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Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland

Current season or competition: 2022–23
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams	12
Country	England
Holders	Percy Park (3rd title) (2021-22)
Most titles	Horden (4 titles)
Website	Website
Related competition	Counties 1 Yorkshire
Promotion to	Regional 2 North
Relegation to	Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland

Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 1 is an English amateur rugby union competition. The league consists of twelve clubs, and is the seventh tier of the English rugby union system, as one of the 16 regional leagues, though is the highest level of local rugby in the North East of England. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses the Yorkshire region. The runners-up participate in a play-off against the runners-up from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Yorkshire, for promotion. The bottom two are relegated to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.

Each season, two teams from the league are selected to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup, a national competition for clubs in the seventh tier: one is affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other is affiliated with the Northumberland RFU.

Clubs

Well known clubs have competed in Durham/Northumberland 1 throughout the league's history. Many of these clubs enjoyed successful histories, mainly during the amateur era of rugby. These include Gosforth RFC who in the '70s enjoyed great success, winning the John Player Cup in 1975/76 and 76/77; West Hartlepool who played in the Premiership in the 1990s; Northern who produced many international players; and Medicals, who have the rare distinction of having been the home club of two RFU Presidents. Clubs such as Alnwick RFC, Stockton RFC and Horden RFC have traditionally played in higher leagues and tend to finish towards the top of Durham/Northumberland 1.

2024–25

Leaving the league were Guisborough promoted to Regional 2 North while South Shields Westoe and Hartlepool Rovers were relegated to DN2. Joining in their place were Stockton (relegated), Darlington and Horden and Peterlee (both promoted).

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Acklam Talbot Park Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 6th Bishop Auckland West Mills Playing Fields Bishop Auckland, County Durham 7th Darlington Blackwell Meadows 3,000 Darlington, County Durham Promoted from DN2 (runners-up) Hartlepool Mayfield Park Hartlepool, County Durham 7th Horden and Peterlee Eden Lane Park Peterlee, County Durham Promoted from DN2 (champions) Medicals Cartington Terrace 1,000 Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 4th Novocastrians Sutherland Park 1,150 Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 3rd Ponteland Ponteland Leisure Centre Ponteland, Tyne and Wear 8th Ryton Main Road Ryton, Tyne and Wear 5th Stockton The Grangefield Ground Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham Relegated from Regional 2 North (11h) Sunderland Ashbrooke Sports Club Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 2nd Whitley Bay Rockcliff Lovaine Avenue Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 10th

AcklamBishop AucklandDarlingtonHartlepoolHorden & PeterleeMedicalsNovosPontelandRytonStocktonSunderlandWhitley Bayclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams

2023–24

Leaving the league were West Hartlepool promoted to Regional 2 North while Darlington and Horden and Peterlee were relegated to DN2. Joining in their place were South Shields Westoe (relegated), Bishop Auckland and Ryton (both promoted).

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Acklam Talbot Park Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 8th Bishop Auckland West Mills Playing Fields Bishop Auckland, County Durham Promoted from DN2 (runners-up) Guisborough Belmangate Guisborough, North Yorkshire 5th Hartlepool Mayfield Park Hartlepool, County Durham 7th Hartlepool Rovers New Friarage Hartlepool, County Durham 9th Medicals Cartington Terrace 1,000 Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 3rd Novocastrians Sutherland Park 1,150 Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 10th Ponteland Ponteland Leisure Centre Ponteland, Tyne and Wear 4th Ryton Main Road Ryton, Tyne and Wear Promoted from DN2 (champions) South Shields Westoe Grosvenor Road South Shields, Tyne and Wear Relegated from Regional 2 North (11h) Sunderland Ashbrooke Sports Club Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 2nd Whitley Bay Rockcliff Lovaine Avenue Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 6th

AcklamBishop AucklandGuisboroughHartlepoolRoversMedicalsNovosPontelandRytonSouth Shields WestoeSunderlandWhitley Bayclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams

