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Counties 2 Essex
Current season or competition:
2024-25Counties 2 Essex
SportRugby union
Instituted2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Number of teams9
Country England
Most titlesBillericay, Campion, Dagenham, East London, Upminster, Wanstead (2 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

Counties 2 Essex (formerly known as Essex/Canterbury Jack 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to Counties 1 Essex. Relegated clubs used to drop into Essex 2 but as that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation. The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Essex.

Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.

For the 2016–17 season the league was divided into two parallel divisions - Essex 1A and Essex 1B - divided on geographical lines with teams in Essex 1A typically based in the north and east of the county, while teams in Essex 1B are predominantly London based. Each division plays 14 home and away games from September until February. From February the top 4 teams from each division go into the Essex 1 Premiership and play for the title and promotion, while the bottom 4 sides from each group would play for the Essex 1 Shield. For the 2018–19 season Essex 1 would revert to being a single division of 11 teams.

Participating clubs 2024–25

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The experiment of dividing the league was abandoned and North and South divisions reunited.

Departing were Burnham-on-Crouch and Basildon, both promoted to Counties 1 Essex. Barking (7th (South)) were relegated to the Essex RFU merit leagues.

Joining were Stanford-le-Hope, relegated from Counties 1 Essex.

Participating clubs 2023–24

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Ahead of the new season the decision was taken to split the league into parallel North and South divisions as had previously happened in 2016–17.

Departing were Maldon and Stanford-le-Hope, promoted to Counties 1 Essex.

Joining the North league were South Woodham Ferrers (relegated from Counties 1 Essex), Kelvedon & Feering, Witham and Burnham-on-Crouch.

North

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South

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Participating clubs 2022–23

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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Essex.

Returning were nine teams took part in Essex 1 in 2021–22: Barking, Basildon, Billericay, Clacton, Harwich & Dovercourt, Maldon, Millwall, Old Brentwoods and Writtle Wanderers. Bancroft (8th) did not return.

Joining were Canvey Island (12th) and Kings Cross Steelers (11th) relegated from London 3 Essex together with Pegasus Palmerians and Stanford le Hope who both re-joined the league.

Participating clubs 2021–22

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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.

Ilford Wanderers, who had been relegated from London 3 Essex in 11th place in season 2019–20, withdrew from the league in Autumn 2021 meaning it was completed with eleven teams.

Season 2020–21

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On 30 October the RFU announced [2] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Essex 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

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Participating clubs 2018–19

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Participating clubs 2017–18

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Essex Canterbury Jack League 1A

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Essex Canterbury Jack League 1B

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Participating clubs 2016–17

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Essex 1A

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Essex 1B

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  • Braintree
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • Canvey Island
  • Clacton
  • Harwich & Dovercourt
  • Maldon
  • Writtle Wanderers
  • Witham

Participating clubs 2015–16

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Participating clubs 2014–15

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  • Bancroft
  • Burnham-on-Crouch
  • Canvey Island (relegated from London 3 North East)
  • Dagenham
  • East London
  • Epping Upper Clapton
  • Ilford Wanderers
  • Maldon
  • May & Baker
  • Millwall
  • Pegasus Palmerians
  • Writtle Wanderers

Original teams

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When Essex 1 was introduced in 2003 it contained the following teams:

Essex 1 honours

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Essex 1 (2004–2009)

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The original Essex 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to London 4 North East and relegation down to Essex 2.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2003–04[3] 10 Westcliff Wanstead Canvey Island
2004–05[4] 10 Wanstead Upminster Stanford Le Hope
2005–06[5] 10 Upminster Canvey Island Thames
2006–07[6] 10 Billericay South Woodham Ferrers Ilford Wanderers II[a]
2007–08[7] 10 Dagenham Maldon East London, Millwall
2008–09[8] 10 Wanstead Campion Writtle Wanderers, Epping Upper Clapton
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Essex 1 (2009–2017)

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Essex 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 North East (formerly London 4 North East) and relegation was to Essex 2 until that division was disbanded at the end of the 2013–14 season.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2009–10[9] 10 Campion Bancroft Ilford Wanderers
2010–11[10] 11 East London Millwall Dagenham, Thames, Brightlingsea
2011–12[11] 10 Old Brentwoods Maldon Writtle Wanderers, Pegasus Palmerians
2012–13[12] 10 Campion Old Cooperians Burnham-On-Crouch, Millwall
2013–14[13] 9 Billericay Clacton No relegation[b]
2014–15[14] 11 May & Baker Epping Upper Clapton No relegation
2015–16[15] 13 East London Ilford Wanderers No relegation
2016–17[16] 16 Braintree Canvey Island[c] No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Essex 1 (2017–present)

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The cancellation of London 3 North East and subsequent introduction of London 3 Essex ahead of the 2017–18 meant that Essex 1 remained a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division, and as it was the lowest division for clubs in Essex, there was no relegation.

