Counties 1 Cumbria

Counties 1 Cumbria is a competitive rugby union league at level 7 of the English rugby union system run by the English Rugby Football Union for club sides based in Cumbria. It was previously a tier 7 league but the creation of North 2 West demoted it to level 8. Promoted teams typically go up to North 2 West and since Cumbria 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2018–19 season there is no relegation. Each season a team from Cumbria 1 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8. The original Cumbria league was formed at the start of the 1992–93 season when the North-West North 1 division was cancelled.
Until the end of the 2017–18 season the Cumbria League was a single division involving 10 clubs and ranked at tier 8 of the English rugby union system. The champions were automatically promoted to the now discontinued North Lancashire/Cumbria league and until the 2016–17 season the second placed team faced the runner-up from Lancashire (North) for the final promotion place until Lancashire was cancelled. There was no relegation due to it having been the lowest competitive league for Rugby Union in Cumbria. It ran alongside the Cumbria 2 North & West and Cumbria 2 South & East Merit Leagues.
This changed for the 2018–19 season due to RFU having to restructure the northern leagues after 19 Lancashire based clubs withdrew from the league system to form their own competition. The result was that the Cumbrian clubs based in North Lancashire/Cumbria joined the top 3 Cumbria League sides in Cumbria 1, while the rest of the Cumbrian League sides along with a handful of 2nd XV teams formed Cumbria 2.
Another change to the structure from the 2018–19 season was that the division would play two stages - the first involving all eight teams to decide who would be contesting promotion and relegation during the second stage when the division was divided into two mini leagues. In 2022 the RFU further restructured the adult community leagues and the Cumbria League was renamed Counties 1 Cumbria from the 2022–23 season.

Format

The first-placed team is promoted to Regional 2 North. There is no relegation.
The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-two rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals, home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:

4 points are awarded for a win
2 points are awarded for a draw
0 points are awarded for a loss, however
1 losing point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

2025–26

Participating teams and location

Departing were the champions Wigton, promoted to Regional 2 North.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ambleside	Galava Park		Ambleside, Cumbria	12th
Carlisle	Rugby Ground, Warwick Road	1,500	Carlisle, Cumbria	Relegated from Regional 2 North
Cockermouth	Grassmoor Sports Centre		Cockermouth, Cumbria	5th
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	10th
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	4th
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	7th
Keswick II	Davidson Park		Keswick, Cumbria	6th
Kirkby Lonsdale	Underley Park		Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria	Relegated from Regional 2 North
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	3rd
Penrith II	Winters Park		Penrith, Cumbria	2nd
St. Benedict's	Newlands Avenue		Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria	8th
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	9th
Windermere	Dawes Meadow		Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria	13th
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	11th

2024–25

Participating teams and location

Departing were Carlisle promoted to Regional 2 North, Cockermouth were relegated from Regional 2 North while Ambleside re-joined the Cumbria league after an absence of twenty years, last having competed in 2003–04.
Aspatria II – 11th in 2023–24 – started the season but withdrew in October leaving the league to be completed with 13 clubs.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ambleside	Galava Park		Ambleside, Cumbria	Re-entry
Cockermouth	Grassmoor Sports Centre		Cockermouth, Cumbria	Relegated from Regional 2 North
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	10th
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	3rd
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	6th
Keswick II	Davidson Park		Keswick, Cumbria	9th
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	8th
Penrith II	Winters Park		Penrith, Cumbria	7th
St. Benedict's	Newlands Avenue		Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria	4th
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	5th
Wigton	Lowmoor Road		Wigton, Cumbria	2nd
Windermere	Dawes Meadow		Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria	12th
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	13th

2023–24

Participating teams and location

Departing were Upper Eden and Cockermouth, promoted to Regional 2 North. Silloth finished 9th in 2022–23 but did not return for the new season.
Joining were Windermere re-joining the Cumbria league having last competed in 2019–20 together with Aspatria II and Keswick II.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aspatria II	Bower Park	3,000	Aspatria, Cumbria	New entry
Carlisle	Rugby Ground, Warwick Road	1,500	Carlisle, Cumbria	Relegated from Regional 2 North
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	11th
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	3rd
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	8th
Keswick II	Davidson Park		Keswick, Cumbria	New entry
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	6th
Penrith II	Winters Park		Penrith, Cumbria	10th
St. Benedict's	Newlands Avenue		Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria	7th
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	5th
Wigton	Lowmoor Road		Wigton, Cumbria	4th
Windermere	Dawes Meadow		Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria	Re-entry
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	12th

2022–23

Participating teams and location

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The 2022–23 Counties 1 Cumbria league consists of 12 teams. Eight of these competed in the 2021–22 Cumbria 1 competition; Creighton, Egremont, Hawcoat Park, Millon, Upper Eden, Whitehaven, Wigton and Workington. Cockermouth and St. Benedict's dropped down from North 2 West having finished 7th and 12th respectively. Penrith II joined the league as a new team and Silloth returned to league rugby after not taking part in any competition since the 2019–20 season. A ninth member of the 2021–22 Cumbria 1 league, Furness, had also been assigned to Counties 1 Cumbria but withdrew before the start of the season.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cockermouth	Grassmoor Sports Centre		Cockermouth, Cumbria	7th North 2 West
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	9th Cumbria 1
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	4th Cumbria 1
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	5th Cumbria 1
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	6th Cumbria 1
Penrith II	Winters Park		Penrith, Cumbria	New entry
Silloth	The Jim Brough Rugby Park		Silloth, Cumbria	Re-entry
St. Benedict's	Newlands Avenue		Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria	12th North 2 West
Upper Eden	Pennine Park		Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria	1st Cumbria 1
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	2nd Cumbria 1
Wigton	Lowmoor Road		Wigton, Cumbria	3rd Cumbria 1
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	8th Cumbria 1

