Eastern_Counties_1
Eastern Counties 1
English level 9 Rugby Union League
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 (split into three regional divisions - north, south, west). 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.
Current season or competition: 2019–20 Eastern Counties 1 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987; 37 years ago (1987) |
| Number of teams | 24 (8 per divisional league) |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Beccles (2nd title) (2018–19) (promoted to London 3 Eastern Counties) |
| Most titles | Thetford (3 titles) |
| Website | englandrugby.com |
The division was split across three geographic areas (North, South & West) for the 2017-18 as part of an RFU reorganization of the London & South East regional league. The top two teams from each Area Division shall enter the Championship Phase (Shield) to determine the final rankings for promotion to London 3 Eastern Counties. Other teams will play in the Plate, Bowl and Salver competitions, depending on league position, with clubs finishing bottom of the Salver being relegated to Eastern Counties 2.
North
- Beccles
- Diss II
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth
- North Walsham II
- Norwich II
- Southwold II
- Watton
- Wymondham II
South
- Braintree II
- Brightlingsea
- Colchester III
- Hadleigh
- Mistley
- Ipswich II
- Stowmarket II
- Sudbury II
West
- Bury St Edmunds III
- Cambridge III
- Cantabrigian II
- Cottenham Renegades
- Haverhill and District
- Mildenhall & Red Lodge
- Shelford III
On 30 October the RFU announced [1] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Eastern Counties 1 was not contested.
North
- Diss II
- Holt
- North Walsham II
- Norwich II
- Norwich Medics
- Norwich Union
- Watton
- Wymondham II
South
- Braintree II
- Colchester III
- Hadleigh
- Halstead Templars
- Mersea Island
- Ipswich II
- Stowmarket II
- Sudbury II
West
- Bury St Edmunds III
- Cambridge III
- Cantabrigian II
- Cottenham Renegades
- Newmarket
- Saffron Walden II
- Shelford III
North
- Beccles
- Diss II
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth
- North Walsham II
- Norwich II
- Norwich Medics
- Norwich Union
- Wymondham II
South
- Brightlingsea
- Bury St Edmunds III
- Colchester III
- Hadleigh
- Halstead Templars
- Harwich & Dovercourt II
- Ipswich II
- Sudbury II
West
- Cambridge III
- Cantabrigian II
- Cottenham Renegades
- Ely II
- March Bears
- Newmarket
- Saffron Walden II
- Shelford III
- Beccles (North)
- Brightlingsea (South)
- Bury St. Edmunds III (West)
- Cambridge Adventurers (West)
- Cantabrigian II (West)
- Colchester III (South)
- Cottenham Renegades (West)
- Diss II (North)
- Fakenham (North)
- Great Yarmouth-Broadland (North)
- Hadleigh (South)
- Haverhill & District (West)
- Ipswich Magpies (South)
- Ipswich Y.M. (South)
- Mistley (South)
- North Walsham II (North)
- Norwich Medics (North)
- Norwich Union (North)
- Saffron Walden II (West)
- Shelford III (West)
- Stowmarket II (South)
- Sudbury Talbots (South)
- Swaffham (North)
- Thurston (West)
- Beccles (relegated from London 3 North East)
- Bury St Edmunds 3rd XV
- Colchester III
- Crusaders
- Ipswich Y.M.
- Newmarket
- Thetford
- Thurston
- Wisbech
- Woodbridge
- Wymondham
- Crusaders
- Ely
- Ipswich Y.M.
- Mersea Island
- Newmarket
- Swaffham
- Thetford
- Thurston
- Wisbech
- Woodbridge
- Wymondham
- Crusaders
- Ely
- Ipswich Y.M.
- Mersea Island
- Newmarket
- Southwold
- Swaffham
- Thetford (promoted from Eastern Counties 2)
- Thurston (promoted from Eastern Counties 2)
- Wisbech (relegated from London 3 North East)
- Woodbridge
- Wymondham (relegated from London 3 North East)
- Broadland - Great Yarmouth (promoted from Eastern Counties 2)
- Crusaders
- Ely
- Harwich & Dovercourt
- Ipswich Y.M.
- Mersea Island
- Newmarket
- Swaffham (promoted from Eastern Counties 2)
- West Norfolk
- Woodbridge
- Crusaders
- Ely
- Hadleigh
- Harwich & Dovercourt
- Ipswich Y.M.
