Counties 1 Middlesex
English Rugby Union league
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Counties 1 Middlesex (formerly Middlesex 1) is a level 7 Rugby Union league with teams from north-west London taking part. Historically, the league was a level 10 completion, and the division was cancelled at the end of the 1995–96 campaign after nine seasons due to the merger of the Hertfordshire and Middlesex regional leagues. After nearly twenty years, ahead of the 2025–26 season, the league was re-formed following the decision to have mostly Hertfordshire teams in Counties 1 Hertfordshire. Promoted teams typically move up to Regional 2 Thames and relegated sides go down to Counties 2 Middlesex.
Current season or competition: 2025–26 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Hackney (1st title) (1995–96) (promoted to Herts/Middlesex 1) |
2025–26
Participating clubs and locations
This is the first season in which Hertfordshire RFU and Middlesex RFU clubs from Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex moved to their respective county leagues. Teams in this league were level transferred from Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex or were promoted from Counties 2 Hert/Middlesex.
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Locations of the 2025–26 Counties 1 Middlesex teams
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1996–2025
Not contested
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Finchley
- Hampstead
- Lensbury
- London New Zealand
- Old Haberdashers
- Old Meadonians[a]
- Old Millhillians
- Orleans FP
- Staines
- Sudbury Court
- Uxbridge
Middlesex 1 honours
Middlesex 1 (1987–1992)
The original Middlesex 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion to London 3 North West and relegation to Middlesex 2.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88[2] | 11 | Finchley | Staines | Old Millhillians, Orleans FP, Old Meadonians | ||||||||||
| 1988–89[3] | 11 | Twickenham | London New Zealand | Old Abbots, Old Paulines, Old Haberdashers | ||||||||||
| 1989–90[4] | 11 | Uxbridge | London New Zealand | Old Millhillians, Hampstead | ||||||||||
| 1990–91[5] | 11 | Lensbury | Staines | Old Abbots, Old Meadonians, Sudbury Court | ||||||||||
| 1991–92[6] | 11 | Staines | Old Millhillians[b] | No relegation[c] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Middlesex 1 (1992–1996)
The creation of Herts/Middlesex at the beginning of the 1992–93 season meant that Middlesex 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league. The introduction of National 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Middlesex 1 dropped another level to become a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion was into the new Herts/Middlesex league while relegation continued to Middlesex 2. The merging of the Hertfordshire and Middlesex regional divisions at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Middlesex 1 was cancelled.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93[7] | 13 | Hampstead | Mill Hill | Orleans FP, Old Grammarians | ||||||||||
| 1993–94[8] | 13 | Mill Hill | Roxeth Manor Old Boys | Hammersmith & Fulham, Old Isleworthians | ||||||||||
| 1994–95[9] | 13 | Old Hamptonians | Wembley | Antlers | ||||||||||
| 1995–96[10] | 13 | Hackney[d] | London Nigerian[e] | No relegation[f] | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
Notes
- League restructuring for the following season due to the creation of the new Herts/Middlesex division, meant that there were multiple promotions from the league. Runners up Old Millhillians were promoted to London 3 North West along with champions Staines, while seven clubs ranked from 3rd to 9th were promoted into the new Herts/Middlesex division, including Haringey Rhinos, Harrow, Centaurs, London New Zealand, Uxbridge, Hendon and Twickenham. The bottom two sides - Mill Hill and Hackney - would remain in Middlesex 1.
- The creation of Herts/Middlesex for the following season meant that there was no relegation.
- Champions Hackney would be promoted into the newly named Herts/Middlesex 1.
- The merging of the Herts/Middlesex regional divisions saw runners up London Nigerian were transferred into Herts/Middlesex 3.
- Although there would be no relegation, all remaining teams would be transferred into the new Herts/Middlesex leagues - CS Stags 1863, Harrow, Old Haberdashers, HAC, Old Paulines, Wembley, Twickenham and Actonians would join Herts/Middlesex 2; Roxeth Manor Old Boys and Sudbury Court would join Herts/Middlesex 3. Bottom club Belsize Park would drop out of the leagues before the start of the new season.