Current season or competition: 2019–20 North 1 East | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 |
Number of teams | 14 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Bradford & Bingley (3 titles) |
Website | England RFU |
North 1 East was a sixth tier league in 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 a division known as North East 1 that began in 1987 for clubs based in the north-east but this was a seventh (later eighth) tier league. North Division 2 would later split into two regional divisions, known as North 1 East and North 1 West. North 1 East was made up of teams from around the North East and Yorkshire, playing home and away matches throughout a winter season.
The league champions were automatically promoted to the North Premier, whilst the second placed team entered into a play-off match with the second placed team in the equivalent Division North 1 West. The bottom three teams were relegated to either the Counties 1 Yorkshire or the Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland leagues, the seventh tier of the English domestic rugby union competition. Following the play-off game, depending on the result, a team from the division with fifteen teams was transferred to the division with thirteen teams to level up the number of teams in each division.
The league was discontinued in 2022 as part of the Rugby Football Union Adult Competition Review. The majority of the teams in North 1 East formed the new level six Regional 2 North East league, with the remainder moving to Regional 2 North.
Kendal finished 5th in N1E in 2019-20 but were level transferred to North 1 West for the current season to address an imbalance of teams.
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.
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel all adult competitive leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season, meaning North 1 East was not contested.
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When league rugby began in 1987 this was a single division containing the following teams from the north of England:
The original North Division 2 was a tier 6 league with promotion up to North Division 1 and relegation down to either North East 1 or North West 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | ||||||||||
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1987–88 | 11 | Aspatria | Halifax | Wilmslow, Manchester | ||||||||||
1988–89 [3] | 11 | Bradford & Bingley | Middlesbrough | Davenport | ||||||||||
1989–90 [3] | 11 | Rotherham | Widnes | No relegation | ||||||||||
1990–91 [3] | 11 | Stockton | Sandal | New Brighton | ||||||||||
1991–92 [3] | 11 | Wharfedale | Lymm | No relegation | ||||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | Manchester | Huddersfield | Sandbach | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season, meant that North Division 2 dropped from being a tier 6 league to a tier 7 league for the years that National 5 North was active.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | ||||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | York | West Park Bramhope | Carlise, Wigan, Lymm | ||||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Macclesfield | Bridlington | Northwich | ||||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | New Brighton | Sedgley Park | Birkenhead Park, West Park St Helens, Old Crossleyeans, Hartlepool Rovers [b] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that North Division 2 reverted to being a tier 6 league.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | ||||||||||
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1996–97 | 12 | Doncaster | Middlesbrough | Durham City | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 12 | Northern | Blaydon | Halifax | ||||||||||
1998–99 [4] | 12 | Bradford & Bingley | Driffield | York, Percy Park | ||||||||||
1999–00 [5] | 12 | Darlington Mowden Park | Chester | No relegation | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
For the 2000–01 season, North Division 2 was split into two regional divisions - North 2 East and North 2 West. While promotion continued up into North Division 1, the cancellation of the North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 meant that relegation was now to either Durham/Northumberland 1 or Yorkshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2000–01 [6] | 12 | Halifax | Darlington | York, West Park Leeds | ||||||||||
2001–02 [7] | 12 | Cleckheaton | Huddersfield | Bridlington, Old Crossleyans, Northern | ||||||||||
2002–03 [8] | 12 | Bradford & Bingley | Sheffield | Goole, Scarborough, Alnwick | ||||||||||
2003-04 [9] | 12 | Hull | Middlesbrough | Northern, York, Bridlington | ||||||||||
2004–05 [10] | 12 | Westoe | Huddersfield | Horden, Redcar, Malton & Norton | ||||||||||
2005-06 [11] | 12 | Penrith | Beverley | Sandal, Stockton, Alnwick | ||||||||||
