Regional 1 Midlands


Regional 1 Midlands is a level five semi-professional 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 Midlands Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following a reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union, and the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for what is a series of regional leagues. Regional 1 Midlands is the highest regional rugby union league in the English Midlands.
Syston are the current champions and are promoted to National League 2 West.

Format

The club that finishes as champions is automatically promoted to National League 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to either, Regional 2 East Midlands, Regional 2 North Midlands or Regional 2 West Midlands, depending on their location, and other factors such as the location of relegated and promoted teams in other divisions.
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 table 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

Departing were Syston promoted to National 2 West while Silhillians and Kenilworth were both relegated to Regional 2 Midlands West. Also leaving were Burton, Derby and Long Eaton all on a level transfer to Regional 1 North West.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshire7th
BournvilleAvery FieldsEdgbaston, Birmingham, West MidlandsRelegated from Nat 2 West
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire5th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire3rd
DrybrookMannings GroundDrybrook, GloucestershirePromoted from Regional 2 Severn
Dudley KingswinfordHeathbrook2,260 Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands10th
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, StaffordshirePromoted from Regional 2 North Midlands
LutterworthAshby LaneLutterworth, LeicestershirePromoted from Regional 2 East Midlands
NewentRecreation GroundNewent, GloucestershirePromoted from Regional 2 West Midlands
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, ShropshireLevel transfer from Regional 1 North West
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire6th
StourbridgeStourton Park3,500 Stourbridge, West Midlands2nd

2024–25

Departing were Oxford Harlequins who were promoted to National League 2 East. Old Halesonians and Broadstreet were relegated to Regional 2 Midlands West and Regional 2 Midlands East respectively. Stoke-on-Trent left on a level transfer to Regional 1 North West.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshire8th
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire6th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire3rd
BurtonBattlestead Croft, Tatenhill5,500 Kingswinford, Dudley, West MidlandsRelegated from Nat 2 West
KenilworthGlasshouse LaneKenilworth, Warwickshire10th
Long EatonWest Park1,000Long Eaton, DerbyshirePromoted from Regional 2 Midlands North
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, WarwickshirePromoted from Regional 2 Midlands East
SilhilliansThe Memorial GroundSolihull, West MidlandsPromoted from Regional 2 Midlands West
StourbridgeStourton Park3,500 Stourbridge, West Midlands2nd
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, Leicestershire9th

2023–24

Departing were Dudley Kingswinford, promoted to National League 2 West. Lichfield and Nuneaton were relegated to Regional 2 Midlands North and Regional 2 Midlands East respectively. Oundle left on a level transfer to Regional 1 South East.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, OxfordshireTransferred from Regional 1 South Central
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire2nd
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands10th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire4th
BurtonBattlestead Croft, Tatenhill5,500
Oxford HarlequinsHorspath Sports Ground1,000Oxford, OxfordshireTransferred from Regional 1 South Central
Stoke-on-TrentHartwell Lane2,000Barlaston, Staffordshire9th
StourbridgeStourton Park3,500 Stourbridge, West MidlandsRelegated from National 2 West
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, Leicestershire3rd

2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
Departing were Newport (Salop), promoted to National League 2 West together with Sheffield promoted to National League 2 North.
Scunthorpe, Doncaster Phoenix and Paviors all left on a level transfer to Regional 1 North East while Sandbach moved to Regional 1 North West.
With six teams leaving and four joining the league was reduced from 14 clubs to 12.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire4th
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands9th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire6th
BurtonBattlestead Croft, Tatenhill5,500
Dudley KingswinfordHeathbrook2,260 Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands10th
KenilworthGlasshouse LaneKenilworth, WarwickshirePromoted from Midlands 1 West
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, StaffordshirePromoted from Midlands 1 West
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire11th
OundleOccupation RoadOundle, Northamptonshire14th
Stoke-on-TrentHartwell Lane2,000Barlaston, StaffordshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East 3rd
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, Leicestershire3rd

2021–22

Participating teams and locations

Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by one relegated side, Scunthorpe, while the three teams promoted into the division are Dudley Kingswinford. Also not returning are South Leicester who withdrew from the league during the 2019–20 season and drop to Midlands 4 East (South) for the coming 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.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire4th
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands11th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire6th
BurtonPeel Croft5,500 Burton, Staffordshire9th
Doncaster PhoenixCastle Park5,000Doncaster, South Yorkshire7th
Dudley KingswinfordHeathbrook2,260 Kingswinford, Dudley, West MidlandsPromoted from Midlands 1 West
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, Shropshire2nd
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire8th
OundleOccupation RoadOundle, NorthamptonshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
PaviorsThe Ron Rossin GroundNottingham, Nottinghamshire10th
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, Cheshire5th
ScunthorpeHeslam Park1,212 Scunthorpe, LincolnshireRelegated from National League 2 South
SheffieldAbbeydale Park3,300 Sheffield, South Yorkshire3rd
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, LeicestershirePromoted from Midlands 1 East

2020–21

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 Midlands Premier was not contested.

