Regional 1 South East


Regional 1 South East is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following re-organisation by the Rugby Football Union while the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season to make it more obvious that it is a regional league. London & South East Premier was the highest regional rugby union league covering London and south east England. Following the RFU Adult Competition Review the league was decreased from 14 to 12 and the name changed to Regional 1 South East. Part of the area formerly covered by London & South East Premier is now covered by a new league Regional 1 South Central.
Oundle are the current champions.

Format

The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to March, making a total of twenty-two matches each. 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
The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to National League 2 East. Two teams are relegated to either Regional 2 South East, Regional 2 Anglia or Regional 2 Thames depending on location

Season 2025–26

Departing were Oundle, promoted to National 2 East whilst Harpenden and Bedford Athletic were relegated to Regional 2 Thames and Regional 2 Midlands East respectively.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, Buckinghamshire10th
ColchesterRaven Park1,200Colchester, EssexRelegated from National 2 East
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire6th
Letchworth Garden CityLegends Lane, Baldock RoadLetchworth, HertfordshireRunners-up
MedwayPriestfieldsRochester, KentPromoted from Regional 2 South East
North WalshamNorwich Road1,200Scottow, Norfolk5th
Old NorthamptoniansSir Humphrey Cripps PavilionNorthampton, Northamptonshire4th
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire8th
Southend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 Southend, Essex9th
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk3rd
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire7th
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, EssexPromoted from Regional 2 Anglia

Season 2024–25

Departing were Colchester, promoted to National League 2 East whilst Rochford Hundred and Westcliff were relegated to Regional 2 Anglia.
Joining were North Walsham, relegated from National League 2 East, together with Amersham & Chiltern and Southend Saxons, promoted from Regional 2 Thames and Regional 2 Anglia respectively.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, BuckinghamshirePromoted from Regional 2 Thames
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, Bedfordshire10th
HarpendenRedbourn LaneHarpenden, Hertfordshire3rd
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire7th
Letchworth Garden CityLegends Lane, Baldock RoadLetchworth, Hertfordshire4th
North WalshamNorwich Road1,200Scottow, NorfolkRelegated from National League 2 East
Old NorthamptoniansSir Humphrey Cripps PavilionNorthampton, Northamptonshire9th
OundleOccupation RoadOundle, Northamptonshire6th
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire5th
Southend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 Southend, EssexPromoted from Regional 2 Anglia
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk2nd
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire8th

League table

Season 2023–24

Departing were Westcombe Park, promoted to National League 2 East whilst Medway and Sidcup were relegated to Regional 2 South East.
Joining were Rochford Hundred, relegated from National League 2 East, together with Letchworth Garden City and Old Northamptonians, promoted from Regional 2 Anglia and Regional 2 East Midlands respectively. Also coming in were Oundle on a level transfer from Regional 1 Midlands.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, Bedfordshire7th
ColchesterRaven Park1,200Colchester, Essex3rd
HarpendenRedbourn LaneHarpenden, Hertfordshire4th
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire9th
Letchworth Garden CityLegends Lane, Baldock RoadLetchworth, HertfordshirePromoted from Regional 2 Anglia
Old NorthamptoniansSir Humphrey Cripps PavilionNorthampton, NorthamptonshirePromoted from Regional 2 East Midlands
OundleOccupation RoadOundle, NorthamptonshireTransferred from Regional 1 Midlands
Rochford HundredThe Rugby Park1,000Hawkwell, Rochford, EssexRelegated from National League 2 East
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire2nd
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk8th
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire5th
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, EssexRelegated from National League 2 East

League table

Results

2022–23

Six of the twelve teams participated in the 2021–22 competition. They are joined by Shelford, Sudbury, Colchester and Harpenden, all promoted from London 1 North, together with Medway and Bedford Athletic promoted from London 1 South and Midlands 1 East respectively. Sutton & Epsom, Maidenhead, Havant, Wimbledon and Brighton were level transferred to Regional 1 South Central. Other teams leaving the division were Dorking, Sevenoaks and North Walsham who were promoted to National League 2 East. There was no relegation from the league at the end of last season.

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, BedfordshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
ColchesterRaven Park1,200Colchester, EssexPromoted from London 1 North
CS Rugby 1863King's House Sports GroundChiswick, London14th
HarpendenRedbourn LaneHarpenden, HertfordshirePromoted from London 1 North
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire4th
MedwayPriestfieldsRochester, KentPromoted from London 1 South
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, CambridgeshirePromoted from London 1 North
Sidcup RFCCrescent FarmSidcup, London9th
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, SuffolkPromoted from London 1 North
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire10th
Tunbridge WellsSt Marks Recreation Ground3,000Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent13th
Westcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200 Orpington, London6th

Final league table

Results

2021–22

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in the 2019–20 competition. They are joined by Sutton & Epsom who were relegated from National League 2 South, along with three promoted sides; Havant, North Walsham and Westcombe Park. Maidenhead who played in South West Premier in 2019-20 were level transferred into London & South East Premier as the nearest club geographically to address an imbalance of teams in the league. Teams leaving the division included Rochford Hundred who were promoted into National League 2 South as champions along with Guernsey Raiders who won the virtual promotion play-off against Weston-super-Mare RFC, while teams relegated from the league included Bedford Athletic, Guildford and London Irish Wild Geese.
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.