Counties 1 Essex is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Essex and Greater London. Administration of the leagues is divided between Essex Rugby and the London & SE RFU.

Braintree are the current champions.

Structure and format The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April, making a total of twenty-two matches each. 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.

In addition: 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

There is one automatic promotion place and two relegation places. The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to Regional 2 Anglia. The last two placed clubs are typically relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

2026–27

Departing were Thurrock, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia while Upminster were relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex 7th Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 5th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London 8th East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 6th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 2nd Eton Manor II The New Wilderness Wanstead, London Level transfer from Counties 1 Hertfordshire (5th) Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 4th Old Brentwoods Ashwell Road Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 3rd Southend Priors Warners Bridge Park Southend, Essex Level transfer from Counties 1 Hertfordshire (9th) Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex 9th

2025–26 Participating clubs and locations Departing were Braintree, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia while Burnham-on-Crouch (11th) and Basildon (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

In October 2025 Old Cooperians (8th in '24–25) withdrew from the league with Mavericks (10th in '24–25) doing likewise in December leaving ten clubs to contest the outstanding fixtures .

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Billericay Willowbrook 1,000 Billericay, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 4th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London 9th East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 6th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 7th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 4th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 3rd Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex Thurrock Oakfield Grays, Essex Relegated from Regional 2SE Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 5th

2024–25 Participating clubs and locations Departing were Wanstead, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia and Stanford-le-Hope relegated to Counties 2 Essex. In their place came Burnham-on-Crouch (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (North)) and Basildon (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (South)).

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Basildon Gardiners Close Basildon, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (South) (champions) Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 2nd Burnham-on-Crouch Dengie Hundred Sports Centre Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (North) (champions) Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 9th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London 11th East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 4th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 3rd Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 7th Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 5th Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 10th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 6th Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 8th

League table Counties 1 Essex 2024–25TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints deducted 1 Braintree (P) 22 18 0 4 756 298 458 17 2 92 2 Romford and Gidea Park 22 17 0 5 646 366 280 15 0 84 3 Maldon 22 16 1 5 776 538 238 14 3 83 4 Campion 22 16 0 6 719 462 257 17 1 82 5 Upminster 22 13 0 9 686 474 212 13 7 72 6 East London 22 12 0 10 625 523 102 11 4 63 7 Epping Upper Clapton 22 10 0 12 398 524 −126 8 3 53 8 Old Cooperians 22 7 2 13 375 580 −205 4 4 40 9 Chingford 22 6 0 16 370 670 −300 6 1 31 10 Mavericks 22 8 0 14 424 528 −104 10 2 29 −15 11 Burnham-on-Crouch (R) 22 4 0 18 329 788 −459 5 3 25 12 Basildon (R) 22 3 1 18 357 710 −353 4 6 24 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 places.Updated: 10 January 2026Source:

2023–24 Participating clubs and locations Departing were Dagenham and Harlow, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia, and South Woodham Ferrers relegated to Counties 2 Essex (North). In their place came Chingford (relegated from Regional 2 Anglia, Stanford-le-Hope and Maldon promoted from Counties 2 Essex.

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 4th Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 6th Chingford Lea Valley Playing Fields Chingford, London relegated from Regional 2 Anglia (12th) East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 5th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 7th Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (champions) Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 9th Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 10th Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 8th Stanford-le-Hope Stanford Recreation Ground Stanford-le-Hope, Essex Promoted from Counties 2 Essex (runners-up) Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 11th Wanstead Centenary Fields Wanstead, London 3rd

League table Counties 1 Essex 2023–24TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints deducted 1 Wanstead (P) 22 20 1 1 745 159 586 13 1 99 +3 2 Braintree 22 17 0 5 797 362 435 16 3 88 +1 3 Epping Upper Clapton 22 15 1 6 575 440 135 13 2 78 +1 4 East London 22 13 0 9 575 453 122 12 2 66 5 Mavericks 22 11 1 10 458 463 −5 7 2 55 6 Romford and Gidea Park 22 10 0 12 494 581 −87 9 5 55 +1 7 Maldon 22 9 0 13 546 574 −28 9 4 49 8 Upminster 22 9 1 12 470 686 −216 7 3 48 9 Campion 22 9 0 13 467 487 −20 9 5 45 −5 10 Old Cooperians 22 6 0 16 401 550 −149 7 7 38 11 Chingford 22 7 0 15 336 684 −348 4 3 35 12 Stanford Le Hope (R) 22 4 0 18 413 838 −425 2 4 22 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 is the relegation place.Updated: 9 January 2026Source:

2022–23 Participating clubs and locations This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 3 Essex with the teams finishing 1st–10th returning. Kings Cross Steelers and Canvey Island, who finished 11th and 12th respectively, were placed in Counties 2 Essex. The line-up was supplemented by the addition of Wanstead and South Woodham Ferrers (who finished 10th and 12th in London 2 North East respectively).

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Braintree Robbswood Braintree, Essex 8th London 3 Essex Campion Cottons Park Romford, London 5th London 3 Essex Dagenham Central Park Dagenham, London 1st London 3 Essex East London Memorial Park West Ham, London 7th London 3 Essex Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 9th London 3 Essex Harlow Latton Park Harlow, Essex 2nd London 3 Essex Mavericks Warley Playing Field Warley, Brentwood, Essex 8th London 3 Essex Old Cooperians Coopers' Company & Corborn School Upminster, London 4th London 3 Essex Romford & Gidea Park Crowlands Romford, London 3rd London 3 Essex South Woodham Ferrers Saltcoats Playing Field South Woodham Ferrers, Essex 12th London 2 North East Upminster Hall Lane Upminster, London 10th London 3 Essex Wanstead Centenary Fields Wanstead, London 10th London 2 North East

League table Counties 1 Essex 2022–23TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints deducted 1 Harlow (P) 22 22 0 0 1007 100 907 16 0 107 +3 2 Dagenham (P) 22 19 0 3 926 289 637 17 1 95 +1 3 Wanstead 22 16 1 5 570 309 261 9 1 77 +1 4 Braintree 22 13 1 8 539 497 42 9 3 67 +1 5 East London 22 12 1 9 630 664 −34 14 2 66 6 Campion 22 13 0 9 427 571 −144 8 3 63 7 Epping Upper Clapton 22 8 2 12 604 511 93 11 5 52 8 Romford and Gidea Park 22 6 0 16 412 554 −142 6 5 36 +1 9 Mavericks 22 8 0 14 331 563 −232 3 2 32 −5 10 Old Cooperians 22 8 0 14 344 539 −195 5 0 27 −5 11 Upminster 22 3 1 18 356 988 −632 3 2 19 12 South Woodham Ferrers (R) 22 1 0 21 195 756 −561 1 2 −8 -15If 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 are the promotion places. Pink background is the relegation places.Updated: 8 January 2026Source:

Counties 1 Essex honours (2022–present) Following the RFU Adult Competition Review, ten teams were transferred from London 3 Essex (a level eight league) to Counties 1 Essex.a level seven league. Promotion is to Regional 2 Anglia and relegation to Counties 2 Essex

Counties 1 EssexSeason No of teamsChampionsRunner-upRelegated teamsRef 2022–23 12 Harlow Dagenham South Woodham Ferrers (12th) 2023–24 12 Wanstead Braintree Stanford Le Hope (12th) 2024–25 12 Braintree Romford and Gidea Park Burnham-on-Crouch (11th) and Basildon (12th) Green background is the promotion place(s).

See also Essex RFU London & SE Division RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England

References