2019–20

Participating teams and locations

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by two relegated sides; Peterborough Lions and South Leicester, while the three teams promoted into the division are Bromsgrove, Kettering and Paviors. In order to address an imbalance of teams at level 5, Bedford Athletic have been level transferred into the division from London & South East Premier. Birmingham & Solihull were initially relegated into the division from National League 2 South but decided to drop out of the league system altogether as they became an amateur club.
Last season's champions, Scunthorpe were promoted into National League 2 North, along with Luctonians who won their play-off game against North Premier runners up Blaydon. Teams relegated from the division included Derby and Syston and Lichfield.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BournvilleEdgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands10th
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire5th
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands4th
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, WorcestershirePromoted from Midlands 1 West
BurtonPeel Croft5,500 Burton, Staffordshire8th
Doncaster PhoenixCastle Park5,000Doncaster, South Yorkshire11th
KetteringWaverley Road2,000Kettering, NorthamptonshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, Shropshire3rd
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire7th
PaviorsThe Ron Rossin GroundNottingham, NottinghamshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
Peterborough LionsBretton WoodsBretton, CambridgeshireRelegated from National 2 North
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, Cheshire9th
SheffieldAbbeydale Park3,300 Sheffield, South Yorkshire6th
South LeicesterWelford Road GroundLeicester, LeicestershireRelegated from National 2 North

2018–19

Participating teams and locations

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Luctonians and Sheffield, Broadstreet, while the two teams promoted into the division are Burton and Syston. Last season's champions Birmingham & Solihull were promoted into National League 2 South following a level transfer, while runners up Peterborough Lions RFC were promoted into National League 2 North after winning their play-off game against Hull. Teams relegated from the division included Old Halesonians, Longton and Newbold-on-Avon who all drop to Midlands 1 West.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BournvilleAvery FieldsEdgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands10th
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire5th
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field1,500 Binley Woods, Coventry, West MidlandsRelegated from National 2 South
BurtonPeel Croft5,500 Burton, StaffordshirePromoted from Midlands 1 West
DerbyHaslams LaneDerby, Derbyshire8th
Doncaster PhoenixCastle Park5,000Doncaster, South Yorkshire6th
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, Staffordshire11th
LuctoniansMortimer Park2,500 Kingsland, HerefordshireRelegated from National 2 North
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, Shropshire3rd
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire9th
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, Cheshire7th
ScunthorpeHeslam Park1,212 Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire4th
SheffieldAbbeydale Park3,300 Sheffield, South YorkshireRelegated from National 2 North
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, LeicestershirePromoted from Midlands 1 East

2017–18

Participating teams and locations

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. Scunthorpe were relegated from National League 2 North while the three teams promoted into the division included Newbold-on-Avon,
Newport (Salop) and Bournville. Last season's champions, Broadstreet, were promoted into National League 2 South following a level transfer, while runners-up Sheffield went into National League 2 North, having won their playoff game. Teams relegated from the league included Bedford Athletic and Syston, with Sandbach given a reprieve by the RFU in light of the London Welsh liquidation, by virtue of being the best ranked third bottom side in tier 5 for 2016–17. Finally Towcestrians were level transferred from Midlands Premier into London & South East Premier, while Doncaster Phoenix were level transferred into Midlands Premier from North Premier to address an imbalance of teams in the three divisions. Birmingham & Solihull won the title on 7 April.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Birmingham & SolihullPortwayPortway, Birmingham, West Midlands5th
BournvilleBournbrook / Metchley ParkEdgbaston, Birmingham, West MidlandsPromoted from Midlands 1 West
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshire6th
DerbyHaslams LaneDerby, Derbyshire9th
Doncaster PhoenixCastle Park5,000Doncaster, South YorkshireLevel transfer from North Premier
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, Staffordshire7th
LongtonTrentham FieldsLongton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire11th
Newbold-on-AvonParkfield RoadNewbold-on-Avon, Rugby, WarwickshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, ShropshirePromoted from Midlands 1 West
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire3rd
Old HalesoniansWassell GroveHagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire8th
Peterborough LionsBretton WoodsBretton, Cambridgeshire4th
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, Cheshire12th
ScunthorpeHeslam Park1,212 Scunthorpe, LincolnshireRelegated from National 2 North

