Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex Explained

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
Current Season:	2023–24 Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
Teams:	12
Founded:	(as Herts/Middlesex)
Champion:	Hemel Hempstead (1st title)
Season:	2022–23) (promoted to Regional 2 Thames
Website:	https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/search-results?competition=261&division=47015&season=2023-2024#table

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex is a tier 7 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the top-tier competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. It was previously known as London 2 North West. After the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, the league was renamed to Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex.

Each year the two Hertfordshire clubs in this division with the best record against other Hertfordshire clubs also take part in the Hertfordshire Presidents' Cup, the highest level county cup competition in Hertfordshire. Promoted teams typically go up to Regional 2 Thames while relegated teams drop to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.

Participating clubs 2024–25

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Brunel University	Brunel University Sports Park		Uxbridge, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (champions)
Cheshunt RFC	Rosedale Sports Club			4th
Chiswick RFC	Dukes Meadows		Chiswick, London	5th
Datchworth RFC	Datchworth Sports Club			10th
		4,000	West Ealing, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (runners-up)
	Summers Lane	1,000	Finchley, London	3rd
Fullerians	Coningsby Drive			Relegated from Regional 2 Thames (11th)
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground		Upper Clapton, London	9th
	King George V Playing Fields			7th
Old Streetonians	Haggerston Park		Shoreditch, London	2nd
Ruislip	West End Road		Ruislip, London	8th
	Hobbs Way			6th

Participating clubs 2023–24

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cheshunt RFC	Rosedale Sports Club			Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (champions)
Chiswick RFC	Dukes Meadows		Chiswick, London	3rd
Datchworth RFC	Datchworth Sports Club			10th
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane		Enfield, London, London	12th
	Summers Lane	1,000	Finchley, London	7th
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground		Upper Clapton, London	11th
Hampstead			Highgate, London	9th
	King George V Playing Fields			5th
		4,500	Richmond, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (runners up)
Old Streetonians	Haggerston Park		Shoreditch, London	4th
Ruislip	West End Road		Ruislip, London	6th
	Hobbs Way			8th

Participating clubs 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 2 North West. Eight of the teams played in L2NW the previous season with the top four moving to Regional 2 Thames and Regional 2 Anglia. They were replaced with the top three from London 3 North West and Chiswick on a level transfer from London 2 South West.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Chiswick	Dukes Meadows		Chiswick, London	8th L2SW (level transfer)
Datchworth	Datchworth Sports Club
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane		Enfield, London, London
	Summers Lane	1,000	Finchley, London	Promoted from L3NW (1st)
Grasshoppers	MacFarlane Lane		Isleworth, London
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground		Upper Clapton, London
Hampstead			Highgate, London
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane
	King George V Playing Fields			Promoted from L3NW (3rd)
Old Streetonians	Haggerston Park		Shoreditch, London
Ruislip	West End Road		Ruislip, London
	Hobbs Way			Promoted from L3NW (2nd)

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Actonians	Old Actonians Sports Ground		Acton, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners-up)
Bank Of England	Bank of England Sports Centre		Roehampton, London	7th
Barnet Elizabethans	Byng Road		Chipping Barnet, London	3rd
		4,000	West Ealing, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions)
Kilburn Cosmos	Gladstone Park		Kilburn, London	Relegated from London 3 NW (11th)
		4,500	Richmond, London	5th
Saracens Amateurs	Bramley Sports Ground		Cockfosters, London	6th
Thamesians	Twickenham Green		Twickenham, London	8th
Verulamians	Cotlandswick			9th
	Twyford Avenue Sports Ground		Acton, London	4th

Season 2020–21

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 Herts/Middlesex 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Bank Of England	Bank of England Sports Centre		Roehampton, London	7th
Barnet Elizabethans	Byng Road		Chipping Barnet, London	9th
Hendon	Copthall Playing Fields		Hendon, London	3rd
		4,500	Richmond, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions)
Mill Hill	Champions Way		Mill Hill, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up)
Saracens Amateurs	Bramley Sports Ground		Cockfosters, London	8th
	Boggymead Springs			4th
Thamesians	Twickenham Green		Twickenham, London	10th
Verulamians	Cotlandswick			Relegated from London 3 NW (12th)
	Twyford Avenue Sports Ground		Acton, London	6th

