London & South East Premier


London & South East Premier is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of four leagues at this level, with its counterparts; South West Premier, Midlands Premier and North Premier. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following re-organisation by the Rugby Football Union while the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season to make it more obvious that it is a regional league. London & South East Premier is the highest regional rugby union league covering London and south east England.
The club that finishes in first place is automatically promoted to National League 2 South. The runner-up meets the second placed team of South West Premier with the winner also gaining promotion. Relegated teams drop down to either London 1 North or London 1 South depending on location, and other factors such as the location of relegated and promoted teams in other divisions.

2019–20

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Guernsey and London Irish Wild Geese who were relegated from National League 2 South, along with three promoted sides; Brighton, Rochford Hundred and Sevenoaks.
Teams leaving the division included Sutton & Epsom who were promoted into National League 2 South as champions and Westcliff who won the promotion playoff, while teams relegated from the league included Brentwood, Chingford and Shelford.

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, Bedfordshire6th
BrightonWaterhall Playing FieldsBrighton, East SussexPromoted from London 1 South
CS Stags 1863King's House Sports GroundChiswick, London10th
DorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, Surrey9th
GuernseyFootes Lane5,000 Saint Peter Port, GuernseyRelegated from National 2 South
GuildfordBroadwater Sports ClubFarncombe, Surrey11th
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire5th
London Irish Wild GeeseHazelwood2,000Sunbury-on-Thames, SurreyRelegated from National 2 South
Rochford HundredThe Rugby Park1,000Hawkwell, Rochford, EssexPromoted from London 1 North
SevenoaksKnole PaddockSevenoaks, KentPromoted from London 1 South
SidcupCrescent FarmSidcup, London8th
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire4th
Tunbridge WellsSt Marks Recreation Ground3,000Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent7th
WimbledonBeverley MeadsRaynes Park, London3rd

Final league table

On 4 April, the Rugby Football Union confirmed the final table for the season.

2018–19

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Wimbledon who were relegated from National League 2 South, along with four promoted sides; Bedford Athletic, Brentwood, Chingford and CS Rugby 1863. Bedford Athletic had initially been promoted into Midlands Premier but were level transferred into London & South East Premier as the nearest club geographically to address an imbalance of teams in the league. Teams leaving the division included Barnes who were promoted into National League 2 South as champions along with Guernsey who won the promotion playoff, while teams relegated from the league included Southend Saxons, Towcestrians and Westcombe Park.

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Bedford AthleticPutnoe Woods500Bedford, BedfordshirePromoted from Midlands 1 East
BrentwoodKing George's Playing Fields3,000Brentwood, EssexPromoted from London 1 North
ChingfordLea Valley Playing FieldsChingford, LondonPromoted from London 1 North
CS Rugby 1863King's House Sports GroundChiswick, LondonPromoted from London 1 South
DorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, Surrey9th
GuildfordBroadwater Sports ClubFarncombe, Surrey11th
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire4th
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire7th
SidcupCrescent FarmSidcup, London8th
Sutton & EpsomRugby LaneCheam, London10th
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, Hertfordshire3rd
Tunbridge WellsSt Marks Recreation Ground3,000Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent5th
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, Essex6th
WimbledonBeverley MeadsRaynes Park, LondonRelegated from National 2 South

2017–18

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Barnes who were relegated from National League 2 South along with three promoted teams Sidcup, Tring and Tunbridge Wells. Tonbridge Juddians were promoted into National League 2 South as champions along with Wimbledon who won the promotion playoff. Teams relegated from the league included Amersham & Chiltern and Colchester and Chichester. To address an imbalance of teams, Towcestrians were level transferred into the league from the Midlands Premier, as they were the nearest team geographically.

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BarnesBarn ElmsBarnes, LondonRelegated from National League 2 South
DorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, Surrey8th
GuernseyFootes Lane5,000 Saint Peter Port, Guernsey5th
GuildfordBroadwater Sports ClubFarncombe, Surrey9th
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire3rd
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire6th
SidcupCrescent FarmSidcup, LondonPromoted from London 1 South
Southend SaxonsWarners Bridge ParkSouthend, Essex11th
Sutton & EpsomRugby LaneCheam, London10th
TowcestriansGreens Norton RoadTowchester, NorthamptonshireLevel transfer from Midlands Premier
TringPendley Sports Centre750Tring, HertfordshirePromoted from London 1 North
Tunbridge WellsSt Marks Recreation Ground3,000Royal Tunbridge Wells, KentPromoted from London 1 South
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, Southend-on-Sea, Essex7th
Westcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200 Orpington, London4th

