Essex 1 Explained

Essex 1
Current Season:2019–20 Essex Canterbury Jack 1
Sport:Rugby union
Teams:9
Champion:Maldon (1st title)
Season:2021–22)
(promoted to London 3 Essex
Most Champs:Billericay, Campion, Dagenham, East London, Upminster, Wanstead
Count:2
Website:englandrugby.com

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.

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.

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bancroft Buckhurst Way New Entry
Goresbrook 1,000 Relegated from London 3 Essex (12th)
Basildon Gardiners Close Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th)
Willowbrook 1,000 6th
Clacton Valley Road 5th
Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane 7th
Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields 3rd
Millwall Millwall Park 4th
Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 9th
Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane 8th

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 Essex 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Willowbrook 1,000 6th
Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th)
Clacton Valley Road 4th
Dagenham Central Park 3rd
Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane 5th
Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Relegated from London 3 Essex (11th)
Millwall Millwall Park Relegated from London 3 Essex (12th)
Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 8th
Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane 7th

Participating clubs 2018–19

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Willowbrook 1,000 6th (Prem)
Clacton Valley Road Relegated from London 3 Essex (8th)
Dagenham Central Park 3rd (Shield)
Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane 1st (Shield)
Mavericks Warley Playing Field Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th)
Mersea Island The Glebe 4th (Prem)
Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 7th (Prem)
Thames Garron Lane N/A
Upminster Hall Lane Relegated from London 3 Essex (9th)
Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane 5th (Prem)

Participating clubs 2017–18

Essex Canterbury Jack League 1A

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Willowbrook 1,000 8th (Prem)
Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre 7th (Shield)
Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane 2nd (Shield)
Mersea Island The Glebe Transferred from Eastern Counties 2 (South) (champions)
Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground 6th (Prem)
Witham Witham Town Football & Social Club 8th (Shield)
Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane 1st (Shield)

Essex Canterbury Jack League 1B

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bancroft Buckhurst Way 3rd (Shield)
Dagenham Central Park 5th (Shield)
Ilford Wanderers Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground Transferred from London 3 North East (11th)
Memorial Park 500 6th (Shield)
May & Baker M&B Eastbrook Community Club N/A
Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 7th (Prem)
Pegasus Palmerians St Cleres School 4th (Shield)

Participating clubs 2016–17

Essex 1A

Essex 1B

Participating clubs 2015–16

Participating clubs 2014–15

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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
2003–04[2] 10 Westcliff
2004–05[3] 10 Wanstead
2005–06[4] 10 Upminster
2006–07[5] 10 Billericay
2007–08[6] 10 Dagenham
2008–09[7] 10 Wanstead Writtle 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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
2009–10[8] 10 Campion
2010–11[9] 11 East London
2011–12[10] 10 Old Brentwoods
2012–13[11] 10 Campion
2013–14[12] 9 Billericay No relegation
2014–15[13] 11 May & Baker No relegation
2015–16[14] 13 East London No relegation
2016–17[15] 16 Braintree 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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
2017–18[16] 16 Kings Cross Steelers No relegation
2018–19[17] 10 Upminster No relegation
2019–20[18] 9 Dagenham No relegation
2020–21 9 No relegation
2021-22[19] 10 Maldon Billericay
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
SeasonHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttendance
2004-05[21] Crusaders (EC) 41-24 Upminster (EX)
2005–06[22] Canvey Island (EX) 31-18 Mersea Island (EC)
2006–07[23] Thurston (EC) 22-33 South Woodham Ferrers (EX)
2007–08[24] Maldon (EX) 15-20 West Norfolk (EC)
2008–09[25] Wisbech (EC) 38-14 Campion (EX)
2009–10[26] Bancroft (EX) 37-29 Stowmarket (EC)
2010–11[27] Holt (EC) HWO Millwall (EX)
2011–12[28] Wisbech (EC) 38-12 Maldon (EX)
2012–13[29] Ipswich Y.M. (EC) 20-27 Old Cooperians (EX)
2013–14[30] Newmarket (EC) 17-18 Clacton (EX)
2014–15[31] Epping Upper Clapton (EX) 36-22 Ely (EC) 400
2015–16[32] Ilford Wanderers (EX) 66-17 Wymondham (EC)
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 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: 2003-2004 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  3. Web site: 2004-2005 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  4. Web site: 2005-2006 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  5. Web site: 2006-2007 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  6. Web site: 2007-2008 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  7. Web site: 2008-2009 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  8. Web site: 2009-2010 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  9. Web site: 2010-2011 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  10. Web site: 2011-2012 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  11. Web site: 2012-2013 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  12. Web site: 2013-2014 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 31 January 2015.
  13. Web site: 2014-2015 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 3 May 2015.
  14. Web site: 2015-2016 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 25 April 2016.
  15. Web site: 2016-2017 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 22 April 2017.
  16. Web site: 2017-2018 London South-East Division. England Rugby. 21 April 2018.
  17. Web site: 2018-2019 London & South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 13 April 2019.
  18. Web site: Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.
  19. Web site: Essex 1 table 2021-2022 . RFU . 15 February 2023.
  20. Web site: Wymondham v Wisbech EC1 - Sat 8th Apr. Wymondham RFC (Pitchero). 8 April 2017.
  21. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05 . England Rugby . 30 April 2005.
  22. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06 . England Rugby . 29 April 2006.
  23. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07 . England Rugby . 28 April 2007.
  24. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08 . England Rugby . 26 April 2008.
  25. Web site: Rugby: Wisbech's fine win secures promotion. Peterborough Today. 27 April 2009.
  26. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2009-10 . England Rugby . 24 April 2009.
  27. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2010-11 . England Rugby . 30 April 2010.
  28. Web site: Long delighted as Wisbech Rugby Club win promotion play-off in his final game as skipper. Eastern Daily Press. 27 April 2012.
  29. Web site: OLD COOPERIANS PROMOTED to London North East 3. Old Cooperians RFC (Pitchero). 4 May 2013.
  30. Web site: Newmarket stay down with a narrow defeat to Clacton. Newmarket Journal. 1 May 2014.
  31. Web site: Epping v Ely 25.04.15. Epping Upper Clapton RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
  32. Web site: Wanderers earn their place in London 3 NE. Ilford Wanderers RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2016.

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