Regional 1 North West


Regional 1 North West is a level five league in the English rugby union system, with the twelve teams drawn from across North West England. The other level five leagues are Regional 1 Midlands, Regional 1 North East, Regional 1 South Central, Regional 1 South East and Regional 1 South West.
Rossendale are the current champions and are promoted to National League 2 North.

Format

The twelve teams in this league are drawn from across North West England, with the league champions promoted to National League 2 North. The league's bottom two teams are relegated to either Regional 2 North or Regional 2 North West depending on their geographic location.
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 Rossendale, promoted to National League 2 North, whilst Stoke-on-Trent and Birkenhead Park were relegated to Regional 2 Midlands North and Regional 2 North West respectively. Also leaving were Kendal and Penrith on a level transfer to Regional 1 North East, as were Newport (Salop) to Regional 1 Midlands.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AnselmiansMalone FieldEastham, Wirral2nd
BlackburnRamsgreave DriveBlackburn, Lancashire8th
BowdonClay LaneTimperley, Altrincham, Greater ManchesterPromoted from Regional 2NW
BurtonBattlestead Croft, Tatenhill5,500
DerbyHaslams LaneDerby, DerbyshireLevel transfer from Regional 1 Midlands
HuddersfieldLockwood Park1,500 Huddersfield, South YorkshireLevel transfer from Regional 1 North East
LeekAltrad ParkCheddleton, Staffordshire10th
Long EatonWest Park1,000Long Eaton, DerbyshireLevel transfer from Regional 1 Midlands
ManchesterGrove Park4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester3rd
RochdaleMoorgate AvenueRochdale, Greater ManchesterPromoted from Regional 2 North East
StockportThe Memorial Ground500Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester5th
WirralThe Memorial GroundClatterbridge, Wirral4th

2024–25

Departing were Macclesfield, promoted to National League 2 West, whilst Sandbach and Northwich were relegated to Regional 2 North West.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AnselmiansMalone FieldEastham, Wirral9th
Birkenhead ParkUpper Park2,000Birkenhead, WirralPromoted from Regional 2NW
BlackburnRamsgreave DriveBlackburn, Lancashire3rd
KendalMint Bridge Stadium3,500 Kendal, Cumbria6th
LeekAltrad ParkCheddleton, Staffordshire10th
ManchesterGrove Park4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester5th
Newport (Salop)The Old ShowgroundNewport, ShropshireRelegated from Nat 2 West
PenrithWinters ParkPenrith, Cumbria8th
RossendaleMarl Pits1,100 Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire2nd
StockportThe Memorial Ground500Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester7th
Stoke-on-TrentHartwell Lane2,000Barlaston, StaffordshireLevel transfer from Regional 1 Midlands
WirralThe Memorial GroundClatterbridge, Wirral4th

2023–24

Departing were Lymm, promoted to National League 2 North whilst Kirkby Lonsdale and Burnage were relegated to Regional 2 North West.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AnselmiansMalone FieldEastham, MerseysidePromoted from Regional 2 North West
BlackburnRamsgreave DriveBlackburn, Lancashire2nd
KendalMint Bridge Stadium3,500 Kendal, Cumbria10th
LeekEsterchem ParkCheddleton, StaffordshirePromoted from Regional 2 North Midlands
MacclesfieldPriory Park1,250 Macclesfield, Cheshire5th
ManchesterGrove Park4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester8th
NorthwichMoss FarmNorthwich, Cheshire9th
PenrithWinters ParkPenrith, CumbriaPromoted from Regional 2 North
RossendaleMarl Pits1,100 Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire3rd
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, Cheshire4th
StockportThe Memorial Ground500Bramhall, Stockport, Greater Manchester6th
WirralThe Memorial GroundClatterbridge, Wirral7th

2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
Eight of the twelve teams were drawn from the 2021–22 North Premier league sides with four promoted or transferred in. Of the remaining six North Premier clubs, four went to Regional 1 North East and the top two were promoted to National League 2 North.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BlackburnRamsgreave DriveBlackburn, LancashireNorth Premier
BurnageVarley ParkStockport, Greater ManchesterNorth Premier
KendalMint Bridge Stadium3,500 Kendal, CumbriaPromoted from North 1 West
Kirkby LonsdaleUnderley ParkKirkby Lonsdale, CumbriaNorth Premier
LymmCrouchley Lane1,000Lymm, CheshireNorth Premier
MacclesfieldPriory Park1,250 Macclesfield, CheshireNorth Premier
ManchesterGrove Park4,000 Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater ManchesterPromoted from North 1 West
NorthwichMoss FarmNorthwich, CheshireNorth Premier
RossendaleMarl Pits1,100 Rawtenstall, Rossendale, LancashireNorth Premier
SandbachBradwall RoadSandbach, CheshireTransferred from Midlands Premier
StockportThe Memorial Ground500Bramhall, Stockport, Greater ManchesterPromoted from North 1 West
WirralThe Memorial GroundClatterbridge, WirralNorth Premier