henley Hawks and Orrell who were relegated from the 2004–05 National Division One, Halifax who were promoted from the 2004–05 National Division Three North as well as Barking (champions) and Redruth who were promoted from the 2004–05 National Division Three South. Only one team would be relegated at the end of this season.
The 1999-00 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two was the thirteenth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Allied Dunbar sponsored the top two divisions of the English rugby union leagues for the third season in a row. The leagues were previously known as the Courage Clubs Championship and sponsored by Courage Brewery. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool who had been relegated from the Allied Dunbar Premiership 1998-99 while Henley Hawks and Manchester had been promoted from National League 1. Exeter were also rebranded as the 'Chiefs' from this season onward.
The 2008–09 National Division One was the 22nd full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Leeds Carnegie joined National Division One, having been relegated from the Guinness Premiership after the 2007–08 season. Otley and Manchester were promoted from the 2007–08 National Division Two.
The 2006–07 National Division Three North was the seventh season of the fourth division (north) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three North. New teams to the division included Orrell who were relegated from the 2005–06 National Division Two while promoted teams included Rugby Lions who came up as champions of Midlands Division 1 as well as Morley (champions) and West Park St Helens who came up from North Division 1. The league system was 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and additional bonus points being awarded for scoring 4 or more tries and/or losing 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 South for the final promotion place.
National One, up until 2023 known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage League National Division Three when founded in 1987. Cambridge are the current champions.
England has a comprehensive league structure in place, including national fully professional leagues to amateur regional leagues.
The 2009–10 RFU Championship was the 1st season of the second division of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between August 2009 and May 2010. The league had been restructured from the 16 teams of the previous season down to just 12. New teams included Bristol who had been relegated from the Guinness Premiership 2008–09 and Birmingham and Solihull who had been promoted from National Division Two 2008–09. As well as a decrease in teams, the league would now consist of three parts - a standard league section, promotion/relegation pools and then playoffs to determine who would go up as champions.
The 2011–12 National League 1 is the third season of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced. Birmingham & Solihull find themselves playing in this league following their relegation from the 2010-11 RFU Championship in the play-offs, whilst other newcomers to the league in this season are Ealing Trailfinders and Jersey, and Fylde, who won promotion to the league from the 2010–11 National League 2 South and 2010–11 National League 2 North respectively.
The 2004–05 National Division Two was the fifth version of the third division of the English rugby union league system using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Manchester who were relegated from the 2003–04 National Division One while Waterloo came up as champions of the 2003–04 National Division Three North with Blackheath (champions) and Launceston (playoffs) coming up from the 2003–04 National Division Three South. Wakefield had also been supposed to join the division having finished 13th in National Division One but sadly due to financial difficulties the club would go into liquidation and cease to exist. This season would see the league points system being overhauled in the division with four points being awarded for a win, two points for a draw as well as bonus points being introduced with teams being awarded an extra point for scoring four or more tries during a game or if losing, being within seven points of the victor.
The 2001–02 National Division Two was the second version of the third division of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Two. New teams to the division included Orrell and Waterloo who were relegated from the 2000–01 National Division One while Stourbridge (champions) and Sedgley Park (playoffs) came up from the 2000–01 National Division Three North and Plymouth Albion as champions of the 2000-01 National Division Three South. The league points system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
England 