2022–23

Leaving the league were Percy Park, Northern, South Shields Westoe, Stockton and Aspatria who were all promoted to Regional 2 North. There was no relegation from the league.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Acklam Talbot Park Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 13th Darlington Blackwell Meadows 3,000 Darlington, County Durham Promoted from DN2 (3rd) Guisborough Belmangate Guisborough, North Yorkshire Promoted from DN2 (champions) Hartlepool Mayfield Park Hartlepool, County Durham Promoted from DN2 (runners-up) Hartlepool Rovers New Friarage Hartlepool, County Durham 9th Horden and Peterlee Eden Lane Park Peterlee, County Durham 14th Medicals Cartington Terrace 1,000 Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 7th Novocastrians Sutherland Park 1,150 Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 10th Ponteland Ponteland Leisure Centre Ponteland, Tyne and Wear 11th Sunderland Ashbrooke Sports Club Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 8th West Hartlepool Brinkburn 1,000 (76 seats) Hartlepool, County Durham 6th Whitley Bay Rockcliff Lovaine Avenue Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 12th

AcklamDarlingtonGuisboroughHartlepoolRoversH&PMedicalsNovosPontelandSunderlandWest HartlepoolWhitley Bayclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams

2021–22

Middlesbrough RUFC finished runners-up in DN1 in 2019-20 but were level transferred to Yorkshire 1 for the current season, the space was taken by Aspatria RUFC who were level transferred from North 2 West.

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Acklam Talbot Park Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 9th Aspatria Bower Park Aspatria, Cumbria Level transfer from North 2 West (6th) Hartlepool Rovers New Friarage Hartlepool, County Durham 10th Horden and Peterlee Eden Lane Park Peterlee, County Durham 11th Medicals Cartington Terrace 1,000 Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 7th Northern McCracken Park 1,000 Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 3rd Novocastrians Sutherland Park 1,150 Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 6th Percy Park Preston Avenue North Shields, Tyne and Wear Relegated from North 1 East (12th) Ponteland Ponteland Leisure Centre Ponteland, Tyne and Wear Promoted from DN2 (champions) South Shields Westoe Wood Terrace South Shields, Tyne and Wear 4th Stockton The Grangefield Ground Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham 5th Sunderland Ashbrooke Sports Club Ashbrooke, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear Promoted from DN2 (runners-up) West Hartlepool Brinkburn 1,000 (76 seats) Hartlepool, County Durham Relegated from North 1 East (13th) Whitley Bay Rockcliff Lovaine Avenue Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 8th

NorthernMedicalsNovos Percy ParkPontelandSouth Shields WestoeSunderlandWhitley Bayclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2021-22 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams in Tyne & Wear AcklamAspatriaHartlepool RoversHorden & PeterleeStocktonWest Hartlepoolclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2021-22 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams in County Durham, North Yorkshire & Cumbria

2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced 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 DN1 was not contested.

2019-20

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Acklam Talbot Park Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire 11th Barnard Castle Birch Road Barnard Castle, County Durham 9th Consett Amethyst Park Consett, County Durham Relegated from North 1 East (14th) Gateshead Eastwood Gardens Gateshead, Tyne and Wear 8th Hartlepool Rovers New Friarage Hartlepool, County Durham 7th Horden Eden Lane Park Peterlee, County Durham 10th Medicals Cartington Terrace 1,000 Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 12th Middlesbrough Acklam Park 5,000 (159 seats) Acklam, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire Level transfer from Yorkshire 1 (8th) North Shields Preston Playing Fields Preston, North Shields, Tyne and Wear Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 2 (runners up) Northern McCracken Park 1,000 Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 3rd Novocastrians Sutherland Park 1,150 Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 6th South Shields Westoe Wood Terrace South Shields, Tyne and Wear 5th Stockton The Grangefield Ground Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham 4th Whitley Bay Rockcliff Lovaine Avenue Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear Promoted from Durham/Northumberland 2 (champions)

