Current season or competition: 2025–26 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1992; 34 years ago (1992)(as Midlands East 1) |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Belgrave (2024–25) |
| Most titles | Belgrave andHinckley.(3 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midland 2 East (North)) is a level 7 Englishrugby union league and at level 3 of theMidlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of theEast Midlands region, including clubs fromDerbyshire,Lincolnshire,Nottinghamshire and the occasional team fromLeicestershire. 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
The current champions are Belgrave, who are promoted toRegional 2 Midlands North.
The first-placed team (or runner-up if a reserve team wins the league) is promoted toRegional 2 North Midlands. Teams are relegated to eitherCounties 2 Midlands East (North) orCounties 2 Midlands West (West), depending on location; with the number of teams relegated depending on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above.
The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-two rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals, home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
Departing were Belgrave, promoted toRegional 2 Midlands North whileBurton 2XV (12th) were relegated toCounties 2 Midlands West (West) together withLoughborough (10th) andMansfield (11th), both relegated toCounties 2 Midlands East (North). Also leaving were Manor Park (8th) who returned on a level transfer toCounties 1 Midlands West (South), together with Nuneaton Old Edwardians (6th) andHinckley 2XV (runner-up) who both moved on a level transfer toCounties 1 Midlands East (South).
Departing were Ilkeston, promoted toRegional 2 Midlands North as runners-up;Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted to level 6, owing to the league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues. Boston and Birstall were relegated toCounties 2 Midlands East (North). Joining were Kesteven and Nottingham Moderns promoted fromCounties 2 Midlands East (North), whilst Manor Park moved on a level transfer fromCounties 1 Midlands West (South).
|  Locations of the 2024–25 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) teams
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| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points | Pts adj | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgrave(P) | 22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 581 | 272 | 309 | 15 | 1 | 98 | −2 | |||
| 2 | Hinckley II | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 860 | 379 | 481 | 18 | 3 | 93 | ||||
| 3 | Market Rasen & Louth | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 659 | 446 | 213 | 15 | 4 | 78 | +1 | |||
| 4 | Southwell | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 683 | 475 | 208 | 15 | 1 | 72 | ||||
| 5 | Lincoln | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 695 | 652 | 43 | 14 | 3 | 65 | ||||
| 6 | Nuneaton Old Edwardians | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 543 | 454 | 89 | 12 | 4 | 59 | −5 | |||
| 7 | Kesteven | 22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 588 | 519 | 69 | 11 | 5 | 58 | ||||
| 8 | Manor Park | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 550 | 634 | −84 | 9 | 3 | 52 | ||||
| 9 | Nottingham Moderns | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 404 | 716 | −312 | 6 | 2 | 40 | ||||
| 10 | Loughborough(R) | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 382 | 680 | −298 | 6 | 4 | 38 | ||||
| 11 | Mansfield(R) | 22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 359 | 690 | −331 | 3 | 5 | 24 | ||||
| 12 | Burton II(R) | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 363 | 750 | −387 | 3 | 5 | 16 | ||||
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| Green background is the promotion placePink background are the relegation places Updated: 1 December 2025 | |||||||||||||||
Departing were Mellish, promoted toRegional 2 Midlands North[4] as runners-up (Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted on Level 6 owing to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues). Ashbourne and Ashby and were relegated toCounties 2 Midlands East (North) whilst Coalville dropped toCounties 2 Midlands West (East).
Joining were Belgrave and Nuneaton Old Edwardians, both relegated fromRegional 2 Midlands North, whilst Boston and Mansfield were both promoted fromCounties 2 Midlands East (North).
| Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) teams
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| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points | Pts adj | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinckley II(C) | 22 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1003 | 264 | 739 | 18 | 1 | 104 | +1 | |||
| 2 | Ilkeston(P) | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 924 | 303 | 621 | 19 | 3 | 95 | +1 | |||
| 3 | Lincoln | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 835 | 483 | 352 | 18 | 0 | 86 | ||||
| 4 | Belgrave | 22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 581 | 468 | 113 | 14 | 2 | 76 | ||||
| 5 | Market Rasen & Louth | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 494 | 427 | 67 | 10 | 2 | 64 | −2 | |||
| 6 | Loughborough | 22 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 508 | 548 | −40 | 9 | 4 | 55 | ||||
| 7 | Nuneaton Old Edwardian | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 561 | 703 | −142 | 12 | 3 | 55 | ||||
| 8 | Mansfield | 22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 471 | 613 | −142 | 6 | 4 | 48 | ||||
| 9 | Southwell | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 422 | 675 | −253 | 6 | 3 | 35 | ||||
| 10 | Burton II | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 381 | 644 | −263 | 4 | 5 | 33 | ||||
| 11 | Boston(R) | 22 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 245 | 685 | −440 | 2 | 2 | 10 | −14 | |||
| 12 | Birstall(R) | 22 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 212 | 824 | −612 | 0 | 1 | −5 | −10 | |||
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| Green background is the promotion placePink background are the relegation places Updated: 30 November 2025 | |||||||||||||||
This was the first season following theRFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Midlands East (North).[6]
Departing wereLong Eaton,Melbourne, Matlock and Newark – all promoted toRegional 2 Midlands North. Joining were Mellish and Birstall, both promoted fromMidlands 3 East (North), together withBurton 2XV andHinckley 2XV, both new entries.
