Counties 1 Midlands West (North) (formerly Midands 2 West (North)) is a level 7 English rugby union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of clubs from the northern part of the West Midlands region including Shropshire, Staffordshire, parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands and occasionally Cheshire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands West 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 West (North) and Midlands 3 West (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 West (North) and post the Rugby Football Union (RFU)'s Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Sutton Coldfield are the current champions.
Format The champions are promoted to Regional Midlands 2 West or occasionally to Regional 2 Midlands North. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually to Counties 2 Midlands West (South).
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 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 the champions Whitchurch promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North, while Telford Hornets (11th) and Tamworth (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West).
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Aston Old Edwardians Sunnybank Avenue Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands 9th Burntwood The Sportsway Burntwood, Staffordshire 7th Crewe & Nantwich Newcastle Road Nantwich, Cheshire 2nd Newcastle (Staffs) Lilleshall Road Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire 8th Newport (Salop) 2XV The Old Showground Newport, Shropshire 6th Old Halesonians Wassell Grove Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands West (12th) Shrewsbury Sundorne Castle Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 3rd Spartans Coppice Lane Middleton, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 4th Stourbridge Lions Stourton Park Stourbridge, West Midlands 10th Trentham New Inn Lane Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (champions) Veseyans Memorial Ground Walsall, West Midlands 5th Willenhall Bognop Road Essington, Staffordshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (runners-up)
2025–26
Departing were the champions Sutton Coldfield promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North, while Willenhall (10th), Stafford (11th) and Wolverhampton (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West). Also leaving were Kidderminster Carolians (8th) on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South). Joining the league were Aston Old Edwardians promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (East) and Stourbridge Lions promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) as champions. Crewe & Nantwich (11th) were relegated from Regional 2 North West, Tamworth (11th) relegated from Regional 2 North Midlands and Whitchurch (12th) relegated from Regional 2 West Midlands.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Aston Old Edwardians Sunnybank Avenue Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (East) (1st) Burntwood The Sportsway Burntwood, Staffordshire 2nd Crewe & Nantwich Newcastle Road Nantwich, Cheshire Relegated from Regional 2 North West {11th) Newcastle (Staffs) Lilleshall Road Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire 3rd Newport (Salop) 2XV The Old Showground Newport, Shropshire 7th Shrewsbury Sundorne Castle Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 9th Spartans Coppice Lane Middleton, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 5th Stourbridge Lions Stourton Park Stourbridge, West Midlands Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (1st) Tamworth Wigginton Park Tamworth, Staffordshire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North (12th) Telford Hornets Hinkshay Road Telford, Shropshire 6th Veseyans Memorial Ground Walsall, West Midlands 4th Whitchurch Edgeley Park Whitchurch, Shropshire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands West (12th)
2024–25 Participating teams & locations Departing were Edwardians promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North whilst Old Saltleians were promoted to Regional 2 Midlands West. Harborne and Longton were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West). Camp Hill left on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South). Joining were Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton, both relegated, together with Veseyans, Newport (Salop) 2XV and Willenhall – all promoted.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burntwood The Sportsway Burntwood, Staffordshire 4th Kidderminster Carolians Marlpool Lane Kidderminster, Worcestershire 6th Newport (Salop) 2XV The Old Showground Newport, Shropshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (champions) Newcastle (Staffs) Lilleshall Road Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire 3rd Shrewsbury Sundorne Castle Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 5th Spartans Coppice Lane Middleton, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands 8th Stafford The County Ground Stafford, Staffordshire 9th Sutton Coldfield Roger Smoldon Ground Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North (12th) Telford Hornets Hinkshay Road Telford, Shropshire 7th Veseyans Memorial Ground Walsall, West Midlands Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (East) (2nd) Willenhall Bognop Road Essington, Staffordshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (West) (2nd) Wolverhampton Castlecroft Road Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, West Midlands Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North (11th)