- Mersea Island
- Newmarket
- Southwold
- Thurston
- West Norfolk
- Woodbridge
- Wymondham
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Cambridge
- Crusaders
- Ely
- Harlow
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth
- Met Police Chigwell
- Redbridge
- Rochford Hundred
- Romford & Gidea Park
- Shelford
- Thetford
Eastern Counties 1 (1987–1993)
The original Eastern Counties 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 North East and relegation down to Eastern Counties 2.[2]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Met Police Chigwell | Cambridge | Thetford | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Harlow | Romford & Gidea Park | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Canvey Island | Old Edwardians | Ipswich YMCA | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Chelmsford | Basildon | Redbridge | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Rochford Hundred | Campion[lower-alpha 1] | No relegation[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Bury St Edmunds | Shelford | Met Police Chigwell, Crusaders | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 1 (1993–1996)
The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 1 dropped from a tier 8 league to a tier 9 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 North East and Eastern Counties 2 respectively.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Maldon | West Norfolk | Wanstead, Cantabrigian | ||||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | Canvey Island | Westcliff, Ravens | ||||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Diss | Woodbridge | Loughton, Bancroft | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 1 (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 1 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 North East and Eastern Counties 2 respectively.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 13 | Basildon | Campion[lower-alpha 3] | No relegation[lower-alpha 4] | ||||||||||
| 1997–98 | 10 | Hadleigh | Bancroft | Harwich & Dovercourt | ||||||||||
| 1998–99[3] | 10 | Thetford | Ely | Wanstead, Ilford Wanderers, Met Police Chigwell | ||||||||||
| 1999–00[4] | 9 | Saffron Walden | Woodbridge | Old Cooperians, Westcliff | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 1 (2000–2009)
The introduction of London 4 North East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Eastern Counties 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to Eastern Counties 2 - split into north and south regional divisions between 2000 and 2003.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01[5] | 10 | Eton Manor | Upminster | Bancroft, Wanstead, Cantabrigian | ||||||||||
| 2001–02[6] | 10 | Mersea Island | Beccles | Old Edwardians, Newmarket | ||||||||||
| 2002–03[7] | 10 | Colchester | Ely | No relegation[lower-alpha 5] | ||||||||||
| 2003–04[8] | 9 | Thetford | Stowmarket | No relegation[lower-alpha 6] | ||||||||||
| 2004–05[9] | 10 | Wisbech | Crusaders | Woodbridge, Southwold, Ely | ||||||||||
| 2005–06[10] | 10 | Beccles | Mersea Island | Thetford, Ipswich Y.M., Cantabrigian | ||||||||||
| 2006–07[11] | 10 | Mersea Island | Thurston | Dereham, Newmarket | ||||||||||
| 2007–08[12] | 11 | Wymondham | West Norfolk | Ely | ||||||||||
| 2008–09[13] | 10 | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | Wisbech | No relegation[lower-alpha 7] | ||||||||||
| 2009–10[14] | 11 | Newmarket | Stowmarket | Thetford, Fakenham | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 1 (2009–2017)
Eastern Counties 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 North East (formerly London 4 North East) and relegation to Eastern Counties 2, which split into three regional divisions - north, south, west - from the 2014–15 season onward.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11[15] | 10 | Stowmarket | Holt | Thurston | ||||||||||
| 2011–12[16] | 11 | Cantabrigian | Wisbech | Broadland - Great Yarmouth | ||||||||||
| 2012–13[17] | 12 | Wymondham | Ipswich Y.M. | Thurston, Hadleigh, Southwold | ||||||||||
| 2013–14[18] | 12 | West Norfolk | Newmarket | Broadland - Great Yarmouth, Harwich & Dovercourt | ||||||||||
| 2014–15[19] | 12 | Southwold | Ely | Woodbridge | ||||||||||
| 2015–16[20] | 11 | Ely | Wymondham | No relegation[lower-alpha 8] | ||||||||||
| 2016–17[21] | 12 | Thetford | Wymondham[lower-alpha 9] | Swaffham | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Counties 1 (2017–present)
The cancellation of London 3 North East and subsequent introduction of London 3 Eastern Counties ahead of the 2017–18 meant that Eastern Counties 1 remained a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to the regionalised Eastern Counties 2 (north, south, west).
