London 2 North West Explained

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
Current Season:	2024-25 Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
Sport:	Rugby union
Founded:	(as London 3 North West)
Teams:	12
Most Champs:	Hertford, Tabard
Count:	3
Website:	englandrugby.com

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex (formerly London 2 North West) 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

Departing were London Scottish Lions promoted to Regional 2 Thames. Enfield Ignatians and Hampstead were relegated to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.

Joining were Brunel University and Ealing Trailfinders 1871, promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex, together with Fullerians, relegated from Regional 2 Thames.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Brunel University	Brunel University Sports Park		Uxbridge, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (champions)
Cheshunt	Rosedale Sports Club			4th
Chiswick	Dukes Meadows		Chiswick, London	5th
Datchworth	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

Departing were Hemel Hempstead and Grasshoppers, promoted to Regional 2 Thames. There was no relegation.

Joining were Cheshunt and London Scottish Lions, promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cheshunt	Rosedale Sports Club			Promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (champions)
Chiswick	Dukes Meadows		Chiswick, London	3rd
Datchworth	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 with eight of the teams competed in the previous season returning whilst the top four moved to Regional 2 Thames ord 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			12th
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane		Enfield, London, London	9th
	Summers Lane	1,000	Finchley, London	Promoted from L3NW (1st)
Grasshoppers	MacFarlane Lane		Isleworth, London	6th
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground		Upper Clapton, London	11th
Hampstead			Highgate, London	10th
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane			7th
	King George V Playing Fields			Promoted from L3NW (3rd)
Old Streetonians	Haggerston Park		Shoreditch, London	5th
Ruislip	West End Road		Ruislip, London	8th
	Hobbs Way			Promoted from L3NW (2nd)

Teams for 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
Datchworth	Datchworth Sports Club			10th
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane			Promoted from London 3 NW (runners-up)
Fullerians	Coningsby Drive			6th
Grasshoppers	MacFarlane Lane			7th
H.A.C.				Relegated from London 1 South (12th)
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground			9th
Hampstead				4th
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane			7th
	Legends Lane, Baldock Road			8th
Old Priorians	Perivale			Relegated from London 1 North (12th)
Old Streetonians	Haggerston Park			Promoted from London 3 NW (champions)
Ruislip	West End Road			Relegated from London 1 North (14th)

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 London 2 North West was not contested.

Participating Clubs 2019–20

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Chiswick	Duke's Meadows			3rd
Datchworth	Datchworth Sports Club			Promoted from London 3 NW (runners up)
Fullerians	Coningsby Drive			Relegated from London 1 North (12th)
Grasshoppers	MacFarlane Lane			7th
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground			10th
				8th
Hampstead				4th
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane			5th
	Baldock Road			9th
		5,850 (1,000 seats)		Promoted from London 3 NW (champions)
	Newlands Road			Relegated from London 1 North (13th)
	Hobbs Way			6th

Participating Clubs 2018–19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
				4th
Chiswick	Duke's Meadows			7th
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane			10th
Grasshoppers	MacFarlane Lane			Promoted from London 3 NW (champions)
				8th
Hampstead				2nd (lost playoff)
	Redbourn Lane			3rd
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane			9th
	Baldock Road			Relegated from London 1 North (13th)
London Nigerian	Heston Sports Ground			5th
	Hobbs Way			Promoted from London 3 NW (runners up)

Participating Clubs 2017–18

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
				4th
Chiswick	Duke's Meadows			Relegated from London 1 South (12th)
Enfield Ignatians	Donkey Lane			9th
H.A.C.				2nd
	Spring Hill Recreation Ground			Promoted from London 3 North West (champions)
				8th
Hampstead				3rd
	Redbourn Lane			5th
	Grove Field			6th
Hemel Hempstead	Chaulden Lane			Promoted from London 3 North West (runners up)
London Nigerian	Heston Sports Ground			10th
	Cobden Hill			7th

Participating Clubs 2016-17

• Belsize Park (promoted from London 3 North West)
• Enfield Ignatians
• H.A.C.
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Hampstead
• Harpenden
• Harrow (relegated from London 1 North)
• London Nigerian (promoted from London 3 North West)
• Old Haberdashers
• Stockwood Park
• Tabard
• Welwyn

Participating Clubs 2015-16

• Enfield Ignations (transferred from London 2 North East)
• Fullerians (promoted from London 3 North West)
• H.A.C.
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Hampstead
• Harpenden
• Old Haberdashers
  • Old Merchant Taylors' Staines
• Tabard
• Welwyn (promoted from London 3 North West)
• Woodford (relegated from London 1 North)

