Counties 1 Kent

English Rugby Union Regional League

Counties 1 Kent
Current season or competition:
2024–25 Counties 1 Kent
SportRugby union
Number of teams12
Country England
Website[1]

Counties 1 Kent is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Kent, Greater London and East Sussex. Administration of the leagues is divided between Kent Rugby,[1] Sussex Rugby[2] and the London & SE RFU.[3] (The locations in Greater London are all in areas that were historically part of Kent.)

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 South East. The last twoplaced clubs are typically relegated to either Counties 2 Kent or Counties 2 Sussex depending on location.

Teams for 2024–25

Departing were Dartfordians promoted to Regional 2 South East as runners-up[4] (Canterbury Pilgrims finished top[5] but owing to league regulations were not permitted to be promoted to Level 6) with Thanet being relegated to Counties 2 Kent.[6] With no team coming down from Regional 2 South East there was a reprieve for Charlton Park who finished 11th and would ordinarily have been relegated to Counties 2 Kent. Coming up were Sevenoaks 2XV[7] and Park House.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Ashford Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent 9th
Beccehamian Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 3rd
Bromley Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London 4th
Canterbury II Marine Travel Ground Canterbury, Kent 1st (no promotion)
Charlton Park Broad Walk Kidbrooke, London 11th
Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent 10th
Crowborough Steel Cross Crowborough, East Sussex 5th
Deal & Betteshanger The Drill Field Deal, Kent 8th
Dover Crabble Athletic Ground Dover, Kent 6th
Heathfield & Waldron Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex 7th
Park House Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London Promoted from Counties 2 Kent (runners-up)
Sevenoaks II Knole Paddock 1,000 Sevenoaks, Kent Promoted from Counties 2 Kent (champions)


Counties 1 Kent is located in Greater London
Beccehamian
Beccehamian
Bromley
Bromley
Park House
Park House
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Kent teams in London
Counties 1 Kent is located in South-east England
Ashford
Ashford
Crowborough
Crowborough
H & W
H & W
London
London
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Kent teams in Kent and East Sussex

Teams for 2023–24

Departing were Old Alleynians[8] promoted to Regional 2 South East with Folkestone[9] and Aylesford Bulls relegated to Counties 2 Kent. In their place In their place came Dover and Canterbury Pilgrims promoted as 'joint champions'[10] from Counties 2 Kent whilst Dartfordians were relegated from Regional 2 South East.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Ashford Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent 9th
Beccehamian Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 3rd
Bromley Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London 4th
Canterbury II Marine Travel Ground Canterbury, Kent Promoted from Counties 2 Kent (joint champions)
Charlton Park Broad Walk Kidbrooke, London 5th
Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent 10th
Crowborough Steel Cross Crowborough, East Sussex 5th
Dartfordians Bourne Road Bexley, London Relegated from Regional 2 South East (11th)
Deal & Betteshanger The Drill Field Deal, Kent 8th
Dover Crabble Athletic Ground Dover, Kent Promoted from Counties 2 Kent (joint champions)
Heathfield & Waldron Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex 7th
Thanet Wanderers St Peter's Recreation Ground Broadstairs, Kent 10th


Counties 1 Kent is located in Greater London
Beccehamian
Beccehamian
Bromley
Bromley
Dartfordians
Dartfordians
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Kent teams in London
Counties 1 Kent is located in South-east England
Ashford
Ashford
Crowborough
Crowborough
H & W
H & W
London
London
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Kent teams in Kent and East Sussex

Teams for 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to London 2 South East with the teams placed 5th-12th returning. The teams finishing 1st - 4th were promoted to Regional 2 South East (level 6) with the top four teams coming up from London 3 South East (level 8).[11]

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
Ashford Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent 11th L2SE
Aylesford Bulls Jack Williams Ground Aylesford, Kent Promoted from L3SE (runners-up)
Beccehamian Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 10th L2SE
Bromley Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London Promoted from L3SE (champions)[12]
Charlton Park Broad Walk Kidbrooke, London 8th L2SE
Cranbrook Tomlin Ground Cranbrook, Kent Promoted from L3SE (3rd)
Crowborough Steel Cross Crowborough, East Sussex 9th L2SE
Deal & Betteshanger The Drill Field Deal, Kent 7th L2SE[13]
Folkestone New Burlington Ground Newington, Folkestone, Kent 12th L2SE
Heathfield & Waldron Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex Promoted from L3SE (4th)
Old Alleynians Dulwich Common Dulwich, London 5th L2SE
Thanet Wanderers St Peter's Recreation Ground Broadstairs, Kent 6th L2SE


Counties 1 Kent is located in Greater London
Beccehamian
Beccehamian
Bromley
Bromley
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 1 Kent teams in London
Counties 1 Kent is located in South-east England
Ashford
Ashford
Crowborough
Crowborough
Folkestone
Folkestone
H & W
H & W
London
London
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 1 Kent teams in Kent and East Sussex

See also

References

  1. ^ "RFU Leagues". Surrey Rugby. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Mens Leagues". Sussex Rugby. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  3. ^ "RFU League Statistics". L&SE RFU. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Dartfordians RFC celebrating 100th anniversary season with promotion and a lunch in support of the IPF". RFU Injured Players Foundation. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. ^ "PILGRIMS ARE CHAMPIONS". Canterbury RFC. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Relegation looks certain for Wanderers". Isle of Thanet News. 25 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Sevenoaks 2s are Kent Champions!". Local Sports News. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Old Alleynians 1XV win the League with a record win!". Old Alleynians. 19 March 2023.
  9. ^ "RELEGATION LOOMS FOR FOLKESTONE AFTER ANOTHER LOSS". Folkestone RFC. 12 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Player-coach Martyn Beaumont on Dover Rugby Club being named 'joint-champions' of Kent 2 with Canterbury 2nds". Kent Online. 9 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Rugby union competition structure gets overhaul ahead of the 2022/23 season". Kent Online. 28 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Addition to the coaching team for next season". Bromley RFC. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Deal & Betteshanger coach Danny Vaughan reacts to news the club will be playing in new Counties 1 Kent Division following Rugby Football Union's restructure". Kent Online. 11 June 2022.
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