Devon League 1


Tribute Devon 1, as the league is known for sponsorship reasons, is an English level nine, rugby union league for clubs based in Devon. The champions are promoted to Tribute Cornwall/Devon and the runner-up, plays the second team from Tribute Cornwall 1, with the winning team gaining promotion. Up until the end of the 2017-18 season, teams were relegated to Tribute Devon 2 but since that league has been abolished there is currently no relegation.
Each year a team from Devon League 1 is picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national cup competition for clubs at levels 9-12.

Format

The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-six rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals, home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
The top two teams are promoted to Western Counties West and the bottom three teams are relegated to either Cornwall One or Devon One depending on their location.

2019–20

Participating clubs and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/CityPrevious season
Buckfastleigh RamblersBuckfastleigh Sports ClubBuckfastleigh5th
DartmouthDartmouth Leisure CentreDartmouth10th
Exeter SaracensExhibition Fields, Summer LaneWhipton, Heavitree, Exeter3rd
IlfracombeBrimlandsIlfracombeJoined from Devon Merit League
New CrossFive Lanes Pitch, Strap LaneKingsteignton11th
Old Plymothian & MannamedianKing George V Playing FieldsPlymstock, Plymouth9th
Old TechniciansWeston Mill Oak Villa Social ClubPlymouth6th
Plymouth ArgaumBickleigh DownPlymouth, DevonRelegated from Cornwall/Devon
Tamar SaracensThe ParkwayErnesettle, Plymouth4th
TorringtonDonnacroftGreat Torrington7th
TotnesBorough ParkTotnes8th
WithycombeRaleigh ParkExmouthRelegated from Cornwall/Devon

2018–19

Participating clubs and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/CityPrevious season
Buckfastleigh RamblersBuckfastleigh Sports ClubBuckfastleighPromoted from Devon League 2
DartmouthDartmouth Leisure CentreDartmouth3rd
Exeter AthleticBravelandsClyst St Mary, DevonRelegated from Cornwall/Devon
Exeter SaracensExhibition Fields, Summer LaneWhipton, Heavitree, Exeter7th
New CrossFive Lanes Pitch, Strap LaneKingsteignton6th
North TawtonTaw MeadowNorth TawtonPromoted from Devon League 2
Old Plymothian & MannamedianKing George V Playing FieldsPlymstock, PlymouthPromoted from Devon League 2
Old TechniciansWeston Mill Oak Villa Social ClubPlymouth8th
Tamar SaracensThe ParkwayErnesettle, Plymouth5th
TorringtonDonnacroftGreat TorringtonRelegated from Cornwall/Devon
TotnesBorough ParkTotnes4th

2017–18

Participating clubs and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/CityPrevious season
DartmouthDartmouth Leisure CentreDartmouthPromoted from Tribute Devon 2
Exeter SaracensExhibition Fields, Summer LaneWhipton, Exeter6th
New CrossFive Lanes Pitch, Strap LaneKingsteignton4th
Old TechniciansWeston Mill Oak Villa Social ClubPlymouthPromoted from Tribute Devon 2
South MoltonStation RoadSouth Molton3rd
Tamar SaracensThe ParkwayErnesettle, PlymouthRelegated from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
TopshamBonfire FieldTopsham, ExeterRelegated from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
TotnesBorough ParkTotnes5th

2016–17

Participating clubs and locations

League table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up of Tribute Cornwall 1 and Tribute Devon 1, usually participate in a play-off for promotion to Tribute Cornwall/Devon. Newquay Hornets declined to play the match and Torrington were promoted.

2015–16

Participating clubs and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
New CrossAbbrook ParkKingsteignton6th
North TawtonTaw MeadowNorth Tawtonpromoted from Tribute Devon 2
Old Plymothian & MannamedianKing George V Playing FieldsPlymstock, Plymouthrelegated from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
South MoltonStation RoadSouth Moltonrelegated from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
St Columba & TorpointDefiance FieldTorpoint, Cornwall3rd
Tamar SaracensThe ParkwayErnesettle, Plymouthpromoted from Tribute Devon 2
TopshamBonfire FieldTopsham, Exeter7th
TotnesBorough ParkTotnes4th
WessexFlowerpot Playing FieldsExeter5th

League table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up of Tribute Cornwall 1 and Tribute Devon 1, usually participate in a play-off for promotion to Tribute Cornwall/Devon. Camborne School of Mines were due to play Topsham, but it appears that Camborne School of Mines conceded.

2014–15

Plymouth Argaum are the champions and they are promoted to Tribute Cornwall/Devon for season 2015–16. The runner-up, Plymstock Albion Oaks won the play-off match against Veor 47 – 3 to also win promotion. The last two teams Old Technicians and Torrington are relegated to Tribute Devon 2.

Participating clubs and locations

League table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up of Tribute Cornwall 1 and Tribute Devon 1, participate in a play-off for promotion to Tribute Cornwall/Devon. Plymouth Albion Oaks beat the home team Veor 47 – 3.

2013–14

The 2013–14 Tribute Devon 1 consisted of nine clubs; eight from Devon and one from Cornwall. The season started on 7 September 2013 and ended on 5 April 2014 with each team playing each of the other teams twice. South Molton finished in first place and were promoted to Tribute Cornwall/Devon, while the runners-up, Totnes, lost to the second team in Tribute Cornwall 1 Bodmin, in a play-off and stay in this league. The bottom team, Salcombe, are relegated to Tribute Devon 2.

Participating clubs and locations

League table

2012–13

Participating clubs

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Cornwall League 1 and Devon League 1 for the third and final promotion place to Tribute Cornwall/Devon. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Devon League 1 teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Cornwall League 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away teams six.

Number of league titles