Gloucester 3

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.

Gloucester 3

Current season or competition: 2017–18 Gloucester 3
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987 (as Gloucestershire 3)
Ceased	2018
Number of teams	9
Country	England
Holders	United Bristol Hospitals (1st title) (2017–18 promoted to Gloucester 2)
Most titles	St Brendan's Old Boys (3 titles)
Website	englandrugby.com

Teams 2017–18

Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season Cainscross Victory Park Cainscross, Stroud, Gloucestershire 6th Fairford Walnut Tree Field Fairford, Gloucestershire 4th Gloucester All Blues The Oxleaze Gloucester, Gloucestershire 7th Kingswood Grimsbury Road Playing Fields Warmley, Kingswood, Gloucestershire Relegated from Gloucester 2 (12th) Norton Norton Parish Grounds Norton, Gloucestershire 5th Painswick Broadham Fields Painswick, Gloucestershire Relegated from Gloucester 2 (11th) Tetbury The Recreation Ground Tetbury, Gloucestershire 3rd United Bristol Hospitals Portway Development Ground Portway, Bristol Transferred from Gloucestershire Reserve Leagues Westbury-on-Severn Parish Playing Field Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire Relegated from Gloucester 2 (10th)

Cainscross Gloucester All Blues Fairford Kingswood Norton Painswick Tetbury Westbury UBH Locations of the 2017-18 Gloucester 3 teams

Teams 2016-17

• Aretians (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Cainscross
• Cotham Park
• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Norton
• Tetbury
• Wotton

2015–16

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 Smiths and runners up Minchinhampton were promoted to the Gloucester 2 while Wotton joined from the Gloucestershire Reserve League. As it is the basement league in Gloucestershire there is no relegation.

Cainscross

Cheltenham Civil Service

Gloucester All Blues

Norton

Old Elizabethans

Tetbury

Wotton

Locations of the 2015-16 Gloucester 3 teams

Team	Ground	Capacity	Town/Village	Previous season
Cainscross	Victory Park		Cainscross, Stroud, Gloucestershire	3rd
Cheltenham Civil Service	Tewkesbury Road		Uckington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire	5th
Gloucester All Blues	The Oxleaze		Gloucester, Gloucestershire	4th
Norton	Norton Parish Grounds		Norton, Gloucestershire	7th
Old Elizabethans	Severn Road		Hallen, Gloucestershire	Relegated from Gloucester 2 (11th)
Tetbury	The Recreation Ground		Tetbury, Gloucestershire	6th
Wotton	KLB School Playing Fields		Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire	Joined from Gloucestershire Reserve League - South 2 (1st)

Teams 2014-15

• Cainscross
• Cheltenham Civil Service (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Gloucester All Blues (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Hardwicke & Quedgeley Harlequins
• Minchinhampton
• Norton
• Smiths
• Tetbury

Teams 2013–14

• Cainscross (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Hardwicke & Quedgeley
• Minchinhampton
• Norton
• Old Elizabethans
• Smiths
• Tredworth

Teams 2012–13

• Gloucester Civil Service
• Minchinhampton
• Norton
• Old Cryptians (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Old Elizabethans (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Smiths
• Tredworth
• Westbury-on-Severn

Teams 2011-12

• Bredon Star
• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cainscross
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Greyhound RFC (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Minchinhampton
• Smiths (relegated from Gloucester 2)

Teams 2010-11

• Bristol Telephone Area
• Broad Plain
• Cainscross (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Minchinhampton
• Wotton

Teams 2009-10

• Bristol Telephone Area
• Dowty
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Minchinhampton
• Newent
• Smiths
• Wotton

Teams 2008-09

• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cotham Park
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Minchinhampton
• Newent
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Smiths
• Wotton

Teams 2007-08

• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cotham Park (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Greyhound
• Minchinhampton
• Pilning
• St. Brendon's Old Boys
• Tredworth
• Wotton

Teams 2006-07

• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cainscross
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Greyhound
• Minchinhampton
• Pilning
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Smiths (relegated from Gloucester 2)
• Wotton

Teams 2005-06

North

• Cainscross
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Minchinhampton
• Ross-on-Wye
• Tredworth
• Westbury-on-Severn

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Cotham Park
• Kingswood
• Pilning
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Tetbury
• Wotton

