Tribute Western Counties North

Tribute Western Counties North
Current season or competition:
2015–16 Tribute Western Counties North
Sport Rugby union
Instituted 1987 (1987)
Number of teams 14
Country England
Holders Matson (3rd title) (2015–16 promoted to Tribute South West 1 West)
Most titles Matson, Coney Hill (3 titles)
Website South West Division

Tribute Western Counties North is an English, level seven, rugby union league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. The champions are promoted to Tribute South West 1 West and the runners-up play the second team in Tribute Western Counties West, with the winning team gaining promotion. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually two or three to Gloucester Premier and Tribute Somerset Premier. The current champions are Matson.

2016-17

2015–16

The 2015–16 Tribute Western Counties North consists of fourteen teams; six from Somerset, four from Gloucestershire, three from Bristol and one from Wiltshire. The season started on 5 September 2015 and is finishes on 30 April 2016.

Participating teams and location

Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Coney Hill and runners up Newent (who won their playoff game) were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West while Bristol Saracens and North Bristol were relegated to the Gloucester Premier and Stothert & Pitt to the Tribute Somerset Premier.

Avon
Bristol
Burnham-on-Sea
Cheltenham
Chew Valley
C.H.F.P.
Matson
Stroud
Wellington
Bristol area teamsBarts Rugby
Bristol Harlequins
Gordano
Keynsham
Whitehall
Locations of the 2015-16 Tribute Western Counties North teams
Barts Rugby
Bristol Harlequins
Gordano
Keynsham
Whitehall
2015-16 Bristol & surrounding area Tribute Western Counties North teams
Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season
Avon Ashley Lane Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire 5th
Barts Rugby Duncombe Road Speedwell, Bristol 10th
Bristol Harlequins Broomhill Road Brislington, Bristol 3rd
Burnham-on-Sea BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset 11th
Cheltenham Newlands Park Sports & Social Venue Southam, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 9th
Chew Valley Chew Lane Chew Magna, Somerset 4th
Chosen Hill Former Pupils Brookfield Road Churchdown, Gloucester, Gloucestershire 6th
Gordano Caswell Lane Portbury, Somerset promoted from Tribute Somerset Premier (champions)
Keynsham Bristol Road Keynsham, Somerset 8th
Matson Redwell Road Gloucester, Gloucestershire relegated from Tribute South West 1 West (12th)
Old Bristolians Memorial Playing Fields Failand, Somerset 7th
Stroud Fromehall Park Stroud, Gloucestershire promoted from Gloucester Premier (champions)
Wellington Athletic Ground Wellington, Somerset level transfer from Tribute Western Counties West
Whitehall Foundry Lane Whitehall, Bristol promoted from Gloucester Premier (play-off)

Participating teams 2014–15

Participating teams 2013–14

Participating teams 2012–13

Participating teams 2011–12

Participating teams 2010–11

Participating teams 2009–10

Western Counties North 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.[1] 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:[2]

  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 and South West 2

Western Counties and South West 2 honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams League name
1987–88[3] 11 Matson Gordon League Avon & Somerset Police, Sidmouth Courage Western Counties
1988–89[4] 11 Gordon League Avonmouth Old Boys Devonport Services, Crediton Courage Western Counties
1989–90[4] 11 Penryn Avonmouth Old Boys Cirencester, Devon & Cornwall Police Courage Western Counties
1990–91 11 Coombe Down Avonmouth Old Boys Truro Courage Western Counties
1991–92[5] 11 Clevedon Bridgwater & Albion, Old Culverhaysians Newquay Hornets Courage Western Counties
1992–93[6] 13 Gloucester Old Boys Launceston Plymouth Civil Service, Devon and Cornwall Police Courage Western Counties
1993–94[7] 13 Old Patesians Tiverton Wiveliscombe South West Division 2
1994–95[8] 13 Matson Bridgwater & Albion Marlow Courage South West Division 2
1995–96[5] 11 Launceston Stroud No relegation South West Division 2

Western Counties North

The league system was re-organised for 1996–97 season with South-West Division 2 being replaced with two divisions; Western Counties North and Western Counties West.