Participating Clubs 2014-15

• Chiswick
• H.A.C.
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Hampstead
• Harpenden
• Harrow (promoted from London 3 North West)
• Hemel Hempstead
• Old Haberdashers
• Old Merchant Taylors' (promoted from London 3 North West)
• St Albans
• Staines
• Tabard (relegated from London 1 North)

Participating Clubs 2013-14

• Beaconsfield (relegated from London 1 North)
• Chiswick
• H.A.C.
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Hampstead
• Harpenden
• Hemel Hempstead
• London Nigerian
• Old Priorians (promoted from London 3 North West)
• St Albans
• Twickenham
• U.C.S. Old Boys

Participating Clubs 2012-13

• Chiswick
• Fullerians
• Grasshoppers
• H.A.C.
• Hammersmith & Fulham (relegated from London 1 North)
• Hampstead
• Harpenden
• Hemel Hempstead
• London Nigerian
• St Albans
  • Tabard U.C.S. Old Boys

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as London 3 North West) contained the following teams:

• Bacavians
• Bishop's Stortford
• Fullerians
• Harrow
• Hendon
• Kingsburians
• Letchworth Garden City
• Mill Hill
• Old Paulines
• Tabard
• Twickenham

London 2 North West Honours

London 3 North West (1987–1993)

Originally known as London 3 North West, this division was a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North and relegation down to either Hertfordshire 1 or Middlesex 1.

<											----> London 3 North West
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	11	Bishop's Stortford
1988–89	11	Finchley
1989–90	11	Tabard
1990–91	11	Letchworth Garden City
1991–92	11	Upper Clapton
1992–93	13	Verulamians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North West (1993–1996)

At the end of the 1992–93 season, the top six teams from London 1 and the top six from South West 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 3 North West dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to London 2 North, while relegation was to the newly introduced Herts/Middlesex.

<											----> London 3 North West Honours
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1993–94	13	Staines
1994–95	13	Hertford
1995–96	13	Old Albanian
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North East (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 3 North West reverted to being a tier 7 league. Promotion continued to London 2 North, while relegation was to Herts/Middlesex 1 (formerly Herts/Middlesex).

<											----> London 3 North West Honours
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1996–97	13	Old Merchant Taylors'		No relegation
1997–98	17	Harpenden
1998–99^[2]	17	London Nigerian
1999–00^[3]	17	Hertford		Multiple teams
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North West (2000–2009)

London 3 North West continued to be a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North. However, the introduction of London 4 North West ahead of the 2000–01 season meant that clubs were now relegated into this new division instead of into Herts/Middlesex 1.

<											----> London 3 North West Honours
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01^[4]	10	Hertford
2001–02^[5]	10	Bank of England
2002–03^[6]	10	London Scottish
2003–04^[7]	9	Civil Service
2004–05^[8]	12	St Albans
2005–06^[9]	12	Woodford	Tring
2006–07^[10]	12	Ruislip
2007–08^[11]	12	Stevenage Town
2008–09^[12]	12	Harpenden		No relegation due to league restructure
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 2 North East (2009–present)

Nationwide league restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 3 North West renamed as London 2 North West. It remained at level 7 with promotion to London 1 North (formerly London 2 North) and relegation to London 3 North West (formerly London 4 North West).

<											----> London 2 North West Honours
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2009–10^[13]	12	Tabard
2010–11^[14]	12	Hammersmith & Fulham
2011–12^[15]	12	Old Haberdashers
2012–13^[16]	12	Tabard
2013–14^[17]	12	Old Priorians
2014–15^[18]	12	Harrow
2015–16^[19]	12	Fullerians
2016–17^[20]	12	Old Haberdashers
2017–18^[21]	12	H.A.C.
2018–19^[22]	11	Belsize Park
2019–20^[23]	12	London Welsh
2020–21	12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 2 North East and London 2 North West for the third and final promotion place to London 1 North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 2 North East and London 2 North West teams are tied on nine wins apiece, and the home team has won promotion on fourteen occasions compared to the away teams five.