GatesheadNorthernMedicalsNorth ShieldsNovosSouth Shields WestoeWhitley Bayclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019-20 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams in Tyne & Wear AcklamBarnard CastleConsettHartlepool RoversHorden & PeterleeMiddlesbroughStocktonclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019-20 Durham/Northumberland 1 teams in County Durham & Yorkshire

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Acklam
• Ashington
• Blyth
• Darlington
• Horden
• Percy Park
• Ponteland
• Redcar
• Rockcliff
• Seghill
• Winlanton Vulcans

Durham/Northumberland 1 honours

Durham/Northumberland 1 (1987–1993)

The original Durham/Northumberland 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to North East 2 and relegation down to Durham/Northumberland 2.

Durham/Northumberland 1 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 1 dropped to being a tier 10 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Durham/Northumberland 1 remain at tier 10 with promotion to the new North 3 East league.

Durham/Northumberland 1 (2000–2022)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Durham/Northumberland 1 became a tier 7 league, with promotion to North 2 East (currently North 1 East).

Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland (2022-)

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Durham/Northumberland 1 and Yorkshire 1 for the third and final promotion place to North 1 East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Yorkshire 1 teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Durham/Northumberland 1 teams six; and the home side have won ten times to the away sides nine.

Number of league titles

• Horden (4)
• Consett (3)
• Northern (3)
• Percy Park (3)
• Darlington (2)
• Durham City (2)
• Gateshead (2)
• Guisborough (2)
• Hartlepool Rovers (2)
• Alnwick (1)
• Ashington (1)
• Billingham (1)
• Blyth (1)
• Medicals (1)
• Mowden Park (1)
• Redcar (1)
• Ryton (1)
• Whitby (1)
• Rockcliff (1)
• West Hartlepool (1)
• West Hartlepool TDSOB (1)
• Westoe (1)

Notes

1. Runners up Acklam along with Bishop Auckland were promoted to North East 2.
2. League restructuring meant no clubs were relegated and five clubs would be promoted from Durham/Northumberland 2
3. North Durham merged with Gateshead Fell at the end of this season and therefore ceased to exist as a club. As such they did not take up their position in Durham/Northumberland 2 the following season.
4. No relegation as division set to expand from 12 to 14 teams for the following season.
5. Despite finishing third in the 2000-01 Durham/Northumberland league, Percy Park went into the promotion playoff instead of runners up Durham City.
6. Scarborough won by default as Durham City were unable to raise a team.
7. Currently known as South Shields Westoe.

See also

• Durham RFU
• Northumberland RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
2. "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
3. "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
4. ^ "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
5. "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
6. "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
7. "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
8. "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
9. "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
10. "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
11. "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
12. "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
13. "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
14. "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
15. "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
16. "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
17. "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
18. "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
19. "2015-16 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
20. "2016-17 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
21. "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
22. "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
23. "Men's level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
24. "Durham/Northumberland One table 2021-2022". England Rugby. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
25. "2022-23 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
26. "2023-24 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
27. "2000-01 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 5 May 2001.
28. "2001-02 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 18 May 2002.
29. "2002-03 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 26 April 2003.
30. "2003-04 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
31. "2004-05 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 30 April 2006.
32. "2005-06 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
33. "2006-07 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
34. "2007-08 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
35. "2008-09 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
36. "2009-10 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 1 May 2010.
37. "2010-11 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 7 May 2011.
38. "2011-12 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 28 April 2012.
39. "2012-13 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 27 April 2013.
40. "2013-14 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 26 April 2014.
41. "2014-15 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 25 April 2015.
42. "2015-16 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 30 April 2016.
43. "2016-17 North Playoffs". England Rugby. 29 April 2017.
44. ^ "Skipper Jones' delight at promotion success". The Scarborough News. 4 May 2018.
45. "Play-offs: Heath sunk by West Hartlepool's late penalty". Halifax Courier. 28 April 2019.

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• Rugby union leagues in England
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