Counties 1 Yorkshire Explained

Yorkshire Division One
Current Season:	Yorkshire 1#2019–20 season2019–20
Sport:	Rugby union
Teams:	14
Country:	England
Champion:	Goole
Season:	2022/23
Most Champs:	Bridlington, Driffield, Malton & Norton, Old Brodleians, Pocklington, Wheatley Hills
Count:	2
Website:	Website
Related Comps:	Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland
Promotion To:	North 1 East
Relegation To:	Counties 2 Yorkshire

Counties 1 Yorkshire is an English rugby union division, the seventh tier of the domestic competition, and the top level for local rugby union in parts of Yorkshire. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North East (formerly North 1 East), a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses northeast England. The runners-up participate in a playoff against the 2nd place team from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, for promotion to Regional 2 North East. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.

Each season a team from Counties 1 Yorkshire is picked to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a national competition for clubs at level 7.

2024–25 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			8th
Bridlington	Dukes Park			Relegated from Regional 2NE (13th)
Harrogate Pythons	The Jim Saynor Ground		Harrogate, North Yorkshire,	Promoted from Counties 2 Yorkshire 11th
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			10th
	Rose Cottage			3rd
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			7th
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			Promoted from Counties 2 Yorkshire (champions)
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			9th
	Percy Road			4th
Wath-upon-Dearne	Moor Road			Promoted from Counties 2 Yorkshire (runners-up)
Wensleydale	Cawkill Park			6th
West Leeds	Bluehill Lane			5th

2023–24 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			3rd
	Wagon Lane	4,000		Relegated from Regional 2 NE (12th)
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			6th
Harrogate Pythons	The Jim Saynor Ground		Harrogate, North Yorkshire,	Promoted from Counties 2 Yorkshire (runners-up)
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			7th
	Rose Cottage			2nd
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			9th
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			5th
	Percy Road			Relegated from Regional 2 NE (11th)
Wensleydale	Cawkill Park			Promoted from Counties 2 Yorkshire (champions)
West Leeds	Bluehill Lane			8th
Wetherby				4th

2022-23 season

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 1 with the 9 lowest ranked teams returning (1st to 5th were 'promoted' to Regional 2 North East) and supplemented by top 3 from Yorkshire 2 and so with five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			10th Yorkshire 1
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			13th Yorkshire 1
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			8th Yorkshire 1
Goole	Westfield Banks			7th Yorkshire 1
Huddersfield Laund Hill	Laund Hill Stadium			14th Yorkshire 1
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (3rd)
	Rose Cottage			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (champions)
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			12th Yorkshire 1
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane
Roundhegians	The Memorial Groun
West Leeds	Bluehill Lane			6th Yorkshire 1
Wetherby				Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (runners-up)

2021-22 season

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
	Beaver Park			3rd
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			8th
Bridlington	Dukes Park			11th
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			9th
Goole	Westfield Banks			6th
Huddersfield Laund Hill	Laund Hill Stadium			Relegated from North 1 East (14h)
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			10th
		5,000 (159 seats)		Level Transfer from DN1 (2nd)
Old Crossleyans	Broomfield Avenue			4th
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (runners up)
	Moor Lane			12th
Roundhegians	The Memorial Groun			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (champions)
Selby	Sandhill Lane			7th
West Leeds	Bluehill Lane			5th

2020–21 season

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced ^[1] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Yorkshire 1 was not contested.

2019–20 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			5th
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			9th
Bridlington	Dukes Park			Relegated from North 1 East (12th)
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			6th
Goole	Westfield Banks			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (champions)
	West Vale			Runners up (lost playoff)
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			12th
	Rose Cottage			10th
Leodiensian	Crag Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (runners up)
	Woodhead			7th
Old Crossleyans	Broomfield Avenue			4th
	Moor Lane			3rd
Selby	Sandhill Lane			11th
West Leeds	Bluehill Lane			Relegated from North 1 East (13th)

2018–19 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			4th
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			11th
Dinnington	Lodge Lane			Relegated from North 1 East (12th)
Guisborough	Belmangate			Level transfer from Durham/Northumberland 1 (10th)
	West Vale			5th
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			10th
	Rose Cottage			9th
		5,000 (159 seats)		3rd
Moortown	Moss Valley			7th
	Woodhead			8th
Old Crossleyans	Broomfield Avenue			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (runners up)
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			6th
	Moor Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (champions)
Selby	Sandhill Lane			12th

