2015–16 National League 1
| 2015–16 National League 1 | |
|---|---|
| Countries |
 England
|
| Date | 5 September 2015 – 30 April 2016 |
| Champions | Richmond (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Hartpury College |
| Relegated | Henley Hawks, Cinderford, Wharfedale |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Attendance | 134,861 (average 562 per match) |
| Highest attendance | 1,843 Plymouth Albion v Hartpury College on 23 April 2016 |
| Lowest attendance | 80 Blaydon v Fylde on 7 November 2015 |
| Tries scored | 1540 (average 6.417 per match) |
| Top point scorer |
 Gareth Thompson (Hartpury College) 283 |
| Top try scorer |
 Jonas Mikalcius (Hartpury College) 27 |
|
← 2014–15
2016–17 →
|
|
The 2015–16 National League 1, known for sponsorship reasons as the SSE National League 1 is the seventh season of the third tier of the English rugby union system, since the professionalised format of the second tier RFU Championship was introduced; and is the twenty-ninth season since league rugby began in 1987.
Richmond are the current champions and will play in the Green King IPA Championship next season. Henley Hawks, Cinderford and Wharfedale are relegated. Henley and Cinderford to National League 2 South and Wharfedale to National League 2 North. Plymouth Albion went into administration on 8 April 2016 and an interim licence to run the club ended on 6 May 2016. Albion were deducted 30 points by the RFU and dropped from 5th place to 8th. The club have submitted a business case and await a decision by the RFU on 18 May. If the RFU reject the plan Albion could be relegated to the bottom of the league structure i.e. Devon League 2. If that happens Wharfedale will not be relegated and subsequently other teams down through the league structure could be reprieved.
The league consists of sixteen teams with all the teams playing each other on a home and away basis to make a total of thirty matches each. There is one promotion place and three relegation places. The champions are promoted to the Greene King IPA Championship and the bottom three teams are relegated to either National League 2 North or National League 2 South depending on the geographical location of the team.
Twelve of the sixteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Ealing Trailfinders are promoted to the 2015–16 RFU Championship and are replaced by Plymouth Albion who were relegated from the 2014–15 RFU Championship after spending thirteen seasons in the league above. The three teams relegated last season, are Old Albanian, (to the 2015–16 National League 2 South), and Macclesfield and Tynedale, (both to the 2015–16 National League 2 North). The promoted teams are Henley Hawks and Hull Ionians champions of the 2014–15 National League 2 South and 2014–15 National League 2 North respectively, and Ampthill who won the promotion play-off against Bishop's Stortford.
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