Essex 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2017–18[17] 16 Kings Cross Steelers Ilford Wanderers No relegation
2018–19[18] 10 Upminster Mavericks No relegation
2019–20[19] 9 Dagenham Canvey Island No relegation
2020–21 9 No relegation
2021-22[20] 10 Maldon Billericay
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

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From 2004 to 2016 there was a play-off between the runners-up of Eastern Counties 1 and Essex 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 North East. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2015–16 season the Essex 1 teams had been the most successful with seven wins to the Eastern Counties 1 teams five; and the home team had won promotion on eight occasions compared to the away teams four. Since the introduction of London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex at the start of the 2017–18 season the playoff has been cancelled.[21]

Eastern Counties 1 v Essex 1 promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
2004-05[22] Crusaders (EC) 41-24 Upminster (EX) Beckhithe, Little Melton, Norfolk
2005–06[23] Canvey Island (EX) 31-18 Mersea Island (EC) Tewkes Creek, Canvey Island, Essex
2006–07[24] Thurston (EC) 22-33 South Woodham Ferrers (EX) Robinson Field, Thurston, Suffolk
2007–08[25] Maldon (EX) 15-20 West Norfolk (EC) Drapers Farm Playing Fields, Heybridge, Essex
2008–09[26] Wisbech (EC) 38-14 Campion (EX) Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
2009–10[27] Bancroft (EX) 37-29 Stowmarket (EC) Buckhurst Way, Buckhurst Hill, Essex
2010–11[28] Holt (EC) HWO[d] Millwall (EX) Bridge Road, Holt, Norfolk
2011–12[29] Wisbech (EC) 38-12 Maldon (EX) Chapel Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
2012–13[30] Ipswich Y.M. (EC) 20-27 Old Cooperians (EX) The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich, Suffolk
2013–14[31] Newmarket (EC) 17-18 Clacton (EX) The NSDA Pavilion, Newmarket, Suffolk
2014–15[32] Epping Upper Clapton (EX) 36-22 Ely (EC) Upland Road, Thornwood, Essex 400
2015–16[33] Ilford Wanderers (EX) 66-17 Wymondham (EC) Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground, Barkingside, Greater London
Green background is the promoted team. EC = Eastern Counties 1 and EX = Essex Canterbury Jack (formerly Essex 1)

Number of league titles

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Ilford Wanderers II were relegated despite finishing 7th as Ilford Wanderers 1st team was demoted to the league for the following season.
  2. ^ No relegation as Essex 2 cancelled at the end of the season.
  3. ^ Due to London 3 North East being split into London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex, five teams would be promoted this season instead of the usual 1 or 2, including Maldon, Clacton and Millwall.
  4. ^ Holt were promoted as Millwall did not manage to raise a team for the 2010-11 play-off game.

References

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  1. ^ "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 13 June 2022.
  2. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  3. ^ "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  4. ^ "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  5. ^ "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  6. ^ "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  7. ^ "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  8. ^ "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  9. ^ "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  10. ^ "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  11. ^ "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  12. ^ "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  13. ^ "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  14. ^ "2014-2015 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  15. ^ "2015-2016 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  16. ^ "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  17. ^ "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  18. ^ "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ^ "Essex 1 table 2021-2022". RFU. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Wymondham v Wisbech EC1 - Sat 8th Apr". Wymondham RFC (Pitchero). 8 April 2017.[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
  23. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
  24. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
  25. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
  26. ^ "Rugby: Wisbech's fine win secures promotion". Peterborough Today. 27 April 2009.[permanent dead link]
  27. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2009-10". England Rugby. 24 April 2009.
  28. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2010-11". England Rugby. 30 April 2010.
  29. ^ "Long delighted as Wisbech Rugby Club win promotion play-off in his final game as skipper". Eastern Daily Press. 27 April 2012.
  30. ^ "OLD COOPERIANS PROMOTED to London North East 3". Old Cooperians RFC (Pitchero). 4 May 2013.
  31. ^ "Newmarket stay down with a narrow defeat to Clacton". Newmarket Journal. 1 May 2014.[permanent dead link]
  32. ^ "Epping v Ely 25.04.15". Epping Upper Clapton RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
  33. ^ "Wanderers earn their place in London 3 NE". Ilford Wanderers RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2016.
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