2000–01 National Division Two
The 2000–01 National Division Two was the fourteenth full season of rugby union within the third tier of the English league system currently known as National League 1. New teams to the division included West Hartlepool and Rugby Lions who were relegated from the 1999–2000 Allied Dunbar Premiership Two while promoted teams included Kendal and Esher who were promoted as champions of National Division Three North and National Division Three South respectively. The league system was 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
| 2000–01 National Division Two | |
|---|---|
| Countries | England |
| Champions | Bracknell |
| Runners-up | Rugby Lions (also promoted) |
| Relegated | West Hartlepool, Lydney, Camberley |
| Attendance | 38,518 (average 363 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 1,000 Rosslyn Park at home to Rugby Lions on 24 February 2001 |
| Lowest attendance | 50 West Hartlepool at home to Camberley on 31 March 2001 |
| Top point scorer | Mike Scott Kendal 290 points |
| Top try scorer | Ed Smithies Harrogate 17 tries |
The league champions were Bracknell who won the title by five points and gained promotion to the 2001–02 National Division One. They would be joined by runners up Rugby Lions (making an instant return to the division) who squeaked past Rosslyn Park despite being level on points due to a better points for/conceded record. At the other end of the table West Hartlepool, Lydney and Camberley would be the unfortunate teams to be relegated. West Hartlepool were easily the worse team in the division, failing to win a single game all season and suffering their second successive relegation in a row (part of a slide that would see them drop out of the national league system into regional rugby) while Lydney went down having only played 22 games due to fixture congestion/cancellations – although even if the Gloucestershire-based side won these remaining fixtures it would not have been enough to keep them up. West Hartlepool would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three North while Camberley and Lydney would drop to the 2001–02 National Division Three South.