Counties 1 Kent

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Counties 1 Kent
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2024–25 Counties 1 Kent
Sport Rugby union
Number of teams12
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Website

Counties 1 Kent is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Kent, Greater London and East Sussex. Administration of the leagues is divided between Kent Rugby, [1] Sussex Rugby [2] and the London & SE RFU. [3] (The locations in Greater London are all in areas that were historically part of Kent.)

Contents

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:

In addition:

There is one automatic promotion place and two relegation places. The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to Regional 2 South East. The last twoplaced clubs are typically relegated to either Counties 2 Kent or Counties 2 Sussex depending on location.

Teams for 2024–25

Departing were Dartfordians promoted to Regional 2 South East as runners-up [4] (Canterbury Pilgrims finished top [5] but owing to league regulations were not permitted to be promoted to Level 6) with Thanet being relegated to Counties 2 Kent. [6] With no team coming down from Regional 2 South East there was a reprieve for Charlton Park who finished 11th and would ordinarily have been relegated to Counties 2 Kent. Coming up were Sevenoaks 2XV [7] and Park House.

Teams for 2023–24

Departing were Old Alleynians [8] promoted to Regional 2 South East with Folkestone [9] and Aylesford Bulls relegated to Counties 2 Kent. In their place In their place came Dover and Canterbury Pilgrims promoted as 'joint champions' [10] from Counties 2 Kent whilst Dartfordians were relegated from Regional 2 South East.

Teams for 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 2 South East with the teams placed 5th-12th returning. The teams finishing 1st - 4th were promoted to Regional 2 South East (level 6) with the top four teams coming up from London 3 South East (level 8). [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Regional 1 South West is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as South West Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union, and the name change from National League 3 to South West Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for what is a series of regional leagues. Regional 1 South West, is the highest regional rugby union league covering South West England. The club finishing in first place is promoted to National League 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to either Regional 2 South West or Regional 2 Severn, depending on their location.

London 2 South is an English league of Rugby Union teams, representing the second level in the Rugby Football Union's London & South East Division, making it a Level 6 league in the RFU's league hierarchy. The clubs come mainly from Hampshire, Kent, South London, Surrey and Sussex.

Sussex 1 is an English level 9 Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Sussex. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions are automatically promoted up to London 3 South East, while the second placed team plays a promotion playoff against the second placed team from Kent 1. Relegated teams drop to Sussex 2 although in recent season there has been no relegation. Only 1st XV sides can be promoted into London 3 South East.

Counties 2 Kent is an English level 8 Rugby Union League involving club sides from Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and the south-east London.. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September to April. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Kent.

London 2 South West is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-west London, Surrey, and Hampshire. The 12 teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division are also invited to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.

London 2 South East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.

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Regional 2 South East, previously known as London 1 South, is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from East Sussex, south Essex, south Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 South, changing to London 1 South ahead of the 2009–10 season. It used to be the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season was promoted whilst the second-placed team entered a play-off against the runner-up of London 1 North. Three teams were relegated into either London 2 South East and London 2 South West depending on their location. The league was renamed as Regional 2 South East for the 2022-23 season and moved from a 14 team, to a 12 team competition. The champion would be promoted to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East depending on geographical location, whilst relegated sides would go to either Counties 1 Kent or Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maidstone FC</span> Rugby team

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Counties 2 Sussex is a level 8 English Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams from Sussex with teams playing home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex but there is no relegation with no lower league in the Sussex Rugby structure. It was previously known as Sussex 1 prior to the RFU Adult Competition Review. It is administered by Sussex Rugby. and the London & SE RFU.

Counties 1 Hampshire is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in Hampshire and West Sussex and is administered by Hampshire Rugby and the London & SE RFU.

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.

References

  1. "RFU Leagues". Surrey Rugby. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  2. "Mens Leagues". Sussex Rugby. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  3. "RFU League Statistics". L&SE RFU. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. "Dartfordians RFC celebrating 100th anniversary season with promotion and a lunch in support of the IPF". RFU Injured Players Foundation. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. "PILGRIMS ARE CHAMPIONS". Canterbury RFC. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  6. "Relegation looks certain for Wanderers". Isle of Thanet News. 25 March 2024.
  7. "Sevenoaks 2s are Kent Champions!". Local Sports News. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  8. "Old Alleynians 1XV win the League with a record win!". Old Alleynians. 19 March 2023.
  9. "RELEGATION LOOMS FOR FOLKESTONE AFTER ANOTHER LOSS". Folkestone RFC. 12 February 2023.
  10. "Player-coach Martyn Beaumont on Dover Rugby Club being named 'joint-champions' of Kent 2 with Canterbury 2nds". Kent Online. 9 April 2023.
  11. "Rugby union competition structure gets overhaul ahead of the 2022/23 season". Kent Online. 28 May 2022.
  12. "Addition to the coaching team for next season". Bromley RFC. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  13. "Deal & Betteshanger coach Danny Vaughan reacts to news the club will be playing in new Counties 1 Kent Division following Rugby Football Union's restructure". Kent Online. 11 June 2022.