Counties 2 Essex (formerly known as Essex/Canterbury Jack 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to Counties 1 Essex. As of season 2026-27 relegated clubs drop into the newly (re)formed Counties 3 Essex.
The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Essex.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
For the 2016–17 season the league was divided into two parallel divisions - Essex 1A and Essex 1B - divided on geographical lines with teams in Essex 1A typically based in the north and east of the county, while teams in Essex 1B are predominantly London based. Each division plays 14 home and away games from September until February. From February the top 4 teams from each division go into the Essex 1 Premiership and play for the title and promotion, while the bottom 4 sides from each group would play for the Essex 1 Shield. For the 2018–19 season Essex 1 would revert to being a single division of 11 teams.
Participating clubs 2026-27
Departing were Burnham-on-Crouch and Old Brentwoods, both promoted to Counties 1 Essex while Witham (7th), Millwall (8th), Clacton (9th) and Writtle Wanderers (10th) were all demoted to the newly (re)formed Counties 3 Essex. Harwich & Dovercourt (11th) returned to merit league competition.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex 4th Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex 3rd Chelmsford II Coronation Park Chelmsford, Essex New entry Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 6th Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park Plaistow, London 5th Mersea Island The Glebe West Mersea, Mersey Island, Essex Level transfer from Counties 2 Eastern Counties (9th) Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London Relegated from Counties 1 Essex (10th) Wanstead II Centenary Fields Wanstead, London New entry Westcliff II The Gables 1,000 Eastwood, Essex New entry Woodford II Highams Woodford, London New entry
Participating clubs 2025–26
Departing were Stanford-le-Hope and Billericay, both promoted to Counties 1 Essex.
Dagenham re-entered the RFU league pyramid having withdrawn from Regional 2 Anglia before the start of the 2024-25 season citing ""...a combination of unforeseen circumstances within the club and a significant shortage of players...".
Kelvedon & Feering (8th in 2024-25) started the season but withdrew in early 2026 leaving eleven clubs to contest the outstanding fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex Relegated from Counties 1 Essex Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Relegated from Counties 1 Essex Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex 3rd Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 11th Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London Promoted from Div 2 Essex merit leagues Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 7th Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park Plaistow, London 5th Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London 4th Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 6th Witham Witham Town Football & Social Club Witham, Essex 9th Writtle Wanderers Paradise Road, Writtle Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 10th
Participating clubs 2024–25
The experiment of dividing the league was abandoned and North and South divisions reunited.
Departing were Burnham-on-Crouch and Basildon, both promoted to Counties 1 Essex. Meanwhile Barking (7th (South)) were relegated to the Essex RFU merit leagues.
Joining were Stanford-le-Hope, relegated from Counties 1 Essex.
South Woodham Ferrers (7th (North) in 2023-24) started the season but withdrew from the league in December 2024.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 3rd (South) Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex 5th (South) Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 3rd (North) Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 2nd (North) Kelvedon & Feering Rye Mill Lane Feering, Essex 4th (North) Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park Plaistow, London 4th (South) Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London 6th (South) Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 2nd (South) Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Relegated from Counties 1 Essex Witham Witham Town Football & Social Club Witham, Essex 6th (North) Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 5th (North)
Participating clubs 2023–24
Ahead of the new season the decision was taken to split the league into parallel North and South divisions as had previously happened in 2016–17.
Departing were Maldon (champions) and Stanford-le-Hope (runners-up), promoted to Counties 1 Essex.
Pegasus Palmerians (12th in 2022-23) did not return for the new season.
Joining the North league were South Woodham Ferrers (relegated from Counties 1 Essex), Kelvedon & Feering, Witham and Burnham-on-Crouch.
