Sussex 1 (known as Harvey's of Sussex 1 due to sponsorship reasons) is an English level 9 Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Sussex. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions are automatically promoted up to London 3 South East, while the second placed team plays a promotion playoff against the second placed team from Kent 1. Relegated teams drop to Sussex 2 although in recent season there has been no relegation. Only 1st XV sides can be promoted into London 3 South East.
The system from 2017 to 2018 sees the eight team league play home and away games against each team in the league (14 games each) up until February when the league splits into two mini leagues of 4 teams (Sussex 1A and Sussex 1B) based on league ranking. Each team then a further 6 games against teams in their group (home and away) with the teams in the promotion group (1A) playing off for the title, and the teams in the relegation group (1B) playing to avoid the drop. Note that points from the first stage are carried into the second.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Teams for 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.
Barns Green finished 9th in 2019-20 and whilst not relegated, did not return for 2021-22 and instead have dropped to Sussex 2 West.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burgess Hill Southway Recreation Ground Burgess Hill, West Sussex 4th East Grinstead Saint Hill East Grinstead, West Sussex 2nd Eastbourne Park Avenue Eastbourne, East Sussex 3rd Hellingly Horsebridge Recreation Ground Hellingly, East Sussex 5th Hove II Hove Recreation Ground Hove, East Sussex 8th Lewes Stanley Turner Ground Lewes, East Sussex 7th Seaford Salts Recreation Ground Seaford, East Sussex 6th Uckfield Hempstead Playing Fields Uckfield, East Sussex Relegated from London 3 South East (10th)
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Sussex 1 was not contested.
Teams for 2019-20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Barns Green Barns Green Sports & Social Club Barns Green, West Sussex Promoted from Sussex 2 (runners up) Burgess Hill Southway Recreation Ground Burgess Hill, West Sussex 4th Crawley Willoughby Fields Crawley, West Sussex Runners up (lost playoff) East Grinstead Saint Hill East Grinstead, West Sussex 5th Eastbourne Park Avenue Eastbourne, East Sussex 3rd Hellingly Horsebridge Recreation Ground Hellingly, East Sussex N/A Hove II Hove Recreation Ground Hove, East Sussex N/A Lewes Stanley Turner Ground Lewes, East Sussex Relegated from London 3 South East (11th) Seaford Salts Recreation Ground Seaford, East Sussex 7th
Teams for 2018-19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burgess Hill Southway Recreation Ground Burgess Hill, West Sussex 4th Crawley Willoughby Fields Crawley, West Sussex Relegated from London 3 SE (12th) Ditchling Ditchling Recreation Ground Ditchling, East Sussex 7th East Grinstead Saint Hill East Grinstead, West Sussex 3rd Eastbourne Park Avenue Eastbourne, East Sussex 6th Plumpton Plumpton Racecourse Plumpton, East Sussex Promoted from Sussex 2 (champions) Seaford Salts Recreation Ground Seaford, East Sussex 5th Uckfield Hempstead Playing Fields Uckfield, East Sussex Runners up (lost playoff)
Teams for 2017-18
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Barns Green Barns Green Sports & Social Club Barns Green, West Sussex Promoted from Sussex 2 (4th) Burgess Hill Southway Recreation Ground Burgess Hill, West Sussex 3rd Ditchling Ditchling Recreation Ground Ditchling, East Sussex Promoted from Sussex 2 (runners up) East Grinstead Saint Hill East Grinstead, West Sussex Promoted from Sussex 2 (champions) Eastbourne Park Avenue Eastbourne, East Sussex Relegated from London 3 South East (11th) Hellingly Horsebridge Recreation Ground Hellingly, East Sussex 4th Seaford Salts Recreation Ground Seaford, East Sussex 5th Uckfield Hempstead Playing Fields Uckfield, East Sussex 2nd (lost play-off)
Teams for 2016-17 Bognor 2nd XV (promoted from Sussex Canterbury Jack Division 2) Brighton II Burgess Hill (relegated from London 3 South East) Crawley Hellingly Horsham II Hove 2nd XV Seaford Shoreham (promoted from Sussex Canterbury Jack Division 2) Uckfield (relegated from London 3 South East)
Teams for 2015-16 Brighton II Chichester III Crowborough II Crawley Haywards Heath Hellingly Horsham II Hove 2nd XV Lewes (relegated from London 3 South East) Midhurst Seaford Worthing Senior I
Teams for 2014-15 Brighton II Burgess Hill (relegated from London 3 South East) Chichester III Crowborough II Crawley Eastbourne Hellingly Holbrook Hove 2nd XV Rye Seaford Worthing Senior I
Teams for 2012-13 Brighton II Burgess Hill Chichester III Eastbourne Holbrook Haywards Heath II Hove III Lewes II Midhurst Newick Rye Seaford
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Bognor Brighton Burgess Hill Chichester Crowborough Eastbourne Hastings & Bexhill Haywards Heath Hove Sussex Police
Sussex 1 honours
Sussex 1 (1987–1993)
The original Sussex 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to Sussex 2.
Sussex 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1987–88 11 Bognor Chichester Hastings & Bexhill 1988–89 11 Hove Chichester Hellingly 1989–90 11 Chichester Haywards Heath Crowborough, St. Francis 1990–91 11 Hastings & Bexhill East Grinstead Sussex Police, Seaford 1991–92 11 Brighton East Grinstead No relegation 1992–93 12 Haywards Heath Hastings & Bexhill St. Francis, Hellingly Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Sussex 1 (1993–1996)
The creation of National 5 South meant that Sussex 1 dropped from a tier 9 league to a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Sussex 2 respectively.
