Counties 1 Yorkshire is an English rugby union division, the seventh tier of the domestic competition, and the top level for local rugby union in parts of Yorkshire. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North East (formerly North 1 East), a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses northeast England. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire. The current champions are North Ribblesdale who are promoted to Regional 2 North West
The first-placed team (and sometimes the runner-up) is promoted to Regional 2 North West or Regional 2 North East depending on geographical location. One, two or three teams are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire; numbers depending on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above.
The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-two 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:
Departing were North Ribblesdale (champions) and Pocklington (runners-up), promoted to Regional 2 North West and Regional 2 North East respectively. Bridlington were relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.
Departing were Bradford Salem and Wetherby, both promoted to Regional 2 North East while Bradford & Bingley were relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.
Departing were Goole, promoted to Regional 2 North East. Also leaving were Huddersfield Laund Hill (10th), Dinnington (11th) and Roundhegians (12th) all relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 1 with the nine lowest ranked teams returning and supplemented by the top three from Yorkshire 2. Leaving were champions Middlesbrough 'promoted' to Regional 2 North whilst 2nd to 5th place teams (Pontefract, Old Crossleyans, Bridlington & Selby) were 'promoted' to Regional 2 North East). With five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.
The teams competing in 2021âÂÂ22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019âÂÂ20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 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 2020âÂÂ21 season meaning Yorkshire 1 was not contested.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
The original Yorkshire 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion to North East 2 and relegation to Yorkshire 2.
The creation of National 5 North meant that Yorkshire 1 dropped one tier to become a tier 10 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 1 remain at tier 10 with promotion to the new North 3 East league.
Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999âÂÂ2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7 to 9). This meant that Yorkshire 1 became a tier 7 league, with promotion to North 2 East (later North 1 East).
Since the 2000âÂÂ01 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 2019âÂÂ20 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.