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Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987) (as London 3 North West)
Number of teams12
Country England
Most titlesHertford, Tabard (3 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex (formerly London 2 North West) is a tier 7 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the top-tier competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. It was previously known as London 2 North West. After the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, the league was renamed to Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex.

Each year the two Hertfordshire clubs in this division with the best record against other Hertfordshire clubs also take part in the Hertfordshire Presidents' Cup, the highest level county cup competition in Hertfordshire. Promoted teams typically go up to Regional 2 Thames while relegated teams drop to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.

Participating clubs 2024–25

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Departing were London Scottish Lions promoted to Regional 2 Thames. Enfield Ignatians and Hampstead were relegated to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.

Joining were Brunel University and Ealing Trailfinders 1871, promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex, together with Fullerians, relegated from Regional 2 Thames.

Participating clubs 2023–24

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Departing were Hemel Hempstead and Grasshoppers, promoted to Regional 2 Thames. There was no relegation.

Joining were Cheshunt and London Scottish Lions, promoted from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.


Participating clubs 2022–23

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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 2 North West with eight of the teams competed in the previous season returning whilst the top four moved to Regional 2 Thames ord Regional 2 Anglia. They were replaced with the top three from London 3 North West and Chiswick on a level transfer from London 2 South West.

Teams for 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.

Season 2020–21

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On 30 October the RFU announced [1] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning London 2 North West 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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Participating Clubs 2016-17

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Participating Clubs 2015-16

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Participating Clubs 2014-15

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Participating Clubs 2013-14

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Participating Clubs 2012-13

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Original teams

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When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as London 3 North West) contained the following teams:

London 2 North West Honours

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London 3 North West (1987–1993)

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Originally known as London 3 North West, this division was a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North and relegation down to either Hertfordshire 1 or Middlesex 1.

London 3 North West
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 11 Bishop's Stortford Hendon Old Paulines, Twickenham
1988–89 11 Finchley Tabard Letchworth Garden City, Hendon, Harrow
1989–90 11 Tabard Fullerians Twickenham, Bacavians
1990–91 11 Letchworth Garden City Hertford Mill Hill, Uxbridge
1991–92 11 Upper Clapton Lensbury St. Mary's Hospital, Hemel Hempstead
1992–93 13 Verulamians Letchworth Garden City Harpenden, Old Millhillians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North West (1993–1996)

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At the end of the 1992–93 season, the top six teams from London 1 and the top six from South West 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 3 North West dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to London 2 North, while relegation was to the newly introduced Herts/Middlesex.

London 3 North West Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–94 13 Staines Letchworth Garden City Old Meadonians, Fullerians
1994–95 13 Hertford Grasshoppers London New Zealand, Upper Clapton
1995–96 13 Old Albanian Old Gaytonians Mill Hill, Old Elizabethans
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North East (1996–2000)

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The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 3 North West reverted to being a tier 7 league. Promotion continued to London 2 North, while relegation was to Herts/Middlesex 1 (formerly Herts/Middlesex).

London 3 North West Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 13 Old Merchant Taylors' Welwyn[c] No relegation[d]
1997–98 17 Harpenden Hertford Hackney, Haringey Rhinos
1998–99[2] 17 London Nigerian Hertford Harlequin Amateurs
1999–00[3] 17 Hertford Ealing Trailfinders Multiple teams[e]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 3 North West (2000–2009)

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London 3 North West continued to be a tier 7 league with promotion up to London 2 North. However, the introduction of London 4 North West ahead of the 2000–01 season meant that clubs were now relegated into this new division instead of into Herts/Middlesex 1.

London 3 North West Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[4] 10 Hertford Twickenham Welwyn
2001–02[5] 10 Bank of England Letchworth Garden City Old Merchant Taylors' Lambs,[f] Finchley
2002–03[6] 10 London Scottish Ealing Trailfinders Ruislip, Metropolitan Police
2003–04[7] 9 Civil Service St Albans West London
2004–05[8] 12 St Albans Bank of England Cheshunt, Verulamians
2005–06[9] 12 Woodford Tring Fullerians, Barnet Elizabethans
2006–07[10] 12 Ruislip Welwyn Bank of England, Haringey Rhinos
2007–08[11] 12 Stevenage Town Imperial Medicals Vauxhall Motors, Datchworth
2008–09[12] 12 Harpenden Hampstead No relegation due to league restructure[g]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

London 2 North East (2009–present)

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Nationwide league restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 3 North West renamed as London 2 North West. It remained at level 7 with promotion to London 1 North (formerly London 2 North) and relegation to London 3 North West (formerly London 4 North West).

London 2 North West Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2009–10[13] 12 Tabard Hammersmith & Fulham Finchley, London Nigerian
2010–11[14] 12 Hammersmith & Fulham Harpenden West London, London New Zealand
2011–12[15] 12 Old Haberdashers Stevenage Town Welwyn, Imperial Medicals
2012–13[16] 12 Tabard Hemel Hempstead Fullerians, Grasshoppers
2013–14[17] 12 Old Priorians Twickenham London Nigerian, UCS Old Boys
2014–15[18] 12 Harrow Chiswick Hemel Hempstead, St Albans
2015–16[19] 12 Fullerians Hammersmith & Fulham Old Merchant Taylors', Staines
2016–17[20] 12 Old Haberdashers H.A.C. Stockwood Park, Welwyn
2017–18[21] 12 H.A.C. Hampstead Tabard, Harrow
2018–19[22] 11[h] Belsize Park Harpenden Enfield Ignatians
2019–20[23] 12 London Welsh Hammersmith & Fulham Luton, Welwyn
2020–21 12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

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Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 2 North East and London 2 North West for the third and final promotion place to London 1 North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 2 North East and London 2 North West teams are tied on nine wins apiece, and the home team has won promotion on fourteen occasions compared to the away teams five.

