London 2 North East
Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 1 Eastern Counties | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 | 1987 (as London 3 North East)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Rochford Hundred (4 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Counties 1 Eastern Counties (formerly London 2 North East) is an English level 7 Rugby Union League.[1] 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. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 1 Eastern Counties.
Promoted teams move up to Regional 2 Anglia whilst relegated teams go to Counties 2 Eastern Counties.
Participating Clubs 2024-25
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Participating Clubs 2023-24
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Participating Clubs 2022-23
[edit]This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[2] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Eastern Counties.
Six teams returned and the league was supplemented with four teams from the upper end of London 3 Eastern Counties and two reserve sides.
The London and Essex teams moved to Counties 1 Essex or were promoted to Regional 2 Anglia.
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Teams for 2021–22
[edit]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.
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Season 2020–21
[edit]On 30 October the RFU announced [4] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning London 2 North East was not contested.
Teams for 2019–20
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Teams for 2018–19
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Teams for 2017–18
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Teams for 2016-17
[edit]- Campion
- Cantabrigian
- Diss
- Epping Upper Clapton (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Holt
- Ipswich
- Norwich
- Old Cooperians (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Rochford Hundred
- Romford & Gidea Park
- South Woodham Ferrers
- Woodford (transferred from London 2 North West)
Teams for 2015-16
[edit]- Basildon
- Campion
- Cantabrigian (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Diss
- Holt
- Ipswich (relegated from London 1 North)
- Norwich
- Rochford Hundred
- Romford & Gidea Park (relegated from London 1 North)
- Saffron Walden
- South Woodham Ferrers
- Sudbury (promoted from London 3 North East)
Teams for 2014-15
[edit]- Basildon
- Braintree
- Campion (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Chelmsford
- Diss (relegated from London 1 North)
- Enfield Ignatians
- Holt
- Norwich
- Old Cooperians (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Rochford Hundred
- Saffron Walden
- South Woodham Ferrers
Teams for 2013-14
[edit]- Basildon (relegated from London 1 North)
- Braintree
- Chelmsford
- Enfield Ignatians
- Holt
- Ipswich
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth
- Norwich (promoted from London 3 North East)
- Rochford Hundred
- Saffron Walden
- South Woodham Ferrers
- Stowmarket
Teams for 2012-13
[edit]- Braintree
- Chelmsford
- Enfield Ignatians
- Holt
- Ipswich
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth
- North Walsham
- Old Streetonians
- Saffron Walden
- Stevenage Town
- Stowmarket
- Woodford
Teams for 2009-2010
[edit]- Beccles
- Braintree
- Canvey Island
- Chelmsford
- Enfield Ignatians
- Harlow
- Ipswich
- Old Streetonians
- Rochford Hundred
- Romford & Gidea Park
- Saffron Walden
- Sudbury
Original teams
[edit]When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as London 3 North East) contained the following teams:
- Barking
- Brentwood
- Bury St Edmunds
- Chingford
- Colchester
- Eton Manor
- Ipswich YMCA
- Old Cantabrigian[a]
- Old Westcliffians[b]
- Saffron Walden
London 2 North East Honours
[edit]London 3 North East (1987–1993)
[edit]Originally known as London 3 North East, this division was a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North and relegation down to Eastern Counties 1.[6]
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1987–88 | 11 | Barking | Eton Manor | Bury St Edmunds | ||||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Eton Manor | Chingford | Ipswich YMCA | ||||||||||
1989–90 | 11 | Chingford | Harlow | Metropolitan Police (Chigwell) | ||||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Harlow | Romford & Gidea Park | West Norfolk | ||||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Cambridge | Old Edwardians | No relegation | ||||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | Brentwood | Rochford Hundred | Old Cantabrigian, Canvey Island | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
London 3 North East (1993–1996)
[edit]At the end of the 1992–93 season, the top six teams from London 1 and the top six from South West 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 3 North East dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 2 North and Eastern Counties 1 respectively.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Romford & Gidea Park | Ipswich | Saffron Walden, Westcliff | ||||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Colchester | Rochford Hundred | Woodbridge, Basildon | ||||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Ipswich | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | Shelford, Campion | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