2021–22

Participating teams and location

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.
Outgoing teams St Benedicts and Cockermouth were promoted to North 2 West, and Windermere, who finished 12th but did not return, competed in the Cumbria 2 Shield instead. Silloth, who finished 11th, were initially due to compete but withdrew before the season began. Consequently the league was reduced from 13 sides to 9.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	13th
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	7th
Furness	The Strawberry Grounds		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	10th
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	6th
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	9th
Upper Eden	Pennine Park		Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria	5th
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	4th
Wigton	Lowmoor Road		Wigton, Cumbria	3rd
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	8th

2020–21

Participating teams and location

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 season meaning Cumbria 1 was not contested.

2019–20

Participating teams and location

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cockermouth	Grassmoor Sports Centre		Cockermouth, Cumbria	3rd
Creighton	Sycamore Lane		Carlisle, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2
Egremont	Bleach Green		Egremont, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2
Furness	The Strawberry Grounds		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2
Hawcoat Park	Hawcoat Park		Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria	7th
Millom	Wilson Park		Haverigg, Millom, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2
Silloth	The Jim Brough Rugby Park		Silloth, Cumbria	Promoted from Cumbria 2
St. Benedict's	Newlands Avenue		Mirehouse, Whitehaven, Cumbria	8th
Upper Eden	Pennine Park		Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria	6th
Whitehaven	Richmond Terrace		Whitehaven, Cumbria	5th
Wigton	Lowmoor Road		Wigton, Cumbria	4th
Windermere	Dawes Meadow		Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2
Workington	The Ellis Sports Ground	12,000	Workington, Cumbria	Transferred from Cumbria 2

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 1992 it contained the following teams:

Ambleside - transferred from North-West North 1
British Steel - transferred from North-West North 1
Carnforth - transferred from North-West North 1
Creighton - transferred from North-West North 1
Greengarth - joined league system
Millom - transferred from North-West North 1
Silloth - transferred from North-West North 1
Smith Brothers - transferred from North-West North 1
Whitehaven - transferred from North-West North 1

Cumbria honours

Cumbria (1993–1996)

The Cumbria league was formed from teams from the old North-West North 1 division when it was disbanded at the end of the 1991–92 season. Promotion was to Cumbria/Lancs North and as the basement division for clubs in the region there was no relegation. Initially a tier 10 league, the creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Cumbria/Lancs North dropped to become a tier 11 league.

Cumbria (1996–2000)

The league system was restructured from top to bottom by the Rugby Football Union for the start of the 1996–97 season. The cancellation of National 5 North and creation of North West 3 meant that Cumbria remained a tier 11 league, with promotion into North Lancs/Cumbria.

Cumbria (2000–2018)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–00 season saw the cancellation of North West 1, North West 2 and North West 3. This meant that Cumbria became a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to North Lancs/Cumbria. As the lowest ranked league for clubs in the region there was no relegation until the introduction of Cumbria 2 at the end of the 2017–18 season.

Cumbria 1 (2018–2019)

Restructuring of the north-west leagues at the end of the 2017–18 season, including the cancellation of North Lancs/Cumbria and the introduction of Cumbria 2, meant that Cumbria was renamed to Cumbria and became a tier 7 league. Promotion was now up to North West 1 while relegation was to the new Cumbria 2.

Cumbria (2019–2022)

After just one season Cumbria 2 was cancelled and Cumbria 1 reverted to being a single division named Cumbria, while the introduction of North 2 West for the 2019–20 season meant that Cumbria dropped back to being a tier 8 league with promotion into this new division and no relegation. Adult community leagues were cancelled for the 2020–21 season. In 2021–22 the league was contested by nine teams and the league restructure meant that no teams were promoted at the end of the season.

Counties 1 Cumbria (2022–present)

Following the RFU Adult Competition Review, Counties 1 Cumbria reverted to a level 7 league, with promotion to Regional 2 North. There is no relegation.

Promotion play-offs

From the 2018–19 season onwards there was a play-off between the runners-up of Cumbria 1 and North 2 West for the third and final promotion place to North 1 West. Previously Cumbria League sides had a play-off against Lancashire (North) for a place in the discontinued North Lancashire/Cumbria division. As of 2019–20 North 2 West sides have one win to Cumbria's zero; and the home side has one win to the away side's zero.

Discontinued promotion play-offs

Between the 2000–01 and 2016–17 seasons there was a play-off between the runners-up of the Cumbria League and Lancashire (North) for the third and final promotion place to North Lancashire/Cumbria. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2016–17 season the Lancashire teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the Cumbria League team's four; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away team's three. Since the cancellation of Lancashire the play-off has been discontinued.

Number of league titles

Keswick
Hawcoat Park
Netherhall
Ambleside
Furness
Millom
Upper Eden
Whitehaven
Workington
Carnforth
Egremont
Moresby
Silloth
Smith Brothers
St. Benedict's