Essex 1

Essex 1 (known as Essex/Canterbury Jack 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to London 3 Essex. Relegated clubs used to drop into Essex 2 but as that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation. The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.

Essex 1
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Essex Canterbury Jack 1
SportRugby union
Instituted2003 (2003)
Number of teams9
Country England
HoldersMaldon (1st title) (2021–22)
(promoted to London 3 Essex)
Most titlesBillericay, Campion, Dagenham, East London, Upminster, Wanstead (2 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

For the 2016–17 season the league was divided into two parallel divisions - Essex 1A and Essex 1B - divided on geographical lines with teams in Essex 1A typically based in the north and east of the county, while teams in Essex 1B are predominantly London based. Each division plays 14 home and away games from September until February. From February the top 4 teams from each division go into the Essex 1 Premiership and play for the title and promotion, while the bottom 4 sides from each group would play for the Essex 1 Shied.

For the 2018–19 season Essex 1 would revert to being a single division of 11 teams.

Participating clubs 2022–23

Thirteen teams are competing in Counties 2 Essex in 2022–23. Ten teams took part in Essex 1 in 2021–22; Barking, Basildon, Billericay, Clacton, Harwich & Dovercourt, Maldon, Millwall, Old Brentwoods, Stanford Le Hope and Writtle Wanderers.

Canvey Island (12th) and Kings Cross Steelers (11th) competed in London 3 Essex in 2021–22. Pegasus Palmerians joined the league as a new team for 2022–23.

Participating clubs 2021–22

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.

Ilford Wanderers, who had been relegated from London 3 Essex in 11th place in season 2019-20, withdrew from the league in Autumn 2021 meaning it was completed with eleven teams.

Season 2020–21

On 30th 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 Essex 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Participating clubs 2018–19

Participating clubs 2017–18

Essex Canterbury Jack League 1A

Essex Canterbury Jack League 1B

Participating clubs 2016–17

Essex 1A

Essex 1B
  • Braintree
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • Canvey Island
  • Clacton
  • Harwich & Dovercourt
  • Maldon
  • Writtle Wanderers
  • Witham

Participating clubs 2015–16

Participating clubs 2014–15
  • Bancroft
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • Canvey Island (relegated from London 3 North East)
  • Dagenham
  • East London
  • Epping Upper Clapton
  • Ilford Wanderers
  • Maldon
  • May & Baker
  • Millwall
  • Pegasus Palmerians
  • Writtle Wanderers

Original teams

When Essex 1 was introduced in 2003 it contained the following teams:

Essex 1 honours

Essex 1 (2004–2009)

The original Essex 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to London 4 North East and relegation down to Essex 2.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2003–04[2]10WestcliffWansteadCanvey Island
2004–05[3]10WansteadUpminsterStanford Le Hope
2005–06[4]10UpminsterCanvey IslandThames
2006–07[5]10BillericaySouth Woodham FerrersIlford Wanderers II[lower-alpha 1]
2007–08[6]10DagenhamMaldonEast London, Millwall
2008–09[7]10WansteadCampionWrittle Wanderers, Epping Upper Clapton
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Essex 1 (2009–2017)

Essex 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 was to Essex 2 until that division was disbanded at the end of the 2013–14 season.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2009–10[8]10CampionBancroftIlford Wanderers
2010–11[9]11East LondonMillwallDagenham, Thames, Brightlingsea
2011–12[10]10Old BrentwoodsMaldonWrittle Wanderers, Pegasus Palmerians
2012–13[11]10CampionOld CooperiansBurnham-On-Crouch, Millwall
2013–14[12]9BillericayClactonNo relegation[lower-alpha 2]
2014–15[13]11May & BakerEpping Upper ClaptonNo relegation
2015–16[14]13East LondonIlford WanderersNo relegation
2016–17[15]16BraintreeCanvey Island[lower-alpha 3]No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Essex 1 (2017–present)