<											----> London 2 (north-east v north-west) promotion play-off results
Season	Home team	Score	Away team	Venue	Attendance
2000–01^[24]	Twickenham (NW)	44-8	Rochford Hundred (NE)
2001–02^[25]	Letchworth Garden City (NW)	31-22	Basildon (NE)
2002–03^[26]	Ealing Trailfinders (NW)	36-12	Saffron Walden (NE)
2003–04^[27]	St Albans (2nd XV) (NW)	5-22	Hadleigh (NE)
2004–05^[28]	Bank of England (NW)	39-0	Romford and Gidea Park (NE)
2005–06^[29]	Tring (NW)	19-5	Diss (NE)
2006–07^[30]	Welwyn (NW)	19-6	Harlow (NE)
2007–08^[31]	Diss (NE)	50-15	Imperial Medicals (NW)
2008–09^[32]	Brentwood (NE)	23-15	Hampstead (NW)
2009–10^[33]	Hammersmith & Fulham (NW)	22-29	Colchester (NE)
2010–11^[34]	Braintree (NE)	24-14	Harpenden (NW)		300
2011–12^[35]	Basildon (NE)	38-13	Stevenage (NW)
2012–13^[36]	Hemel Hempstead (NW)	13-16 (aet)	Woodford (NE)		500
2013–14^[37]	Twickenham (NW)	44-43	Saffron Walden (NE)
2014–15^[38]	Diss (NE)	13-16	Chiswick (NW)
2015–16^[39]	Sudbury (NE)	22-18	Hammersmith & Fulham (NW)
2016–17^[40]	H.A.C. (NW)	48-7	South Woodham Ferrers (NE)
2017–18^[41]	Hampstead (NW)	7-37	Sudbury (NE)
2018–19^[42]	Harpenden (NW)	60-6	Romford and Gidea Park (NE)
2019–20	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. NE = London 2 North East (formerly London 3 North East) and NW = London 2 North West (formerly London 3 North West)

Number of league titles

• Hertford (3)
• Tabard (3)
• Harpenden (2)
• Old Haberdashers (2)
• Bank of England (1)
• Belsize Park (1)
• Bishop's Stortford (1)
• Civil Service (1)
• Finchley (1)
• Fullerians (1)
• Hammersmith & Fulham (1)
• Harrow (1)
• H.A.C. (1)
• Letchworth Garden City (1)
• London Nigerian (1)
• London Scottish (1)
• London Welsh (1)
• Old Albanian (1)
• Old Merchant Taylors' (1)
• Old Priorians (1)
• Ruislip (1)
• St Albans (1)
• Staines (1)
• Stevenage Town (1)
• Upper Clapton (1)
• Verulamians (1)
• Woodford (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. RFU . 30 December 2014.
3. Web site: 1999-2000 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
4. Web site: 2000-2001 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU. 30 December 2014. 13 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150113152505/http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/london-se-division/2000-2001/group/9624. dead.
5. Web site: 2001-2002 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
6. Web site: 2002-2003 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
7. Web site: 2003-2004 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
8. Web site: 2004-2005 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
9. Web site: 2005-2006 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
10. Web site: 2006-2007 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
11. Web site: 2007-2008 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
12. Web site: 2008-2009 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
13. Web site: 2009-2010 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
14. Web site: 2010-2011 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
15. Web site: 2011-2012 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
16. Web site: 2012-2013 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
17. Web site: 2013-2014 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 30 December 2014.
18. Web site: 2014-2015 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 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 level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.
24. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01 . England Rugby . 19 May 2001.
25. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02 . England Rugby . 27 April 2002.
26. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2002-03 . England Rugby . 6 May 2017.
27. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2003-04 . England Rugby . 6 June 2004.
28. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05 . England Rugby . 30 April 2005.
29. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06 . England Rugby . 29 April 2006.
30. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07 . England Rugby . 28 April 2007.
31. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08 . England Rugby . 26 April 2008.
32. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2008-09 . England Rugby . 25 April 2009.
33. Web site: Hammers 22 Colchester 29. Fulham Rugby. 17 April 2010.
34. Web site: RUGBY: Braintree promoted with pulsating win against Harpenden . This is Essex . 28 April 2011.
35. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2011-12. England Rugby . 21 April 2009.
36. Web site: Woodford seal Promotion with Extra Time Victory. Hemel Hempstead RFC (Pitchero). 27 April 2013.
37. Web site: Fantastic, brilliant, stunning and oh so near to pulling off a great win. Saffron Walden RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2014.
38. Web site: Champagne for Chiswick as they go the Diss-tance to secure promotion. Get West London. 27 April 2015 .
39. Web site: MATCH REPORT: Sudbury secure back-to-back promotions. Suffolk Free Press. 30 April 2016 .
40. Web site: Woodham beaten by HAC in play-off final. Echo. 30 April 2016 .
41. Web site: Sudbury Rugby Club cruise to promotion play-off victory. Suffolk Free Press. 21 April 2018 .
42. Web site: Harpenden secure promotion to London One. Herts Advertiser. 16 April 2019 .