London 1 South
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. It is the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season is promoted. The second-placed team enters a play-off against the runner-up of London 1 North. Three teams are relegated into a mixture of London 2 South East and London 2 South West.
Structure and format
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 point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
- 1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match
Teams 2020–21
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
Battersea Ironsides | Burntwood Lane | Earlsfield, London | Promoted from London 2 SW | |
Camberley | Watchetts Recreation Ground | Camberley, Surrey | 3rd | |
Chichester | Oaklands Park | Chichester, West Sussex | 8th | |
Cobham | Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground | Cobham, Surrey | 5th | |
Farnham | Wilkinson Way | Farnham, Surrey | Promoted from London 2 SW | |
Guildford | Broadwater Sports Club | Farncombe, Surrey | Relegated from L&SE Premier | |
Hammersmith & Fulham | Hurlingham Park | Fulham, London | Promoted from London 2 NW | |
Haywards Heath | Whitemans Green | Cuckfield, West Sussex | Promoted from London 2 SE | |
Horsham | Coolhurst Ground | Horsham, West Sussex | 7th | |
KCS Old Boys | Dornan Fields | Motspur Park, London | 9th | |
London Cornish | Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields | Roehampton Vale, London | 11th | |
London Irish Wild Geese | Hazelwood | 2,000 | Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey | Relegated from L&SE Premier |
London Welsh | Old Deer Park | 5,850 | Richmond, London | Promoted from London 2 NW |
Medway | Priestfields | Rochester, Kent | 4th |
Teams 2019–20
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
Beckenham | Balmoral Avenue | Beckenham, London | Promoted from London 2 SE | |
Belsize Park | Regent's Park | Belsize Park, London | Promoted from London 2 NW | |
Camberley | Watchetts Recreation Ground | Camberley, Surrey | 3rd | |
Chichester | Oaklands Park | Chichester, West Sussex | 9th | |
Cobham | Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground | Cobham, Surrey | 10th | |
Dartfordians | Bourne Road | Bexley, London | 11th | |
H.A.C. | Artillery Ground | Finsbury, London | Level transfer from London 1 North | |
Havant | Hook's Lane | 1,500 | Havant, Hampshire | 6th |
Horsham | Coolhurst Ground | Horsham, West Sussex | Promoted from London 2 SE | |
KCS Old Boys | Dornan Fields | Motspur Park, London | Promoted from London 2 SW | |
London Cornish | Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields | Roehampton Vale, London | 8th | |
Medway | Priestfields | Rochester, Kent | 4th | |
Thurrock | Oakfield | Grays, Essex | 5th | |
Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 | Orpington, London | 7th |
Teams 2018–19
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
Brighton | Waterhall Playing Fields | Brighton, East Sussex | 6th | |
Camberley | Watchetts Recreation Ground | Camberley, Surrey | Promoted from London 2 SW | |
Chichester | Oaklands Park | Chichester, West Sussex | 4th | |
Chobham | Fowlers Wells | Chobham, Surrey | 10th | |
Cobham | Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground | Cobham, Surrey | 5th | |
Dartfordians | Bourne Road | Bexley, London | Promoted from London 2 SE | |
Havant | Hook's Lane | 1,500 | Havant, Hampshire | 3rd |
Hove | Hove Recreation Ground | Hove, East Sussex | Promoted from London 2 SE | |
London Cornish | Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields | Roehampton Vale, London | 8th | |
Medway | Priestfields | Rochester, Kent | Runner up | |
Sevenoaks | Knole Paddock | Sevenoaks, Kent | 9th | |
Thurrock | Oakfield | Grays, Essex | 11th | |
Tottonians | Water Lane | Totton, Hampshire | 7th | |
Westcombe Park | Goddington Dene | 3,200 | Orpington, London | Relegated from LSE Premier |
Teams 2017–18
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
