Southern Counties North

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Southern Counties North
Current season or competition:
England Rugby text logo.svg
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 35 years ago (1987) (as Southern Counties)
Number of teams12
Country England
Holders (3rd title) (2019–20)
(promoted to South West 1 East)
Most titles, (3 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

Southern Counties North (also known as Wadworth 6X Southern Counties North for sponsorship reasons) is a division at level 7 of the English rugby union system.[1] When league rugby first began in 1987 it was a single league known as Southern Counties but since 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues - Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South. Southern Counties North currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily featuring teams based in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

The league champions at the end of each season are automatically promoted to South West 1 East while the runner-up play against the runner-up from Southern Counties South in a play-off for the third promotion place. Relegated teams usually drop to Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier. Teams from Southern Counties North also participate in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a national competition for clubs at level 7.

2021-22[]

2020–21[]

Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.

2019-20[]

2018-19[]

2017-18[]

2016-17[]

2015–16[]

The 2015–16 Southern Counties North consisted of twelve teams; six from Buckinghamshire, two each from Berkshire and Oxfordshire, and one each from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The season started on 12 September 2015 and the last league matches were played on 23 April 2016.

Seven of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions High Wycombe were promoted to the South West 1 East while Milton Keynes and were relegated to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier. , who finished 4th, were level transferred to Southern Counties South.

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Locations of the 2015-16 Southern Counties North teams
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Locations of the 2015-16 Southern Counties North teams in South Buckinghamshire
Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season
Ostler's Field Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire 2nd (lost promotion play-off)
Beaconsfield Oak Lodge Meadow Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire 8th
Bicester Oxford Road Bicester, Oxfordshire 5th
Bletchley Manor Fields Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire relegated from South West 1 East (14th)
Floyd Field Maids Moreton, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire relegated from South West 1 East (13th)
Farnham Common Sports Club Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire 9th
Marlow Riverwoods Drive Marlow, Buckinghamshire 7th
Reading Abbey Rosehill Reading, Berkshire promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (champions)
Oddington Road Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire 4th
Nationwide Sports Pavilion Swindon, Wiltshire promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (runner-up)
Henwicky Worthy Sports Field Thatcham, Berkshire 6th
Wallingford Sports Park Wallingford, Oxfordshire 10th

2014–15[]

2013–14[]

2012–13[]

Original teams[]

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams:

Southern Counties North honours[]

Southern Counties (1987–1993)[]

Originally Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South were combined in a single division called Southern Counties. It was a tier 7 league with promotion up to South West 2[d] and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1[e] or Bucks/Oxon 1.[f]

Southern Counties
Season No of teams Champions Runners-up Relegated teams Ref
1987–88 11 Redingensians Bracknell
1988–89 11 Oxford Marathon
1989–90 11 Marlow Oxford Old Boys
1990–91 11 Sherborne , Chiltern, , Bracknell
1991–92 11 [g] No relegation[h]
1992–93 13 Dorchester
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Southern Counties (1993–1996)[]

At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that Southern Counties dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to South West 2 and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1.

Southern Counties North Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners-up Relegated teams Ref
1993–94 13 Bournemouth Bracknell , Redingensians [3]
1994–95 13 Dorchester Bracknell , Oxford Marathon [4]
1995–96 13 Amersham & Chiltern Bracknell[i] No relegation[j] [5]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Southern Counties North (1996–2000)[]

Restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Southern Counties split into two separate leagues, Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South, which reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South. Promotion from Southern Counties North was now to the new South West 2 East[k] while relegation was now only to Bucks/Oxon 1.[l]

Southern Counties North Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners-up Relegated teams Ref
1996–97 10 Bicester
1997–98 10 Olney Milton Keynes,
1998–99 10 Olney Bicester [6]
1999–00 10 Beaconsfield Oxford, [7]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Southern Counties North (2000–2009)[]

Southern Counties North remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East. However, the transfer of Berkshire clubs from the Dorset/Wilts leagues to the Bucks/Oxon leagues, meant that relegation was now to new Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 (formerly Bucks/Oxon 1).[m]

Southern Counties North Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners-up Relegated teams Ref
2000–01 11 , Bletchley, [8]
2001–02 10 Oxford Harlequins Oxford, Milton Keynes, [9]
2002–03 10 High Wycombe , Beaconsfield, [10]
2003–04 10 Amersham & Chiltern No relegation[n] [11]
2004–05 12 High Wycombe , Bicester [12]
2005–06 12 Redingensians , , Olney [13]
2006–07 12 Bletchley , [14]
2007–08 12 Olney Newbury Stags, Amersham & Chiltern [15]
2008–09 12 Marlow Beaconsfield [16]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Southern Counties North (2009–present)[]

Despite widespread league restructuring by the RFU, Southern Counties North continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 East (formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier.

Southern Counties North Honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners-up Relegated teams Ref
2009–10 12 Amersham & Chiltern Bicester, [17]
2010–11 12 , Oxford, [18]
2011–12 12 Beaconsfield Milton Keynes[o] [19]
2012–13 12 , [20]
2013–14 12 Bletchley , Reading Abbey [21]
2014–15 12 High Wycombe Milton Keynes, [22]
2015–16 12 Reading Abbey , [23]
2016–17 12 Marlow Bicester Bletchley, Milton Keynes [24]
2017–18 12 Beaconsfield , [25]
2018–19 12 , [26]
2019–20 12 Reading , [27]
2020–21 12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs[]

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Southern Counties North teams have been the most successful with twelve wins to the Southern Counties South teams seven; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six.