2006–07 [12] | 12 | Middlesbrough | Sheffield Tigers | Horden, Percy Park, Sheffield | ||||||||||
2007–08 [13] | 12 | West Hartlepool | Durham City | Aldwinians, York, Hartlepool Rovers | ||||||||||
2008–09 [14] | 12 | Penrith | Old Crossleyans | Aspatria | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
For the 2009–10 season the division would be renamed North 1 East as part of wholesale national restructure of the league system by the RFU leading to mass changes at all levels including in the north.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2009–10 [15] | 14 | Billingham | Sandal | Ilkley, Gateshead, Darlington | ||||||||||
2010–11 [16] | 14 | West Hartlepool | Percy Park | Hartlepool Rovers, Driffield, Pontefract | ||||||||||
2011–12 [17] | 14 | Billingham | Percy Park | Team Northumbria [c] , Gateshead, Old Brodleians | ||||||||||
2012–13 [18] | 14 | Beverley | Morley | Darlington, Durham City, Keighley | ||||||||||
2013–14 [19] | 14 | Cleckheaton | Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. | Malton & Norton, Middlesbrough, Morpeth | ||||||||||
2014–15 [20] | 14 | Ilkley | Sheffield | Horden, Old Crossleyans, Bradford and Bingley | ||||||||||
2015–16 [21] | 14 | Doncaster Phoenix | Morley | Beverley, South Shields Westoe, Northern | ||||||||||
2016–17 [22] | 14 | Pocklington | Penrith | Wheatley Hills, Guisborough, Durham City | ||||||||||
2017–18 [23] | 14 | Alnwick | Driffield | Northern, West Hartlepool, Dinnington | ||||||||||
2018–19 [24] | 14 | Morpeth | Scarborough | Consett, West Leeds, Bridlington | ||||||||||
2019–20 [25] | 14 | York | Cleckheaton | Huddersfield Y.M.C.A., West Hartlepool, Percy Park | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of North 1 East and North 1 West for the third and final promotion place to North Premier. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the North 1 East have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the North 1 West teams six; and the home team has won promotion on fifteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
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Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||
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2000–01 [26] | Darlington (E) | 49-0 | Aldwinians (W) | Blackwell Meadows, Darlington, County Durham | ||||
2001–02 [27] | Huddersfield (E) | 26-10 | Vale of Lune (W) | Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | ||||
2002–03 [28] | Sheffield (E) | 32-15 | Rochdale (W) | Abbeydale Park, Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire | ||||
2003–04 [29] | Middlesbrough (E) | 21-13 | Caldy (W) | Acklam Park, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire | ||||
2004–05 [30] | Huddersfield (E) | 22-13 | Stockport (W) | Lockwood Park, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | ||||
2005–06 [31] | Beverley (E) | 21-16 | Winnington Park (W) | Beaver Park, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire | ||||
2006–07 [32] | Sheffield Tigers (E) | 50-10 | Lymm (W) | Dore Moor, Dore, Sheffield, South Yorkshire | ||||
2007–08 [33] | Durham City (E) | 13-18 | Stockport (W) | Hollow Drift, Durham, County Durham | ||||
2008–09 [34] | Old Crossleyans (E) | 25-31 | Rossendale (W) | Broomfield Avenue, Halifax, West Yorkshire | ||||
2009–10 [35] | Sandal (E) | 30-22 | Northwich (W) | Milnthorpe Green, Sandal Magna, Wakefield, West Yorkshire | ||||
2010–11 [36] | Percy Park (E) | 26-27 | Burnage (W) | Preston Avenue, North Shields, Tyne and Wear | 1200 | |||
2011–12 [37] | Percy Park (E) | 18-12 | Liverpool St Helens (W) | Preston Avenue, North Shields, Tyne and Wear | 800 | |||
2012–13 [38] | Liverpool St Helens (W) | 17-28 | Morley (E) | Moss Lane, St Helens, Merseyside | ||||
2013–14 [39] | Birkenhead Park (W) | 19-29 | Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (E) | Upper Park, Birkenhead, Merseyside | ||||
2014–15 [40] | Kirkby Lonsdale (W) | 29-35 | Sheffield (E) | Underley Park, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria | 1,000 | |||
2015–16 [41] | Kirkby Lonsdale (W) | 33-38 (aet) | Morley (E) | Underley Park, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria | ||||
2016–17 [42] | Birkenhead Park (W) | 29-21 | Penrith (E) | Upper Park, Birkenhead, Merseyside | ||||
2017–18 [43] | Driffield (E) | 21-24 | Wilmslow (W) | Show Ground, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire | ||||
2018–19 [44] | Blackburn (W) | 17-7 | Scarborough (E) | Ramsgreave Drive, Blackburn, Lancashire | ||||
2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Northwich (W) - promoted instead. | |||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. E = North 1 East (formerly North 2 East) and W = North 1 West (formerly North 2 West) | ||||||||
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.
