Counties 1 Midlands East (North)

Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midland 2 East (North)) is a level 7 English rugby union league and at level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region, including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (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 East (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name

The current champions are Belgrave, who are promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North.

Format The first-placed team (or runner-up if a reserve team wins the league) is promoted to Regional 2 North Midlands. Teams are relegated to either Counties 2 Midlands East (North) or Counties 2 Midlands West (West), depending on location; with the number of teams relegated depending on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above.

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 Nottingham University, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North while Kesteven (10th), Nottingham Moderns (11th) and Ashby (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North).

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Belgrave Belgrave Pastures Belgrave, Leicester, Leicestershire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands (North) (12th) Bourne Milking Nook Drove Bourne, Lincolnshire 4th Keyworth Willoughby Road Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire 9th Lincoln Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire 7th Loughborough Students II East Park 1,000 Loughborough, Leicestershire 3rd Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) Market Rasen & Louth Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 2nd Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 8th Newark The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands (North) (11th) Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 6th Spalding Memorial Field Spalding, Lincolnshire 5th Syston II Barkby Road Queniborough, Leicestershire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North)

2025–26 Departing were Belgrave, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North while Burton 2XV (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands West (West) together with Loughborough (10th) and Mansfield (11th), both relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North). Also leaving were Manor Park (8th) who returned on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands West (South), together with Nuneaton Old Edwardians (6th) and Hinckley 2XV (runner-up) who both moved on a level transfer to Counties 1 Midlands East (South).

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (2nd) Bourne Milking Nook Drove Bourne, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 7th Keyworth Willoughby Road Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (champions) Lincoln Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire 5th Loughborough Students II East Park 1,000 Loughborough, Leicestershire New entry Market Rasen & Louth Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 3rd Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands (North) Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 9th Nottingham University Lady Bay Sports Ground West Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire New entry Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 4th Spalding Memorial Field Spalding, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands East (South)

2024–25 Departing were Ilkeston, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North as runners-up; Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted to level 6, owing to the league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues. Boston and Birstall were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North). Joining were Kesteven and Nottingham Moderns promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North), whilst Manor Park moved on a level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands West (South).

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Belgrave Belgrave Pastures Belgrave, Leicester, Leicestershire 4th Burton 2XV Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton, Staffordshire 10th Hinckley 2XV De Montfort Park 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire Champions (not promoted) Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) (champions) Lincoln Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire 3rd Loughborough Derby Road Playing Fields Loughborough, Leicestershire 6th Manor Park Griff & Coton Nuneaton, Warwickshire Level transfer from Counties 1 Midlands West (South) (5th) Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 8th Market Rasen & Louth Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 5th Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) (2nd) Nuneaton Old Edwardians Weddington Road Nuneaton, Warwickshire 7th Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 9th

League table 2024–25 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPts adj 1 Belgrave (P) 22 20 0 2 581 272 309 15 1 98 −2 2 Hinckley II 22 18 0 4 860 379 481 18 3 93 3 Market Rasen & Louth 22 14 1 7 659 446 213 15 4 78 +1 4 Southwell 22 14 0 8 683 475 208 15 1 72 5 Lincoln 22 12 0 10 695 652 43 14 3 65 6 Nuneaton Old Edwardians 22 12 0 10 543 454 89 12 4 59 −5 7 Kesteven 22 10 1 11 588 519 69 11 5 58 8 Manor Park 22 10 0 12 550 634 −84 9 3 52 9 Nottingham Moderns 22 8 0 14 404 716 −312 6 2 40 10 Loughborough (R) 22 7 0 15 382 680 −298 6 4 38 11 Mansfield (R) 22 4 0 18 359 690 −331 3 5 24 12 Burton II (R) 22 2 0 20 363 750 −387 3 5 16 If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against1 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: 1 December 2025

2023–24 Departing were Mellish, promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North as runners-up (Hinckley Staghounds (2XV) finished top but were not permitted to be promoted on Level 6 owing to league rules on reserve teams in the RFU leagues). Ashbourne and Ashby and were relegated to Counties 2 Midlands East (North) whilst Coalville dropped to Counties 2 Midlands West (East).