Participating clubs 2018–19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Bank Of England	Bank of England Sports Centre		Roehampton, London	3rd
Barnet Elizabethans	Galley Lane		Chipping Barnet, London	6th
Finsbury Park			West Green, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions)
Hendon	Copthall Playing Fields		Hendon, London	9th
	King George V Playing Fields			Relegated from London 3 NW (12th)
Old Actonians	Old Actonians Sports Ground		Acton, London	7th
Saracens Amateurs	Bramley Sports Ground		Cockfosters, London	5th
	Boggymead Springs			Relegated from London 3 NW (11th)
Staines	The Reeves		Feltham, London	4th
Thamesians	Twickenham Green		Twickenham, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up)
UCS Old Boys	UCS Sports Ground		Cricklewood, London	10th
	Twyford Avenue Sports Ground		Acton, London	8th

Participating clubs 2017–18

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Bank Of England	Bank of England Sports Centre		Roehampton, London	Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions)
Barnet Elizabethans	Galley Lane		Chipping Barnet, London	7th
Hendon	Copthall Playing Fields		Hendon, London	8th
			Barnes, London	3rd
		5,850	Richmond, London	5th
Old Actonians	Old Actonians Sports Ground		Acton, London	9th
Royston	The Heath Sports Centre			4th
Saracens Amateurs	Bramley Sports Ground		Cockfosters, London	6th
Staines	The Reeves		Feltham, London	Relegated from London 3 North West (12th)
UCS Old Boys	UCS Sports Ground		Cricklewood, London	11th (not relegated)
	Twyford Avenue Sports Ground		Acton, London	10th
Watford	Radlett Road			Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up)

Participating clubs 2016–17

• Barnet Elizabethans
• Hendon (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2)
• Hillingdon Abbots
• London French
• London Welsh Amateur
• Old Actonians (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Old Streetonians
• Royston
• Saracens Amateurs (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2)
• U.C.S. Old Boys
• Old Verulamians
• Wasps (relegated from London 3 North West)

Participating clubs 2015–16

• Bank of England
• Barnet Elizabethans
• Cheshunt
• Hillingdon Abbots (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2)
• London French (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2)
• London Welsh Amateurs
• Old Millhillnians
• Old Streetonians (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Royston
• U.C.S. Old Boys (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Verulamians

Participating clubs 2014–15

• Bank of England
• Barnet Elizabethans
• Cheshunt
• Feltham (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2)
• Haringey Rhinos
• Kilburn Cosmos
• London Nigerian (relegated from London 3 North West)
• London Welsh Amateurs (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Old Actonians
• Old Millhillians
• Royston
• Verulamians

Participating clubs 2013–14

• Bank of England
• Barnet Elizabethans (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Belsize Park
• Cheshunt (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Hackney
• Haringey Rhinos (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Imperial Medicals (relegated from London 3 North West)
• Kilburn Cosmos
• Old Actonians
• Old Millhillians
• Royston
• Verulamians

Participating clubs 2012–13

• Bank Of England
• Belsize Park
• Hackney
• Harlequin Amateurs
• Harrow
• Hendon
• London Welsh Amateurs
• Old Actonians
  • Old Merchant Taylors' Old Millhillians
• Verulamians
• West London

Participating clubs 2009–10

• Harlequin Amateurs
• Hackney
• Hendon
• Old Ashmoleians
• Verulamians
• Old Actonians
• Old Priorians
• Saracens Amateurs
• Wasps

Original teams

When this division was created in 1992 (as Herts/Middlesex) it contained the following teams:

• Antlers - promoted from Middlesex 2 (runners up)
• Centaurs - promoted from Middlesex 1 (5th)
• Haringey Rhinos - promoted from Middlesex 1 (3rd)
• Harrow - promoted from Middlesex 1 (4th)
• Hitchin - promoted from Hertfordshire 1 (3rd)
• Hemel Hempstead - relegated from London 3 North West (10th)
• Hendon - promoted from Middlesex 1 (8th)
• London New Zealand - promoted from Middlesex 1 (6th)
• Old Meadonians - promoted from Middlesex 2 (champions)
• Stevenage Town - promoted from Hertfordshire 1 (3rd)
• St. Mary's Hospital - relegated from London 3 North West (11th)
• Twickenham - promoted from Middlesex 1 (9th)
• Uxbridge - promoted from Middlesex 1 (7th)

Herts/Middlesex 1 honours

Herts/Middlesex (1992–93)

Originally known as Herts/Middlesex, this division was a tier 8 league with promotion to London 3 North West and relegation to either Hertfordshire 1 or Middlesex 1. The introduction of National 5 South ahead of the 1993–94 season meant that Herts/Middlesex dropped to become a tier 9 league.

