Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 | (as London 2 North)
Number of teams | 14 |
Country | England |
Holders | Shelford (2nd title) (2021–22) (promoted to Regional 1 South East) |
Most titles | Cheshunt (3 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
London 1 North was an English level 6, rugby union league for clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, north Greater London, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk. [1] When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 North, changing to its final name ahead of the 2009–10 season.
The fourteen teams played home and away matches from September through to April. The first placed team in the league won promotion to London & South East Premier while the league runner-up played the second placed team from London 1 South in a play-off for promotion. Relegated teams dropped to either London 2 North East or London 2 North West depending on the location of the club.
The Rugby Football Union reorganised the level six leagues for season 2022–23, with an increase from eight to twelve leagues, and a reduction of the teams in each from fourteen to twelve. [2] The teams in this league were transferred to either Regional 2 Anglia, Regional 2 Thames or Regional 2 East Midlands. [3]
The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Ten of the fourteen teams from 2021–22 were placed into one of the new level six leagues for 2022–23. Amersham & Chiltern, Belsize Park and Old Haberdashers were placed into Regional 2 Thames, while Brentwood, Chingford, Eton Manor, Norwich, Southend Saxons and Thurrock were placed into Regional 2 Anglia. Leighton Buzzard were placed into Regional 2 East Midlands. The top four teams in 2021–22, Colchester, Harpenden, Shelford and Sudbury, were promoted to the level five league Regional 1 South East. No teams were relegated to level seven.
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On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020–21 season meaning London 1 North was not contested. [4]
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Amersham & Chiltern, the champions, are promoted to National League 3 London & SE for next season. There are only two relegated clubs (Harrow and Luton) as East Grinstead took voluntary relegation from the National League 3 London & SE to the Sussex Leagues. [5]
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as London 2 North) and contained the following teams:
In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was six, tier six leagues. The initial name was London 2 North and was for teams based in London and the counties of Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. There was eleven teams in the league and each team played one match against each of the other teams, giving each team five home matches and five away matches. The winning team was awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match. [6]
The original London 2 North was a tier 6 league with promotion to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West.
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Season | No of teams | No of matches | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||
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1987–88 | 10 [lower-alpha 2] | 9 | North Walsham | Grasshoppers | St. Mary's Hospital | [7] | |||||||
1988–89 | 11 | 10 | Cheshunt | Bishop's Stortford | Hertford, Upper Clapton | [7] | |||||||
1989–90 | 11 | 10 | Thurrock | Eton Manor | Grasshoppers | [7] | |||||||
1990–91 | 11 | 10 | Eton Manor | Bishop's Stortford | Old Albanian | [8] | |||||||
1991–92 | 11 | 10 | Tabard | Barking | Old Merchant Taylor's, Letchworth Garden City | [9] | |||||||
1992–93 | 13 | 12 | Harlow | Cheshunt | No relegation | [10] |
At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 2 North dropped from a tier 6 league to a tier 7 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West.
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Season | No of teams | No of matches | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | 12 | Ruislip | Verulamians | Old Edwardians, Upper Clapton | ||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | 12 | Staines | Verulamians | Old Gaytonians, Chingford | ||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | 12 | Norwich | Thurrock | Eton Manor, Hertford |
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 2 North reverted to being a tier 6 league. Promotion continued to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West (renamed to London 2 North East and London 2 North West from the 2000–01 season onward).