London 3 North East (1996–2000)
[edit]The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 3 North East reverted to being a tier 7 league. Promotion and relegation continued to London 2 North and Eastern Counties 1 respectively.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1996–97 | 13 | Diss | Chingford[c] | No relegation[d] | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 17 | Lowestoft & Yarmouth | Bury St Edmunds | Upminster | ||||||||||
1998–99[7] | 17 | Chelmsford | Shelford | Bancroft, Old Edwardians, Woodbridge | ||||||||||
1999–00[8] | 17 | Rochford Hundred | Basildon | Multiple teams[e] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
London 3 North East (2000–2009)
[edit]London 3 North East continued to be a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North. However, the introduction of London 4 North East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant that clubs were now relegated into this new division instead of into Eastern Counties 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2000–01[9] | 10 | Southend | Rochford Hundred | Lowestoft & Yarmouth, Braintree, Campion | ||||||||||
2001–02[10] | 10 | Shelford | Basildon | Chelmsford | ||||||||||
2002–03[11] | 10 | Romford & Gidea Park | Saffron Walden | Basildon, Wymondham, West Norfolk, Rochford Hundred | ||||||||||
2003–04[12] | 10 | Shelford | Hadleigh | No relegation[f] | ||||||||||
2004–05[13] | 12 | Chingford | Romford & Gidea Park | Braintree, Chelmsford | ||||||||||
2005–06[14] | 12 | Eton Manor | Diss | Sudbury, Saffron Walden | ||||||||||
2006–07[15] | 12 | Bury St Edmunds | Harlow | Campion | ||||||||||
2007–08[16] | 12 | Westcliff | Diss | Colchester, Ipswich | ||||||||||
2008–09[17] | 12 | Rochford Hundred | Brentwood | No relegation[g] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
London 2 North East (2009–2017)
[edit]Nationwide league restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 3 North East renamed as London 2 North East. It remained at level 7 with promotion to London 1 North (formerly London 2 North) and relegation to London 3 North East (formerly London 4 North East).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2009–10[18] | 12 | Thurrock | Colchester | Mersea Island, Norwich | ||||||||||
2010–11[19] | 12 | Rochford Hundred | Braintree | Harlow, Sudbury | ||||||||||
2011–12[20] | 12 | Romford & Gidea Park | Basildon | Canvey Island, Beccles | ||||||||||
2012–13[21] | 12 | North Walsham | Woodford | Stevenage Town, Old Streetonians | ||||||||||
2013–14[22] | 12 | Ipswich | Saffron Walden | Lowestoft & Yarmouth, Stowmarket | ||||||||||
2014–15[23] | 11 | Chelmsford | Diss | Old Cooperians[h] | ||||||||||
2015–16[24] | 12 | Saffron Walden | Sudbury | Basildon[i] | ||||||||||
2016–17[26] | 12 | Diss | South Woodham Ferrers | Campion, Holt | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
London 2 North East (2017–present)
[edit]Further restructuring ahead of the 2017–18 season, which included the cancellation of London 3 North East and introduction of London 3 Eastern Counties or London 3 Essex, meant that relegation was now to either of these new leagues. Overwise, London 2 North East was unchanged, remaining as a tier 7 division with promotion continuing to London 1 North.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2017–18[27] | 12 | Rochford Hundred | Sudbury | Old Cooperians, Epping Upper Clapton, Chelmsford | ||||||||||
2018–19[28] | 12 | Woodford | Romford & Gidea Park | Basildon, Harlow, Cantabrigian | ||||||||||
2019–20[29] | 12 | Norwich | Southwold | Epping, Holt, Romford & Gidea Park | ||||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Promotion play-offs
[edit]Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 2 North East and London 2 North West for the third and final promotion place to London 1 North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2018–10 season the London 2 North East and London 2 North West teams are tied on nine wins apiece, and the home team has won promotion on fourteen 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[30] | Twickenham (NW) | 44-8 | Rochford Hundred (NE) | Parkfields, Hampton, Greater London | ||||||||||
2001–02[31] | Letchworth Garden City (NW) | 31-22 | Basildon (NE) | Baldock Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2002–03[32] | Ealing Trailfinders (NW) | 36-12 | Saffron Walden (NE) | Trailfinders Sports Ground, Ealing, London | ||||||||||
2003–04[33] | St Albans (2nd XV) (NW) | 5-22 | Hadleigh (NE) | Oaklands Land, St Albans, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2004–05[34] | Bank of England (NW) | 39-0 | Romford and Gidea Park (NE) | Bank Lane, Roehampton, Greater London | ||||||||||
2005–06[35] | Tring (NW) | 19-5 | Diss (NE) | Cow Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2006–07[36] | Welwyn (NW) | 19-6 | Harlow (NE) | Hobbs Way, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2007–08[37] | Diss (NE) | 50-15 | Imperial Medicals (NW) | Mackenders, Roydon, Norfolk | ||||||||||
2008–09[38] | Brentwood (NE) | 23-15 | Hampstead (NW) | King George's Playing Fields, Brentwood, Essex | ||||||||||
2009–10[39] | Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) | 22-29 | Colchester (NE) | Hurlingham Park, Fulham, London | ||||||||||