North
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Re-entry Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 4th Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 7th Kelvedon & Feering Rye Mill Lane Feering, Essex New entry South Woodham Ferrers Saltcoats Playing Field South Woodham Ferrers, Essex Relegated from Counties 1 Essex Witham Witham Town Football & Social Club Witham, Essex Re-entry Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 11th
South
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Barking Goresbrook 1,000 Becontree, London 13th Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex 8th Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 5th Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex 10th Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park Plaistow, London 3rd Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London 6th Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 9th
Participating clubs 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Essex.
Returning were nine teams took part in Essex 1 in 2021–22: Barking, Basildon, Billericay, Clacton, Harwich & Dovercourt, Maldon, Millwall, Old Brentwoods and Writtle Wanderers. Bancroft (8th) did not return.
Joining were Canvey Island (12th) and Kings Cross Steelers (11th) relegated from London 3 Essex together with Pegasus Palmerians and Stanford le Hope who both re-joined the league.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Barking Goresbrook 1,000 Becontree, London 10th Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex 5th Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 2nd Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (12th) Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 3rd Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 6th Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park Plaistow, London Relegated from London 3 Essex (11th) Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 1st Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London 7th Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 9th Pegasus Palmerians St Cleres School Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Re-entry Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Re-entry Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 4th
Participating clubs 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.
Ilford Wanderers, who had been relegated from London 3 Essex in 11th place in season 2019–20, withdrew from the league in Autumn 2021 meaning it was completed with eleven teams.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bancroft Buckhurst Way Buckhurst Hill, Essex New Entry Barking Goresbrook 1,000 Becontree, London Relegated from London 3 Essex (12th) Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th) Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 6th Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 5th Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 7th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 3rd Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London 4th Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 9th Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 8th
Season 2020–21
On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Essex 1 was not contested.
Participating clubs 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 6th Canvey Island Tewkes Creek Canvey Island, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th) Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex 4th Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 3rd Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 5th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (11th) Millwall Millwall Park Isle of Dogs, London Relegated from London 3 Essex (12th) Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 8th Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 7th
Participating clubs 2018–19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 6th (Prem) Clacton Valley Road Clacton-on-Sea, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (8th) Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 3rd (Shield) Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 1st (Shield) Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex Relegated from London 3 Essex (10th) Mersea Island The Glebe West Mersea, Mersey Island, Essex 4th (Prem) Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 7th (Prem) Thames Garron Lane South Ockendon, Essex N/A Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London Relegated from London 3 Essex (9th) Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 5th (Prem)
Participating clubs 2017–18
Essex Canterbury Jack League 1A
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 8th (Prem) Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex 7th (Shield) Harwich & Dovercourt Wick Lane Harwich, Essex 2nd (Shield) Mersea Island The Glebe West Mersea, Mersey Island, Essex Transferred from Eastern Counties 2 (South) (champions) Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex 6th (Prem) Witham Witham Town Football & Social Club Witham, Essex 8th (Shield) Writtle Wanderers Fox Burrows Lane Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex 1st (Shield)
Essex Canterbury Jack League 1B
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bancroft Buckhurst Way Buckhurst Hill, Essex 3rd (Shield) Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 5th (Shield) Ilford Wanderers Ilford Wanderers Sports Ground Ilford, London Transferred from London 3 North East (11th) Kings Cross Steelers Memorial Park 500 Plaistow, London 6th (Shield) May & Baker M&B Eastbrook Community Club Dagenham, London N/A Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road 500 Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex 7th (Prem) Pegasus Palmerians St Cleres School Stanford-le-Hope, Essex 4th (Shield)
Participating clubs 2016–17
Essex 1A Bancroft Billericay Dagenham Kings Cross Steelers Millwall Old Brentwoods (relegated from London 3 North East) Pegasus Palmerians Stanford Le Hope
Essex 1B Braintree Burnham-on-Crouch Canvey Island Clacton Harwich & Dovercourt Maldon Writtle Wanderers Witham
Participating clubs 2015–16 Bancroft Billericay (relegated from London 3 North East) Braintree Canvey Island Clacton (relegated from London 3 North East) East London Ilford Wanderers Kings Cross Steelers Maldon Millwall Pegasus Palmerians Stanford Le Hope