Eastern Counties 1 was an English level 9Rugby Union League. From the 2017-18 promoted teams move up to the newly createdLondon 3 Eastern Counties with the league champions going up automatically, while relegated teams drop down toEastern Counties 2 (split into three regional divisions - north, south, west). Teams in this league tend to be based inCambridgeshire,Norfolk orSuffolk. In the past teams fromEssex used to take part until the 2003–04 season when they formed a new league - withEssex 1 being the top division.
The division was split across three geographic areas (North, South & West) for the 2017-18 as part of anRFU 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 toLondon 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.
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.
The creation ofNational 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 toLondon 3 North East andEastern Counties 2 respectively.
The cancellation ofNational 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 toLondon 3 North East andEastern Counties 2 respectively.
The introduction ofLondon 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 toEastern Counties 2 - split into north and south regional divisions between 2000 and 2003.
Eastern Counties 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by theRFU. Promotion was toLondon 3 North East (formerly London 4 North East) and relegation toEastern Counties 2, which split into three regional divisions - north, south, west - from the 2014–15 season onward.
The cancellation ofLondon 3 North East and subsequent introduction ofLondon 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 regionalisedEastern Counties 2 (north, south, west).
Between 2004 and 2017 there was a play-off between the runners-up of Eastern Counties 1 andEssex 1 for the third and final promotion place toLondon 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 ofLondon 3 Eastern Counties andLondon 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
^As the league was due to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season, there was no relegation.
^Due to restructuring of the London & South East leagues for the following season, seven clubs were promoted includingUpminster,Holt,Wymondham,Newmarket andShelford.
^Due to restructuring of the London & South East leagues for the following season, there was no relegation.
^Beccles were winners of the Eastern Counties 1 Shield - the final promotion stage of the Eastern Counties 1 competition.
^Ely II and Harwich & Dovercourt Rugby Club II were the two lowest ranked sides in the Eastern Counties 1 Salver - the final relegation stage of the Eastern Counties 1 competition.
^Holt were promoted as Millwall did not manage to raise a team for the 2010-11 play-off game.
2019–20 Eastern Counties 1
England