2007–08 National Division Three South

The 2007–08 National Division Three South was the eighth season (21st overall) of the fourth division (south) of the English domestic rugby union competition using the name National Division Three South. New teams to the division included Barking who were relegated from the 2006–07 National Division Two while promoted sides included London Scottish (champions) and Ealing (playoffs) who came up from London Division 1, Mounts Bay who came up as champions of South West Division 1 and Luton who were Midlands Division 1 champions.[1][2][3][4] In the case of Luton, Midlands league champions usually moved up to National Division Three North but due to number imbalances in that division, for this season, they would go into National Division Three South instead. 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 North (at the home ground of the club with the superior league record) for the final promotion place.

2007–08 National Division Three South
Countries
Champions	Mounts Bay
Runners-up	Cinderford (also promoted)
Relegated	Luton, North Walsham, Clifton
Attendance	58,060 (average 348 per match)[b 1]
Highest attendance	2,100 Cinderford v Lydney 8 September 2007
Lowest attendance	66 Clifton v Barking 2 February 2008
Top point scorer	Lee Jarvis (Mounts Bay) 266 points
Top try scorer	Owen Bruynseels (Ealing Trailfinders) 20 tries

In what was a very competitive league there were a number of teams tipped to go up but in the end it was Mounts Bay who came out on top as champions 12 points clear and sealing promotion to the 2008–09 National Division Two – part of an incredible sequence of six successive promotions stretching back to Cornwall 1 in 2003–04.[5][6] The battle for the runner up spot was keenly contested between Cinderford and newly promoted Ealing Trailfinders but in the end the Gloucestershire side took second spot despite losing their final game to the west Londoners. Cinderford would join Mounts Bay in National Division Two after defeating 2007–08 National Division Three North runners up Darlington Mowden Park in a very close playoff game viewed by over 2,000 spectators at Dockham Road.[7][8] At the other end of the table newly promoted Luton went straight back down as the worst side in the division followed by North Walsham. The third and final relegation spot was very closely contested but eventually Clifton went down just 1 point behind relegation rivals Barking and Havant – a last gasp away victory against relegation rivals Havant not being enough as Barking had a shock win against champions Mount Bays to keep them up instead.[5] Luton and North Walsham would drop to London Division 1 while Clifton would go into South West Division 1.[9][10]