| Locations of the 2022–23 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) teams
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| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points | Pts adj | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinckley II(C) | 22 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 838 | 285 | 553 | 18 | 1 | 104 | +1 | |||
| 2 | Mellish(P) | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 631 | 424 | 207 | 15 | 1 | 84 | ||||
| 3 | Loughborough | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 483 | 355 | 128 | 12 | 1 | 83 | +2 | |||
| 4 | Lincoln | 22 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 707 | 348 | 359 | 14 | 2 | 76 | ||||
| 5 | Ilkeston | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 607 | 397 | 210 | 12 | 2 | 70 | ||||
| 6 | Market Rasen & Louth | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 565 | 482 | 83 | 13 | 3 | 56 | ||||
| 7 | Southwell | 22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 402 | 561 | −159 | 6 | 2 | 45 | +1 | |||
| 8 | Burton II | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 476 | 586 | −110 | 10 | 6 | 44 | ||||
| 9 | Birstall | 22 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 410 | 496 | −86 | 4 | 5 | 39 | ||||
| 10 | Ashbourne(R) | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 339 | 695 | −356 | 3 | 3 | 34 | ||||
| 11 | Ashby(R) | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 358 | 568 | −210 | 3 | 4 | 29 | ||||
| 12 | Coalville(R) | 22 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 239 | 858 | −619 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||||
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| Green background is the promotion placePink background are the relegation places Updated: 29 November 2025 | |||||||||||||||
| Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 2 East (North) teams
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Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
| Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 2 East (North) teams
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| Locations of the 2018–19 Midlands 2 East (North) teams
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| Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 2 East (North) teams
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Market Rasen and Louth have won the league this season and are promoted toMidlands 1 East as champions for the season 2011–12.Loughborough finished second and also gained promotion by beating Peterborough Lions, who placed 2nd inMidlands 2 East (South) in the promotion play-off.Lincoln and Ashby finished in the bottom two positions and have therefore been relegated for the coming season.
Teams in Midlands 2 East (North) andMidlands 2 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 1 East, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
Midlands 2 East (North) andMidlands 2 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 7 division called Midlands East 1. Promotion was toMidlands 2 and relegation toMidlands East 2.[a]
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 13 | Belgrave | Hinckley | Dronfield,West Bridford | [9] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six fromNorth 1 were combined to createNational 5 North, meaning that Midlands 1 East became a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued toMidlands 2 andMidlands East 2.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Hinckley | Scunthorpe | Nottingham Moderns,Luton | [10] | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Scunthorpe | Long Buckby | Chesterfield,Northampton BBOB,Wellingborough | [11] | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Kettering | Huntingdon & District[b] | No relegation[c] | [12] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
At the end of the 1995–96 seasonNational 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 1 returned to being a tier 7 league. Promotion and relegation continued toMidlands 2 andMidlands East 2.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 17 | Nottingham Moderns | Old Northamptonians | Northampton BBOB,Biggleswade,Amber Valley | [13] | |||||||||
| 1997–98 | 17 | Lincoln | Northampton Old Scouts | Ashbourne | [14] | |||||||||
| 1998–99 | 17 | Wellingborough | Dunstablians | Coalville,Vipers | ||||||||||
| 1999–00 | 17 | Dunstablians | Luton | No relegation[d] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are the promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 1 split into two tier 7 regional leagues – Midlands 3 East (North) andMidlands 3 East (South). Promotion was now toMidlands 2 East (formerly Midlands 2) and relegation toMidlands 4 East (North) (formerly Midlands East 2).[e]
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 10 | Spalding | Ilkeston | Paviors,Long Eaton,Oadby Wyggestonians | [15] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | 10 | Market Bosworth | Nottingham Moderns | Market Rasen & Louth | [16] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 10 | Newark | Loughborough Students | Lincoln | [17] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | 10 | Melton Mowbray | Matlock | No relegation[f] | [18] | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | 12 | Paviors | Matlock | West Bridgford,Mellish | [19] | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | 12 | Melton Mowbray | Ilkeston | Ashfield,Grimsby | [20] | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | 12 | Syston | Lutterworth | Ashbourne,Belgrave | [21] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 12 | Mansfield | Spalding | Oakham,Grimsby | [22] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 12 | Ilkeston | Spalding | No relegation | [23] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
League restructuring by theRFU meant that Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 2 East (North) andMidlands 2 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 7. Promotion was now toMidlands 1 East (formerly Midlands 2 East) and relegation toMidlands 3 East (North) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)).
