Somerset 3 North Explained
| Somerset 3 North |
| Current Season: | 2020–21 Somerset 3 North |
| Sport: | Rugby union |
| Founded: | (as Somerset 3) |
| Teams: | 9 |
| Champion: | Stothert & Pitt II (2nd title) |
| Season: | 2019–20)
(promoted to Somerset 2 North |
| Most Champs: | Avonvale, St. Brendan's Old Boys, Stothert & Pitt II |
| Count: | 2 |
| Website: | englandrugby.com |
Somerset 3 North (known as Tribute Somerset 3 North for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league which sits at the eleven level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 3 South. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 3, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Somerset 3 North currently involves teams from the northern part of Somerset as well as teams based in south and west Bristol. 1st, 2nd, 3rd and even 4th XV sides can participate in the division as long as they are not from the same club. The league champions, and occasionally runners up, are promoted to Somerset 2 North and there is no relegation as this is the lowest level of league rugby in Somerset.
Teams 2021-22
| Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
|---|
| Chew Valley III | Chew Lane | | | 2nd |
| Imperial II | South Bristol Sports Centre | | | 4th |
| Keynsham III | Bristol Road | | | 6th |
| Nailsea & Backwell III | West End Park | | | New entry |
| St. Bernadette's Old Boys II | Whitchurch Sports Ground | | | 3rd |
|
2020–21
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
Teams 2019–20
| Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
|---|
| Bristol Harlequins II | Valhalla | | | N/A |
| Chew Valley III | Chew Lane | | | Relegated from Somerset 2 North (12th) |
| Imperial II | South Bristol Sports Centre | | | 4th |
| Keynsham III | Bristol Road | | | N/A |
| Old Culverhaysians | Odd Down Sports Ground | | | N/A |
| St. Bernadette's Old Boys II | Whitchurch Sports Ground | | | 5th |
| Adams Field | | | 3rd |
| Recreation Ground | 1,200 | | 7th |
| Yatton III | The Park | | | 6th |
|
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this league (known as Somerset 3) was a single division containing the following teams from Somerset and parts of Bristol:
- Avonvale
- Backwell
- Bath Civil Service
- Castle Cary
- Chew Valley
- Morganians
- Old Ashtonians
- Tor
- Wincanton
- Westland
Somerset 3 honours
Somerset 3 (1987–1989)
The original Somerset 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
|---|
| 1987–88 | 10 | Avonvale | | No relegation | [1] |
| 1988–89 | 12 | Wiveliscombe | | No relegation | [2] |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3A / 3B (1989–1990)
For the 1989–90 season Somerset 3 split into two regional leagues - Somerset 3A and Somerset 3B - both at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | League Name | Ref |
|---|
| 1989–90 | 7 | Blagdon | | No relegation | Somerset 3A | [3] |
| 7 | Wellington | | No relegation | Somerset 3B | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3 (1990–1993)
After a single season Somerset 3 reverted to being a single division at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
|---|
| 1990–91 | 12 | Backwell | | No relegation | [4] |
| 1991–92 | 11 | Chard | | No relegation | [5] |
| 1992–93 | 7 | Chew Valley | | No relegation | [6] |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3 (1993–1996)
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Somerset 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
|---|
| 1993–94 | 9 | St. Brendan's Old Boys | | No relegation | [7] |
| 1994–95 | 9 | Avonvale | | No relegation | | [8] |
| 1995–96 | 9 | St. Brendan's Old Boys | | No relegation | [9] |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3 (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Somerset 3 reverted to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation. Somerset 3 was cancelled at the end of the 1999–00 season and all teams transferred into Somerset 2.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
|---|
| 1996–97 | 6 | British Gas | | No relegation | [10] |
| 1997–98 | 5 | Bath Old Edwardians | | No relegation | |
| 1998–99 | 5 | Castle Cary | | No relegation | [11] |
| 1999–00 | 5 | Martock | | No relegation | [12] |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3 North
After an absence of six years, Somerset 3 returned - now split into two regional tier 11 divisions - Somerset 3 North and Somerset 3 South. This restructuring was to enable 2nd XV and 3rd XV sides to play in the Somerset leagues for the first time. Promotion was now to Somerset 2 North and there was no relegation. From the 2007–08 season onward the league sponsor would be Tribute.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref |
|---|
| 2006–07 | 12 | Walcot III | | No relegation | [13] |
| 2007–08 | 14 | Clevedon III | | No relegation | [14] |
| 2008–09 | 14 | Old Redcliffians III | | No relegation | [15] |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Somerset 3 North (2009–present)
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Somerset 3 North and its counterpart Somerset 3 South, remained as tier 11 leagues. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 North and there was no relegation. The league would continued to be sponsored by Tribute.