2010–11[40] | Braintree (NE) | 24-14 | Harpenden (NW) | Robbs Wood, Braintree, Essex | 300 | |||||||||
2011–12[41] | Basildon (NE) | 38-13 | Stevenage (NW) | Gardiners Close, Basildon, Essex | ||||||||||
2012–13[42] | Hemel Hempstead (NW) | 13-16 (aet) | Woodford (NE) | Chaulden Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire | 500 | |||||||||
2013–14[43] | Twickenham (NW) | 44-43 | Saffron Walden (NE) | Parkfields, Hampton, Greater London | ||||||||||
2014–15[44] | Diss (NE) | 13-16 | Chiswick (NW) | Mackenders, Roydon, Norfolk | ||||||||||
2015–16[45] | Sudbury (NE) | 22-18 | Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) | Whittham Field, Sudbury, Suffolk | ||||||||||
2016–17[46] | H.A.C. (NW) | 48-7[j] | South Woodham Ferrers (NE) | Artillery Ground, Finsbury, London | ||||||||||
2017–18[48] | Hampstead (NW) | 7-37 | Sudbury (NE) | Parliament Hill Fields, Highgate, Camden, London | ||||||||||
2018–19[49] | Harpenden (NW) | 60-6 | Romford and Gidea Park (NE) | Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire | ||||||||||
2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) - promoted instead. | |||||||||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. NE = London 2 North East (formerly London 3 North East) and NW = London 2 North West (formerly London 3 North West) |
Number of league titles
[edit]- Rochford Hundred (4)
- Romford & Gidea Park (3)
- Chingford (2)
- Diss (2)
- Chelmsford (2)
- Eton Manor (2)
- Ipswich (2)
- Shelford (2)
- Barking (1)
- Brentwood (1)
- Bury St Edmunds (1)
- Cambridge (1)
- Colchester (1)
- Harlow (1)
- Lowestoft & Yarmouth (1)
- North Walsham (1)
- Norwich (1)
- Saffron Walden (1)
- Southend (1)
- Thurrock (1)
- Westcliff (1)
- Woodford (1)
Notes
[edit]- ^ Currently known as Cantabrigian RUFC.
- ^ Currently known as Westcliff RFC.
- ^ 3rd place Braintree also promoted.
- ^ No relegation as league was set to expand from 13 to 17 teams for the following season.
- ^ The creation of London 4 North East for the following season meant that eleven teams were relegated. Maldon, Colchester and Eton Manor dropped two divisions to Eastern Counties 1, while Newmarket, Holt, Ely, West Norfolk, Hadleigh, Canvey Island, Bury St Edmunds and Thetford went into the new London 4 North East division.
- ^ Due to league restructure from 10 to 12 teams for the 2004-05 season there would be no relegation.
- ^ There was no relegation this year as the division would be renamed London Division 2 North East for the 2009-10 season and along with the whole national restructure of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
- ^ Only one team went down this season due to league going back to 12 teams for the following season.
- ^ Only one team went down this season as 11th placed Campion were given a reprieve due to East Grinstead dropping out of National League 3 London & SE due to financial difficulties.[25]
- ^ The initial result of the 2016-17 playoff was overturned by the RFU after HAC were found guilty of fielding an ineligible player. This meant that South Woodham Ferrers were promoted instead.[47]
See also
[edit]- London & SE Division RFU
- Eastern Counties RFU
- Essex RFU
- English rugby union system
- Rugby union in England
References
[edit]- ^ "League Make up". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
- ^ "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Wanstead Rugby Club - Contacts".
- ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "Wanstead Rugby Club - Contacts".
- ^ "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2000-2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2001-2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2002-2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Tumbling East Grinstead plot a way back". East Grinstead Courier. 25 May 2016.
- ^ "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
- ^ "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
- ^ "Men's level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2002-03". England Rugby. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2003-04". England Rugby. 6 June 2004.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2008-09". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
- ^ "Hammers 22 Colchester 29". Fulham Rugby. 17 April 2010.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "RUGBY: Braintree promoted with pulsating win against Harpenden". This is Essex. 28 April 2011.
- ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2011-12". England Rugby. 21 April 2009.
- ^ "Woodford seal Promotion with Extra Time Victory". Hemel Hempstead RFC (Pitchero). 27 April 2013.
- ^ "Fantastic, brilliant, stunning and oh so near to pulling off a great win". Saffron Walden RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2014.
- ^ "Champagne for Chiswick as they go the Diss-tance to secure promotion". Get West London. 27 April 2015.
- ^ "MATCH REPORT: Sudbury secure back-to-back promotions". Suffolk Free Press. 30 April 2016.
- ^ "Woodham beaten by HAC in play-off final". Echo. 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Woodham win shock promotion, three weeks after losing play-off final". Echo. 17 May 2017.
- ^ "Sudbury Rugby Club cruise to promotion play-off victory". Suffolk Free Press. 21 April 2018.
- ^ "Harpenden secure promotion to London One". Herts Advertiser. 16 April 2019.