North 1 East is the sixth tier of the English rugby union domestic competition, formed in 1987 using the name North Division 2, involving clubs from the north of the country. There was also division known as North East 1 that began in 1987 for clubs based in the north-east but this was a seventh tier league. North Division 2 would later split into two regional divisions, currently known as North 1 East and North 1 West. North 1 East is made up of teams from around the North East and Yorkshire, who play home and away matches throughout a winter season.
North Premier was a level five league in the English rugby union system, with the fourteen teams drawn from across Northern England. The other leagues at this level were London & South East Premier, Midlands Premier and South West Premier. The RFU reorganised the level five leagues for season 2022–23, with an increase from four to six and reducing the teams in each from fourteen to twelve. The teams in this league now play in either Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West.
Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 1 is an English amateur rugby union competition. The league consists of twelve clubs, and is the seventh tier of the English rugby union system, as one of the 16 regional leagues, though is the highest level of local rugby in the North East of England. The champions are automatically promoted to North 1 East, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses the Yorkshire region. The runners-up participate in a play-off against the runners-up from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Yorkshire, for promotion. The bottom two are relegated to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.
Counties 1 Yorkshire is an English rugby union division, the seventh tier of the domestic competition, and the top level for local rugby union in parts of Yorkshire. The champions are automatically promoted to North 1 East, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses northeast England. The runners-up participate in a playoff against the 2nd place team from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, for promotion to North 1 East. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.
Counties 2 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 2 is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from Yorkshire. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Yorkshire 2 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8.
Counties 3 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to either Counties 4 Yorkshire or Counties 4 Yorkshire depending on location. Each season a team from Counties 3 Yorkshire or Counties 4 Yorkshire may be picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national competition for clubs at levels 9–12.
Macclesfield RUFC is a rugby union team based in the Cheshire town of Macclesfield and operates four senior sides, senior and junior colts and ten mini/junior teams. The first XV currently play in the fifth tier of the English rugby union system, Regional 1 North West, following their relegation from National League 2 North at the end of the 2018–19 season. The second XV plays in the Cotton Traders Premier League, the third XV play in Standish Media Services division 1 and the fourth XV play in the Freshlet Division 4.
Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The club runs four senior sides. The first team play in Regional 1 North East, following their relegation from National League 2 North in 2022–23. The second team, Harrogate Georgians, play in the Yorkshire RFU Merit Premiership and the third team play in the Yorkshire RFU 2 Central/North Merit League. The club also fields a ladies' team completing the four senior teams in the RFUW Championship, and eight junior teams.
Bradford & Bingley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Bingley, West Yorkshire. The club runs four senior sides, including a veterans side, and eleven junior teams. The first XV plays in North 1 East.
Sandal Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Sandal Magna near Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The club runs three senior sides, a veterans team, academy and colts teams and ten junior teams. The first XV play in the Regional 1 North East.
Cleckheaton Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. The club runs four senior sides and twelve junior teams. and the first XV currently plays in Regional 1 North East
Beverley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. The club runs two senior men's sides, Colts, Ladies and a full set of junior teams. The first XV currently plays in Counties 1 Yorkshire.
Penrith Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Penrith, Cumbria. The club runs two senior male sides, a senior ladies team, a colts team, ex-players team and has a thriving junior section boasting both boys and girls teams through all ages. The first XV currently play in Regional 1 North West following their promotion from Regional 2 North at the end of the 2022–23 season.
Rossendale Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire. The club runs three senior sides, a colts team, and eleven junior sides. The first XV currently play in the Regional 1 North West.
Altrincham Kersal Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Timperley, Trafford. The club runs three senior men's teams, and mini and junior rugby from age 5. The first XV currently plays in North 1 West, a level six league in the English league system, following the club's promotion as champions of Lancs/Cheshire 1 at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Pocklington Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire. The club runs three senior sides, a colts teams, women'steam and eleven junior teams with the first XV currently playing in Counties 1 Yorkshire.
Mansfield Rugby Club is an English rugby union team based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club runs four senior sides, a colts team and eleven junior sides. The first XV currently plays in Midlands 3 East (North), a sixth tier league in the English rugby union system.
The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, although sides as low as level 12 or even outside the league system can sometimes enter. The competition is a national one, but split into regions until the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. Presently, the RFU Junior Vase is the fifth most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup, RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase.
The 2017–18 RFU Junior Vase is the 28th version of the RFU Junior Vase national cup competition for clubs at level 9 and below of the English rugby union system. The competition consists of 134 clubs divided into four regions. The winners of each region then advance to the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London at the end of the season, along with the RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase finals.
Scarborough Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club that is based in Scalby near Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The clubhouse is the UK's largest amateur clubhouse and is set within a 32-acre site with 5 senior pitches, a training pitch and 6 minis pitches. The club operates four senior men's teams, a women's team and pre-micro/micro/mini/youth rugby. The men's 1st XV currently plays in Regional 2 NE – a league at level 6 of the English rugby union system – having been promoted into the division from Yorkshire 1 via a playoff at the end of the 2017–18 season.
