2009–10 National League 1
Rank Player Team Appearances Tries
1 Johannes Schmidt Cambridge 28 30
2 Seb Jewell Esher 25 22
3 Charles Broughton London Scottish 23 20
3 Tyson Lewis Blackheath 24 20
4 Shaun Renwick Esher 27 19
4 David Sleman Esher 27 19
4 Lewis Vinnicombe Redruth 28 19
5 Charlie Ingall Tynedale 22 18
6 David Allen Blackheath 21 17
7 Chris Malherbe Wharfedale 22 16
Top try scorers
The 2009-10 National League 1, previously known as National Division 2, is the first season of the third division of the English rugby union competitions since the professionalised format of the second division was introduced with widespread league changes made by the RFU. As the new second division would reduce teams from 16 to 12, there were plenty of new additions to National League 1, itself increasing from 14 to 16 teams, with Esher, Newbury, Manchester, Manchester and Sedgley Park all dropping down from the old National 1 while Nuneaton and London Scottish came up from the 2008-09 National Division Three North and 2008-09 National Division Three South respectively (these divisions themselves now renamed National League 2 North/South). At the end of the season Esher finished as champions, way ahead of runners up and newly promoted London Scottish, suffering only one defeat and going straight back up to the 2010-11 RFU Championship. At the other end of the table, Manchester had an absolutely awful season, suffering their second successive relegation, with no wins, no bonus points, only 114 points scored and over 2,500 points conceded. The other two sides to join them would be Nuneaton who went straight back down after one season and Newbury Blues who also suffered a second relegation in a row, losing out to 13th place Otley by just 2 points. Manchester and Nuneaton would drop to the 2010-11 National League 2 North while Newbury would go down into the 2010-11 National League 2 South.