Somerset_3_South
Somerset 3 South
English rugby union league
Somerset 3 South (known as Tribute Somerset 3 South 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 North. 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.
Current season or competition: 2020–21 Somerset 3 South | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987; 37 years ago (1987) (as Somerset 3) |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Cheddar Valley II (1st title) (2019–20) (promoted to Somerset 2 South) |
| Most titles | Avonvale, Hornets III, St. Brendan's Old Boys, Taunton III (2 titles) |
| Website | englandrugby.com |
Somerset 3 South currently involves teams from the southern part of Somerset - although this means anywhere in the county outside 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 South and there is no relegation as this is the lowest level of league rugby in Somerset.
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  Crewkerne II Frome II Huish Tigers Midsomer Norton III Tor II Wincanton Locations of the 2021-22 Somerset 3 South teams
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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Locations of the 2019-20 Somerset 3 South teams
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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[lower-alpha 1]
- Bath Civil Service
- Castle Cary
- Chew Valley
- Morganians
- Old Ashtonians
- Tor
- Wincanton
- Westland[lower-alpha 2]
Somerset 3 (1987–1989)
The original Somerset 3 was a tier 10 league with promotion to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
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 10 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
Somerset 3 (1990–1993)
After a single season Somerset 3 reverted to being a single division at tier 10 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–91 | 12 | Backwell | Westland | No relegation | [7] | |||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Chard | Bath Civil Services[lower-alpha 3] | No relegation | [8] | |||||||||
| 1992–93 | 7 | Chew Valley | Old Ashtonians | No relegation | [9] | |||||||||
| 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 teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 9 | St. Brendan's Old Boys | Cheddar Valley | No relegation | [10] | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 9 | Avonvale | Bath Saracens | No relegation | [11] | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 9 | St. Brendan's Old Boys | Cheddar Valley[lower-alpha 4] | No relegation | [12] | |||||||||
| 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 1999–2000 season and all teams transferred into Somerset 2.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 6 | British Gas | Burnham-on-Sea | No relegation | [13] | |||||||||
| 1997–98 | 5 | Bath Old Edwardians | Bath Saracens | No relegation | ||||||||||
| 1998–99 | 5 | Castle Cary | Crewkerne | No relegation | [14] | |||||||||
| 1999–2000 | 5 | Martock[lower-alpha 5] | Bath Old Edwardians[lower-alpha 6] | No relegation | [15] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Somerset 3 South
After an absence of six years, Somerset 3 returned - now split into two regional tier 10 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 South[lower-alpha 7] 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 | Bridgwater & Albion III | Wells II[lower-alpha 8] | No relegation | [16] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 13 | Taunton III | Wiveliscombe II | No relegation | [17] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 13 | Weston-super-Mare III | Castle Cary | No relegation | [18] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Somerset 3 South (2009–present)
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 13 | Chew Valley II | Morganians | No relegation | [19] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 12 | Hornets III | Bridgwater & Albion III | No relegation | [20] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 8 | Burnham-on-Sea II | Wyvern | No relegation | [21] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 9 | Hornets III | Wells III | No relegation | [22] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 10 | Wellington III | Martock | No relegation | [23] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 10 | Frome III | Martock | No relegation | [24] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 11 | Yeovil II | Wells III | No relegation | [25] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 10 | Weston-super-Mare IV | Wincanton | No relegation | [26] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 11 | Taunton III | Wyvern II[lower-alpha 9] | No relegation | [27] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 8 | Tor II | Wyvern | No relegation | [28] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 5 | Cheddar Valley II | Martock | No relegation | [29] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | ||||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
- Avonvale (2)[lower-alpha 10]
- Hornets III (2)
- St. Brendan's Old Boys(2)[lower-alpha 11]
- Taunton III (2)
- Backwell (1)[lower-alpha 12]
- Bath Old Edwardians (1)[lower-alpha 13]
- Blagdon (1)[lower-alpha 14]
- Bridgwater & Albion III (1)
- British Gas (1)[lower-alpha 15]
- Burnham-on-Sea II (1)
- Castle Cary (1)[lower-alpha 16]
- Chard (1)[lower-alpha 17]
- Cheddar Valley II (1)
- Chew Valley (1)[lower-alpha 18]
- Chew Valley II (1)
- Frome III (1)
- Martock (1)[lower-alpha 19]
- Tor II (1)
- Wellington (1)[lower-alpha 20]
- Wellington III (1)
- Weston-super-Mare III (1)[lower-alpha 21]
- Weston-super-Mare IV (1)
- Wiveliscombe (1)[lower-alpha 22]
- Yeovil II (1)
- Backwell are now known as Nailsea & Backwell RFC.[1]
- Champions Martock would be promoted into Dorset & Wilts 2 North instead of Somerset 2.
- Due to the cancellation of Somerset 3 at the end of the 1999–2000 season all clubs were promoted into different divisions. Bath Old Edwardians, Cheddar Valley and Morganians would join Somerset 2, while Wincanton would join champions Martock in Dorset & Wilts 2 North.
- Somerset 2 had also split into two regional divisions - Somerset 2 North and Somerset 2 South - at the start of the 2006–07 season.
- Mistakenly listed as Wells 1st XV on RFU website - the 1st team were actually in Somerset Premier.
- Despite finishing as runners up Wyvern II would drop out of the league for following season, due to the 1st XV being relegated two divisions down from Somerset 1.
- Chard's title was for Somerset 3.
- As a club Weston-super-Mare have won Somerset 3 South twice - once by the 3rd XV, once by the 4th XV.
- "Extension plans for popular rugby club". North Somerset Times. 28 January 2016.
- "Yeovil Rugby Club History". Yeovil Rugby Club. 3 May 2017.
- "RUGBY: Ivel Barbarians are becoming Yeovil Rugby Club". Yeovil Press. 15 August 2014.
- Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 (17th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 123–139. ISBN 0-356-15884-5.
- Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989–90 (18th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 133–136. ISBN 0-356-17862-5.
- Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990–91 (19th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 143–146. ISBN 0-356-19162-1.
- Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991–92 (20th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-356-20249-6.
- Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93 (21st ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 176–179. ISBN 0-7472-7907-1.
- Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94 (22nd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing Ltd. pp. 157–160. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1.
- Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7850-4.
- Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4.
- Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
- Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7732-X.
- "1998-99 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "1999-00 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2006-07 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2007-08 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2008-09 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2009-10 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2010-11 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2011-12 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2012-13 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2013-14 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2014-15 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2015-16 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2016-17 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "2017-18 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- "2018-19 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- "Men's South West Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.