Final league table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in the London & South East Premier, and South West Premier participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Guernsey RFC, hosted the match and beat their opponents Bournemouth 38 – 23 to win promotion.
ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Guernsey 262204962446516193110
Bournemouth2617187616351269483

2016–17

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Dorking and Southend Saxons who were relegated from National 2 South while three promoted teams, Amersham & Chiltern, Guildford and Sutton & Epsom were promoted into the league. London Irish Wild Geese were promoted to National League 2 South as champions while Eton Manor and Gravesend were relegated to London 1 North and London 1 South respectively. Originally, Westcliff were supposed to go down as the 14th placed team, but they were granted a reprieve when East Grinstead decided to take voluntary relegation, due to the loss of a key sponsor and dropped five leagues to Sussex Spitfire 1. Finally Bracknell were level transferred back to National League 3 South West after just one season to address an imbalance in teams after having finished 11th.
Current results see:-

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, Buckinghamshirepromoted from London 1 North
ChichesterOaklands ParkChichester, West Sussex10th
ColchesterMill Road Playing FieldsColchester, Essex9th
DorkingThe Big Field1,000+Dorking, Surreyrelegated from National League 2 South
GuernseyFootes Lane5,000 Saint Peter Port, Guernsey6th
GuildfordBroadwater Sports ClubFarncombe, Surreypromoted from London 1 South
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire4th
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire7th
Southend SaxonsWarners Bridge ParkSouthend, Essexrelegated from National League 2 South
Sutton & EpsomRugby LaneCheam, Londonpromoted from London 1 South
Tonbridge JuddiansThe Slade1,500Tonbridge, Kent2nd
WestcliffThe Gables1,000Eastwood, Southend-on-Sea, Essex12th
Westcombe ParkGoddington Dene3,200 Orpington, London5th
WimbledonBeverley MeadsRaynes Park, Merton, London8th

Final league table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 London and SE, and National League 3 South West participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Wimbledon RFC, hosted the match and beat their opponents Dings Crusaders RFC 55 – 5 to win promotion.
ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Wimbledon 262303936399537212115
Dings Crusaders2619076764482288387

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2015–16

Participating clubs

Promotion play-off

The runners-up in the National League 3 London and SE, and National League 3 South West participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Tonbridge Juddian, host the match and their opponents are Barnstaple. Juddians lost the match 31 – 30 to a penalty in the last minute of the match and will stay in National 3 London and SE for next season.
ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Tonbridge Juddian262114833395438132102
Barnstaple 26202471537833712298

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2014–15

Participating clubs

Promotion play-off

The runners-up in the National League 3 London and SE, and National League 3 South West participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Exmouth, hosts the match; their opponents were Barnes and the match was played on 25 April 2015. At the end of full-time the match score was 22 – 22, and Barnes scored the only points in extra-time, to win the match 27– 22.
ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Exmouth26210582042639413299
Barnes 26190763849214613291

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After extra time
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2013–14

Participating clubs

2012–13

Participating clubs

Participating clubs

Participating clubs

Participating clubs

First season as a national league
In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was four, tier five leagues. These were London Division 1, Midland Division 1, North Division 1 and South West Division 1. In 1987 the geographical area for teams in the south-east of England was known as the London and South East Division and covered the counties of Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex. The league was also known as London League 1 and London 1. There were eleven teams in the league and they played each team once, giving each team ten matches. This system prevailed for five seasons, and in 1992–93 the number of teams increased from eleven to thirteen. The following season the league was reorganised and the four tier five leagues became two; National 5 North and National 5 South. After three seasons, in 1996–97, a further reorganisation occurred, and there was a return to four, tier five leagues; with London Division One covering the same area as before. This system prevailed until 2009–10 when the number of teams was increased from twelve to fourteen and renamed National League Three London & South East. The league name changed once more for the 2017–18, when it was renamed to London & South East Premier.

London Division One (1987–93)

London Division One

The top six teams from London Division One and the top six from South West Division One were combined to create National 5 South. London Division 1 was now the name of a tier six league and was one of two feeder leagues for National 5 South.

London Division One

National 5 South was split and renamed London Division One and South West Division One, and the top four divisions increased in size. Lydney was promoted to National Division Three and all of the other teams, bar Camborne, were transferred to the tier four, National 4 South.

National League 3 London & SE

The division was renamed National League 3 London & SE following a restructuring of the national leagues which led to changes at all levels.

London & South East Premier

The division was renamed London & South East Premier in order to make it more obvious that it was a regional league and the pinnacle of the London & South East region.

Promotion play-offs

Since season 2000–01 there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London & South East Premier and South West Premier for the third and final promotion place to National League 2 South. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London and south-east teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the south-west teams six; and the home team has won promotion on fifteen occasions compared to the away teams four.

Number of league titles