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 12 | Coalville | Spalding | Grimsby and Sleaford | [24] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 12 | Market Rasen & Louth | Loughborough | Ashby and Lincoln | [25] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | Newark | Market Bosworth | Nottingham Moderns andWest Bridgford | [26] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 11 | Coalville | Oakham | Aylestone St James | [27] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Belgrave | Spalding | Melton Mowbray and Kesteven | [28] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | Matlock | Coalville | Ashby andLoughborough | [29] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 12 | Dronfield | West Bridgford | Bakewell Mannerians andMansfield | [30] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 12 | Melbourne | Coalville | Spalding and Kesteven | [31] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 12 | West Bridgford | Matlock | Nottingham Casuals and Bakewell Mannerians[g] | [33] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 12 | Melbourne | Dronfield | Ashby and Southwell | [34] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 12 | Dronfield | Matlock | Ashfield and Nottingham Casuals | [35] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 14 | Cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | ||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | 14 | Long Eaton | Melbourne | Matlock and Newark (also promoted); No relegation | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Following league reorganisation, Midland 2 East (North) is renamed Counties 1 Midlands East (North) and continues to be a tier 7 league. Promotion is toRegional 2 North Midlands and relegation to eitherCounties 2 Midlands East (North) orCounties 2 Midlands West (West), depending on location.
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| Season | No of teams | No of matches | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | 12 | 22 | Hinckley II | Mellish | Ashbourne (10th), Ashby (11th) and Coalville (12th) | [8] | ||||||||
| 2023–24 | 11 | 20 | Hinckley II | Ilkeston | Boston (11th) andBirstall (12th) | [5] | ||||||||
| 2024–25 | 12 | 22 | Belgrave | Hinckley II | Loughborough (10th),Mansfield (11th) andBurton II (12th) | [3] | ||||||||
| Green background is the promotion place. | ||||||||||||||
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Midlands 2 East (North) andMidlands 2 East (South) for the third and final promotion place toMidlands 1 East (aside from 2008–09 which was played between the runners-up of Midlands 2 West (South) and Midlands 2 East (North) due to RFU restructuring). The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Midlands 2 East (South) teams have ten wins to the Midlands 2 East (North) teams eight; and the home team won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
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| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance/ Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Stewarts & Lloyds (S) | 9–13 | Ilkeston (N) | Occupation Road,Corby,Northamptonshire | [36] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | Nottingham Moderns (N) | 26–8 | Stewarts & Lloyds](S) | Ferryfields,Wilford,Nottingham,Nottinghamshire | [37] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | Peterborough (S) | 3–59 | Loughborough Students (N) | Fortress Fengate,Peterborough,Cambridgeshire | [38] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | Peterborough (S) | 33–13 | Matlock (N) | Fortress Fengate,Peterborough,Cambridgeshire | [39] | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | Matlock (N) | 25–10 | Stewarts & Lloyds (S) | Cromford Meadows,Cromford,Derbyshire | [40] | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | Ilkeston (N) | 24–21 | Banbury (S) | The Stute,Ilkeston,Derbyshire | [41] | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | Lutterworth (N) | 3–21 | Banbury (S) | Ashby Lane,Lutterworth,Leicestershire | [42] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | Leighton Buzzard (S) | 16–15 | Spalding (N) | Wright's Meadow,Leighton Buzzard,Bedfordshire | [43] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | Promotion play-off different for this season only (see below).[h] | |||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | Spalding (N) | 25–10 | Market Harborough (S) | Memorial Field,Spalding,Lincolnshire | 400[44] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | Peterborough Lions (S) | 17–20 | Loughborough (N) | Bretton Woods,Peterborough,Cambridgeshire | [45] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Market Bosworth (S) | 17–14 | Lutterworth (N) | Cadeby Lane,Market Bosworth,Warwickshire | [46] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | Huntingdon (S) | 30–17 | Oakham (N) | The Racecourse,Brampton,Cambridgeshire | [47] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | Spalding (N) | 24–14 | Newbold on Avon (S) | Memorial Field,Spalding,Lincolnshire | 400[48] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | Coalville (N) | 25–36 | Wellingborough (S) | Memorial Ground,Coalville,Leicestershire | [49] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | Lutterworth (S) | 43–17 | West Bridgford (N) | Ashby Lane,Lutterworth,Leicestershire | [50] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | Oundle (S) | 30–12 | Coalville (N) | Occupation Road,Oundle,Northamptonshire | 400[51] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | Luton (S) | 35–22 | Matlock (N) | Newlands Road,Luton,Bedfordshire | [52] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | Market Harborough (S) | 25-21[i] | Dronfield (N) | Cadeby Lane,Market Bosworth,Leicestershire | [53] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner-up – Belgrave (S) – promoted. | |||||||||||||
| 2020–21 | Cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | |||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | Cancelled due to league reorganisation. | |||||||||||||
| Green background is the promoted team. N = Midlands 2 East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 East (North)) and S = Midlands 2 East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) | ||||||||||||||
As mentioned above the 2008–09 promotion play-off in Midlands 3 were different due to RFU restructuring for the following season. The two runners-up with the worst league records in the four regional divisions at this level played each other for the final promotion spot, with the team with the superior league record having home advantage.
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| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | Spalding (N) | 12–14 | Nuneaton Old Edwardians (S) | Memorial Field,Spalding,Lincolnshire | [54] | |||
| Green background is the promoted team. S = Midlands 2 West (South) (formerly Midlands 3 West (South)) and N = Midlands 2 East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 West (North)) | ||||||||
| Governing body |
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| National teams |
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