<											----> Herts/Middlesex
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1992–93	13	Old Meadonians
1993–94	13	Barnet
1994–95	13	Mill Hill
1995–96	13	Hampstead
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Herts/Middlesex 1 (1996–2000)

Restructuring of the leagues by the RFU, which included the cancellation of National 5 South and the merging of the Hertfordshire and Middlesex regional divisions, meant that Herts/Middlesex was renamed as Herts/Middlesex 1 and was once again a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to London 3 North West, while relegation was now to the new Herts/Middlesex 2.

<											----> Herts/Middlesex 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1996–97	13	Harpenden		No relegation
1997–98	16	Twickenham
1998–99^[2]	14	Imperial Medicals		No relegation
1999–00^[3]	15	Bank Of England		Multiple teams
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Herts/Middlesex 1 (2000–2009)

The introduction of London 4 North West ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Herts/Middlesex 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to Herts/Middlesex 2.

<											----> Herts/Middlesex 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01^[4]	10	Richmond		No relegation
2001–02^[5]	10	CS Rugby 1863
2002–03^[6]	10	Haringey Rhinos
2003–04^[7]	9	Tring
2004–05^[8]	10	Hitchin
2005–06^[9]	10	Finchley
2006–07^[10]	10	Hemel Hempstead
2007–08^[11]	10	Chiswick		No relegation
2008–09^[12]	10	Cheshunt	Old Streetonians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Herts/Middlesex 1 (2009–present)

Herts/Middlesex 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national league restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 North West (formerly London 4 North West) and relegation to Herts/Middlesex 2.

<											----> Herts/Middlesex 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2009–10^[13]	10	Wasps Amateurs
2010–11^[14]	12	H.A.C.
2011–12^[15]	10	Wasps Amateurs
2012–13^[16]	11	Harrow
2013–14^[17]	12	Hackney
2014–15^[18]	12	Old Actonians
2015–16^[19]	12	Kilburn Cosmos		Old Millhillians, Bank Of England
2016–17^[20]	11	Verulamians	Old Streetonians
2017–18^[21]	12	London Welsh
2018–19^[22]	12	Hitchin
2019–20^[23]	10	Hendon
2020–21	10
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Chiswick (2)
• Hitchin (2)
• Wasps Amateurs (2)
• Bank Of England (1)
• Barnet (1)
• Cheshunt (1)
• CS Rugby 1863 (1)
• Finchley (1)
• H.A.C. (1)
• Hackney (1)
• Hampstead (1)
• Haringey Rhinos (1)
• Harpenden (1)
• Harrow (1)
• Hemel Hempstead (1)
• Hendon (1)
• Imperial Medicals (1)
• Kilburn Cosmos (1)
• London Welsh (1)
• Mill Hill (1)
• Old Actonians (1)
• Richmond (1)
• Tring (1)
• Twickenham (1)
• Verulamians (1)

See also

• London & SE Division RFU
• Hertfordshire RFU
• Middlesex RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes and References

1. Web site: RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season . RFU . 2020-10-20 . 2020-11-09.
2. Web site: 1998-1999 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
3. Web site: 1999-2000 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
4. Web site: 2000-2001 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
5. Web site: 2001-2002 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
6. Web site: 2002-2003 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
7. Web site: 2003-2004 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
8. Web site: 2004-2005 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
9. Web site: 2005-2006 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
10. Web site: 2006-2007 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
11. Web site: 2007-2008 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
12. Web site: 2008-2009 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
13. Web site: 2009-2010 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
14. Web site: 2010-2011 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
15. Web site: 2011-2012 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
16. Web site: 2012-2013 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
17. Web site: 2013-2014 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 9 February 2015.
18. Web site: 2014-2015 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 3 May 2015.
19. Web site: 2015-2016 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 25 April 2016.
20. Web site: 2016-2017 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 22 April 2017.
21. Web site: 2017-2018 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 21 April 2018.
22. Web site: 2018-2019 London & South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 13 April 2019.
23. Web site: Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.