Southern Counties North v Southern Counties South promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
2000–01[28] Salisbury (S) 49-20 (N) Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire
2001–02[29] (N) 30-13 (S) Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire
2002–03[30] (S) 24-17 (N) Meryick Park, Bournemouth, Dorset
2003–04[31] Amersham & Chiltern (N)[p] (S) Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
2004–05[32] (S) 12-38 (N) Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset
2005–06[33] (S) 32-33 (N) Shaft Road, Monkton Combe, Somerset
2006–07[34] (S) 17-20 (N) Ballards Ash Sports Ground, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
2007–08[35] (N) 22-3 (S) Wallingford Sports Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
2008–09[36] Marlow (N) 18-15 (S) Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
2009–10[37] Amersham & Chiltern (N) 45-12 (S) Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
2010–11[38] (N) 10-39 (S) Ostler's Field, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
2011–12[39] (N) 22-15 Dorcester (S) Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire
2012–13[40] (N) 39-20 (S) Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire
2013–14[41] (S) 27-19 (N) Doric Park, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
2014–15[42] Salisbury (S) 34-16 (N) Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire
2015–16[43] (S) 29-22 (N) Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset
2016–17[44] Bicester (N) 53-20 (S) Oxford Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire
2017–18[45] (N) 29-31 (S) Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire
2018–19[46] (S) 10-23 (N) Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset 400
2019–20 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - (S) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. N = Southern Counties North and S = Southern Counties South

Number of league titles[]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Oxford Marathon would merge with Oxford Old Boys in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[2]
  2. ^ Oxford Old Boys would merge with Oxford Marathon in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[2]
  3. ^ Redingensians are currently known as Rams.
  4. ^ South West 2 is currently two regional divisions - South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
  5. ^ Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 no longer contains Berkshire clubs and is currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 1 South.
  6. ^ Bucks/Oxon 1 has since involved Berkshire clubs and is currently known as Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
  7. ^ 3rd place also promoted.
  8. ^ No relegation due to league expansion from 11 to 13 teams for the 1992–93 season.
  9. ^ Due to the cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and subsequent restructuring of the leagues at the end of the 1995–96 season, six clubs were promoted from Southern Counties including Chinnor, Chippenham, Marlow and .
  10. ^ The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and splitting of Southern Counties into Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South at the end of the 1995–96 season, meant that there was no relegation.
  11. ^ Another change at the end of the 1995–96 saw South West 2 also split into two regional divisions - South West 2 East and South West 2 West.
  12. ^ Relegated Southern Counties South clubs dropped to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1.
  13. ^ Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 would be renamed as Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier ahead of the 2004–05 season.
  14. ^ No relegation due to league expansion from 10 to 12 teams for the 2004–05 season.
  15. ^ Although the RFU website has Milton Keynes as runners up, third place actually went into the playoffs and won promotion.[19]
  16. ^ The result of the 2003-04 playoff between Amersham & Chiltern and is unknown due to all the south-west promotion playoff games from this season missing from the RFU website. However, as Amersham & Chiltern were in the higher division the next season (and Tadley were not) it is assumed they won the playoff game. Amersham & Chiltern would also have hosted the game as they had a better points record in their league than Tadley did in theirs.
  17. ^ Both of titles were won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  18. ^ one of Marlow's titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  19. ^ One of Redingensians titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  20. ^ Amersham & Chiltern's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  21. ^ Bournemouth's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  22. ^ Dorchester's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  23. ^ Sherborne's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
  24. ^ title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.

References[]

  1. ^ Rugby First
  2. ^ a b "Rugby Union in Oxford". Oxford Mail.
  3. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
  4. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
  5. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
  6. ^ "1998-99 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  7. ^ "1999-00 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  8. ^ "2000-01 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  9. ^ "2001-02 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  10. ^ "2002-03 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  11. ^ "2003-04 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  12. ^ "2004-05 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  13. ^ "2005-06 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  14. ^ "2006-07 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  15. ^ "2007-08 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  16. ^ "2008-09 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  17. ^ "2009-10 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  18. ^ "2010-11 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  19. ^ a b "2011-12 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  20. ^ "2012-13 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  21. ^ "2013-14 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  22. ^ "2014-15 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  23. ^ "2015-16 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  24. ^ "2016-17 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  25. ^ "2017-18 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  26. ^ "2018-19 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Men's level 5 - 7 leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  28. ^ "South West Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
  29. ^ "South West Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
  30. ^ "South West Play-Offs 2002-03". England Rugby. 26 April 2003.
  31. ^ "South West Play-Offs 2003-04". England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
  32. ^ "South West Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
  33. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
  34. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
  35. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
  36. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
  37. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 7 May 2010.
  38. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 23 April 2011.
  39. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2012.
  40. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 27 April 2013.
  41. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2014.
  42. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 25 April 2015.
  43. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 30 April 2016.
  44. ^ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 29 April 2017.
  45. ^ "Marlborough win promotion after play-off win at Windsor". Gazette & Herald. 30 April 2018.
  46. ^ "Frome RFC 10 - 23 Buckingham RFC". Frome RFC. 27 April 2019.
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