| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Ceased | 2000 |
| Country |  England |
| Website | clubs.rfu.com |
North East 1 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the 7th tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 East while relegated teams dropped to North East 2. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999–2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams either being moved up to North 2 East or dropping down to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.
As a result of the RFU introducing the Courage League Division 5, between 1994 and 1996, some teams from North East 1 was merged with some teams from North West 1, taking the name North Division 2. However, North East 1 remained as a league, but one rung further down the ladder. Rather confusingly during this spell North Division 2 became North Division 1 and North Division 1 became National Division 5 North. The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 in 1996 would see the league names revert once again.