# Eastern Counties 1

Eastern Counties 1 was 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.
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 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
* Crusaders
* Ely
* Harlow
* Lowestoft & Yarmouth
* Met Police Chigwell
* Redbridge
* Rochford Hundred
* Romford & Gidea Park
* Shelford
* Thetford

## 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 :
| 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 | No relegation |
| 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.
Eastern Counties 1 :
| 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.
Eastern Counties 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1996–97 | 13 | Basildon | Campion | No relegation |
| 1997–98 | 10 | Hadleigh | Bancroft | Harwich & Dovercourt |
| 1998–99 | 10 | Thetford | Ely | Wanstead, Ilford Wanderers, Met Police Chigwell |
| 1999–00 | 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.
Eastern Counties 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2000–01 | 10 | Eton Manor | Upminster | Bancroft, Wanstead, Cantabrigian |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Mersea Island | Beccles | Old Edwardians, Newmarket |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Colchester | Ely | No relegation |
| 2003–04 | 9 | Thetford | Stowmarket | No relegation |
| 2004–05 | 10 | Wisbech | Crusaders | Woodbridge, Southwold, Ely |
| 2005–06 | 10 | Beccles | Mersea Island | Thetford, Ipswich Y.M., Cantabrigian |
| 2006–07 | 10 | Mersea Island | Thurston | Dereham, Newmarket |
| 2007–08 | 11 | Wymondham | West Norfolk | Ely |
| 2008–09 | 10 | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | Wisbech | No relegation |
| 2009–10 | 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.
Eastern Counties 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2010–11 | 10 | Stowmarket | Holt | Thurston |
| 2011–12 | 11 | Cantabrigian | Wisbech | Broadland - Great Yarmouth |
| 2012–13 | 12 | Wymondham | Ipswich Y.M. | Thurston, Hadleigh, Southwold |
| 2013–14 | 12 | West Norfolk | Newmarket | Broadland - Great Yarmouth, Harwich & Dovercourt |
| 2014–15 | 12 | Southwold | Ely | Woodbridge |
| 2015–16 | 11 | Ely | Wymondham | No relegation |
| 2016–17 | 12 | Thetford | Wymondham | 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).
Eastern Counties 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2017–18 | 24 | Fakenham | Ipswich Y.M. | Broadland-Great Yarmouth, Stowmarket II, Haverhill & District |
| 2018–19 | 24 | Beccles | Hadleigh | Ely II, Harwich & Dovercourt II |
| 2019–20 | 24 | | | |
| 2020–21 | 24 | | | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

## 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 at the end of the 2016–17 season the playoff has been cancelled.
Eastern Counties 1 v Essex Canterbury Jack promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2004-05 | Crusaders (EC) | 41-24 | Upminster (EX) | Beckhithe, Little Melton, Norfolk | |
| 2005–06 | Canvey Island (EX) | 31-18 | Mersea Island (EC) | Tewkes Creek, Canvey Island, Essex | |
| 2006–07 | Thurston (EC) | 22-33 | South Woodham Ferrers (EX) | Robinson Field, Thurston, Suffolk | |
| 2007–08 | Maldon (EX) | 15-20 | West Norfolk (EC) | Drapers Farm Playing Fields, Heybridge, Essex | |
| 2008–09 | Wisbech (EC) | 38-14 | Campion (EX) | Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2009–10 | Bancroft (EX) | 37-29 | Stowmarket (EC) | Buckhurst Way, Buckhurst Hill, Essex | |
| 2010–11 | Holt (EC) | HWO | Millwall (EX) | Bridge Road, Holt, Norfolk | |
| 2011–12 | Wisbech (EC) | 38-12 | Maldon (EX) | Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire | |
| 2012–13 | Ipswich Y.M. (EC) | 20-27 | Old Cooperians (EX) | The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich, Suffolk | |
| 2013–14 | Newmarket (EC) | 17-18 | Clacton (EX) | The NSDA Pavilion, Newmarket, Suffolk | |
| 2014–15 | Epping Upper Clapton (EX) | 36-22 | Ely (EC) | Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex | 400 |
| 2015–16 | 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. | No promotion playoff this season due to restructuring of Eastern Counties and Essex leagues. | No promotion playoff this season due to restructuring of Eastern Counties and Essex leagues. | No promotion playoff this season due to restructuring of Eastern Counties and Essex leagues. | No promotion playoff this season due to restructuring of Eastern Counties and Essex leagues. |
| Green background is the promoted team. EC = Eastern Counties 1 and EX = Essex Canterbury Jack (formerly Essex 1) |||||||||||

## Number of league titles

* 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)