Western Counties North honours
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated teams League name
1996–97[2] 16 Keynsham St Mary's Old Boys Courage Western Counties North
1997–98
1998-99[9] 17 Hornets Coney Hill Avonmouth Old Boys Western Counties North
1999–00[10] 17 Coney Hill Cheltenham North Oldfield Old Boys, Drybrook, Bristol Harlequins, St Bernadettes Old Boys, Wiveliscombe, Thornbury Western Counties North
2000–01[11] 12 Cleve Taunton Barton Hill, Cirencester, Spartans Western Counties North
2001–02[12] 12 Clevedon St Mary's Old Boys North Bristol, Chew Valley Western Counties North
2002–03[13] 12 Coney Hill Thornbury Cheltenham North, Old Redcliffians Western Counties North
2003–04[14] 12 Gordon League Spartans Gordano, Old Richians, Barton Hill Western Counties North
2004–05[15] 12 Taunton Thornbury Matson, Nailsea & Backwell, Drybrook Western Counties North
2005–06[16] 12 Cheltenham North Walcot Old Redcliffians, Whitehall, Avonmouth Old Boys Western Counties North
2006–07[17] 12 Yatton Barton Hill Keynsham, North Bristol, Gloucester Old Boys Western Counties North
2007–08[18] 12 Avonmouth Old Boys Old Redcliffians Spartans, Pershore, Bristol Harlequins Tribute Western Counties North
2008–09[19] 12 Hartpury College Chosen Hill Former Pupils No relegation as league structure changed from 12 to 14 teams[n 1] Tribute Western Counties North
2009–10[20] 14 Old Redcliffians Thornbury Widden Old Boys, Southmead, Hornets Tribute Western Counties North
2010–11[21] 14 Berry Hill Thornbury Drybrook, St Mary's Old Boys Tribute Western Counties North
2011–12[22] 14 Chard Old Centralians Stroud, Gordon League, Whitehall Tribute Western Counties North
2012–13[23] 14 Hornets Wells Yatton, Keynsham Tribute Western Counties North
2013–14[24] 14 Drybrook Matson Oldfield Old Boys, Berry Hill, Cirencester, Midsomer Norton Tribute Western Counties North
2014–15[25] 14 Coney Hill Newent Stothert & Pitt, North Bristol, Bristol Saracens Tribute Western Counties North
2015–16[26] 14 Matson Keynsham Barts Rugby, Gordano, Bristol Harlequins Tribute Western Counties North
2016-17 14
Green background are the promotion places.
  1. ↑ There was no relegation this season due to restructuring of the league system by the RFU.

Western Counties (north v west) promotion play-offs

Since the 2000-01 season there has been a one-off promotion playoff game played between the league runners-up of Western Counties North and Western Counties West for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 West, with the team with the superior league record getting home advantage in the tie. As of the end of the 2015-16 season the northern sides have been the more successful with 10 victories to the west's 6.

Western Counties (north v west) promotion play-off results
Season Home Team Score Away Team Venue Attendance
2000-01[27] Taunton Titans (WCN) 24-16 Withycombe (WCW) Hyde Park, Taunton, Somerset
2001-02[28] St Mary's Old Boys (WCN) 43-7 Penryn (WCW) Trench Lane, Almondsbury, Bristol
2002-03[29] Thornbury (WCN) 12-5 Withycombe (WCW) Cooper's Farm, Thornbury, Gloucestershire
2003-04[30] Spartans (WCN) 18-7 Torquay Athletic (WCW) Lansdown Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
2004-05[31] St Ives (WCW) 27-5 Thornbury (WCN) Alexandra Road, St Ives, Cornwall
2005-06[32] Newton Abbot (WCW) 24-12 Walcot (WCN) Rackerhayes, Newton Abbot, Devon
2006-07[33] Hayle (WCW) 11-27 Barts Rugby (WCN) Memorial Park, Hayle, Cornwall
2007-08[34][35] Sidmouth (WCW) 23-20 Old Redcliffians (WCN) Blackmore Field, Sidmouth, Devon
2008-09[36][37] Chosen Hill Former Pupils (WCN) 33-25 Ivybridge (WCW) Brookfield Road, Churchdown, Gloucester
2009-10[38][39] Wadebridge Camels (WCW) 25-21 Thornbury (WCN) Molesworth Field, Wadebridge, Cornwall
2010-11[40][41] Thornbury (WCN) 54-7 Kingsbridge (WCW) Cooper's Farm, Thornbury, Gloucestershire
2011-12[42][43] Old Centralians (WCN) 39-7 Torquay Athletic Saintbridge Sports Centre, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
2012-13[44][45] Wells (WCN) 20-27 Bideford (WCW) Charter Way, Wells, Somerset 400
2013-14[46][47] Teignmouth (WCW) 10-35 Matson (WCN) Bitton Park Sports Ground, Teignmouth, Devon
2014-15[48][49] Newent (WCN) 28-26 Kingsbridge (WCW) Recreation Ground, Newent, Gloucestershire
2015-16[50] Kingsbridge (WCW) 16-10 Keynsham (WCN) High House, Kingsbridge, Devon
2016-17
Green backgrounds represent promoted teams. WCN stands for Western Counties North while WCW stands for Western Counties West.

