Regional 1 Midlands (until 2021–22 known as Midlands Premier and up until 2016–17 known as National League 3 Midlands) is a level five semi-professional league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as Midlands Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following a reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), and the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season by the RFU in order to lessen confusion for what is a series of regional leagues. Regional 1 Midlands is the highest regional rugby union league in the English Midlands.
Bournville are the 2025-26 champions and will be promoted to National League 2 West.
Format The club that finishes as champions is automatically promoted to National League 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to either, Regional 2 East Midlands, Regional 2 North Midlands or Regional 2 West Midlands, depending on their location, and other factors such as the location of relegated and promoted teams in other divisions.
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 (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
2026–27
Departing were Bournville promoted to Nat 2 West while Drybrook (10th - play off losers), Dudley Kingswinford (11th) and Nuneaton (12th) were relegated. Also departing were Newent (4th) on a level transfer to Regional 1 South West.
Initially Loughborough Students were due to compete in this league having been relegated via the play-offs from National 2 West in which they finished 13th. However, when Macclesfield declined their allocation to National League 2 West for 2026-27 the Cheshire club were involuntarily demoted to Regional 1 North West which in turn displaced Burton from that league into this one. Consequently, Loughborough Students were reprieved from relegation and reinstated in National League 2 West for the forthcoming season.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Banbury Bodicote Park 2,500 (250 seats) Banbury, Oxfordshire 8th Moseley Oak Billesley Common 5,000 (1,300 seats) Moseley, Birmingham, West Midlands Promoted from Regional 2 West Midlands (champions) Bridgnorth Edgar Davies Ground Bridgnorth, Shropshire 7th Broadstreet Ivor Preece Field 1,500 (250 seats) Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands Promoted from Regional 2 East Midlands (3rd - play off winners) Bromsgrove Finstall Park Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 5th Burton Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire Level transfer from Regional 1 North West (4th) Lichfield Cooke Fields 5,460 (460 seats) Lichfield, Staffordshire 6th Lutterworth Ashby Lane Lutterworth, Leicestershire 9th Newport (Salop) The Old Showground Newport, Shropshire 2nd Oxford Harlequins Horspath Sports Ground 1,000 Horspath, Oxfordshire Relegated from Nat 2 East (14th) Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands 3rd Syston Barkby Road Queniborough, Leicestershire Relegated from Nat 2 West (14th)
2025–26 Six of last years teams participated in this season's competition. Departing were Syston promoted to National 2 West while Silhillians (11th) and Kenilworth (12th) were both relegated to Regional 2 Midlands West. Also leaving were Burton (4th), Derby (9th) and Long Eaton (8th) all on a level transfer to Regional 1 North West.
Incoming teams, were the four promoted as champions from Regional 2 leagues - Drybrook (Regional 2 Severn), Lichfield (Regional 2 Midlands North), Lutterworth (Regional 2 Midlands East) and Newent (Regional 2 Midlands West). Also joining were Bournville relegated from National League 2 West and Newport on a level transfer from Regional 1 North West.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Banbury Bodicote Park 2,500 (250 seats) Banbury, Oxfordshire 7th Bournville Avery Fields Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands Relegated from Nat 2 West (14th) Bridgnorth Edgar Davies Ground Bridgnorth, Shropshire 5th Bromsgrove Finstall Park Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 3rd Drybrook Mannings Ground Drybrook, Gloucestershire Promoted from Regional 2 Severn (champions) Dudley Kingswinford Heathbrook 2,260 (260 seats) Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands 10th Lichfield Cooke Fields 5,460 (460 seats) Lichfield, Staffordshire Promoted from Regional 2 North Midlands (champions) Lutterworth Ashby Lane Lutterworth, Leicestershire Promoted from Regional 2 East Midlands (champions) Newent Recreation Ground Newent, Gloucestershire Promoted from Regional 2 West Midlands (champions) Newport (Salop) The Old Showground Newport, Shropshire Level transfer from Regional 1 North West (6th) Nuneaton Liberty Way 3,800 (500 seats) Nuneaton, Warwickshire 6th Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands 2nd
League table 2025–26 Regional 1 MidlandsTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsQualification 1 Bournville (P) 22 18 0 4 866 409 457 17 3 92 Promotion place 2 Newport (Salop) 22 16 0 6 858 474 384 17 5 86 Promotion play-off place 3 Stourbridge 22 15 1 6 725 495 230 15 3 80 Promotion play-off place 4 Newent 22 15 0 7 799 549 250 16 3 79 5 Bromsgrove 22 13 0 9 874 595 279 15 5 72 6 Lichfield 22 12 1 9 654 572 82 13 6 69 7 Bridgnorth 22 12 1 9 669 517 152 12 5 67 8 Banbury 22 12 0 10 726 501 225 12 6 66 9 Lutterworth 22 10 0 12 651 704 −53 14 2 56 Relegation play-off place 10 Drybrook (R) 22 4 1 17 419 734 −315 6 2 26 Relegation play-off place 11 Dudley Kingswinford (R) 22 2 1 19 378 892 −514 4 1 15 Relegation place 12 Nuneaton (R) 22 0 1 21 234 1411 −1177 4 1 7 Relegation place If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Team with most draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Play-offs The champions, Bournville, are automatically promoted to next seasons National League 2 West. Third-placed Stourbridge won the Regional 1 Midland play-off against second-placed Newport (Salop) and in the Regional 1 South West play-off, second-placed Topsham beat third-placed Brixham. Stourbridge beat Topsham in Round 2 and lost to Exeter University, in the NLR Accession Final. Exeter University remain in National League 2 West. In each match the highest placed team play at home.