2017–18 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Beaver Park			5th
Bradford Salem	Shay Lane			8th
	West Vale			9th
Hullensians	Springhead Lane			10th
	Rose Cottage			7th
		5,000 (159 seats)
Moortown	Moss Valley			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (champions)
North Ribblesdale	Grove Park			12th
	Woodhead			6th
Old Rishworthians	Hollas Lane			Promoted from Yorkshire 2 (runners up)
	Silver Royd	1,950 (322 seats)		4th
Selby	Sandhill Lane			11th
Wheatley Hills	Brunnel Road			Relegated from North 1 East (14th)
	Clifton Park			3rd

2016–17 season

• Acklam (transferred from Durham/Northumberland 1)
• Beverley (relegated from North 1 East)
• Bradford Salem
• Bridlington
• Heath
• Hullensians
• Keighley (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Brodleians
• Scarborough
• Selby
• West Leeds (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• Yarnbury
• York

2015–16 season

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Wagon Lane	4,000
	Shay Lane
	Dukes Park
	West Vale
	Springhead Lane
	The Gannock
	Grove Park
	Woodhead
	Broomfield Avenue
	Silver Royd	4500 (322 seats)
	Sandhill Lane
	The Sycamores
	Brownberrie Lane
	Clifton Park

2014–15 season

• Bridlington
• Doncaster Phoenix
  • Heath Hullensians (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• Malton & Norton (relegated from North 1 East)
• Middlesbrough (relegated from North 1 East)
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Brodleians
• Pontefract
  • Scarborough Selby
• Wath Upon Dearne
• Yarnbury (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• York

2013–14 season

• Acklam
• Bridlington
• Dinnington
• Doncaster Phoenix (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• Heath
• Ilkley
• Keighley (relegated from North 1 East)
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Brodleians
• Pontefract
• Scarborough
• Selby (promoted from Yorkshire 2)
• Wath Upon Dearne
• York

2012–13 season

• Barnsley
• Bridlington
• Dinnington
• Driffield
• Heath
• Huddersfield YMCA
• Ilkley
• Knottingley
• North Ribblesdale
• Old Brodleians
• Pontefract
• Scarborough
• Wath Upon Dearne
• York

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Bramley
  • Castleford Cleckheaton
• Driffield
• Goole
• Hemsworth
• Moortown
• Roundhegians
• Scarborough
• West Park Bramhope
• York Railway Institute

Yorkshire 1 honours

Yorkshire 1 (1987–1993)

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

<											----> Yorkshire 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	11	Roundhegians		Scarborough, York Railway Institute
1988–89	11	Bramley		Moortown, Goole
1989–90	11	West Park Bramhope		Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.
1990–91	11	Bridlington		Barnsley
1991–92	11	Driffield		No relegation
1992–93	13	Goole		Castleford
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 1 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 1 dropped to become a tier 10 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 1 remain at tier 10 with promotion to the new North 3 East league.

<											----> Yorkshire 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1993–94	13	North Ribblesdale		York Railway Institute
1994–95	13	Wheatley Hills		Hemsworth
1995–96	13	Pocklington		Sheffield Oaks, Halifax Vandals, Barnsley, Castleford
1996–97	10	Yarnbury		Wibsey
1997–98	10	Bradford Salem		Moortown
1998–99^[2]	10	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.
1999–00^[3]	10	West Leeds
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 1 (2000–present)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that Yorkshire 1 became a tier 7 league, with promotion to North 2 East (currently North 1 East).

<											----> Yorkshire 1
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01^[4]	12	Cleckheaton
2001–02^[5]	12	Hull		Pocklington, West Park Leeds, Beverley
2002–03^[6]	12	Bridlington Mariners
2003–04^[7]	12	Malton & Norton
2004–05^[8]	12	Beverley
2005–06^[9]	12	Sheffield Tigers
2006–07^[10]	12	Pontefract
2007–08^[11]	12	Sandal
2008–09^[12]	12	Old Brodleians		Glossop
2009–10^[13]	14	Wheatley Hills
2010–11^[14]	14	Malton & Norton
2011–12^[15]	14	Pocklington
2012–13^[16]	14	Driffield
2013–14^[17]	14	Ilkley
2014–15^[18]	14	Doncaster Phoenix
2015–16^[19]	14	Bradford & Bingley
2016–17^[20]	14	Bridlington
2017–18^[21]	14	York		Wheatley Hills, North Ribblesdale
2018–19^[22]	14	Moortown
2019–20^[23]	14	Brodleians
2020–21	14
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Durham/Northumberland 1 and Yorkshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to North 1 East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Yorkshire 1 teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Durham/Northumberland 1 teams six; and the home side have won ten times to the away sides nine.

