Sport Rugby union Country England | Number of teams 14 Website clubs.rfu.com | |
Holders Sutton & Epsom (2nd title) (2015–16)
(promoted to National League 3 London & SE) Most titles Canterbury, Haywards Heath, Sutton & Epsom, Gravesend (2 titles) | ||
London 1 South is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in south London and the south-east of England. It is the feeder league for National League 3 London & SE where the champions are promoted with the second placed team entering a play-off against the runners up of London 1 North. Three teams are relegated into either London 2 South East or London 2 South West. The current champions are Sutton & Epsom RFC.
Contents
Structure and format
The fourteen teams play home and away matches from September through to April, making a total of twenty-six matches each. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
There is one automatic promotion place, one play-off place for promotion and (usually) three relegation places. The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to National 3 London & South East while the runner-up plays the second-placed team from London 1 North, with the winner also being promoted. The last three placed clubs are usually relegated to either London 2 South East or London 2 South West depending on location.
2016–17
Sutton & Epsom, the current champions were promoted to National 3 London & South East for the 2016–17 season, while the second-placed team, Guildford beat Tring, the runner-up from London 1 North, in a play-off for the second promotion place. Twickenham and Charlton Park are relegated. Medway were also relegated despite finishing third due to an RFU punishment for incorrect registration of, and illegal payments to, players thus granting a reprieve from relegation for Gosport and Fareham.
They were replaced by Gravesend who were relegated from National 3 London & SE. Promoted into the league were national RFU Intermediate Cup champions and unbeaten league winners of London 2 South East, Tunbridge Wells as well as Cobham as champions of London 2 South West and play-off winners Sevenoaks. CS Rugby 1863 were transferred from London 1 North because they were the most southern team in London 1 North due of an imbalace in North and South teams in the leagues.
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in London 1 South and London 1 North participate in a play-off for promotion to National 3 London & SE. The team with the best playing record, in this case Tring, from London 1 North, was the home team and the away team Guildford, won the match 26 – 21, with a try in the 79th minute.
Participating teams and locations
Participating teams and locations
Participating teams and locations
Participating teams and locations
London 1 South honours
In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was six, tier six leagues. The initial name was London 2 South and was for teams based in London and the counties of Hampshire, Kent, Sussex and Surrey. There was eleven teams in the league and each team played one match against each of the other teams, giving each team five home matches and five away matches.The winning team was awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match.
The top six teams from London Division One and the top six from South West Division One were combined to create National 5 South. A new level six league was created by combining the top six from London 1 North and London 1 South which became one of two feeder leagues for National 5 South; the other being South West 1.
After only three seasons the level five National 5 South was split and renamed London Division One and South West Division One. The top four divisions increased in size and London 2 South and London 2 North were once more level six leagues.