Brighton | Waterhall Playing Fields | Brighton, East Sussex | 11th | |
Chichester | Oaklands Park | Chichester, West Sussex | Relegated from National League 3 London & SE | |
Chobham | Fowlers Wells | Chobham, Surrey | 10th | |
Cobham | Old Surbitonians Memorial Ground | Cobham, Surrey | 6th | |
CS Rugby 1863 | King's House Sports Ground | Chiswick, London | 5th | |
Gravesend | Rectory Field | Gravesend, Kent | 8th | |
Havant | Hook's Lane | 1,500 | Havant, Hampshire | 3rd |
London Cornish | Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields | Roehampton Vale, London | Promoted from London 2 South West | |
Maidstone | William Davey Memorial Ground | Maidstone, Kent | 9th | |
Medway | Priestfields | Rochester, Kent | Promoted from London 2 South East | |
Old Colfeians | Horn Park | Lee, London | Promoted from London 2 South East | |
Sevenoaks | Knole Paddock | Sevenoaks, Kent | 7th | |
Thurrock | Oakfield | Grays, Essex | Level transfer from London 1 North | |
Tottonians | Water Lane | Totton, Hampshire | 4th |
2016–17
, 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 thus granting a reprieve from relegation for Gosport and Fareham.They were replaced by Gravesend who were relegated from National 3 London & SE. Promoted into the league were national RFU Intermediate Cup champions and unbeaten league winners of London 2 South East, Tunbridge Wells as well as Cobham as champions of London 2 South West and play-off winners Sevenoaks. CS Rugby 1863 were transferred from London 1 North because they were the most southern team in London 1 North due of an imbalace in North and South teams in the leagues.
Participating teams and locations
2015–16
Participating teams and locations
Final league table
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.Club | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points |
Tring | 26 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 987 | 360 | 627 | 17 | 0 | 109 |
Guildford | 26 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 802 | 481 | 321 | 15 | 3 | 98 |
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2014–15
Participating teams and locations
- Basingstoke '
- Brighton
- Charlton Park '
- Chobham
- Cobham
- Dover
- Gosport & Fareham '
- Guildford
- Havant
- Hove
- Sidcup
- Sutton & Epsom
- Twickenham '
- Wimbledon
2013–14
Participating teams and locations
- Beckenham
- Brighton '
- Chichester
- Chobham '
- Cobham
- Dover
- Gravesend
- Havant
- Haywards Heath
- Hove
- Sidcup
- Staines '
- Sutton & Epsom RFC '
- Wimbledon RFC
2012–13
Participating teams and locations
- Basingstoke
- Beckenham
- Chichester
- Cobham
- Dover
- East Grinstead
- Gosport & Fareham
- Havant
- Haywards Heath
- Hove
- Old Colfeians '''
- Trojans
- Sidcup
- Sutton & Epsom RFC
- Wimbledon
2011–12
Participating teams and locations
- Basingstoke
- Beckenham
- Chichester
- Cobham
- Dover
- Guernsey
- Haywards Heath
- Hove
- Old Elthamians
- Portsmouth RFC
- Sidcup
- Sutton & Epsom RFC
- Thanet Wanderers
- Trojans RFC
London 1 South honours
London 2 South (1987–1993)
London 2 South (1993–1994)
At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 2 South dropped from a tier 6 league to a tier 7 league for the years that National 5 South was active.London 2 South (1996–2009)
After only three seasons the level five National 5 South was split and renamed London Division One and South West Division One. The top four divisions increased in size and London 2 South and London 2 North were once more level six leagues.London 1 South
Promotion play-offs
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.Number of league titles
- Basingstoke
- Canterbury
- Gravesend
- Haywards Heath
- Sutton & Epsom
- Wimbledon
- Barnes
- Camberley
- Charlton Park
- CS Rugby 1863
- Dorking
- East Grinstead
- Esher
- Guernsey
- Havant
- Old Alleynian
- Old Colfeians
- Old Mid-Whitgiftian
- Portsmouth
- Richmond
- Sevenoaks
- Sidcup
- Thanet Wanderers
- Tonbridge Juddians
- Westcombe Park
- Winchester
- Worthing