Teams 2004-05

North

• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Hartpury College
• Ross-on-Wye
• Smiths
• Tredworth
• Westbury-on-Severn

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cainscross
• Minchinhampton
• Pilning
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Tetbury
• Wotton

Teams 2003-04

North

• Cainscross
• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Ross-on-Wye
• Tredworth
• Newent

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cotham Park
• Kingswood
• Pilning
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Tetbury
• Wotton

Teams 2002-03

North

• Cainscross
• Cheltenham Civil Service
• Dursley
• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Newent
• Tredworth

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cotham Park
• Old Colstonians
• Pilning
• St. Brendand's Old Boys
• Tetbury
• Wotton

Teams 2001-02

North

• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Newent
• Smiths
• Ross-on-Wye
• Tredworth

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Bristol Telephone Area
• Cainscross
• Cotham Park
• Minchinhampton
• Tetbury
• Wotton

Teams 2000-01

North

• Fairford
• Gloucester All Blues
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Newent
• Ross-on-Wye
• Tredworth
• Widden Old Boys

South

• Bristol Aeroplane Co.
• Cotham Park
• Minchinhampton
• Old Colstonians
• St. Brendan's Old Boys
• Wotton

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (then a single division known as Gloucestershire 3) contained the following teams:

• Bishopston
• Chipping Sodbury
• Chosen Hill Former Pupils
• Frampton Cotterell
• Gloucester Civil Service
• Gloucester Old Boys
• Kingswood
• Old Bristolians
• Painswick
• Tewkesbury
• Thornbury

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[lower-alpha 1].

Gloucestershire 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
1987–88	11	Old Bristolians	Gloucester Old Boys	Bishopton, Gloucester Civil Service	[1]
1988–89	11	Frampton Cotterell	Thornbury	Chosen Hill Former Pupils
1989–90	11	Hucclecote Old Boys	Chipping Sodbury	No relegation[lower-alpha 2]
1990–91	13	Bristol Telephone Area	Old Richians	Smiths
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 (1991–1993)

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.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
1991–92	13	Painswick	Stow-on-the-Wold[lower-alpha 3]	No relegation[lower-alpha 4]
1992–93	13	Dursley	Tetbury	Tewkesbury
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 (1993–1996)

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.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
1993–94	13	Bishopston	Kingswood	Gloucester All Blues, Bristol Aeroplane Company	[2]
1994–95	13	Caincross	Broad Plain	Minchinhampton	[3]
1995–96	13	Southmead	Westbury-on-Severn[lower-alpha 5]	No relegation[lower-alpha 6]	[4]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Gloucester 3 reverted back to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 1 while the cancellation of Gloucester 4 meant there was no longer relegation.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
1996–97	9	Dursley	Old Elizabethans	No relegation
1997–98	9	Gloucester All Blues	Minchinhampton	No relegation
1998–99	8	Gloucester Civil Service	Old Colstonians	No relegation	[5]
1999–00	6	St Brendan's Old Boys	Wotton	No relegation	[6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 North / South (2000–2006)

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.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	League Name	Ref
2000–01	7	Widden Old Boys	Ross-on-Wye	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North	[7]
	6	St Brendan's Old Boys	Old Colstonians	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South	[8]
2001–02	7	Ross-on-Wye	Smiths	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North	[9]
	7	Minchinhampton	Cainscross	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South	[10]
2002–03	8	Cheltenham Civil Service	Dursley	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North	[11]
	8	Old Colstonians	Bristol Aeroplane Co.	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South	[12]
2003–04	7	Gloucester Civil Service	Cainscross	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North	[13]
	8	Kingswood	Cotham Park	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South	[14]
2004–05	7	Hartpury College	Smiths	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North	[15]
	8	Bristol Aeroplane Co.	Tetbury	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South	[16]
2005–06	7	Ross-on-Wye	Westbury-on-Severn	No relegation	Gloucester 3 North[lower-alpha 7]	[17]
	7	Tetbury	Kingswood	No relegation	Gloucester 3 South[lower-alpha 8]	[18]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 (2006–2009)

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 2007–2009 Gloucester 3 was sponsored by High Bridge Jewellers.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
2006–07	10	Smiths	Cainscross	No relegation	[19]
2007–08	10	Tredworth	Greyhound	No relegation	[20]
2008–09	9	St Brendan's Old Boys	Cotham Park	No relegation	[21]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Gloucester 3 (2009–2018)

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.

