Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex

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

Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex is an English level 7 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Surrey, Greater London, East Sussex and West Sussex. Administration of the leagues is divided between Surrey 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 Surrey.)

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 either Regional 2 South East or Regional 2 Thames. The last three placed clubs are usually relegated to either Counties 2 Surrey or Counties 2 Sussex depending on location.

Teams for 2024–25

Leaving the league were Teddington ^[4] and Old Tiffinians, promoted to Regional 2 Thames^[5] and Regional 2 South East respectively; while Kingston, Old Walcountians ^[6] and Old Cranleighans were relegated to Counties 2 Surrey. Joining were Cobham and London Cornish both relegated from Regional 2 South East;^[7] coming up were Haywards Heath from Counties 2 Sussex,^[8] Old Haileyburians and Old Rutlishians ^[9] both from Counties 2 Surrey.

The London & SE RFU published fixtures for the league in June 2024.^[10]

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cobham	Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground		Cobham, Surrey	Relegated from Regional 2SE (11th)
East Grinstead	Saint Hill	200	East Grinstead, West Sussex	8th
Eastbourne	Park Avenue		Eastbourne, East Sussex	6th
Haywards Heath	Whitemans Green		Cuckfield, West Sussex	Promoted from Counties 2 Sussex (champions)
Hove	Hove Recreation Ground		Hove, East Sussex	7th
KCS Old Boys	Dornan Fields		Motspur Park, London	5th
London Cornish	Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields		Roehampton Vale, London	Relegated from Regional 2SE (12th)
Old Haileyburians	Ruxley Lane		Epsom, Surrey	Promoted from Counties 2 Surrey (runners-up)
Old Rutlishians	Old Rutlishians' Sports Ground		Merton Park, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Surrey (champions)
Trinity	Trinity Sanderstead Sports & Social Club		Sanderstead, London	9th^[11]
Twickenham	Parkfields		Hampton, London	4th
Weybridge Vandals	Brownacres		Walton-on-Thames, Surrey	3rd

Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex teams in Greater London

Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex teams in Surrey, East Sussex & West Sussex

Teams for 2023–24

Leaving the league were Chobham promoted to Regional 2 Thames.^[12] Warlingham were relegated to Counties 2 Surrey for what were reported as "...administrative, rather than playing, reasons...".^[13]

Joining the league were promoted sides Teddington,^[14] from Counties 2 Surrey, Eastbourne ^[15] and East Grinstead, both from Counties 2 Sussex. Coming down from Regional 2 South East were KCS Old Boys.

Further post-ACR adjustments meant the league was restored to containing 12 teams ^[16]

Team	Ground	City/Area	Previous season
Eastbourne	Park Avenue	Eastbourne, East Sussex	Promoted from Counties 2 Sussex (champions)
East Grinstead	Saint Hill	East Grinstead, West Sussex	Promoted from Counties 2 Sussex (runners-up)
Hove	Hove Recreation Ground	Hove, East Sussex	3rd
KCS Old Boys	Dornan Fields	Motspur Park, London	Relegated from Regional 2SE (12th)
Kingston	Hook Road	Chessington, London	6th
Old Cranleighans	Old Cranleighan Sports Club	Thames Ditton, Surrey	9th
Old Tiffinians	Grist's Memorial Ground	Thames Ditton, Surrey	2nd
Old Walcountians	Clockhouse Ground	Woodmansterne, Surrey	7th
Teddington	Udney Park Sports Ground	Teddington, London	Promoted from Counties 2 Surrey (champions)
Trinity	Trinity Sanderstead Sports & Social Club	Sanderstead, London	8th
Twickenham	Parkfields	Hampton, London	4th
Weybridge Vandals	Brownacres	Walton-on-Thames, Surrey	5th

Locations of the 2023–24 Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex teams in Greater London

Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex teams in Surrey & 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 West but was smaller (12 teams reduced to 10) with Counties 1 Hampshire taking teams that historically would have played in London 2 South West.

This prompted a substantial reordering of the leagues with two teams, Kingston and Trinity,^[17] effectively achieving a 'double' promotion from level 9 (Surrey 1) to level 7 of the RFU rugby pyramid. Warlingham,^[18] Weybridge Vandals ^[19] and Old Walcountians ^[20] were all promoted from the upper end of London 3 South West whilst, rather less predictably, Old Cranleighans also came up from the same league despite having finished at the foot of it.

Team	Ground	City/Area	Previous season
Chobham	Fowlers Well	Chobham, Surrey	5th (L2SW)
Hove	Hove Recreation Ground	Hove, East Sussex	9th (L2SW)
Kingston	Hook Road	Chessington, London	Promoted from (Surrey 1) (champions)
Old Cranleighans	Old Cranleighan Sports Club	Thames Ditton, Surrey	Promoted from (L3SW) (12th)
Old Tiffinians	Grist's Memorial Ground	Thames Ditton, Surrey	6th (L2SW)
Old Walcountians	Clockhouse Ground	Woodmansterne, Surrey	Promoted from (L3SW) (4th)^[21]
Trinity	Trinity Sanderstead Sports & Social Club	Sanderstead, London	Promoted from (Surrey 1) (runners-up)
Twickenham	Parkfields	Hampton, London	10th (L2SW)
Warlingham	Limpsfield Road	Warlingham, Surrey	Promoted from (L3SW) (champions)^[22]
Weybridge Vandals	Brownacres	Walton-on-Thames, Surrey	Promoted from (L3SW) (3rd)