The 1995–96 Courage League National Division Two was the ninth full season of rugby union within the second tier of the English league system, currently known as the RFU Championship. Joining the seven teams who participated in 1994–95 were Northampton relegated from Courage League Division One, and Bedford Blues and Blackheath who were both promoted from the third tier.
| 1995–96 Courage League National Division Two | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  England |
| Champions | Northampton (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | London Irish |
| Relegated | None |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Top point scorer | 301 Michael Corcoran, (London Irish) |
| Top try scorer | 20 Matt Allen, (Northampton)[1] |
Northampton, the champions, were promoted to the Courage League National Division One for season 1996–97 along with London Irish who were the runners–up. It was the second time Northampton had won the Division Two title and it was also the second time a team had won all of their matches in a season. Bedford Blues finished last but were not relegated to Courage League National Division Three due to the expansion of Division Two in 1996–97 to twelve teams.[2]
Participating teams
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | Goldington Road | 7,000 | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Blackheath | Rectory Field | 6,000 | Greenwich, London |
| London Irish | The Avenue | 6,600 | Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey |
| London Scottish | Athletic Ground, Richmond | 4,500 | Richmond, London |
| Moseley | The Reddings | 10,000 (est) | Birmingham, West Midlands |
| Newcastle Gosforth | Kingston Park | 10,000 | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear |
| Northampton Saints | Franklin's Gardens | 10,000 | Northampton, Northamptonshire |
| Nottingham | Ireland Avenue | 4,950 | Beeston, Nottinghamshire |
| Wakefield | College Grove | 3,000 | Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Waterloo | St Anthony's Road | 9,000 | Blundellsands, Merseyside |
Table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northampton | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 867 | 203 | +664 | 36 | Promoted |
| 2 | London Irish | 18 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 584 | 405 | +179 | 30 | |
| 3 | London Scottish | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 361 | 389 | −28 | 22 | |
| 4 | Wakefield | 18 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 328 | 331 | −3 | 16 | |
| 5 | Waterloo | 18 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 309 | 483 | −174 | 16 | |
| 6 | Moseley | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 327 | 447 | −120 | 14 | |
| 7 | Blackheath | 18 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 341 | 469 | −128 | 13 | |
| 8 | Newcastle Gosforth | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 348 | 405 | −57 | 11 | |
| 9 | Nottingham | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 333 | 433 | −100 | 11 | |
| 10 | Bedford Blues | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 287 | 520 | −233 | 11 |
Rules for classification: Points are awarded as follows:
- two points for a win
- one point for a draw
- no points for a loss
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
- difference between points for and against
- total number of points for
Sponsorship
National Division Two is part of the Courage Clubs Championship and is sponsored by Courage Brewery