National One, up until 2023 known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national men’s leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage League National Division Three when it was founded in 1987. Richmond are the current champions.
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) approved a new structure for the National Leagues from the 2022–23 season. This division was reduced to fourteen teams, playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of 26 matches each.
Structure The league consists of fourteen teams, with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis, to make a total of twenty-six matches each. For the 2025–26 season there is one automatic promotion place, with the champions going up to Champ Rugby, while the runners up will play the 13th placed Champ Rugby side in a playoff for a possible second promotion place.
Clubs finishing 12th, 13th and 14th will automatically be relegated to either, National League 2 East, National League 2 North or National League 2 West, depending on the geographical location of the team. The 11th placed side will enter a four team playoff with the runners up of the three tier 4 leagues, with one side going up/remaining in National League 1.
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 (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.
Current season
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Birmingham Moseley Billesley Common 5,000 (1,300 seats) Birmingham, West Midlands 11th Bishop's Stortford Silver Leys 1,600 Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire 6th Bury St Edmunds The Haberden 3,000 (135 seats) Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Promoted from National 2 East Cambridge Grantchester Road 2,200 (200 seats) Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Relegated from Champ Rugby (14th) Camborne Recreation Ground 7,000 (780 seats) Camborne, Cornwall Promoted from National 2 West Dings Crusaders Shaftesbury Park 2,250 (250 seats) Frenchay, Bristol 10th Leeds Tykes The Sycamores 1,500 Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 9th London Scottish Athletic Ground 4,500 (1,000 seats) Richmond, London Relegated from Champ Rugby (13th) Plymouth Albion The Brickfields 5,600 Plymouth, Devon 3rd Rams Old Bath Road 2,000 (300 seats) Sonning, Reading, Berkshire 7th Rosslyn Park The Rock 2,000 (630 seats) Roehampton, London 4th Sale FC Heywood Road 3,387 Sale, Greater Manchester 5th Sheffield Abbeydale Park 3,300 (100 seats) Sheffield, South Yorkshire Promoted from National 2 North Tonbridge Juddians The Slade 1,500 Tonbridge, Kent 8th
League table
History When the rugby union leagues were introduced in 1987 the division was known as Courage League National Division Three. Ten years later, in 1997, the league was restructured and the Premiership was introduced, which consisted of the top two divisions. Therefore, National 3 became the top league outside of the Premiership structure, and was renamed as National 1. In 2000–01, the Premiership was reduced to a single division and National 1 was renamed National 2. Following the formation of the professional RFU Championship in 2009 the league, once again, became known as National League 1, and is currently the lowest tier that is nationwide. The league has previously consisted of fourteen clubs, but from 2009 to 2010 increased to sixteen before reducing to fourteen again ahead of the 2022–23 season. Only one team was promoted to the RFU Championship and between 2009–10 and 2019–20 three teams were relegated to either National League 2 North or National League 2 South depending on geographical location. Following reorganisation in 2022, three teams are now relegated to either National League 2 East, National League 2 North or National League 2 West depending on geographical location.