2016–17

Participating teams and locations

Eight of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Broadstreet who were relegated from National 2 North while four teams were promoted into the league – Bedford Athletic, Bridgnorth, Derby and Towcestrians – as well as Sheffield who were level transferred from National League 3 North having finished 7th the previous season. Scunthorpe and Hinckley were promoted into National League 2 North while Old Northamptonians were relegated to Midlands 1 East and Sutton Coldfield and Newport (Salop) both dropped to Midlands 1 West. In order to address a league imbalance due to only one team coming down from National League 2 South, Bromsgrove, were level transferred to National League 3 South West.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, Bedfordshirepromoted from Midlands 1 East
Birmingham & SolihullPortwayPortway, Birmingham, West Midlands7th
BridgnorthEdgar Davies GroundBridgnorth, Shropshirepromoted from Midlands 1 West
BroadstreetIvor Preece Field250 Coventry, West Midlandsrelegated from 2015–16 National League 2 North
DerbyHaslams LaneDerby, Derbyshirepromoted from Midlands 1 East
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, Staffordshire11th
LongtonTrentham FieldsLongton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire8th
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire5th
Old HalesoniansWassell GroveHagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire3rd
Peterborough LionsBretton WoodsBretton, Cambridgeshire4th
SandbachBradwell RoadSandbach, Cheshire10th
SheffieldAbbeydale Park3,300 Sheffield, South Yorkshirelevel transfer from National League 3 North
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, Leicestershire6th
TowcestriansGreens Norton RoadTowcester, Northamptonshirepromoted from South West 1 East

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 Midlands, and National League 3 North participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 North. The team with the best playing record, in this case Rossendale, hosted the match and lost to their opponents Sheffield, 31 – 32.
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Rossendale26210585244340914199
Sheffield 26190771743428316496

----

2015–16

Participating teams and locations

Despite leading the table for most of the season Hinckley lost 13 – 23 on the final week-end of the season to Scunthorpe, to finish in second place for the second season in a row. Scunthorpe started the day four points behind and finished top due to winning one more match over the season. Two of last seasons promoted teams were relegated; Newport (Salop) to Midland 1 West and Old Northamptonians to Midland 1 East. The third relegated team is Sutton Coldfield.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Birmingham & SolihullPortwayPortway, Birmingham, West MidlandsRelegated from National 2 North
BromsgroveFinstall ParkBromsgrove, Worcestershire6th
HinckleyLeicester RoadHinckley, Leicestershire2nd
LichfieldCooke Fields5,460 Lichfield, Staffordshire9th
LongtonTrentham FieldsLongton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire10th
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, Shropshirepromoted from Midlands 1 West
NuneatonLiberty Way3,800 Nuneaton, Warwickshire4th
Old HalesoniansWassell GroveHagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire5th
Old NorthamptoniansSir Humphrey Cripps PavilionNorthampton, Northamptonshirepromoted from Midlands 1 East
Peterborough LionsBretton WoodsBretton, Cambridgeshire3rd
SandbachBradwell RoadSandbach, Cheshire8th
ScunthorpeHeslam Park1,212 Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire7th
Sutton ColdfieldRoger Smoldon GroundSutton Coldfield, West Midlands11th
SystonBarkby RoadQueniborough, Leicestershirepromoted from Midlands 1 East

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 Midland, and National League 3 North participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 North. The team with the best playing record, in this case Hinckley, host the match and they beat their opponents Wirral 33 – 20.
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Hinckley 262213790343447162108
Wirral Rugby Club26190767748619113493

----
----

2014–15

2013–14

2012–13

2011–12

2010–11

2009–10

First season as National 3 Midlands.

2007–08

Original teams

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

Midlands Premier honours

Midlands 1 (1987–1992)

The original Midlands 1 was a tier 5 league with promotion to Area League North and relegation to either Midlands 2 East or Midlands 2 West.

Midlands 1 (1992–1993)

For the 1991–92 season Midlands 1 remained a tier 5 league with promotion to Area League North. However, restructuring of the Midlands leagues meant that relegation was now to Midlands 2.

Midlands 1 (1993–1996)

The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North. Midlands 1 dropped to become a tier 6 league and was one of two feeder leagues for National 5 North. Relegation continued to Midlands 2

Midlands 1 (1996–2000)

At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands 1 returned to being a tier 5 league. Promotion was now to National 4 North, while relegation continued to Midlands 2.

Midlands 1 (2000–2009)

Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands 1 remain a tier 5 league but promotion was now to National 3 North and relegation to either Midlands 2 East or Midlands 2 West.

National League 3 Midlands (2009–2017)

The division was renamed National League 3 Midlands following a restructuring of the national leagues which led to changes at all levels. It remained a tier 5 league with promotion to National League 2 North and relegation to either Midlands 1 East or Midlands 1 West.

Midlands Premier (2017–2022)

For the 2017–18 season, all the divisions at tier 5 were renamed from National League 3 to Premier resulting in National League 3 Midlands now named the Midlands Premier. Promotion continued to National League 2 North and relegation to either Midlands 1 East or Midlands 1 West.

Promotion play-offs

Between 2000–01 and 2019–20 there was a play-off between the league runners-up of Midlands Premier and North Premier for the third and final promotion place to National League 2 North. The team with the superior league record had home advantage. At the end of the 2019–20 season, the northern teams have been stronger with twelve wins to the Midlands seven, while the home team has won thirteen times compared to the away teams six.

Number of league titles