The cancellation of London 3 North East and subsequent introduction of London 3 Essex ahead of the 2017–18 meant that Essex 1 remained a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division, and as it was the lowest division for clubs in Essex, there was no relegation.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2017–18[16]16Kings Cross SteelersIlford WanderersNo relegation
2018–19[17]10UpminsterMavericksNo relegation
2019–20[18]9DagenhamCanvey IslandNo relegation
2020–219No relegation
2021-22[19]10MaldonBillericay
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

From 2004 to 2016 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 2015–16 season the Essex 1 teams had been the most successful with seven wins to the Eastern Counties 1 teams five; and the home team had 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 start of the 2017–18 season the playoff has been cancelled.[20]

Eastern Counties 1 v Essex 1 promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
2004-05[21]Crusaders (EC)41-24Upminster (EX)Beckhithe, Little Melton, Norfolk
2005–06[22]Canvey Island (EX)31-18Mersea Island (EC)Tewkes Creek, Canvey Island, Essex
2006–07[23]Thurston (EC)22-33South Woodham Ferrers (EX)Robinson Field, Thurston, Suffolk
2007–08[24]Maldon (EX)15-20West Norfolk (EC)Drapers Farm Playing Fields, Heybridge, Essex
2008–09[25]Wisbech (EC)38-14Campion (EX)Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
2009–10[26]Bancroft (EX)37-29Stowmarket (EC)Buckhurst Way, Buckhurst Hill, Essex
2010–11[27]Holt (EC)HWO[lower-alpha 4]Millwall (EX)Bridge Road, Holt, Norfolk
2011–12[28]Wisbech (EC)38-12Maldon (EX)Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
2012–13[29]Ipswich Y.M. (EC)20-27Old Cooperians (EX)The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich, Suffolk
2013–14[30]Newmarket (EC)17-18Clacton (EX)The NSDA Pavilion, Newmarket, Suffolk
2014–15[31]Epping Upper Clapton (EX)36-22Ely (EC)Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex400
2015–16[32]Ilford Wanderers (EX)66-17Wymondham (EC)Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground, Barkingside, Greater London
Green background is the promoted team. EC = Eastern Counties 1 and EX = Essex Canterbury Jack (formerly Essex 1)

Number of league titles

See also

Notes
  1. Ilford Wanderers II were relegated despite finishing 7th as Ilford Wanderers 1st team was demoted to the league for the following season.
  2. No relegation as Essex 2 cancelled at the end of the season.
  3. Due to London 3 North East being split into London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex, five teams would be promoted this season instead of the usual 1 or 2, including Maldon, Clacton and Millwall.
  4. Holt were promoted as Millwall did not manage to raise a team for the 2010-11 play-off game.

References
  1. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  3. "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  4. "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  5. "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  7. "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  8. "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  9. "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  10. "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  11. "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  12. "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  13. "2014-2015 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  14. "2015-2016 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  15. "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  16. "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  17. "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  18. "Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  19. "Essex 1 table 2021-2022". RFU. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  20. "Wymondham v Wisbech EC1 - Sat 8th Apr". Wymondham RFC (Pitchero). 8 April 2017.
  21. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
  22. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
  23. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
  24. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
  25. "Rugby: Wisbech's fine win secures promotion". Peterborough Today. 27 April 2009.
  26. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2009-10". England Rugby. 24 April 2009.
  27. "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2010-11". England Rugby. 30 April 2010.
  28. "Long delighted as Wisbech Rugby Club win promotion play-off in his final game as skipper". Eastern Daily Press. 27 April 2012.
  29. "OLD COOPERIANS PROMOTED to London North East 3". Old Cooperians RFC (Pitchero). 4 May 2013.
  30. "Newmarket stay down with a narrow defeat to Clacton". Newmarket Journal. 1 May 2014.
  31. "Epping v Ely 25.04.15". Epping Upper Clapton RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
  32. "Wanderers earn their place in London 3 NE". Ilford Wanderers RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2016.
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