Counties 1 Essex

Counties 1 Essex

Current season or competition: 2025–26 Counties 1 Essex
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2022;4 years ago (2022)
Number of teams	12
Country	England
Holders	Braintree (2024–25)
Website	Counties 1 Essex

Counties 1 Essex is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Essex and Greater London. Administration of the leagues is divided between Essex Rugby and the London & SE RFU. ^[1]

Braintree are the current champions.

Structure and format

The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April, making a total of twenty-two matches each. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:

• 4 points are awarded for a win.
• 2 points are awarded for a draw.
• 0 points are awarded for a loss.

In addition:

• 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
• 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match

There is one automatic promotion place and two relegation places. The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to Regional 2 Anglia. The last two placed clubs are typically relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

2025–26

Participating clubs and locations

Departing were Braintree, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia while Burnham-on-Crouch (11th) and Basildon (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 4th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London 9th East London [2] Memorial Park West Ham, London 6th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 7th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 4th Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 10th Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 8th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 3rd Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Thurrock Oakfield Grays, Essex Relegated from Regional 2SE Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 5th

Billericay Epping Maldon Mavericks Stanford -le-Hope Thurrock class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2025–26 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Chingford East London R&GP Cooperians Upminster class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2025–26 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

2024–25

Participating clubs and locations

Departing were Wanstead, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia and Stanford-le-Hope relegated to Counties 2 Essex. ^{[3] [4]} In their place came Burnham-on-Crouch (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (North)) and Basildon (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (South)). ^[5]

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (South) (champions) Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 2nd Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (North) (champions) Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 9th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London 11th East London [6] Memorial Park West Ham, London 4th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 3rd Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 7th [7] Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 5th Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 10th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 6th Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 8th

Basildon Braintree Burnham Epping Maldon Mavericks class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024–25 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Chingford East London R&GP Cooperians Upminster class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024–25 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

League table

Counties 1 Essex 2024–25
	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Try bonus	Loss bonus	Points	Points deducted
1	Braintree(P)	22	18	0	4	756	298	458	17	2	92
2	Romford and Gidea Park	22	17	0	5	646	366	280	15	0	84
3	Maldon	22	16	1	5	776	538	238	14	3	83
4	Campion	22	16	0	6	719	462	257	17	1	82
5	Upminster	22	13	0	9	686	474	212	13	7	72
6	East London	22	12	0	10	625	523	102	11	4	63
7	Epping Upper Clapton	22	10	0	12	398	524	−126	8	3	53
8	Old Cooperians	22	7	2	13	375	580	−205	4	4	40
9	Chingford	22	6	0	16	370	670	−300	6	1	31
10	Mavericks	22	8	0	14	424	528	−104	10	2	29	−15
11	Burnham-on-Crouch (R)	22	4	0	18	329	788	−459	5	3	25
12	Basildon (R)	22	3	1	18	357	710	−353	4	6	24
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places. Updated: 10 January 2026 Source: [8]

2023–24

Participating clubs and locations

Departing were Dagenham and Harlow, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia, and South Woodham Ferrers relegated to Counties 2 Essex (North). ^{[9] [10]} In their place came Chingford (relegated from Regional 2 Anglia, Stanford-le-Hope and Maldon promoted from Counties 2 Essex.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 4th Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 6th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London relegated from Regional 2 Anglia (12th) East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 5th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 7th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (champions) Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 9th Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 10th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 8th Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (runners-up) Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 11th Wanstead Centenary Fields Wanstead, London 3rd

Braintree Epping Maldon Mavericks Stanford-le-Hope class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Chingford East London Cooperians R&GP Upminster Wanstead class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

League table

Counties 1 Essex 2023–24
	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Try bonus	Loss bonus	Points	Points deducted
1	Wanstead(P)	22	20	1	1	745	159	586	13	1	99	+3
2	Braintree	22	17	0	5	797	362	435	16	3	88	+1
3	Epping Upper Clapton	22	15	1	6	575	440	135	13	2	78	+1
4	East London	22	13	0	9	575	453	122	12	2	66
5	Mavericks	22	11	1	10	458	463	−5	7	2	55
6	Romford and Gidea Park	22	10	0	12	494	581	−87	9	5	55	+1
7	Maldon	22	9	0	13	546	574	−28	9	4	49
8	Upminster	22	9	1	12	470	686	−216	7	3	48
9	Campion	22	9	0	13	467	487	−20	9	5	45	−5
10	Old Cooperians	22	6	0	16	401	550	−149	7	7	38
11	Chingford	22	7	0	15	336	684	−348	4	3	35
12	Stanford Le Hope (R)	22	4	0	18	413	838	−425	2	4	22
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Pink background is the relegation place. Updated: 9 January 2026 Source: [11]