London 2 (north-east v north-west) promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
2000–01[24] Twickenham (NW) 44-8 Rochford Hundred (NE) Parkfields, Hampton, Greater London
2001–02[25] Letchworth Garden City (NW) 31-22 Basildon (NE) Baldock Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
2002–03[26] Ealing Trailfinders (NW) 36-12 Saffron Walden (NE) Trailfinders Sports Ground, Ealing, London
2003–04[27] St Albans (2nd XV) (NW) 5-22 Hadleigh (NE) Oaklands Land, St Albans, Hertfordshire
2004–05[28] Bank of England (NW) 39-0 Romford and Gidea Park (NE) Bank Lane, Roehampton, Greater London
2005–06[29] Tring (NW) 19-5 Diss (NE) Cow Lane, Tring, Hertfordshire
2006–07[30] Welwyn (NW) 19-6 Harlow (NE) Hobbs Way, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
2007–08[31] Diss (NE) 50-15 Imperial Medicals (NW) Mackenders, Roydon, Norfolk
2008–09[32] Brentwood (NE) 23-15 Hampstead (NW) King George's Playing Fields, Brentwood, Essex
2009–10[33] Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) 22-29 Colchester (NE) Hurlingham Park, Fulham, London
2010–11[34] Braintree (NE) 24-14 Harpenden (NW) Robbs Wood, Braintree, Essex 300
2011–12[35] Basildon (NE) 38-13 Stevenage (NW) Gardiners Close, Basildon, Essex
2012–13[36] Hemel Hempstead (NW) 13-16 (aet) Woodford (NE) Chaulden Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire 500
2013–14[37] Twickenham (NW) 44-43 Saffron Walden (NE) Parkfields, Hampton, Greater London
2014–15[38] Diss (NE) 13-16 Chiswick (NW) Mackenders, Roydon, Norfolk
2015–16[39] Sudbury (NE) 22-18 Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) Whittham Field, Sudbury, Suffolk
2016–17[40] H.A.C. (NW) 48-7[i] South Woodham Ferrers (NE) Dukes Meadows, Chiswick, London
2017–18[42] Hampstead (NW) 7-37 Sudbury (NE) Parliament Hill Fields, Highgate, Camden, London
2018–19[43] Harpenden (NW) 60-6 Romford and Gidea Park (NE) Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Hammersmith & Fulham (NW) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. NE = London 2 North East (formerly London 3 North East) and NW = London 2 North West (formerly London 3 North West)

Number of league titles

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ H.A.C. won the 2016-17 play-off but were denied promotion and the result overturned by the RFU due to H.A.C. fielding an ineligible player.
  2. ^ Kingsburians would later merge with Gaytonians and Roxeth Manor to form West London RFC.
  3. ^ 3rd place Barnet also promoted.
  4. ^ No relegation as league was set to expand from 13 to 17 teams for the following season.
  5. ^ The creation of London 4 North West for the following season meant that twelve teams would be relegated. Uxbridge and Mill Hill dropped two divisions to Herts/Middlesex 1, while Tring, St Albans, Old Millhillians, Hampstead, Letchworth Garden City, Chiswick and Hemel Hempstead went into the new London 4 North West division. 11th place Kingsburians were also supposed to be relegated into the new division but would fold at the end of the season and become amalgamated into West London RFC.
  6. ^ The Lambs were Old Merchant Taylors' 2nd team.
  7. ^ The division would be renamed London Division 2 North West for the next season and along with the whole national restructure of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
  8. ^ League reduced from 12 to 11 after London Nigerian withdraw from RFU leagues.
  9. ^ The initial result of the 2016-17 playoff was overturned by the RFU after HAC were found guilty of fielding an ineligible player. This meant that South Woodham Ferrers were promoted instead.[41]

References

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  1. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  3. ^ "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  4. ^ "2000-2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  5. ^ "2001-2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  6. ^ "2002-2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  7. ^ "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  8. ^ "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  9. ^ "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  10. ^ "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  11. ^ "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  12. ^ "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  13. ^ "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  14. ^ "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  15. ^ "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  16. ^ "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  17. ^ "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  18. ^ "2014-2015 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  19. ^ "2015-2016 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  20. ^ "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  21. ^ "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  22. ^ "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  23. ^ "Men's level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  24. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
  25. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
  26. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2002-03". England Rugby. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  27. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2003-04". England Rugby. 6 June 2004.
  28. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
  29. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
  30. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
  31. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
  32. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2008-09". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
  33. ^ "Hammers 22 Colchester 29". Fulham Rugby. 17 April 2010.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^ "RUGBY: Braintree promoted with pulsating win against Harpenden". This is Essex. 28 April 2011.
  35. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2011-12". England Rugby. 21 April 2009.
  36. ^ "Woodford seal Promotion with Extra Time Victory". Hemel Hempstead RFC (Pitchero). 27 April 2013.
  37. ^ "Fantastic, brilliant, stunning and oh so near to pulling off a great win". Saffron Walden RFC (Pitchero). 3 May 2014.
  38. ^ "Champagne for Chiswick as they go the Diss-tance to secure promotion". Get West London. 27 April 2015.
  39. ^ "MATCH REPORT: Sudbury secure back-to-back promotions". Suffolk Free Press. 30 April 2016.
  40. ^ "Woodham beaten by HAC in play-off final". Echo. 30 April 2016.
  41. ^ "Woodham win shock promotion, three weeks after losing play-off final". Echo. 17 May 2017.
  42. ^ "Sudbury Rugby Club cruise to promotion play-off victory". Suffolk Free Press. 21 April 2018.
  43. ^ "Harpenden secure promotion to London One". Herts Advertiser. 16 April 2019.
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