South West 1 East


South West 1 East was an English, level six, rugby union league in south and south-west England; mainly Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Gloucester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Originally a single division known as South West 2, it was split into two regional leagues in 1996 – South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
The champions were promoted to South West Premier and the runner-up played the second team in South West 1 West, with the winning team gaining promotion. Relegated sides were usually relegated to one of the two seventh-tier leagues – Southern Counties North or Southern Counties South.

2021–22

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. Old Patesians finished 9th in season 2019–20 but were level transferred to South West 1 West.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshire3rd
BeaconsfieldOak Lodge MeadowBeaconsfield, Buckinghamshire10th
BracknellLily Hill1,250 Bracknell, BerkshireRelegated from SW Premier
BuckinghamFloyd FieldMaids Moreton, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire7th
ChippenhamAllington Fields9500Chippenham, Wiltshire8th
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, SomersetPromoted from Southern Counties South
GroveCane LaneGrove, OxfordshirePromoted from Southern Counties South
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, Wiltshire5th
Newbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireRelegated from SW Premier
Oxford HarlequinsHorspath Sports Ground1,000Oxford, Oxfordshire4th
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, Dorset6th
TrowbridgeDoric Park9550Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire12th
WindsorHome ParkWindsor, Berkshire11th
WitneyWitney RoadHailey, Witney, OxfordshirePromoted from Southern Counties North

2020–21

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.

2019–20

The season ended before all the matches were completed because of the coronavirus pandemic and the RFU used a best playing record formula to decide the final table.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshire3rd
BeaconsfieldOak Lodge MeadowBeaconsfield, Buckinghamshire6th
BuckinghamFloyd FieldMaids Moreton, Buckingham, BuckinghamshirePromoted from Southern Counties North
ChippenhamAllington Fields500Chippenham, Wiltshire8th
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, Wiltshire4th
Old CentraliansSaintbridge Sports CentreGloucester, GloucestershireRunner-up
Old PatesiansEverest RoadCheltenham, GloucestershireRelegated from South West Premier
Oxford HarlequinsHorspath Sports Ground1,000Oxford, Oxfordshire10th
Royal Wootton BassettBallard's Ash Sports Ground5,000Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire5th
SalisburyCastle Road1,500Salisbury, Wiltshire7th
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, DorsetPromoted from Southern Counties South
TrowbridgeDoric ParkHilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire11th
WimborneLeigh ParkWimborne, Dorset9th
WindsorHome ParkWindsor, BerkshirePromoted from Southern Counties North

2018–19

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, OxfordshireRunners up
BeaconsfieldOak Lodge MeadowBeaconsfield, BuckinghamshirePromoted from Southern Counties North
ChippenhamAllington Fields500Chippenham, Wiltshire3rd
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, WiltshirePromoted from Southern Counties South
Newbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, BerkshireRelegated from South West Premier
Old CentraliansSaintbridge Sports CentreGloucester, Gloucestershire7th
Oxford HarlequinsHorspath Sports Ground1,000Oxford, Oxfordshire4th
Royal Wootton BassettBallard's Ash Sports Ground5,000Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire6th
SalisburyCastle Road1,500Salisbury, Wiltshire5th
Stratford-upon-AvonPearcecorftStratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire9th
SwindonGreenbridge RoadSwindon, Wiltshire11th
TrowbridgeDoric ParkHilperton, Trowbridge, WiltshirePromoted from Southern Counties South
WimborneLeigh ParkWimborne, Dorset10th
WitneyWitney RoadHailey, Witney, Oxfordshire8th

Promotion play-off

This seasons play-off for promotion to the South West Premier was between Launceston and Old Centralians. Launceston had the better playing record and hosted the match at Polson Bridge, winning 33 – 22. This was the 19th play-off match, the first for Launceston and the second for Old Centralians who won promotion in 2013 beating Camborne by 25 – 15. It was the 13th win for the home team and south-west teams have also won the match on 13 occasions.
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2017–18

Participating teams and location

The 2017–18 South West 1 East consisted of fourteen teams; five from Oxfordshire, four from Wiltshire, two from Gloucestershire and one each from Buckinghamshire, Dorset and Warwickshire. Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshire6th
BicesterOxford RoadBicester, OxfordshirePromoted from Southern Counties North
ChippenhamAllington Fields500Chippenham, Wiltshire9th
GroveCane LaneGrove, Oxfordshire11th
MarlowRiverwoods DriveMarlow, BuckinghamshirePromoted from Southern Counties North
Old CentraliansSaintbridge Sports CentreGloucester, Gloucestershire4th
Old PatesiansEverest RoadCheltenham, Gloucestershire3rd
Oxford HarlequinsMarston Ferry RoadOxford, Oxfordshire10th
Royal Wootton BassettBallard's Ash Sports Ground5,000Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire8th
SalisburyCastle Road1,500Salisbury, WiltshireRelegated from National League 3 South West
Stratford-upon-AvonPearcecorftStratford-upon-Avon, WarwickshireLevel transfer from Midlands 1 West
SwindonGreenbridge RoadSwindon, Wiltshire7th
WimborneLeigh ParkWimborne, DorsetPromoted from Southern Counties South
WitneyWitney RoadHailey, Witney, Oxfordshire5th

