Eastern Counties 1 was an English level 9
Rugby Union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
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
Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfor ...
,
Norfolk
Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
or
Suffolk
Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...
. In the past teams from
Essex
Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
used to take part until the 2003–04 season when they formed a new league - with
Essex 1 being the top division.
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.
Participating Clubs 2021-22
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
Season 2020–21
On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (
National League 1
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 Lea ...
and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Eastern Counties 1 was not contested.
Participating Clubs 2019-20
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
Participating Clubs 2018-19
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
Participating Clubs 2017-18
* 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)
Participating Clubs 2016-17
*Beccles (relegated from
London 3 North East)
*
Bury St Edmunds 3rd XV
*
Colchester III
*Crusaders
*Ipswich Y.M.
*Newmarket
*Thetford
*Thurston
*Wisbech
*Woodbridge
*Wymondham
Participating Clubs 2015-16
*Crusaders
*Ely
*Ipswich Y.M.
*Mersea Island
*Newmarket
*Swaffham
*Thetford
*Thurston
*Wisbech
*Woodbridge
*Wymondham
Participating Clubs 2014-15
*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)
Participating Clubs 2013-14
*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
Participating Clubs 2012-13
*Crusaders
*Ely
*Hadleigh
*Harwich & Dovercourt
*Ipswich Y.M.
*Mersea Island
*Newmarket
*Southwold
*Thurston
*West Norfolk
*Woodbridge
*Wymondham
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
*
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
*
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
*
Ely
*
Harlow
Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a Planned community, new town in 1947, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire, and occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the ...
*
Lowestoft & Yarmouth
*
Met Police Chigwell
*
Redbridge
*
Rochford Hundred
*
Romford & Gidea Park
*
Shelford
*
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road (England), A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, coverin ...
Eastern Counties 1 honours
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Promotion play-offs
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
London 3 Essex was an English rugby union league at the eighth level of the English rugby union system and was available to club sides based in Essex and north-east London. Promoted teams moved up to London 2 North East with league champions g ...
at the end of the 2016–17 season the playoff has been cancelled.
Number of league titles
*
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road (England), A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, coverin ...
(3)
*
Beccles
Beccles ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Suffolk District, East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . The town is located along the A145 r ...
(2)
*
Lowestoft & Yarmouth (2)
*
Mersea Island (2)
*
Wymondham
Wymondham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England. It lies on the River Tiffey, south-west of Norwich and just off the A11 road (England), A11 road to London. The pari ...
(2)
*
Basildon
Basildon ( ) is a town in Borough of Basildon, the borough of the same name, in the county of Essex, England. It had a recorded population of 115,955 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. In 1931, the town had a population of 1,159.
...
(1)
*
Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as ''Bury,'' is a cathedral as well as market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk District, West Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St. Edmunds an ...
(1)
*
Cantabrigian (1)
*
Canvey Island
Canvey Island is a town, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames Estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170.Office for National Statistics. ...
(1)
*
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. It is located north-east of London ...
(1)
*
Colchester
Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''.
Colchester occupies the ...
(1)
*
Diss (1)
*
Ely (1)
*
Eton Manor
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre is a sports and leisure venue located in Leyton, London Borough of Waltham Forest, to the north of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is regularly used for international field hockey fixtures by both the Great ...
(1)
*
Fakenham
Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north-west of Norwich. The town is at the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to N ...
(1)
*
Hadleigh (1)
*
Harlow
Harlow is a town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a Planned community, new town in 1947, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire, and occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the ...
(1)
*
Maldon
Maldon (, locally ) is a town and civil parish on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon District and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. It is known for Maldon Sea Salt which is prod ...
(1)
*
Met Police Chigwell (1)
*
Newmarket (1)
*
Rochford Hundred (1)
*
Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and north of London. It retains a rural appearance and some buildings of the medieval period. Th ...
(1)
*
Southwold
Southwold is a seaside town and civil parish on the North Sea, in the East Suffolk District, East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It lies at the mouth of the River Blyth, Suffolk, River Blyth in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths ...
(1)
*
Stowmarket
Stowmarket ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England,OS Explorer map 211: Bury St.Edmunds and Stowmarket
Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton A2 edition. Publishing Date:2008. o ...
(1)
*
West Norfolk (1)
*
Wisbech
Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bordering Norfolk and ...
(1)
See also
*
London & SE Division RFU
*
Eastern Counties RU
*
Essex RFU
*
English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England consi ...
*
Rugby union in England
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastern Counties 1
9
Rugby union in Essex
Rugby union in Cambridgeshire
Rugby union in Norfolk
Rugby union in Suffolk