<						----> Durham/Northumberland 1 v Yorkshire 1 promotion play-off results
Season	Home team	Score	Away team	Venue	Attendance
2000–01^[24]	Wheatley Hills (Y)	21-19	Percy Park (DN)
2001–02^[25]	Ashington (DN)	17-23	Scarborough (Y)
2002–03^[26]	York (Y)	29-15	Hartlepool Rovers (DN)
2003–04^[27]	Alnwick (DN)	25-18	Pontefract (Y)
2004–05^[28]	Durham City (DN)	26-13	Wheatley Hills (Y)
2005–06^[29]	Malton & Norton (DN)	19-39	Old Crossleyans (Y)
2006–07^[30]	Sunderland (DN)	16-18	York (Y)
2007–08^[31]	Northern (DN)	24-28	Ilkley (Y)
2008–09^[32]	Percy Park (DN)	36-3	Bridlington (Y)
2009–10^[33]	Team Northumbria (DN)	34-13	Sheffield (Y)
2010–11^[34]	Darlington (DN)	17-18	Sheffield (Y)
2011–12^[35]	Alnwick (DN)	16-18	Keighley (Y)
2012–13^[36]	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (Y)	33-12	Guisborough (DN)
2013–14^[37]	Dinnington (Y)	34-20 (aet)	Guisborough (DN)
2014–15^[38]	Morpeth (DN)	14-11	Malton & Norton (Y)
2015–16^[39]	Middlesbrough (DN)	17-25	Malton & Norton (Y)
2016–17^[40]	South Shields Westoe (DN)	14-19	West Leeds (Y)
2017–18^[41]	Durham City (DN)	AWO	Scarborough (Y)
2018–19^[42]	West Hartlepool (DN)	24-23	Heath (Y)
2019–20	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Heath (Y) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. DN = Durham/Northumberland 1 and Y = Yorkshire 1

Number of league titles

• Bridlington (2)
• Driffield (2)
• Malton & Norton (2)
• Old Brodleians (2)
• Pocklington (2)
• Wheatley Hills (2)
• Beverley (1)
• Bradford & Bingley (1)
• Bradford Salem (1)
• Bramley (1)
• Bridlington Mariners (1)
• Cleckheaton (1)
• Doncaster Phoenix (1)
• Goole (1)
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (1)
• Hull (1)
• Ilkley (1)
• Moortown (1)
• North Ribblesdale (1)
• Pocklington (1)
• Pontefract (1)
• Roundhegians (1)
• Sandal (1)
• Sheffield Tigers (1)
• West Leeds (1)
• West Park Bramhope (1)
• Yarnbury (1)
• York (1)

See also

• Yorkshire 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 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
3. Web site: 1999-2000 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
4. Web site: 2000-2001 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
5. Web site: 2001-2002 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
6. Web site: 2002-2003 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
7. Web site: 2004-2005 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
8. Web site: 2004-2005 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
9. Web site: 2005-2006 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
10. Web site: 2006-2007 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
11. Web site: 2007-2008 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
12. Web site: 2008-2009 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
13. Web site: 2009-2010 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
14. Web site: 2010-2011 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
15. Web site: 2011-2012 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
16. Web site: 2012-2013 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
17. Web site: 2013-2014 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 16 March 2015.
18. Web site: 2014-2015 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2015.
19. Web site: 2015-2016 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 4 May 2016.
20. Web site: 2016-2017 Northern Division. England Rugby. RFU. 30 April 2017.
21. Web site: 2017-18 Northern Division. England Rugby. 28 April 2018.
22. Web site: 2018-19 Northern 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: 2000-01 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 5 May 2001.
25. Web site: 2001-02 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 18 May 2002.
26. Web site: 2002-03 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 26 April 2003.
27. Web site: 2003-04 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
28. Web site: 2004-05 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 30 April 2006.
29. Web site: 2005-06 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
30. Web site: 2006-07 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
31. Web site: 2007-08 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
32. Web site: 2008-09 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
33. Web site: 2009-10 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 1 May 2010.
34. Web site: 2010-11 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 7 May 2011.
35. Web site: 2011-12 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 28 April 2012.
36. Web site: 2012-13 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 27 April 2013.
37. Web site: 2013-14 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 26 April 2014.
38. Web site: 2014-15 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 25 April 2015.
39. Web site: 2015-16 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 30 April 2016.
40. Web site: 2016-17 North Playoffs. England Rugby. 29 April 2017.
41. Web site: Skipper Jones' delight at promotion success. The Scarborough News. 4 May 2018.
42. Web site: Play-offs: Heath sunk by West Hartlepool’s late penalty. Halifax Courier. 28 April 2019.