Tribute_Western_Counties_West

Counties 1 Western West

Counties 1 Western West

English rugby union league

Counties 1 Western West (known as Counties 1 Tribute Western West for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league. Originally a single division called Western Counties, in 1996 the division split into two regional leagues called Western Counties North and Western Counties West. Western Counties West was renamed Counties 1 Western West prior to the 2022–23 season and is currently a seventh tier league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. The champions are promoted to Regional 2 South West. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually two or three to either Counties 2 Cornwall, Counties 2 Devon or Counties 2 Somerset, depending on location.

Quick Facts Sport, Instituted ...

Topsham are the champions.

Format

The champions are promoted to Regional 2 South West (formerly South West 1 West), while the last two teams, depending on their location, are relegated to Counties 2 Cornwall, Counties 2 Devon or Counties 2 Somerset. In previous seasons teams were relegated to the Cornwall/Devon league. The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-two rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals, home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:

  • 4 points are awarded for a win
  • 2 points are awarded for a draw
  • 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
  • 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
  • 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

Current season

Participating teams and location

More information Team, Ground ...


2022–23

Participating teams and location

More information Team, Ground ...

League table

More information Played, Won ...

2021–22

Participating teams and location

More information Team, Ground ...

League table

More information Played, Won ...

2020–21

Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.

2019–20

Participating teams and location

More information Team, Ground ...

League table

More information Played, Won ...

2018–19

Participating teams and location

More information Team, Ground ...

League table

More information Played, Won ...

Promotion play-off

In the play-off for promotion, Crediton played Midsomer Norton from Western Counties North for promotion to South West 1 West. Midsomer Norton had the best playing record and hosted the match, losing 15 – 19. This was the first time either team had participated in the play-offs, at this level, and Crediton's win was the sixth time the away team had won match. Teams from Western Counties North lead 10–9 in the nineteen play-off matches played since 2001.

More information Played, Won ...
27 April 2019
15:00
Midsomer Norton15 – 19Crediton
Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset

[5]

2017–18

Participating teams and location

The 2017–18 Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; seven from Devon, five from Cornwall and two from Somerset. The season started on 2 September 2017 and finished on 21 April 2018. Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2016–17 champions, Exeter University were promoted to South West 1 West, along with the play-off winners Cullompton, while Chard (12th place) and Kingsbridge (13th) were relegated from that league. Bude and Wellington were relegated to the Cornwall/Devon League and were replaced by Falmouth (champions) and Paignton (runner-up).

More information Team, Ground ...

League table

More information Played, Won ...

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties West and Western Counties North, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Chew Valley, host the match, and for the second successive season they lost, this time to Devonport Services 12 – 22. It is the first time Devonport Services are promoted to a level six league.[8] This match was the eighteenth play-off for promotion; the northern sides lead with ten victories to the west's eight and the home teams are leading thirteen to five.

More information Played, Won ...
April 2018
15:00
Chew Valley12 – 22Devonport Services
Chew Lane, Chew Magna

2016–17

Participating teams and location

The 2016–17 Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; seven from Devon, five from Cornwall and two from Somerset. The season began on 3 September 2016 and finished on 22 April 2017. Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition, the 2015–16 champions, Okehampton were promoted to South West 1 West, along with the play-off winners Kingsbridge. Two Cornish teams, Penryn and Saltash were relegated to the Cornwall/Devon League and were replaced by Bude (champions) and St Ives (runner-up). The three relegated teams from South West One were all allocated places in Western Counties North so the two most westerly teams from that division, Burnham and Wellington were transferred to this league to bring the number of teams to fourteen.

More information Team, Ground ...

[9]

League table

More information Played, Won ...

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties West and Western Counties North, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Chew Valley, host the match and they lost to Cullompton 12 – 29.

More information Played, Won ...
29 April 2017
15:00
Chew Valley12 – 29Cullompton
Chew Lane

2015–16

The 2015–16 Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; nine from Devon and five from Cornwall. The seasons started on 5 September 2015 and the last matches were played on 30 April 2016.

Participating teams and location

Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Teignmouth were promoted to South West 1 West and Tavistock and St Ives were relegated to the Cornwall/Devon League. The only team from Somerset, Wellington, was transferred to Western Counties North.

More information Team, Ground ...

[11]

League table

More information Played, Won ...

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties North and Western Counties West, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Kingsbridge, hosted the match against Keynsham and won 16 – 10.

More information Team, Played ...
8 May 2016
15:00
Kingsbridge16 – 10Keynsham
High House

2014–15

Participating teams and location

The 2014–15 Western Counties West consisted of fourteen teams; nine from Devon, four from Cornwall and one from Somerset. The season started on 6 September 2014 and finished on 18 April 2015. Teignmouth became champions with two matches to play after Exeter University had fifty points deducted for playing ineligible players. Teignmouth were promoted to South West 1 West, while the second place team, Kingsbridge, lost to the runner-up of Western Counties North, Newent in the play-off for promotion. The last two teams, Tavistock and St Ives were relegated to Cornwall/Devon.