Summary of tier three format YearNameNo of teamsNo of matches 1987–90 Courage National 3 12 11 1990–92 Courage National 3 13 12 1992–93 Courage National 3 12 11 1993–96 Courage National 3 10 18 1996–97 Courage National 3 16 30 1997–2000 Jewson National League 1 14 26 2000–09 National Division 2 14 26 2009–22 National League 1 16 30 2022– National League 1 14 26
Original teams When the league system was formed in 1987, the following teams participated in the league, which was known as National 3. Thirty-three years on, only one team Plymouth Albion, are currently playing at this level. (Updated to 2019–20) Birmingham — now Birmingham & Solihull, playing in Midlands 4 West (South) (9th tier) Exeter — now playing in the Premiership (1st tier) Fylde — currently playing in National League 2 North (4th tier) Maidstone — now playing in London 3 South East (8th tier) Metropolitan Police — now playing in Surrey 3 (11th tier) Morley — now playing in North 1 East (6th tier) Nuneaton — now playing in Midlands Premier (6th tier) Plymouth Albion — currently playing in this division (3rd tier) Sheffield — now playing in Midlands Premier (6th tier) Vale of Lune — now playing in North 1 West (6th tier) Wakefield — no longer participating in league rugby having disbanded in 2004 West Hartlepool — now playing in North 1 East (6th tier)
League results
National Division Three National Division ThreeSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1987–88 12 11 Wakefield West Hartlepool Morley, Birmingham 1988–89 12 11 Plymouth Albion Rugby Metropolitan Police, Maidstone 1989–90 12 11 London Scottish Wakefield London Welsh 1990–91 13 12 West Hartlepool Morley Metropolitan Police, Vale of Lune 1991–92 13 12 Richmond Fylde Nuneaton, Lydney 1992–93 12 11 Otley Havant Multiple teams 1993–94 10 18 Coventry Fylde Havant, Redruth 1994–95 10 18 Bedford Blackheath Clifton, Exeter 1995–96 10 18 Coventry Richmond Fylde in last place (no relegation) 1996–97 16 30 Exeter Fylde Walsall, Havant, Redruth, Clifton
National League One National League OneSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated team(s)Ref 1997–98 14 26 Worcester Leeds Tykes No relegation 1998–99 14 26 Henley Manchester Morley, Liverpool St Helens 1999–00 14 26 Otley Birmingham & Solihull Reading, Blackheath
National Division Two National Division TwoSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated team(s)Ref 2000–01 14 26 Bracknell Rugby Camberley, Lydney, West Hartlepool 2001–02 14 26 Orrell Plymouth Albion Rosslyn Park, Waterloo, Preston Grasshoppers 2002–03 14 26 Penzance-Newlyn Henley Launceston, Kendal, Fylde 2003–04 14 26 Sedgley Park Nottingham Rugby, Lydney 2004–05 14 26 Doncaster Newbury Nuneaton, Bracknell, Rosslyn Park 2005–06 14 26 Moseley Waterloo Orrell 2006–07 14 26 Esher Launceston Bradford & Bingley, Barking, Harrogate 2007–08 14 26 Otley Manchester Nuneaton, Henley Hawks, Halifax 2008–09 14 26 Birmingham & Solihull Cambridge Westcombe Park, Southend, Mounts Bay, Waterloo
National League One National League OneSeasonNo of teamsNo of matchesChampionsRunners-upRelegated team(s)Ref 2009–10 16 30 Esher London Scottish Newbury, Nuneaton, Manchester 2010–11 16 30 London Scottish Barking Redruth, Otley, Launceston 2011–12 16 30 Jersey Ealing Trailfinders Birmingham & Solihull, Stourbridge, Barking 2012–13 16 30 Ealing Trailfinders Esher Macclesfield, Sedgley Park, Cambridge 2013–14 16 30 Doncaster Knights Rosslyn Park Henley Hawks, Worthing Raiders, Hull Ionians 2014–15 16 30 Ealing Trailfinders Rosslyn Park Tynedale, Macclesfield, Old Albanian 2015–16 16 30 Richmond Hartpury College Henley Hawks, Cinderford, Wharfedale 2016–17 16 30 Hartpury College Plymouth Albion Macclesfield, Blaydon 2017–18 16 30 Coventry Darlington Mowden Park Fylde, Old Albanian, Hull Ionians 2018–19 16 30 Ampthill Old Elthamians Loughborough Students, Esher, Caldy 2019–20 16 25 Richmond Rams Hull Ionians, Canterbury, Rotherham Titans 2020–21 Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the season was cancelled. 2021–22 15 28 Caldy Sale FC Blackheath, Tonbridge Juddians 2022–23 14 26 Cambridge Rams Esher, Leeds Tykes, Hull 2023–24 14 26 Chinnor Rams Cinderford, Taunton Titans 2024–25 14 26 Richmond Rosslyn Park Darlington Mowden Park, Esher 2025–26 14 26 Rotherham Titans Blackheath Leicester Lions, Sedgley Park, Clifton 2026–27 14 26 Green background are the promotion places.
