Counties 1 Essex

Current season or competition: 2024–25 Counties 1 Essex
Sport	Rugby union
Number of teams	12
Country	England
Website	[1]

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.^[1]

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 two placed clubs are typically relegated to Counties 2 Essex.

Departing were Wanstead, promoted to Regional 2 Anglia,^[2] and Stanford-le-Hope relegated to Counties 2 Essex.^[3] In their place came Burnham-on-Crouch (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (North) and Basildon (promoted from Counties 2 Essex (South).^[4]

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous 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[5] Memorial Park West Ham, London 4th Epping Upper Clapton Upland Road Thornwood, Epping, Essex 3rd Maldon Drapers Farm Playing Fields Heybridge, Essex 7th[6] 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

Basildon Braintree Burnham Epping Maldon Mavericks class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Chingford East London R&GP Cooperians Upminster class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

Departing were Dagenham^[7] and Harlow,^[8] 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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous 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

Braintree Epping Maldon Mavericks Stanford-le-Hope class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Chingford East London Cooperians R&GP Upminster Wanstead class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

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^[9] (who finished 12th in London 2 North East).

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous 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[10] Wanstead, London 10th London 2 North East

Braintree Epping Harlow Mavericks SW Ferrers class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 1 Essex teams in Essex Campion Dagenham East London Cooperians R&GP Upminster Wanstead class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 1 Essex teams in Greater London

• Essex RFU
• London & SE Division RFU
• Hampshire RFU
• Kent RFU
• Surrey RFU
• Sussex RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England