Gloucester 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams	Ref
2009–10	8	Newent	Smiths	No relegation	[22]
2010–11	7	Broad Plain	Gloucester All Blues	No relegation	[23]
2011–12	7	Bredon Star	Cainscross	No relegation	[24]
2012–13	7	Old Cryptians	Westbury-on-Severn	No relegation	[25]
2013–14	7	Old Elizabethans	Tredworth	No relegation	[26]
2014–15	8	Smiths	Minchinhampton	No relegation	[27]
2015–16	6	Old Elizabethans	Cheltenham Civil Service	No relegation	[28]
2016–17	8	Cotham Park	Aretians	No relegation	[29]
2017–18	9	United Bristol Hospitals	Norton[lower-alpha 9]	No relegation	[30]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

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.

League v League promotion play-off results
Season	Home team	Score	Away team	Venue	Attendance
2000–01[31]	Old Colstonians (S)	39-7	Ross-on-Wye (N)	Colton's School, Stapleton, Bristol
2001–02[32]	Smiths (N)	23-14	Cainscross (S)	Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
2002–03[33]	Dursley (N)	41-19	Bristol Aeroplane Co. (S)	Stragglers Sports Ground, Stinchcombe, Dursley, Gloucestershire
2003–04[34]	Cotham Park (S)[lower-alpha 10]		Cainscross (N)	Beggar Bush Lane, Failand, Somerset
2004–05[35]	Smiths (N)	26-20	Tetbury (S)	Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
2005–06[36]	No promotion playoff.[lower-alpha 11]
Green background is the promoted team.

Number of league titles

• St Brendan's Old Boys (3)[lower-alpha 12]
• Dursley (2)
• Gloucester Civil Service (2)
• Ross-on-Wye (2)[lower-alpha 13]
• Old Elizabethans (2)
• Smiths (2)
• Bishopston (1)
• Bredon Star (1)
• Broad Plain (1)
• Bristol Aeroplane Co. (1)[lower-alpha 14]
• Bristol Telephone Area (1)
• Caincross (1)
• Cheltenham Civil Service (1)[lower-alpha 15]
• Cotham Park (1)
• Frampton Cotterell (1)
• Gloucester All Blues (1)
• Hartpury College (1)[lower-alpha 16]
• Hucclecote Old Boys (1)[lower-alpha 17]
• Kingswood (1)[lower-alpha 18]
• Minchinhampton (1)[lower-alpha 19]
• Newent (1)
• Old Bristolians (1)
• Old Colstonians (1)[lower-alpha 20]
• Old Cryptians (1)
• Painswick (1)
• Southmead (1)
• Tetbury (1)[lower-alpha 21]
• Tredworth (1)
• United Bristol Hospitals (1)
• Widden Old Boys (1)[lower-alpha 22]

Notes

1. Gloucestershire 4 was briefly divided into Gloucestershire 4A or Gloucestershire 4B for the 1989–90 season before remerging back into a single division.
2. 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.
3. The restructuring of the majority of south west leagues from 11 to 13 teams meant that six teams were promoted including Cheltenham Civil Service, Old Bristolians, Chosen Hill Former Pupils and Caincross.
4. The restructuring of south west leagues meant that there was no relegation.
5. 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 Kingswood, Smiths, Aretians, Gloucester Civil Service, Old Colstonians, Chipping Sodbury and Tewkesbury.
6. The cancellation of Gloucester 4 at the end of the season meant there would be no relegation.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 5 other teams promoted into either Gloucester 2 North or South for the following season as this was the last for Gloucester 3.
10. The result of the 2003-04 promotion playoff between Cotham Park and Cainscross 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.
11. 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.
12. One of St Brendan's Old Boys titles was won in Gloucester 3 South.
13. Ross-on-Wye's titles were won in Gloucester 3 North.
14. Bristol Aeroplane's title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
15. Cheltenham Civil Service's title was won in Gloucester 3 North.
16. Hartpury College's title was won in Gloucester 3 North.
17. Currently known as Hucclecote RFC.
18. Kingswood's title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
19. Minchinhampton's title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
20. Old Colstonians title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
21. Tetbury's title was won in Gloucester 3 South.
22. Widden Old Boys title was won in Gloucester 3 North.

See also

• Gloucestershire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. 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.
2. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
3. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
4. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
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