The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-six 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:
4 points are awarded for a win
2 points are awarded for a draw
0 points are awarded for a loss, however
1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
The top two teams are promoted to Western Counties West and the bottom three teams are relegated to either Cornwall One or Devon One depending on their location.
This was the first season following theRFU Adult Competition Review. The league was a continuation of Devon League 1 in name only with just the top two sides included in the new line-up of clubs. It was closer in standard to theCornwall/Devon League (both being level 8) with four teams who played in that league the previous season included whilst the Cornish teams were allocated toCounties 2 Cornwall. Post ACR club sides were permitted to enter the RFU pyramid so five 2XVs joined alongside Honiton relegated fromWestern Counties West.
Each season, the runners-up ofCornwall 1 and Devon 1, usually participate in a play-off for promotion toCornwall/Devon. Newquay Hornets declined to play the match and Torrington were promoted.
Each season, the runners-up ofCornwall 1 and Devon 1, usually participate in a play-off for promotion toCornwall/Devon. Camborne School of Mines were due to play Topsham, but it appears that Camborne School of Mines conceded.
Plymouth Argaum are the champions and they are promoted toCornwall/Devon for season 2015–16.[21] The runner-up, Plymstock Albion Oaks won the play-off match againstVeor 47 – 3 to also win promotion.[22] The last two teams Old Technicians (8th) and Torrington (9th) are relegated (subject to confirmation) toDevon 2.
Each season, the runners-up ofCornwall 1 and Devon 1, participate in a play-off for promotion toCornwall/Devon. Plymouth Albion Oaks beat the home team Veor 47 – 3.
The 2013–14 Devon 1 consisted of nine clubs; eight from Devon and one from Cornwall. The season started on 7 September 2013 and ended on 5 April 2014 with each team playing each of the other teams twice. South Molton finished in first place and were promoted toCornwall/Devon, while the runner-up, Totnes, lost to the second team inCornwall 1, Bodmin, in a play-off and stay in this league. The bottom team, Salcombe, were relegated toDevon 2.
The creation ofNational 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Devon 1 became a tier 10 league. Promotion continued toCornwall/Devon and relegation toDevon 2. The league continued to be sponsored byCourage.
The cancellation ofNational 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Devon League 1 return to being a tier 9 division. Promotion continued toCornwall/Devon and relegation toDevon 2. From the 2008–09 season onward the league sponsor wasTribute.
Despite widespread league restructuring by theRFU, Devon 1 continued as a tier 9 division, with promotion toCornwall/Devon and relegation toDevon 2.Tribute continued to sponsor the league.
From the 2018–19 Devon 1 continued as a tier 9 division, with promotion toCornwall/Devon. However, the cancellation ofDevon 2 meant there was no longer relegation.Tribute continues to sponsor the league
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up ofCornwall League 1 and Devon League 1 for the third and final promotion place toCornwall/Devon. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Devon League 1 teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Cornwall League 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away teams six.
Cornwall League 1 v Devon League 1 promotion play-off results
Green background is the promoted team. C = Cornwall League 1 and D = Devon League 1, HWO and AWO = home team or away team walk-over (when the other team declines to participate).
^Exeter Athletic were previously called Wessex RFC until that club merged with Exeter Youth RFC at the end of the 2017-18 season.[1]
^Plymouth Civil Services has since been disbanded.
^Prince Rock would later merge with Woodland Fort to become known as Prince Rock Woodland Fort RFC. The club has since disbanded.
^The restructuring ofDevon 2A andDevon 2B into a single division at the end of the season, meant there was no relegation.
^There was no relegation as the division was due to increase from 8 to 10 teams for the following season due to the cancellation ofDevon 2.
^The result of the 2003-04 promotion playoff betweenOld Plymothian & Mannamedian andPerranporth is not listed on the RFU website, although Old Plymothian & Mannamedian would have had home advantage as they had a better league record than Perranporth. We do, however, know that Old Plymothian & Mannamedian won this game as they were in Cornwall/Devon the next season while Perranporth were not.
^Due to the restructuring of the English league system by the RFU for the following season there was no promotion play-off. The champions and runners-up from each league having automatic promotion.
^abTony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990).Courage Clubs Championship. Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Horsham: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd.ISBN1873057024.
^Mick Cleary, ed. (1987).Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishers.ISBN074727732X.
^Stephen McCormack, ed. (2001).The Official RFU Club Directory 2001–2002. Harpender: Queen Anne Press.ISBN1852916400.
^Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988).Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 (17th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 123–139.ISBN0 356 15884 5.
^Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989).Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989–90 (18th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 133–136.ISBN0 356 17862 5.
^Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990).Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990–91 (19th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 143–146.ISBN0 356 19162 1.
^Jones, Stephen (1991).Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991–92. London: Queen Anne Press/Rothmans Publications. p. 448.ISBN0 356 20249 6.
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