National League 2 North is one of three level four leagues in the English rugby union system and provides semi-professional competition for teams in Northern England. The remainder of England is covered by the two counterpart leagues National League 2 East and National League 2 West. The champion club is promoted to National One. Relegation is to either the Regional 1 Midlands, Regional 1 North East or Regional 1 North West, depending on their location. Sedgley Park are the current champions.
Counties 1 Southern South is a level 7 league in the Rugby Football Union South West Division, the rugby union governing body for South West England, part of the Rugby Football Union. When league rugby first began in 1987 it was a single league known as Southern Counties but in 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues: Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South. Counties 1 Southern South currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire.
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National One, up until 2023 known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage League National Division Three when founded in 1987. Chinnor are the current champions.
Counties 1 Midlands West (South) (formerly Midlands 2 West (South)) is a level seven English rugby union league and level three of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the West Midlands region including Herefordshire, parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 West (South) and post the Rugby Football Union (RFU)'s Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
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 Regional 2 North, 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 Midlands West (North) (formerly Midands 2 West (North)) is a level 7 English rugby union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of clubs from the northern part of the West Midlands region including Shropshire, Staffordshire, parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands and occasionally Cheshire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 West (North) and post the Rugby Football Union (RFU)'s Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midland 2 East (North)) is a level 7 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name
Counties 1 Cumbria is a competitive rugby union league at level 7 of the English rugby union system run by the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) for club sides based in Cumbria. It was previously a tier 7 league but the creation of North 2 West demoted it to level 8. Promoted teams typically go up to North 2 West and since Cumbria 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2018–19 season there is no relegation. Each season a team from Cumbria 1 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8. The original Cumbria league was formed at the start of the 1992–93 season when the North-West North 1 division was cancelled.
North 1 West is a rugby union league at the sixth level within the English league system. The league is made up of teams from north west England and the Isle of Man; principally consisting of the English counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The league was known as North Division 2 when it was first created back in 1987 and was a single division. It has since split into two regional leagues, with North West 1 and its compatriot North 1 East being the longest running versions of the division.
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 Regional 2 North 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 Regional 2 North East. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.
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Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 2, is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from North East England. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland and the bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland. Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 2 are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Ponteland won their fourth title in 2020 with Sunderland also promoted.
Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland, previously known as Durham/Northumberland 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and is currently the basement league of club rugby in North East England. Any club in the north east wishing to join the rugby union club hierarchy must begin at the bottom so all new teams from the north east start in this division - although until 2005-06 there was relegation to the now defunct Durham/Northumberland 4. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.
Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire is a regional English Rugby Union league for teams from Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, ranked at tier 8 of the English league system.
Lancs/Cheshire 3 was an English rugby union league. Promoted teams entered South Lancs/Cheshire 2, ranked at tier 9 of the English league system. This was the basement level for club rugby union for teams in the South Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire areas and any team from this area wanting to begin in club rugby union had to join this league. Up until 2008–09 there was relegation with teams dropping down and coming up from South Lancs/Cheshire 4.
North Lancashire/Cumbria was an English Rugby Union League at the seventh tier of club rugby union for teams from North Lancashire and Cumbria that ran until the end of 2017–18 season. Promotion from this division used to be into North 1 West with the champions going straight up and the league runners up facing the league runners up from South Lancs/Cheshire 1 for their place. Clubs at the bottom of the table were relegated either to North Lancashire 1, South Lancs/Cheshire 2 or the Cumbria League depending on their geographical location.
Counties 3 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire is a regional English Rugby Union league for teams in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester at level 9 of the English rugby union system.