Regional 2 South East, previously known as London 1 South, is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from East Sussex, south Essex, south Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex.[1] When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 South, changing to London 1 South ahead of the 2009–10 season.
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:
4 points are awarded for a win
2 points are awarded for a draw
0 points are awarded for a loss, however
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, one play-off place for promotion and (usually) three relegation places. The first-placed team at the end of season wins promotion to London & South East Premier 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.[2]
Location of 2022–23 Regional 2 South East teams in London
Teams 2021–22
The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Ahead of the new season Haywards Heath (promoted as London 2 SE champions in 2019–20) withdrew from the league meaning London 1 South will run with 13 teams in 2021–22.
Location of 2021–22 London 1 South teams in London
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [3] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning London 1 South was not contested.
Location of 2017-18 London 1 South teams in London
Teams 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[4] thus granting a reprieve from relegation for Gosport and Fareham.[5]
Medway RFC were replaced by Gravesend who were relegated from National 3 London & SE. Promoted into the league were winners of London 2 South East, Tunbridge Wells[6] as well as Cobham as champions of London 2 South West and play-off winners Sevenoaks.[7] CS Rugby 1863 were transferred from London 1 North because they were the most southern team in London 1 North due of an imbalance in North and South teams in the leagues.[7]
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. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places. Updated: 12 June 2016 Source: 2014–15
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.[8][9]
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, Surrey and Sussex. 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.[10]
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 2 South reverted to being a tier 6 league.[14] Promotion continued to London 1 and relegation down to either London 3 South East or London 3 South West (renamed to London 2 South East and London 2 South West from the 2000–01 season onward).
London 2 South was renamed to London 1 South from the 2009–10 season onward. It continued as a tier 6 league with promotion to National League 3 London & South East (formerly London 1 and currently known as London & South East Premier) and relegation to London 2 South East and London 2 South West (formerly London 3 South East and London 3 South West).
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 1 North and London 1 South for the third and final promotion place to London & South East Premier. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 1 South teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the London 1 North teams eight; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six.
London 1 (north v south) promotion play-off results
^Likely level transfer from London 1 North - this may change.
^Despite finishing third in the league, Medway were forcibly relegated by the RFU to London 2 South East and banned from playing in the Kent County Cup after being found guilty of illegal payments to players and incorrect registration of players.[4]
^US Portsmouth finished in last place but there was no relegation due to a restructuring of the league system across all levels.
^Brockleians finished in last place but there was no relegation this season.
^Brockleians dropped out with all results expunged.
^Askean finished in last place but there was no relegation due to expansion of league from 15 to 17 teams for the following season.
^Askean, Warlington, Dorking, Charlton Park, Lewes, Old Blues and Old Wimbledonians were the relegated teams this year. A restructuring of the league system including a reduction of this division from 17 teams to 12 resulting in more teams relegated than usual.
^Maidstone finished in last place but no relegation due to national restructuring of the league system leading to changes at all levels.
^ abcdWilliams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (eds.). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rd ed.). Taunton: Football Directories. ISBN1-873057-01-6.
^Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (eds.). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92 (4th ed.). Taunton: Football Directories. ISBN1-869833-15-5.
^Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 170–185. ISBN0-7472-7907-1.
^Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94 (22nd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing Ltd. pp. 151–167. ISBN0-7472-7891-1.
^Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97 (25th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 150–163. ISBN0-7472-7771-0.
^Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 87–100. ISBN0-7472-7732-X.
^Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99. London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 84–98. ISBN0-7472-7653-6.