London 2 North was renamed to London 1 North from the 2009–10 season onward. It continued as a tier 6 league with promotion to National League 3 London & South East (formerly London 1 and currently known as London & South East Premier) and relegation to London 2 North East and London 2 North West (formerly London 3 North East and London 3 North West).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 14 | Staines | CS Rugby 1863 | Welwyn, Harpenden, Rochford Hundred | [22] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 14 | Westcliff | Sidcup | Woodford, Tabard, Stevenage Town | [23] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 14 | Thurrock | Colchester | Braintree, Hammersmith & Fulham, North Walsham | [24] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 14 | Bury St Edmunds | Eton Manor | Basildon, Rochford Hundred, Beaconsfield | [25] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 14 | Westcliff | Eton Manor | Old Haberdashers, Diss, Tabard | [26] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 14 | Colchester | Eton Manor | Woodford, Romford & Gidea Park, Ipswich | [27] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 14 | Amersham & Chiltern | Tring | Luton, Harrow [lower-alpha 6] | [29] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 14 | Tring | Chingford | Barking, Chelmsford, Sudbury | [30] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 14 | Brentwood | Chingford | South Woodham Ferrers, Letchworth Garden City, Saffron Walden | [31] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 14 | Rochford Hundred | Colchester | Diss, Luton, Fullerians | [32] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 14 | North Walsham | Colchester | Ruislip, Woodford, Old Priorians | [33] | |||||||||
2020–21 | 14 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | ||||||||||||
2021–22 | 14 | Shelford | Sudbury | No relegation | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Between 2000–01 season and 2019–20 there was a play-off between the runners-up of London 1 North and London 1 South for the third and final promotion place to London & South East Premier. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 1 South teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the London 1 North teams eight; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six.
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Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||||||||
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2000-01 [34] | Canterbury (S) | 21-27 | London Nigerian (N) | Merton Lane, Canterbury, Kent | ||||||||||
2001-02 [35] | Southend (N) | 37-15 | Portsmouth (S) | Warners Bridge Park, Southend-on-Sea, Essex | ||||||||||
2002-03 [36] | Old Albanian (2nd XV) (N) | 28-12 | Portsmouth (S) | Woollam Playing Fields, St Albans, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2003-04 [37] | Cambridge (N) | 21-19 | Barnes (S) | Grantchester Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | ||||||||||
2004-05 [38] | Staines (N) | 55-12 | Portsmouth (S) | The Reeves, Hanworth, Greater London | ||||||||||
2005-06 [39] | Guildford (S) | 27-14 | CS Rugby 1863 (N) | Broadwater Sports Club, Farncombe, Surrey | ||||||||||
2006-07 [40] | Tring (N) | 7-20 | Thanet Wanderers (S) | Cow Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2007-08 [41] | Jersey (S) | 15-0 | Staines (S) | St. Peter, Saint Peter, Jersey | ||||||||||
2008-09 [42] | Staines (N) | 7-11 | Dorking (S) | The Reeves, Hanworth, Greater London | ||||||||||
2009-10 [43] | CS Rugby 1863 (N) | 31-14 | Dover (S) | King's House Sports Ground, Chiswick, Greater London | ||||||||||
2010-11 [44] | London Irish Wild Geese (S) | 21-14 | Sidcup (N) | Hazelwood, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey | 1,000 | |||||||||
2011-12 [45] | Old Elthamians (S) | 16-8 | Colchester (N) | Foxbury Avenue, Chislehurst, Greater London | 600 | |||||||||
2012-13 [46] | Basingstoke (S) | 27-3 | Eton Manor (N) | Down Grange, Basingstoke, Hampshire | ||||||||||
2013-14 [47] | Chichester (S) | 25-16 | Eton Manor (N) | Oaklands Park, Chichester, West Sussex | ||||||||||
2014-15 [48] | Eton Manor (N) | 17-14 | Chobham (S) | The New Wilderness, Redbridge, London | 400 | |||||||||
2015-16 [49] | Tring (N) | 21-26 | Guildford (S) | Cow Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire | 700 | |||||||||
2016–17 [50] | Chingford (N) | 33-35 | Tunbridge Wells (S) | Lea Valley Playing Fields, Chingford, London | 500 | |||||||||
2017-18 [51] | Chingford (N) | 21-17 | Medway (S) | Lea Valley Playing Fields, Chingford, London | 500 [52] | |||||||||
2018-19 [53] | Colchester (N) | 26-33 | Brighton (S) | Mill Road Playing Fields, Colchester, Essex | ||||||||||
2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Westcombe Park (S) - promoted instead. | |||||||||||||
2020–21 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | |||||||||||||
2021–22 | Cancelled due to the reorganisation of the league | |||||||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. N = London 1 North (formerly London 2 North) and S = London 1 South (formerly London 2 South). | ||||||||||||||
Regional 1 South East 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 London Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following re-organisation by the Rugby Football Union while the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season to make it more obvious that it is a regional league. London & South East Premier was the highest regional rugby union league covering London and south east England. Following the RFU Adult Competition Review the league was decreased from 14 to 12 and the name changed to Regional 1 South East. Part of the area formerly covered by London & South East Premier is now covered by a new league Regional 1 South Central.
