title: 1996 RFL Division Two
text: # 1996 RFL Division Two
  
  The 1996 Division Two Championship season was the third tier of British rugby league during the 1996 season, and was also the first season of rugby league to be played in the summer. The competition featured all eleven teams from the 1995–96 Rugby Football League season and an additional newly formed club, South Wales.
  
  ## Championship
  
  The league was won by Hull Kingston Rovers for a second successive season, winning promotion to Division One along with runners-up Swinton Lions.
  
  ### League table
  
  | | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Pts |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 22 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1009 | 294 | 42 |
  | 2 | Swinton Lions | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 785 | 295 | 36 |
  | 3 | Hunslet Hawks | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 730 | 326 | 36 |
  | 4 | Carlisle | 22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 654 | 486 | 26 |
  | 5 | Doncaster | 22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 500 | 540 | 26 |
  | 6 | South Wales | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 528 | 548 | 24 |
  | 7 | Leigh Centurions | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 594 | 510 | 20 |
  | 8 | York Wasps | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 449 | 603 | 18 |
  | 9 | Chorley Chieftains | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 354 | 723 | 12 |
  | 10 | Barrow Braves | 22 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 354 | 651 | 10 |
  | 11 | Bramley | 22 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 360 | 759 | 10 |
  | 12 | Prescot Panthers | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 301 | 883 | 4 |
  | Champions | Promoted |
  
  ## Statistics
  
  The following are the top points scorers in Division Two during the 1996 season. Statistics are for league matches only.
  
  | Player | Team | Tries |
  | - | - | - |
  | Gary Atkins | Hull Kingston Rovers | 26 |
  | Stanley Gene | Hull Kingston Rovers | 26 |
  | David Plange | Hunslet Hawks | 25 |
  | Jason Roach | Swinton Lions | 24 |
  | Mark Riley | Swinton Lions | 23 |
  | David Ingram | Leigh Centurions | 21 |
  | Rob D'Arcy | Hull Kingston Rovers | 19 |
  | Mick Coult | Doncaster Dragons | 17 |
  | Danny Russell | Carlisle | 17 |
  | Simon Ashcroft | Swinton Lions | 14 |
  | Andy Currier | South Wales | 14 |
  | Tane Manihera | Carlisle | 14 |
  | Shaun Marshall | South Wales | 14 |
  | Player | Team | Goals |
  | Mike Fletcher | Hull Kingston Rovers | 143 |
  | Greg Pearce | Swinton Lions | 107 |
  | Willie Richardson | Carlisle | 100 |
  | Simon Wilson | Hunslet Hawks | 93 |
  | Dean Purtill | Leigh Centurions | 90 |
  | Phil Atkinson | Barrow Braves | 57 |
  | Tony Chappell | Doncaster Dragons | 52 |
  | Dean Creasser | Bramley | 51 |
  | Terry Smirk | York Wasps | 50 |
  | Ioan Bebb | South Wales | 45 |
  
  Most points
  
  | Player | Team | Tries | Goals | DGs | Points |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Mike Fletcher | Hull Kingston Rovers | 4 | 143 | 0 | 302 |
  | Willie Richardson | Carlisle | 9 | 100 | 0 | 236 |
  | Greg Pearce | Swinton Lions | 4 | 107 | 0 | 230 |
  | Dean Purtill | Leigh Centurions | 11 | 90 | 0 | 224 |
  | Simon Wilson | Hunslet Hawks | 7 | 93 | 1 | 215 |
  | Phil Atkinson | Barrow Braves | 11 | 57 | 1 | 159 |
  | Tony Chappell | Doncaster Dragons | 7 | 52 | 3 | 135 |
  | Terry Smirk | York Wasps | 6 | 50 | 2 | 126 |
  | Ioan Bebb | South Wales | 7 | 45 | 0 | 118 |
  | Dean Creasser | Bramley | 3 | 51 | 0 | 114 |
  