Current season or competition: 2019–20 Lancs/Cheshire Division 1 | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Country |  England,  Isle of Man |
| Holders | Orrell (1st title) (2019–20) (promoted to North 2 West) |
| Most titles | Altrincham Kersal, Warrington (3 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
Lancs/Cheshire Division 1 (usually referred to as Lancs/Cheshire 1) was a regional English Rugby Union league for teams from Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, ranked at tier 8 of the English league system. The top two clubs are promoted to North 2 West and the bottom two clubs are relegated to Lancs/Cheshire 2. Each season two teams from Lancs/Cheshire 1 are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase (a national competition for clubs at level 8) - one affiliated with the Cheshire RFU, the other with the Lancashire RFU.
The division was initially known as North-West West 1 when it was created in 1987, and had a number of different names since with South Lancs/Cheshire 1 being the longest running. The division switched to its current name for the 2018–19 season due to the restructuring of the northern leagues by the RFU as a result of 19 Lancashire clubs withdrawing from RFU competitions across the leagues to form their own competitions. This would see the North Lancashire/Cumbria division abolished, with Lancashire-based sides from that league being transferred into Lancs/Cheshire 1, while the Cumbria sides were transferred into Cumbria 1.[1]
The introduction of North 2 West for the 2019–20 season at tier 7 of the north west leagues, meant that Lancs/Cheshire Division 1 dropped down to being a tier 8 league.
The after the cancellation of Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season[2] that due to the coronavirus pandemic the league was disbanded with teams transferred into the Lancashire Merit Table competitions or ADM Lancashire leagues.
- ^ "North West league restructuring (June 14 2018)". RFU North. 14 June 2018.
- ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.