Promotion play-offs
Round 2
NLR Accession Final
Relegation play-off The 9th and 10th placed teams held a play-off, with the losing team playing in the Regional 1 Accession Final, against Broadstreet, the winner of the Regional 2 Midlands East promotion play-off. Lutterworth remain in Regional 1 Midlands and Drybrook are relegated. Broadstreet are promoted to this league.
Regional 1 Accession Final
2024–25 Departing were Oxford Harlequins who were promoted to National League 2 East. Old Halesonians and Broadstreet were relegated to Regional 2 Midlands West and Regional 2 Midlands East respectively. Stoke-on-Trent (5th) left on a level transfer to Regional 1 North West.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Banbury Bodicote Park 2,500 (250 seats) Banbury, Oxfordshire 8th Bridgnorth Edgar Davies Ground Bridgnorth, Shropshire 6th Bromsgrove Finstall Park Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 3rd Burton Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton, Staffordshire 4th Derby Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire 7th Dudley Kingswinford Heathbrook 2,260 (260 seats) Kingswinford, Dudley, West Midlands Relegated from Nat 2 West (14th) Kenilworth Glasshouse Lane Kenilworth, Warwickshire 10th Long Eaton West Park 1,000 Long Eaton, Derbyshire Promoted from Regional 2 Midlands North (champions) Nuneaton Liberty Way 3,800 (500 seats) Nuneaton, Warwickshire Promoted from Regional 2 Midlands East (champions) Silhillians The Memorial Ground Solihull, West Midlands Promoted from Regional 2 Midlands West (champions) Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands 2nd Syston Barkby Road Queniborough, Leicestershire 9th
League table 2024–25 Regional 1 MidlandsTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints P Syston 22 21 1 0 856 415 441 16 0 102 2 Stourbridge 22 16 0 6 870 491 379 15 5 85 3 Bromsgrove 22 14 0 8 820 394 426 14 5 75 4 Burton 22 12 1 9 697 652 45 16 3 69 5 Bridgnorth 22 11 0 11 716 536 180 14 8 66 6 Nuneaton 22 11 0 11 694 612 82 16 4 64 7 Banbury 22 10 0 12 673 612 61 14 4 59 8 Long Eaton 22 9 0 13 616 682 −66 13 5 54 9 Derby 22 10 0 12 565 756 −191 11 2 53 10 Dudley Kingswinford 22 10 0 12 444 473 −29 7 2 50 R Silhillians 22 7 0 15 458 773 −315 6 2 36 R Kenilworth 22 0 0 22 260 1273 −1013 3 1 −11 If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Team with most draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places (subject to confirmation by the RFU).Updated: 19 April 2025Source:
2023–24 Departing were Dudley Kingswinford, promoted to National League 2 West. Lichfield and Nuneaton were relegated to Regional 2 Midlands North and Regional 2 Midlands East respectively. Oundle (7th) left on a level transfer to Regional 1 South East.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Banbury Bodicote Park 2,500 (250 seats) Banbury, Oxfordshire Transferred from Regional 1 South Central (10th) Bridgnorth Edgar Davies Ground Bridgnorth, Shropshire 2nd Broadstreet Ivor Preece Field 1,500 (250 seats) Binley Woods, Coventry, West Midlands 10th Bromsgrove Finstall Park Bromsgrove, Worcestershire 4th Burton Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton, Staffordshire 6th Derby Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire 8th Kenilworth Glasshouse Lane Kenilworth, Warwickshire 5th Old Halesonians Wassell Grove Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire Promoted from Regional 2 West Midlands (1st) Oxford Harlequins Horspath Sports Ground 1,000 Oxford, Oxfordshire Transferred from Regional 1 South Central (4th) Stoke-on-Trent Hartwell Lane 2,000 Barlaston, Staffordshire 9th Stourbridge Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands Relegated from National 2 West (14th) Syston Barkby Road Queniborough, Leicestershire 3rd
League table 2023–24 Regional 1 MidlandsTeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsAdj P Oxford Harlequins 22 19 0 3 905 372 +533 19 1 96 2 Stourbridge 22 17 1 4 831 467 +364 16 3 89 3 Bromsgrove 22 15 0 7 671 449 +222 11 4 75 4 Burton 22 13 0 9 553 528 +25 11 5 69 5 Stoke-on-Trent 22 12 0 10 623 596 +27 15 4 67 6 Bridgnorth 22 12 0 10 628 574 +54 13 5 66 7 Derby 22 11 0 11 670 638 +32 14 4 62 8 Banbury 22 10 1 11 623 676 –53 14 2 58 9 Syston 22 11 0 11 589 524 +65 8 4 56 10 Kenilworth 22 7 1 14 595 704 −109 11 6 42 –5 R Old Halesonians 22 2 1 19 416 728 −312 5 4 19 R Broadstreet 22 1 0 21 260 1108 −848 1 2 7 If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Team with most draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for