2016–17

Participating teams and location

The 2016–17 South West 1 East consisted of fourteen teams; five from Berkshire, four from Oxfordshire, three from Wiltshire and two from Gloucestershire. Eight of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The season started on 3 September 2016 and the last league matches were played on 22 April 2017. The play-off match was played a week later on 29 April 2017.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
BanburyBodicote Park2,500 Banbury, Oxfordshirepromoted from Midlands 2 West (South)
ChippenhamAllington Fields500Chippenham, Wiltshirerelegated from National League 3 South West
GroveCane LaneGrove, Oxfordshire10th
MaidenheadBraywick Park1,750Maidenhead, Berkshire5th
Newbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, Berkshire3rd
Old CentraliansSaintbridge Sports CentreGloucester, Gloucestershirerelegated from National League 3 South West
Old PatesiansEverest RoadCheltenham, Gloucestershirerelegated from National League 3 South West
Oxford HarlequinsMarston Ferry RoadOxford, Oxfordshire6th
ReadingHolme ParkSonning, Reading, Berkshire11th
Reading AbbeyRosehillEmmer Green, Reading, Berkshirepromoted from Southern Counties North
Royal Wootton BassettBallard's Ash Sports Ground5,000Wootton Bassett, Wiltshirepromoted from Southern Counties South
SwindonGreenbridge RoadSwindon, Wiltshire7th
WindsorHome ParkWindsor, Berkshire8th
WitneyWitney RoadHailey, Witney, Oxfordshire4th

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in South West 1 East and Tribute South West 1 West, participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 3 South West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Newbury, hosted the match and they beat their opponents Clevedon 25 – 22.

2015–16

The 2015–16 South West 1 East consisted of fourteen teams; four from Berkshire, three from Oxfordshire, three from Wiltshire and one each from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset and Northamptonshire. The season started on 5 September 2015 and ended on 23 April 2016. Towcestrians finished in first place and were promoted to National League 3 South West for next season, along with the runner-up and play-off winner Salisbury.

Participating teams and location

Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Chippenham were promoted to National League 3 South West while Bletchley and Buckingham were relegated to Southern Counties North and Devizes to Southern Counties South.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
GroveCane LaneGrove, Oxfordshire10th
High WycombeKingsmead RoadHigh Wycombe, Buckinghamshirepromoted from Southern Counties North
Leighton BuzzardWright's MeadowLeighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire7th
MaidenheadBraywick Park1,750Maidenhead, Berkshire11th
Newbury BluesMonk's Lane8,000Newbury, Berkshire6th
Oxford HarlequinsMarston Ferry RoadOxford, Oxfordshirerelegated from National League 3 South West
ReadingHolme ParkSonning, Reading, Berkshire9th
SalisburyCastle Road1,500Salisbury, Wiltshirepromoted from Southern Counties South
Swanage & WarehamBestwall RoadWareham, Dorsetpromoted from Southern Counties South
SwindonGreenbridge RoadSwindon, Wiltshire4th
TowcestriansGreens Norton RoadTowchester, Northamptonshire2nd
TrowbridgeDoric ParkHilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire8th
WindsorHome ParkWindsor, Berkshire3rd
WitneyWitney RoadHailey, Witney, Oxfordshire5th

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in South West 1 East and Tribute South West 1 West, participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 3 South West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Salisbury, hosted the match and they beat their opponents Thornbury 26 – 24.

Teams 2014–15

Teams 2013–14

Teams 2012–13

Original teams

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

South West 1 East honours

South West 2 (1987–1993)

Originally South West 1 East and South West 1 West were combined in a single division called South West 2. It was a tier 6 league with promotion up to South West 1 and relegation down to either Western Counties or Southern Counties.
SeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef
1987–881110Berry HillReadingNewbury, Devonport Services
1988–891110MatsonBrixhamLaunceston, Devon & Cornwall Police
1989–901110Gordon LeagueTorquay AthleticBridgwater & Albion
1990–911110CinderfordNewburyRedingensians, Bournemouth
1991–921110HenleySherborneReading Abbey
1992–931312StroudBarnstapleOld Culverhaysians

South West 2 (1993–1996)

The top six teams from South West 1 and the top six from London 1 were combined to create National 5 South, meaning that South West 2 dropped to become a tier 7 league. Promotion continued to South West 1 and relegation to either Western Counties or Southern Counties.
SeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef
1993–941312Gloucester Old BoysTauntonWindsor
1994–951312MatsonBridgwater & AlbionMarlow
1995–961312LauncestonStroudNo relegation

South West 2 East (1996–2009)

League restructuring by the RFU for the 1996–97 season saw South West 2 split into two regional divisions known as South West 2 East and South West 2 West, and the cancellation of National 5 South meant that both divisions became tier 6 leagues. Promotion continued to South West 1, while relegation was now to either Southern Counties North or Southern Counties South.

South West 1 East (2009–present)

League restructuring by the RFU meant that South West 2 East and South West 2 West were renamed as South West 1 East and South West 1 West, with both leagues remaining at tier 6. Promotion was to National League 3 South West, while relegation continued to either Southern Counties North or Southern Counties South.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of South West 1 East and South West 1 West for the third and final promotion place to South West Premier. The team with the superior league record has home advantage. As of the end of the 2019–20 season the South West 1 West teams' have been the stronger with thirteen wins to the South West 1 East teams' six, while the home team has won promotion thirteen times to the away teams six.

Number of league titles