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.
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.
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 was the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season is promoted. 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.
Kent 1 is an English level 9 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions move up to London 3 South East while the runners up play against the runners up of Sussex 1 for the remaining place. Relegated teams drop down to Kent 2.
London 2 North East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 North East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. It is made up of teams predominantly from north east London, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. 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.
Hampshire Premier is an English level 9 Rugby Union league for teams based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Up until the 2017–18 season it was known as Hampshire 1 but was changed to Hampshire Premier due to restructuring of the Hampshire leagues, which would see the re-introduction of a third division as well as 2nd and 3rd XV sides joining for the first time. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
London 2 North West is an English rugby union league which is at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and is made up of teams predominantly from north-west London and Hertfordshire. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 North West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season.
Surrey 1 is a level 9 English Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Surrey and south-west London. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to London 3 South West with the league winners going straight up and the runners up playing against the runners up from Hampshire Premier. Relegated teams drop to Surrey 2.
Eastern Counties 1 is an English level 9 Rugby Union League. From the 2017-18 promoted teams move up to the newly created London 3 Eastern Counties with the league champions going up automatically, while relegated teams drop down to Eastern Counties 2. Teams in this league tend to be based in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. In the past teams from Essex used to take part until the 2003–04 season when they formed a new league - with Essex 1 being the top division. Each year some of the 1st XV clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Eastern Counties 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League - currently divided into 3 regional divisions. Promoted teams move up to Eastern Counties 1 with teams in this league tending to be from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. Currently a three divisions, Eastern Counties 2 has previously been divided into North and South divisions with teams from Essex taking part, and had relegation to Eastern Counties 3. In 2003-04 the Essex teams broke away, forming a new league - with Essex 2 being the equivalent division to Eastern Counties 2.
Essex 1 is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to London 3 Essex. Relegated clubs used to drop into Essex 2 but as that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation. The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Eastern Counties 3 is an English level 11 Rugby Union league, currently divided into 3 regional leagues. Promoted teams moved up to the relevant regional divisions in Eastern Counties 2 while since the abolition of Eastern Counties 4 at the end of the 2016–17 season there has been no relegation. For most of its history, Eastern Counties 3 was divided into two regional divisions – north and south – with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. A breakaway of Essex teams at the end of the 2002–03 to form a new league would lead to Eastern Counties 3 being abolished by the end of 2003–04 only to return due to a league restructure to cater for more 2nd and 3rd teams.
Eastern Counties 4 was an English level 12 Rugby Union league that was divided into two regional divisions - north and south - with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. Promoted teams used to move up to the relevant division in Eastern Counties 3 and relegation was to Eastern Counties 5 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1996–97 season. The league was originally abolished in 1999–00 due to East Counties restructuring and teams moved up to higher divisions, only to be reinstated in 2014-15 due to further league restructuring that allowed more 2nd and 3rd teams to take part. It was abolished again at the end of the 2016–17 season.
Eton Manor Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in the London Borough of Redbridge. The first XV team currently plays in London 1 North. The club spent a single season in National League 3 London & SE - 2015-16 - but was immediately relegated back to London 1 North. The club has three other senior men's sides who play in the Essex merit leagues, as well as a thriving mini and youth section with rapidly growing girls teams.
London 3 Eastern Counties is an English rugby union league that is at the eighth level of the English rugby union system and is available to club sides based in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Promoted teams move up to London 2 North East with league champions going up automatically and the runners up playing a playoff against the runners up from London 3 Essex, while demoted teams usually drop down to Eastern Counties 1, with new teams also coming up from this league, although only 1st XV sides are allowed in London 3 Eastern Counties. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
The Essex Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Essex in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Essex, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Essex county rugby representative teams.
Rochford Hundred Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in Hawkwell near Rochford in Essex. The first XV team currently play in Regional 1 South East, having been relegated from the National League 2 East. The club also operates other adult teams and a full academy set-up of junior teams for both boys and girls.