    Sponsorship

    The Western Counties League and South West 2 were part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery from the first season, 1987–88 to season 1996–97.[51] The league was unsponsored until season 2007–08 when St Austell Brewery sponsored South-west based leagues under the Tribute Ale label.

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ Williams, Tony; Mitchell, Bill (eds.). Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1991–92 (4th ed.). Taunton: Football Directories. ISBN 1 869833 15 5.
    2. 1 2 Mick Cleary, ed. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997–98 (26th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishers. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
    3. ↑ Stephen Jones, ed. (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89. London: Rothmans Publications Ltd.
    4. 1 2 Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). Courage Clubs Championship. Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91. Horsham: Burlington Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1873057024.
    5. 1 2 Cornwall Rugby Football Union 1992–3,1996–7
    6. ↑ Jones, Stephen, ed. (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94 (22nd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 151–167. ISBN 0 7472 7891 1.
    7. ↑ Jones, Stephen (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. p. 448. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
    8. ↑ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1995–96 (24th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. pp. 179–195. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
    9. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/1998-1999/group/9138
    10. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/1999-2000/group/9435
    11. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2000-2001/group/9760
    12. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2001-2002/group/10094
    13. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2002-2003/group/10429
    14. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2003-2004/group/10814
    15. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2004-2005/group/11214
    16. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2005-2006/group/11570
    17. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2006-2007/group/11876
    18. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2007-2008/group/12267
    19. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2008-2009/group/12642
    20. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2009-2010/group/13545
    21. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2010-2011/group/14478
    22. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2011-2012/group/15324
    23. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2012-2013/group/16260
    24. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2013-2014/group/17166
    25. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2014-2015/group/18287
    26. ↑ http://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/south-west-division/2015-2016/group/19724
    27. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 12 May 2001.
    28. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
    29. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2003.
    30. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
    31. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
    32. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
    33. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
    34. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2008.
    35. ↑ "View from the blindside". Sidmouth Herald. 2 May 2008.
    36. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 25 April 2009.
    37. ↑ "Disappointment". Ivybridge RFC. 25 April 2009.
    38. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 24 April 2010.
    39. ↑ "Promoted Camels give Thornbury the hump". Bristol Post. 27 April 2010.
    40. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 30 April 2011.
    41. ↑ "Kings outgunned in promotion play-off against Thornbury". Western Morning News. 2 May 2011.
    42. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2012.
    43. ↑ "Dorling upbeat despite play-off loss". Torquay Herald Express. 3 May 2012.
    44. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 11 May 2013.
    45. ↑ "Wells RFC miss out on promotion after losing play-off against Bideford". Somerset Live. 12 May 2013.
    46. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2014.
    47. ↑ "Matson clinch Western Counties North promotion with stylish play-off win". Gloucester Citizen. 29 April 2014.
    48. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 25 April 2015.
    49. ↑ "Newent promoted after thriller". Malvern Gazette. 30 April 2015.
    50. ↑ "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 7 May 2016.
    51. ↑ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98 (26th ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7732 X.
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