Shepherd Neame Kent 1


Shepherd Neame Kent 1 is an English level 9 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions move up to London 3 South East while the runners up play against the runners up of Sussex 1 for the remaining place. Relegated teams drop down to Shepherd Neame Kent 2.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.

Participating Clubs 2019-20

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Cliffe CrusadersRecreation GroundCliffe, KentPromoted from Kent 2
CranbrookTomlin GroundCranbrook, Kent4th
FavershamRecreation GroundFaversham, KentPromoted from Kent 2
Hastings & BexhillWilliam Parker Lower SchoolHastings, East SussexRelegated from London 3 SE
HSBCHSBC Sports GroundBeckenham, London6th
King's College HospitalDulwich Sports GroundDulwich, London7th
New Ash GreenNew Ash Green Sports PavilionNew Ash Green, Kent9th
Old GravesendiansFleetway Sports GroundGravesend, Kent5th
Southwark LancersBurgess ParkCamberwell, London3rd
WhitstableReeves WayChestfield, Kent8th

Participating Clubs 2018-19

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AshfordKinney's FieldAshford, Kent11th
CranbrookTomlin GroundCranbrook, Kent5th
FootscrayFootscray Playing FieldsNew Eltham, LondonPromoted from Kent 2
Gillingham AnchoriansDarland BanksGillingham, Kent4th
HSBCHSBC Sports GroundBeckenham, London7th
King's College HospitalDulwich Sports GroundDulwich, London3rd
New Ash GreenNew Ash Green Sports PavilionNew Ash Green, Kent11th
Old GravesendiansFleetway Sports GroundGravesend, Kent9th
SheppeyStupple FieldMinster, KentRelegated from London 3 SE
Southwark LancersBurgess ParkCamberwell, London10th
WhitstableReeves WayChestfield, KentPromoted from Kent 2

Participating Clubs 2017-18

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
AshfordKinney's FieldAshford, KentRelegated from London 3 South East
BeccehamianSparrow's DenWest Wickham, London4th
CranbrookTomlin GroundCranbrook, Kent3rd
Gillingham AnchoriansDarland BanksGillingham, KentRelegated from London 3 South East
HSBCHSBC Sports GroundBeckenham, London5th
King's College HospitalDulwich Sports GroundDulwich, London6th
New Ash GreenNew Ash Green Sports PavilionNew Ash Green, Kent9th
Old GravesendiansFleetway Sports GroundGravesend, KentPromoted from Kent 2
Royal Bank of ScotlandGoals BeckenhamBeckenham, LondonPromoted from Kent 2
SittingbourneGore Court Cricket ClubSittingbourne, Kent10th
Southwark LancersBurgess ParkCamberwell, London7th
VigoSwanswood FieldVigo, Kent8th

Participating Clubs 2016-17

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Shepherd Neame Kent 1 and Sussex Spitfire 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 South East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Shepherd Neame Kent 1 teams have been the most successful with fourteen wins to the Sussex Spitfire 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams eight.

Number of league titles