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18[22] | 24[lower-alpha 10] | Fakenham | Ipswich Y.M.[lower-alpha 11] | Broadland-Great Yarmouth, Stowmarket II, Haverhill & District[23] | ||||||||||
| 2018–19[24] | 24 | Beccles[lower-alpha 12] | Hadleigh | Ely II, Harwich & Dovercourt II[lower-alpha 13] | ||||||||||
| 2019–20[25] | 24 | |||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | 24 | |||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Between 2004 and 2017 there was a play-off between the runners-up of Eastern Counties 1 and Essex 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 North East. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2016–17 season the Essex 1 teams had been the most successful with seven wins to the Eastern Counties 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on eight occasions compared to the away teams four. Since the introduction of London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex at the end of the 2016–17 season the playoff has been cancelled.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05[26] | Crusaders (EC) | 41-24 | Upminster (EX) | Beckhithe, Little Melton, Norfolk | ||||||||||
| 2005–06[27] | Canvey Island (EX) | 31-18 | Mersea Island (EC) | Tewkes Creek, Canvey Island, Essex | ||||||||||
| 2006–07[28] | Thurston (EC) | 22-33 | South Woodham Ferrers (EX) | Robinson Field, Thurston, Suffolk | ||||||||||
| 2007–08[29] | Maldon (EX) | 15-20 | West Norfolk (EC) | Drapers Farm Playing Fields, Heybridge, Essex | ||||||||||
| 2008–09[30] | Wisbech (EC) | 38-14 | Campion (EX) | Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire | ||||||||||
| 2009–10[31] | Bancroft (EX) | 37-29 | Stowmarket (EC) | Buckhurst Way, Buckhurst Hill, Essex | ||||||||||
| 2010–11[32] | Holt (EC) | HWO[lower-alpha 14] | Millwall (EX) | Bridge Road, Holt, Norfolk | ||||||||||
| 2011–12[33] | Wisbech (EC) | 38-12 | Maldon (EX) | Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire | ||||||||||
| 2012–13[34] | Ipswich Y.M. (EC) | 20-27 | Old Cooperians (EX) | The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich, Suffolk | ||||||||||
| 2013–14[35] | Newmarket (EC) | 17-18 | Clacton (EX) | The NSDA Pavilion, Newmarket, Suffolk | ||||||||||
| 2014–15[36] | Epping Upper Clapton (EX) | 36-22 | Ely (EC) | Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex | 400 | |||||||||
| 2015–16[37] | Ilford Wanderers (EX) | 66-17 | Wymondham (EC) | Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground, Barkingside, Greater London | ||||||||||
| 2016–17 | No promotion playoff this season due to restructuring of Eastern Counties and Essex leagues.[38] | |||||||||||||
| Green background is the promoted team. EC = Eastern Counties 1 and EX = Essex Canterbury Jack (formerly Essex 1) | ||||||||||||||
- Thetford (3)
- Beccles (2)
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth (2)
- Mersea Island (2)
- Wymondham (2)
- Basildon (1)
- Bury St Edmunds (1)
- Cantabrigian (1)
- Canvey Island (1)
- Chelmsford (1)
- Colchester (1)
- Diss (1)
- Ely (1)
- Eton Manor (1)
- Fakenham (1)
- Hadleigh (1)
- Harlow (1)
- Maldon (1)
- Met Police Chigwell (1)
- Newmarket (1)
- Rochford Hundred (1)
- Saffron Walden (1)
- Southwold (1)
- Stowmarket (1)
- West Norfolk (1)
- Wisbech (1)
- Due to restructuring of the London & South East leagues for the following season, seven clubs were promoted including Upminster, Holt, Wymondham, Newmarket and Shelford.
- The creation of Essex 1 ahead of the 2003–04 season would see six Essex teams, including Canvey Island, Stanford Le Hope, Epping Upper Clapton, Billericay, Wanstead and Maldon, transfer from Eastern Counties 1 into Essex 1 for the following season, meaning that there was no relegation.
- Due to London 3 North East being split into London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex, six teams would be promoted this season instead of the usual 1 or 2, including Thetford, Wymondham, Crusaders, Newmarket, Woodbridge and Wisbech.
- "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2000-2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2001-2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2002-2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "2014-2015 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- "2015-2016 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- Broadland - Great Yarmouth were relegated from the north division, Stowmarket II from the south division, and Haverhill & District from the west division.
- "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- "Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
- "Rugby: Wisbech's fine win secures promotion". Peterborough Today. 27 April 2009.[permanent dead link]
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2009-10". England Rugby. 24 April 2009.
- "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2010-11". England Rugby. 30 April 2010.
- "Long delighted as Wisbech Rugby Club win promotion play-off in his final game as skipper". Eastern Daily Press. 27 April 2012.
- "OLD COOPERIANS PROMOTED to London North East 3". Old Cooperians RFC (Pitchero). 4 May 2013.
- "Newmarket stay down with a narrow defeat to Clacton". Newmarket Journal. 1 May 2014.[permanent dead link]
- "Epping v Ely 25.04.15". Epping Upper Clapton RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
- "Wanderers earn their place in London 3 NE". Ilford Wanderers RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2016.
- "Wymondham v Wisbech EC1 - Sat 8th Apr". Wymondham RFC (Pitchero). 8 April 2017.[permanent dead link]