| < | ----> |
|---|
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref |
|---|
| 2009–10 | 13 | Keynsham III | | No relegation | [16] |
| 2010–11 | 12 | Avon II | | No relegation | [17] |
| 2011–12 | 13 | Old Redcliffians IV | | No relegation | [18] |
| 2012–13 | 7 | Nailsea & Backwell II | | No relegation | [19] |
| 2013–14 | 11 | Stothert & Pitt II | | No relegation | [20] |
| 2014–15 | 13 | Midsomer Norton III | | No relegation | [21] |
| 2015–16 | 9 | Whitehall II | | No relegation | [22] |
| 2016–17 | 10 | Bristol Telephone Area | | No relegation | [23] |
| 2017–18 | 10 | Barton Hill II | | No relegation | [24] |
| 2018–19 | 7 | Clevedon II | | No relegation | [25] |
| 2019–20 | 9 | Stothert & Pitt II | | No relegation | [26] |
| 2020–21 | | | | | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | |
Number of league titles
- Avonvale (2)
- St. Brendan's Old Boys(2)
- Stothert & Pitt II (2)
- Backwell (1)
- Avon II (1)
- Barton Hill II (1)
- Bath Old Edwardians (1)
- Blagdon (1)
- British Gas (1)
- Bristol Telephone Area (1)
- Castle Cary (1)
- Chard (1)
- Chew Valley (1)
- Clevedon II (1)
- Clevedon III (1)
- Keynsham III (1)
- Martock (1)
- Midsomer Norton III (1)
- Nailsea & Backwell II (1)
- Old Redcliffians III (1)
- Old Redcliffians IV (1)
- Walcot III (1)
- Wellington (1)
- Whitehall II (1)
- Wiveliscombe (1)
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Johns. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89. 1988. Rothmans Publications Ltd. London. 0-356-15884-5. 123–139. 17th.
- Book: Johns. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989–90. 1989. Rothmans Publications Ltd. London. 0-356-17862-5. 133–136. 18th.
- Book: Johns. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990–91. 1990. Rothmans Publications Ltd. London. 0-356-19162-1. 143–146. 19th.
- Book: Johns. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991–92. 1991. Rothmans Publications Ltd. London. 0-356-20249-6. 164–167. 20th.
- Book: Johns. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93. 1992. Rothmans Publications Ltd. London. 0-7472-7907-1. 176–179. 21st.
- Book: Jones. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94. 1993. Headline Book Publishing Ltd. London. 0-7472-7891-1. 157–160. 22nd.
- Book: Jones. Stephen. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. 1994. Headline Bookline Publishing. London. 0-7472-7850-4.
- Book: Cleary. Mick. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. 1995. Headline Bookline Publishing. London. 0-7472-7816-4.
- Book: Cleary. Mick. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. 1996. Headline Book Publishing. London. 0-7472-7771-0.
- Book: Cleary. Mick. Griffiths. John. Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. 1997. Headline Book Publishing. London. 0-7472-7732-X.
- Web site: 1998-99 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 1999-00 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2006-07 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2007-08 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2008-09 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2009-10 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2010-11 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2011-12 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2012-13 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2013-14 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2014-15 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2015-16 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2016-17 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 2 May 2017.
- Web site: 2017-18 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 21 April 2018.
- Web site: 2018-19 South-West Division. England Rugby. RFU. 13 April 2018.
- Web site: Men's South West Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.
