North 1 West is a rugby union league at the sixth level within the English league system. The league is made up of teams from north west England and the Isle of Man; principally consisting of the English counties of Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. The league was known as North Division 2 when it was first created back in 1987 and was a single division. It has since split into two regional leagues, with North West 1 and its compatriot North 1 East being the longest running versions of the division.
Promotion and relegation determine the makeup of the league each season, with the top team automatically moving into North Premier and the second-placed team entering into a play-off match with the second-placed team in North 1 East. Occasionally, depending on promotion and relegation, teams from either North 1 East and North 1 West may be required to compete in the opposite league to ensure that the number of teams in the east and west leagues remains at 14 teams each. Teams dropping from the league go into North 2 West.
Teams 2021–22
The teams competing in 2021-22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Locations of the 2021–22 North 1 West teams in Greater Manchester
2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning North 1 West was not contested.
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season, meant that North Division 2 dropped from being a tier 6 league to a tier 7 league for the years that National 5 North was active.
For the 2009–10 season the division would be renamed North 1 West as part of wholesale national restructure of the league system by the RFU leading to mass changes at all levels including in the north.
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of North 1 East and North 1 West for the third and final promotion place to North Premier. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the North 1 East have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the North 1 West teams six; and the home team has won promotion on fifteen occasions compared to the away teams five.
North 1 East v North 1 West promotion play-off results
^The introduction of a number of new leagues in the north for the 1996–97 season meant that more teams than normal were relegated between leagues to populate the new divisions.
^The division would be renamed North Division 1 West for the next season and along with the whole national restructure of the league system by the RFU lead to mass changes at all levels.
^The division started with 14 teams but St Benedicts decided to quit the league in April 2018 due to fixture buildup and issues with their home pitch. They would automatically be relegated.[24]
^St Benedicts also relegated due to quitting the league - all league results involving the club were wiped out.[24]
^Aspatria's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Bradford & Bingley's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Darlington Mowden Park's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Doncaster's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Manchester's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Manchester's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^New Brighton's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Northern's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Rotherham's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Stockton's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^Wharfedale's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.
^York's title was won when league was a single division known as North Division 2.