Gloucester 3 was an English rugby union league which sat at the eleventh level of league rugby union in England for teams based in Gloucestershire as well as some in Bristol. Promoted clubs moved into Gloucester 2, and since the cancellation of Gloucester 4 at the end of the 1995–96 season there had been no relegation. The division was discontinued at the end of the 2017–18 season and Gloucester 2 was divided into north and south regional divisions.
The 2015–16 Gloucester 3 consists of seven teams from Gloucestershire. The season starts on 12 September 2015 and is due to end on 16 April 2016. Four of the seven teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions and runners up were promoted to the Gloucester 2 while joined from the Gloucestershire Reserve League. As it is the basement league in Gloucestershire there is no relegation.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (then a single division known as Gloucestershire 3) contained the following teams:
Gloucester 3 honours[]
Gloucestershire 3 (1987–1991)[]
Originally a single division known as Gloucestershire 3, it was a tier 11 league with promotion to Gloucestershire 2 and relegation to Gloucestershire 4.[a]
Gloucestershire 3 was shorted to Gloucester 3 for the 1991–92 season onward. It remained a tier 11 league with promotion to Gloucester 2 and relegation to Gloucester 4.
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Gloucester 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and relegation to Gloucester 4.
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Gloucester 3 reverted to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 1 while the cancellation of Gloucester 4 meant there was no longer relegation.
Restructuring of the Gloucester leagues at the end of the 1999–00 season saw Gloucester 3 split into two regional leagues - Gloucester 3 North and Gloucester 3 South - both at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and there was no relegation.
For the 2006–07 season Gloucester 3 North and South were remerged back into a single Gloucester 3 division, remaining at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and there was no relegation. Between 2007 and 2009 Gloucester 3 was sponsored by .
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Gloucester 2 remained a tier 11 league, with promotion continuing to Gloucester 1 and there was no relegation. From 2017 the league was now sponsored by Wadworth 6x. At the end of the 2017–18 the division was disbanded and all teams promoted to the newly regionalised Gloucester 2 - Gloucester 2 North or Gloucester 2 South.
Between 2001 and 2005 there was a promotion play-off between the runners-up of Gloucester 3 North and Gloucester 3 South for the third and final promotion place to Gloucester 2. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. During the 2005–06 season the play-offs were discontinued as Gloucester 3 would merge into one division for the 2006–07 season. Before they were discontinued Gloucester 3 North teams have been the most successful with three wins to the Gloucester 3 South teams' two; and the home team has won promotion on all five occasions.
^Gloucestershire 4 was briefly divided into Gloucestershire 4A or Gloucestershire 4B for the 1989–90 season before remerging back into a single division.
^There was no relegation at the end of the 1989–90 season due to Gloucestershire 4 remerging back into a single division and Gloucestershire 3 increasing from 11 to 13 teams.
^The restructuring of the majority of south west leagues from 11 to 13 teams meant that six teams were promoted including , , and .
^The restructuring of south west leagues meant that there was no relegation.
^Restructuring of the leagues following the cancellation of National League 5 South and Gloucester 4 at the end of the season meant that nine clubs would be promoted including , , , , , and .
^The cancellation of Gloucester 4 at the end of the season meant there would be no relegation.
^This would be the last season for Gloucester 3 North. For 2006-07 the division would merge with Gloucester 3 South to form a new division - Gloucester 3.
^This would be the last season for Gloucester 3 South. For 2006-07 the division would merge with Gloucester 3 North to form a new division - Gloucester 3.
^5 other teams promoted into either Gloucester 2 North or South for the following season as this was the last for Gloucester 3.
^The result of the 2003-04 promotion playoff between and is not listed on the RFU website, although Cotham Park would have had home advantage as they had a better league record than Cainscross. We do, however, know that Cotham Park won this game as they were in Gloucester 2 the next season while Cainscross were not.
^There would be no promotion playoff at the end of the 2005-06 season as Gloucester 3 would become a single division the following season. Instead, both champions and runners up from Gloucester 3 North and Gloucester 3 South would be automatically promoted into Gloucester 2.
^One of St Brendan's Old Boys titles was won in Gloucester 3 South.
^Ross-on-Wye's titles were won in Gloucester 3 North.
^Bristol Aeroplane's title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
^Cheltenham Civil Service's title was won in Gloucester 3 North.
^Hartpury College's title was won in Gloucester 3 North.
