The 1989–90 Courage League National Division Two was the third full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Each team played one match against each of the other teams in the league, playing a total of eleven matches. Three teams participated in the division for the first time. They were Waterloo who were relegated from last seasons Division One, and Rugby and Plymouth Albion who were promoted from Division Three. They joined the nine teams who remained from the previous seasons.
| 1989–90 Courage League National Division Two | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Champions | Northampton (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Liverpool St Helens |
| Relegated | None |
| Matches played | 66 |
Northampton, the champions, were promoted to the Courage League National Division One for season 1990–91 along with the runners–up Liverpool St Helens. It was the second time in three seasons that Liverpool St Helens won promotion from National Division Two. Due to the expansion of the national divisions there was no relegation to Courage League National Division Three.[1]
Participating teams
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London |
| Coventry | Coundon Road | 9,000+ | Coventry, West Midlands |
| Liverpool St Helens | Moss Lane | St Helens, Merseyside | |
| Gosworth | North Road | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear | |
| Headingley | Bridge Road | Leeds, West Yorkshire | |
| London Irish | The Avenue | 6,600 | Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey |
| Northampton Saints | Franklin's Gardens | 10,000 | Northampton, Northamptonshire |
| Plymouth Albion | Beacon Park | 3,500 | Plymouth, Devon |
| Richmond | Athletic Ground | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
| Rugby Lions | Webb Ellis Road | 1,000 | Rugby, Warwickshire |
| Sale | Heywood Road | 5,400 | Sale, Greater Manchester |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northampton (C) | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 192 | 135 | +57 | 19 | Promoted |
| 2 | Liverpool St Helens | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 154 | 106 | +48 | 18 | |
| 3 | Richmond | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 282 | 135 | +147 | 15 | |
| 4 | Coventry | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 206 | 185 | +21 | 13 | |
| 5 | London Irish | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 228 | 247 | −19 | 12 | |
| 6 | Rugby | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 238 | 172 | +66 | 10 | |
| 7 | Plymouth Albion | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 206 | 164 | +42 | 10 | |
| 8 | Headingley | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 161 | 226 | −65 | 10 | |
| 9 | Sale | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 153 | 182 | −29 | 8 | |
| 10 | Blackheath | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 141 | 205 | −64 | 8 | |
| 11 | Waterloo | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 147 | 193 | −46 | 6 | |
| 12 | Gosforth | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 108 | 266 | −158 | 3 |
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows:
- 2 pts for a win
- 1 pt for a draw
- 0 pts for a loss
(C) Champions
Sponsorship
National Division Two is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and is sponsored by Courage Brewery