2022–23

Participating clubs and locations

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 3 Essex with the teams finishing 1st–10th returning. Kings Cross Steelers and Canvey Island, who finished 11th and 12th respectively, were placed in Counties 2 Essex. The line-up was supplemented by the addition of Wanstead and South Woodham Ferrers (who finished 10th and 12th in London 2 North East respectively). ^[12]

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 8th London 3 Essex Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 5th London 3 Essex Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 1st London 3 Essex East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 7th London 3 Essex Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 9th London 3 Essex Harlow Latton Park Harlow, Essex 2nd London 3 Essex Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 8th London 3 Essex Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 4th London 3 Essex Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 3rd London 3 Essex South Woodham Ferrers Saltcoats Playing Field South Woodham Ferrers, Essex 12th London 2 North East Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 10th London 3 Essex Wanstead Centenary Fields [13] Wanstead, London 10th London 2 North East

Braintree Epping Harlow Mavericks SW Ferrers class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022–23 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Dagenham East London Cooperians R&GP Upminster Wanstead class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022–23 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

League table

Counties 1 Essex 2022–23
	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Try bonus	Loss bonus	Points	Points deducted
1	Harlow (P)	22	22	0	0	1007	100	907	16	0	107	+3
2	Dagenham (P)	22	19	0	3	926	289	637	17	1	95	+1
3	Wanstead	22	16	1	5	570	309	261	9	1	77	+1
4	Braintree	22	13	1	8	539	497	42	9	3	67	+1
5	East London	22	12	1	9	630	664	−34	14	2	66
6	Campion	22	13	0	9	427	571	−144	8	3	63
7	Epping Upper Clapton	22	8	2	12	604	511	93	11	5	52
8	Romford and Gidea Park	22	6	0	16	412	554	−142	6	5	36	+1
9	Mavericks	22	8	0	14	331	563	−232	3	2	32	−5
10	Old Cooperians	22	8	0	14	344	539	−195	5	0	27	−5
11	Upminster	22	3	1	18	356	988	−632	3	2	19
12	South Woodham Ferrers (R)	22	1	0	21	195	756	−561	1	2	−8	-15
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background are the promotion places. Pink background is the relegation places. Updated: 8 January 2026 Source: [14]

Counties 1 Essex honours (2022–present)

Following the RFU Adult Competition Review, ten teams were transferred from London 3 Essex (a level eight league) to Counties 1 Essex.a level seven league. Promotion is to Regional 2 Anglia and relegation to Counties 2 Essex

Counties 1 Essex
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runner-up	Relegated teams	Ref
2022–23	12	Harlow	Dagenham	South Woodham Ferrers (12th)	[14]
2023–24	12	Wanstead	Braintree	Stanford Le Hope (12th)	[11]
2024–25	12	Braintree	Romford and Gidea Park	Burnham-on-Crouch (11th) and Basildon (12th)	[8]
Green background is the promotion place(s).

See also

• Essex RFU
• London & SE Division RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "RFU League Statistics". L&SE RFU. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
2. "SEASON 24/25 FIXTURES FOR ALL TEAMS". East London RFC. 11 June 2024.
3. "Regional 2 Anglia 2024/25". Stowmarket RFC. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
4. "2024/25 Counties 2 Essex fixtures confirmed". South Woodham Ferrers RFC. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
5. "First and Second teams both with their leagues!". Basildon RFC. 24 February 2024.
6. "SEASON 24/25 FIXTURES FOR ALL TEAMS". East London RFC. 11 June 2024.
7. "Malldon RFC Info". Maldon RFC. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
8. "1st Team". Romford & Gidea Park RFC. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
9. "Dagenham Rugby Club celebrate historic weekend". Barking & Dagenham Post. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
10. "Harlow Rugby Club seal glorious promotion with emphatic win". Your Harlow. 12 March 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
11. "Counties 1 Essex".
12. "Dagenham RFC deliver big win at South Woodham Ferrers". Barking & Dagenham Post. 24 October 2022.
13. "Wanstead Rugby Club - Contacts".
14. "Counties 1 Essex". England Rugby.