League table 2024–25 Counties 1 Midlands West (North) PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPts adj 1 Sutton Coldfield (P) 22 22 0 0 1160 302 858 22 0 110 2 Burntwood 22 19 0 3 797 490 307 15 0 91 3 Newcastle (Staffs) 22 14 1 7 696 529 167 15 2 75 4 Veseyans 22 13 0 9 655 584 71 17 5 74 5 Spartans 22 13 0 9 578 575 3 13 5 70 6 Telford Hornets 22 10 0 12 543 665 −122 12 4 56 7 Newport (Salop) 2XV 22 9 0 13 571 611 −40 13 6 55 8 Kidderminster Carolians 22 10 0 12 539 725 −186 10 0 50 9 Shrewsbury 22 7 0 15 633 830 −197 13 6 47 10 Willenhall (R) 22 6 0 16 510 694 −184 14 7 45 11 Stafford (R) 22 6 0 16 437 781 −344 7 1 33 +1 12 Wolverhampton (R) 22 2 1 19 365 698 −333 6 5 21 If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams 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 placesUpdated: 27 December 2025
2023–24 Participating teams & locations Departing were 2nd-placed Tamworth promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North. Luctonians 2XV (1st) moved on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South) – promotion to level 6 was not permitted due to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues. Stourbridge Lions and Uttoxeter were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West) and Counties 2 Midlands West (East) respectively. Joining were Harborne and Burntwood, both promoted, together with Kidderminster Carolians and Spartans both on a level transfer
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burntwood The Sportsway Burntwood, Staffordshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (North) (champions) Camp Hill The Shrine Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands 5th Edwardians Memorial Ground Solihull, West Midlands 3rd Harborne Metchley Park Birmingham, West Midlands Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands West (North) (2nd) Kidderminster Carolians Marlpool Lane Kidderminster, Worcestershire Level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands West (South) (2nd) Longton Trentham Fields Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire 10th Newcastle (Staffs) Lilleshall Road Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire 7th Old Saltleians Watton Lane Water Orton, Warwickshire 8th Shrewsbury Sundorne Castle Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 6th Spartans Coppice Lane Middleton, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands Level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands West (South) (9th) Stafford The County Ground Stafford, Staffordshire 4th Telford Hornets Hinkshay Road Telford, Shropshire 9th
League table 2023–24 Counties 1 Midlands West (North) PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPts adj 1 Edwardians (P) 22 21 0 1 931 260 671 20 1 105 2 Old Saltleians 22 20 0 2 936 312 624 18 1 99 3 Newcastle (Staffs) 22 16 0 6 703 464 239 13 2 79 4 Burntwood 22 12 0 10 684 556 128 14 4 67 +1 5 Shrewsbury 22 12 0 10 663 658 5 13 1 63 6 Kidderminster Carolians 22 11 0 11 618 534 84 12 3 59 7 Telford Hornets 22 10 0 12 534 545 −11 8 4 52 8 Spartans 22 9 0 13 554 570 −16 11 4 51 9 Stafford 22 9 0 13 463 753 −290 10 1 47 10 Camp Hill 22 7 0 15 505 615 −110 7 6 41 11 Longton (R) 22 4 0 18 429 1103 −674 7 2 25 12 Harborne (R) 22 1 0 21 281 931 −650 2 2 −2 −10If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams 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 placesUpdated: 25 December 2025
2022–23 Participating teams & locations This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Midlands West (South). Departing were Crewe & Nantwich, Moseley Oak and Walsall all promoted to Regional 2 Midlands West. Also leaving was Leek, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North. Joining were Edwardians, Shrewsbury, Telford Hornets and Luctonians 2XV.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Camp Hill The Shrine Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands 6th Edwardians Memorial Ground Solihull, West Midlands Promoted from Midlands 3 West (North) (champions) Longton Trentham Fields Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire 5th Luctonians 2XV Mortimer Park 2,500 (300 seats) Kingsland, Herefordshire New entry Newcastle (Staffs) Lilleshall Road Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire 9th Old Saltleians Watton Lane Water Orton, Warwickshire 11th Shrewsbury Sundorne Castle Uffington, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Promoted from Midlands 3 West (North) (3rd) Stafford The County Ground Stafford, Staffordshire 8th Stourbridge Lions Stourton Park 3,500 (499 seats) Stourbridge, West Midlands 12th Tamworth Wigginton Park Tamworth, Staffordshire 7th Telford Hornets Hinkshay Road Telford, Shropshire Promoted from Midlands 3 West (North) (2nd) Uttoxeter Oldfields Sports & Social Club 2,000 Uttoxeter, Staffordshire 10th
League table