Number of league titles
Richmond (4) Coventry (3) Otley (3) Doncaster Knights (2) Ealing Trailfinders (2) Esher (2) London Scottish (2) Ampthill (1) Bedford (1) Birmingham & Solihull (1) Bracknell (1) Caldy (1) Cambridge (1) Chinnor (1) Exeter (1) Hartpury College (1) Henley (1) Jersey (1) Moseley (1) Orrell (1) Penzance-Newlyn (1) Plymouth Albion (1) Rotherham Titans (1) Sedgley Park (1) Wakefield (1) West Hartlepool (1) Worcester (1)
Records Note that all records are from 1996–97 season onwards as this is widely held as the dawn of professionalism across the English club game. It also offers a better comparison between seasons as the division team numbers are roughly equal (for example when league rugby union first started in 1987–88 the Courage League National Division Three had only 12 teams playing 11 games each, compared to 16 teams in 1996–97 playing 30 games (home & away)). Attendance records are from 2000 onwards unless otherwise specified. All records are up to date up till the end of the 2019–20 season.
League records Most titles: 4 Richmond (1991–92, 2015–16, 2019–20, 2024–25) Most times promoted from division: 5 Richmond (1991–92, 1995–96, 2015–16, 2019–20, 2024–25) Most times relegated from division: 4 Nuneaton (1991–92, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10) Most league points in a season: 148 Hartpury College (2016–17) Least league points in a season: 0 West Hartlepool (2000–01), Manchester (2009–10) Most points scored in a season: 1,455 Hartpury College (2016–17) Least points scored in a season: 114 Manchester (2009–10) Most points conceded in a season: 2,626 Manchester (2009–10) Least points conceded in a season: 299 Henley Hawks (1998–99) Best points difference (For/Against): 1,078 Esher (2009–10) Worst points difference (For/Against): –2,512 Manchester (2009–10) Most games won in a season: 30 Hartpury College (2016–17) Most games lost in a season: 30 Manchester (2009–10) Most games drawn in a season: 4 Wharfedale (2005–06), Richmond (2012–13), Ampthill (2017–18) Most bonus points in a season: 28 Ealing Trailfinders (2014–15) Hartpury College (2016–17)
Match records Largest home win: 124 – 5 Wharfedale at home to Manchester on 26 September 2009 (2009–10) Largest away win: 148 – 0 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 (2009–10) Most points scored in a match: 148 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 (2009–10) Most tries scored in a match: 23 Blaydon away to Manchester on 19 September 2009 (2009–10) Most conversions scored in a match: 19 Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 (2009–10) Most penalties scored in a match: 8 Esher at home to Preston Grasshoppers on 1 December 2001 (2001–02) Stourbridge at home to Rosslyn Park on 25 October 2003 (2003–04) Hartpury College at home to Rosslyn Park on 9 April 2016 (2015–16) Rotherham Titans at home to Rosslyn Park on 15 September 2018 (2018–19) Most drop kicks scored in a match: 3 Fylde away to Esher on 13 February 2016 (2015–16)
Player records Most times top points scorer: 2 Neil Hallett for Esher (2005–06, 2006–07) Most times top try scorer: 3 Phil Chesters for Ealing Trailfinders (2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15) Most points in a season: 399 Sam Ulph for Esher (2009–10) Most tries in a season: 42 William Harding for Blackheath (2025–26) Most points in a match: 51 Sam Ulph for Esher away to Manchester on 5 September 2009 (2009–10) Most tries in a match: 7 Hugo Ellis for Rosslyn Park at home to Cambridge on 12 January 2013