More information Team, Ground ...

[13]

League table

More information Team, Played ...

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties North and Western Counties West, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Newent, hosted the match; their opponents were Kingsbridge who lost the match 26 – 28 to a stoppage time penalty.

More information Team, Played ...
25 April 2015
15:00
Newent28 – 26Kingsbridge
Newent
Kingsbridge
Recreation Ground

2013–14

[15]

2009–10

2007–08

More information Club, Played ...

[16]

Original teams

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

Western Counties honours

In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was ten, tier seven leagues. The Western Counties League was for teams based in the south-west of England from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester and Somerset. Each team played one match against each of the other teams with the winning team awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match.[17] This system prevailed for five seasons, and in 1992–93 the number of teams increased from eleven to thirteen. The following season Western Counties League was renamed Courage South West 2 League, and three seasons later in 1996–97 a major reorganisation occurred with South West 2 being split into two regional leagues:[18]

  1. Courage Western Counties North consisted of sixteen teams based in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset, and each team continued to play the others once
  2. Courage Western Counties West consisted of eleven teams based in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, and each team played the other twice.

Western Counties (1987–1993)

Originally Western Counties North and Western Counties West was a single division called Western Counties (sponsored by Courage), involving teams based in the south-west of England including Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester and Somerset. Each team played one match against each of the other teams with the winning team awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match.[17] It was a tier 7 league with promotion up to South West 2[lower-alpha 2] and relegation to either Cornwall/Devon or Gloucestershire/Somerset.[lower-alpha 3]

More information Season, No of teams ...

Western 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 Western 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 Cornwall/Devon or Gloucestershire/Somerset.[lower-alpha 5] The league continued to be sponsored by Courage.

More information Season, No of teams ...

Western Counties West (1996–2009)

Major restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Western Counties split into two separate leagues, Western Counties North and Western Counties West, which reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South.[18] Promotion from Western Counties West was now to the new South West 2 West division (formerly South West 2)[lower-alpha 8] while relegation was now to Cornwall/Devon.[lower-alpha 9] From the 2008–09 season the league sponsor is Tribute.

More information Season, No of teams ...

Western Counties West (2009–2022)

Despite widespread league restructuring by the RFU, Western Counties West continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 West (formerly South West 2 West) and relegation to Cornwall/Devon. Tribute continued to sponsor the league.

More information Season, No of teams ...

Counties 1 Western West (2022–23)

More information Season, No of teams ...

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Western Counties North and Western Counties West for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 West. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. As of the end of the 2019–20 season the northern sides have been the more successful with ten victories to the west's nine while the home team has won thirteen times compared to the away teams six.

More information Season, Home team ...

Number of league titles

Summary of tier seven format since 1987

More information Year, Name ...

[20][21][80][81][82][30]

Sponsorship

The Western Counties League was part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery from the first season, 1987–88 to season 1996–97.[83] The league was unsponsored until season 2007–08 when St Austell Brewery sponsored South-west based leagues under the Tribute Ale label.

Notes

  1. Exeter University deducted 50 points after playing ineligible players.
  2. South West 2 is currently two regional divisions - South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
  3. Gloucestershire/Somerset is currently two separate leagues - Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.
  4. Old Culverhaysians also promoted.
  5. Gloucestershire/Somerset is currently two separate leagues – Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.
  6. League restructuring meant that five teams were promoted, including 3rd to 5th place Penzance & Newlyn, Devonport Services and Tiverton.
  7. There was no relegation as Western Counties was due to split into Western Counties North and Western Counties West.
  8. From the 1996–97 season South West 2 was split into two regional divisions - South West 2 East and South West 2 West.
  9. Relegated Western Counties North clubs dropped to Gloucestershire/Somerset (currently Gloucester Premier / Somerset Premier.
  10. There was no relegation this season due to restructuring of the league system by the RFU.
  11. At the end of the 2000–01 season there were more relegations from Western Counties West than usual due to with four teams going down, including 9th placed Paignton and 8th placed Devonport Services. Due to the Foot-and-mouth disease teams were unable to fulfil all fixtures which meant that 10th placed South Molton escaped relegation on aggregate points from games played.
  12. There was no relegation this season due to restructuring of the league system by the RFU.
  13. One of Penryn's title wins was back when the league was known as Western Counties.
  14. Clevedon's title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  15. Coombe Down title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  16. Dings Crusaders title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  17. Gloucester Old Boys title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  18. Gordon League's title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  19. Launceston's title win was when the league was known as Western Counties.
  20. Matson's title win was back when the league was known as Western Counties.
  21. Old Patesians title win was back when the league was known as Western Counties.

See also

References

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