Sussex 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1993–94 12 Heathfield & Waldron Uckfield BA Wingspan 1994–95 13 Uckfield Seaford Ditchling, Crowborough 1995–96 13 Bognor Crawley Sun Alliance, Hellingly, BA Wingspan Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Sussex 1 (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Sussex 1 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Sussex 2 respectively.
Sussex 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1996–97 13 Heathfield & Waldron Uckfield Burgess Hill1997–98 9 Eastbourne Hove Pulborough, BA Wingspan 1998–99 9 Hove Crowborough Burgess Hill, Ditchling, Old Brightonian1999–00 8 Bognor Crowborough No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Sussex 1 (2000–2009)
The introduction of London 4 South East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Sussex 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to Sussex 2 (briefly two regional divisions) until that league was abolished at the end of the 2003–04 season.
Sussex 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams2000–01 10 Uckfield Hastings & Bexhill Holbrook, Newick, Seaford 2001–02 10 Chichester Heathfield & Waldron St. Francis, Sussex Police2002–03 9 Uckfield Hastings & Bexhill Chichester IHE, Hellingly 2003–04 10 Hove Hastings & Bexhill Rye, Norfolk Arms 2004–05 8 Horsham Hastings & Bexhill No relegation 2005–06 9 Crowborough Hastings & Bexhill Hellingly 2006–07 10 Hastings & Bexhill Horsham Plumpton2007–08 9 Heathfield & Waldron East Grinstead Burgess Hill, Hellingly 2008–09 11 Brighton Uckfield No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Sussex 1 (2009–present)
Sussex 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 South East (formerly London 4 South East) and relegation was to Sussex Canterbury Jack Intermediate (Sussex 2) which was reintroduced for the 2010–11 season after an absence of six years.
Sussex 1SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams2009–10 12 Crawley Uckfield Lewes II 2010–11 12 Uckfield Burgess Hill St. Francis, Worthing III 2011–12 10 Pulborough East Grinstead II, Burgess Hill (3rd) Eastbourne II 2012–13 12 Burgess Hill Eastbourne Midhurst, Newick 2013–14 12 Pulborough Crawley Lewes II, Haywards Heath II 2014–15 12 Eastbourne Burgess Hill Holbrook, Rye 2015–16 12 Lewes Haywards Heath Crowborough II, Midhurst2016–17 10 Crawley Uckfield Horsham II, Brighton II 2017–18 8 Hellingly Uckfield Barns Green 2018–19 8 Uckfield Crawley No relegation 2019–20 9 Crawley East Grinstead No relegation 2020–21 2021–22 8 East Grinstead Uckfield Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Promotion play-offs Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Kent 1 and Sussex 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 South East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Kent 1 teams have been the most successful with fourteen wins to the Sussex 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams eight.
Kent 1 v Sussex 1 promotion play-off results Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance 2000–01 Hastings & Bexhill (S) 12-29 Betteshanger (K) William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex 2001–02 Heathfield & Waldron (S) 25-12 Whitstable (K) Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground, Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex 2002–03 Ashford (K) 10-0 Hastings & Bexhill (S) Canterbury Road, Ashford, Kent 2003–04 Hastings & Bexhill (S) 13-21 Old Elthamians (K) William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex 2004–05 Hastings & Bexhill (S) 0-22 Sittingbourne (K) William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex 2005–06 Hastings & Bexhill (S) 17-18 Ashford (K) William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex 2006–07 Horsham (S) 33-7 Park House (K) Coolhurst Ground, Horsham, West Sussex 2007–08 Old Gravesendians (K) 8-14 East Grinstead (S) Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent 2008–09 Old Gravesendians (K) 10-5 Uckfield (S) Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent 300 2009–10 Uckfield (S) 19-21 Cranbrook (K) Hempstead Playing Fields, Uckfield, East Sussex 2010–11 Sheppey (K) 42-10 Burgess Hill (S) Stupple Field, Minster, Kent 500 2011–12 Vigo (K) 10-7 Burgess Hill (S) Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent 400 2012–13 Eastbourne (S) 0-47 Beccehamian (K) Park Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex 2013–14 Crawley (S) 22-41 Hastings & Bexhill (K) Willoughby Fields Pavilion, Crawley, West Sussex 2014–15 Burgess Hill (S) 26-23 Sheppey (K) Southway Recreation Ground, Burgess Hill, West Sussex 2015–16 Haywards Heath (S) 13-8 Old Williamsonians (K) Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, West Sussex 2016–17 Old Williamsonians (K) 20-17 Uckfield (S) Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester, Kent 2017–18 Vigo (K) 31-17 Uckfield (S) Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent 2018–19 Gillingham Anchorians (K) 23-21 Crawley (S) Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent 2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. 2020–21 Green background is the promoted team. K = Shepherd Neame Kent 1 and S = Sussex 1
Number of league titles
Uckfield (5) Bognor (3) Crawley (3) Heathfield & Waldron (3) Hove (3) Brighton (2) Chichester (2) Eastbourne (2) Hastings & Bexhill (2) Pulborough (2) Burgess Hill (1) Crowborough (1) Haywards Heath (1) Hellingly (1) Horsham (1) Lewes (1)
See also London & SE Division RFU Sussex RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England
Notes
References
External links Sussex Rugby Football Union