Joining were Belgrave and Nuneaton Old Edwardians, both relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North, whilst Boston and Mansfield were both promoted from Counties 2 Midlands East (North).

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Belgrave Belgrave Pastures Belgrave, Leicester, Leicestershire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North (11th) Birstall Co-Op Sports Ground Birstall, Leicestershire 9th Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) Burton 2XV Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton, Staffordshire 8th Hinckley 2XV De Montfort Park 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire Champions (not promoted) Ilkeston The Stute Ilkeston, Derbyshire 5th Lincoln Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire 4th Loughborough Derby Road Playing Fields Loughborough, Leicestershire 3rd Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) Market Rasen & Louth Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 6th Nuneaton Old Edwardians Weddington Road Nuneaton, Warwickshire Relegated from Regional 2 Midlands North (12th) Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 7th

League table 2023–24 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPts adj 1 Hinckley II (C) 22 21 0 1 1003 264 739 18 1 104 +1 2 Ilkeston (P) 22 18 0 4 924 303 621 19 3 95 +1 3 Lincoln 22 17 0 5 835 483 352 18 0 86 4 Belgrave 22 15 0 7 581 468 113 14 2 76 5 Market Rasen & Louth 22 12 1 9 494 427 67 10 2 64 −2 6 Loughborough 22 10 1 11 508 548 −40 9 4 55 7 Nuneaton Old Edwardian 22 10 0 12 561 703 −142 12 3 55 8 Mansfield 22 9 1 12 471 613 −142 6 4 48 9 Southwell 22 6 1 15 422 675 −253 6 3 35 10 Burton II 22 6 0 16 381 644 −263 4 5 33 11 Boston (R) 22 5 0 17 245 685 −440 2 2 10 −14 12 Birstall (R) 22 1 0 21 212 824 −612 0 1 −5 −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: 30 November 2025

2022–23 This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 1 Midlands East (North).

Departing were Long Eaton, Melbourne, Matlock and Newark – all promoted to Regional 2 Midlands North. Joining were Mellish and Birstall, both promoted from Midlands 3 East (North), together with Burton 2XV and Hinckley 2XV, both new entries.

Participating teams & locations

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashbourne Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire 10th Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire 11th Birstall Co-Op Sports Ground Birstall, Leicestershire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) (2nd) Burton 2XV Battlestead Croft, Tatenhill 5,500 (600 seats Burton, Staffordshire New entry Coalville Memorial Ground Coalville, Leicestershire 12th Hinckley 2XV De Montfort Park 2,000 Hinckley, Leicestershire New entry Ilkeston The Stute Ilkeston, Derbyshire 5th Lincoln Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire 6th Loughborough Derby Road Playing Fields Loughborough, Leicestershire 7th Market Rasen & Louth Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 9th Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 3 East (North) (champions) Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 8th

League table 2022–23 Counties 1 Midlands East (North) PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPts adj 1 Hinckley II (C) 22 21 0 1 838 285 553 18 1 104 +1 2 Mellish (P) 22 17 0 5 631 424 207 15 1 84 3 Loughborough 22 17 0 5 483 355 128 12 1 83 +2 4 Lincoln 22 15 0 7 707 348 359 14 2 76 5 Ilkeston 22 14 0 8 607 397 210 12 2 70 6 Market Rasen & Louth 22 10 0 12 565 482 83 13 3 56 7 Southwell 22 9 0 13 402 561 −159 6 2 45 +1 8 Burton II 22 7 0 15 476 586 −110 10 6 44 9 Birstall 22 7 1 14 410 496 −86 4 5 39 10 Ashbourne (R) 22 7 0 15 339 695 −356 3 3 34 11 Ashby (R) 22 5 1 16 358 568 −210 3 4 29 12 Coalville (R) 22 2 0 20 239 858 −619 2 2 12 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