Somerset 3 South

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.

Somerset 2 South

Current season or competition: 2020–21 Somerset 3 South
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	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.

Teams 2019–20

Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season Chard III The Park, Essex Close Chard 6th Cheddar Valley II Sharpham Road Cheddar 5th Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome N/A Martock The Recreation Ground Martock Relegated from Somerset 2 South (11th) Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton 4th

Chard III Cheddar Valley II Frome II Martock Midsomer Norton III Locations of the 2019-20 Somerset 3 South teams

Original teams

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 honours

Somerset 3 (1987–1989)

The original Somerset 3 was a tier 10 league with promotion to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.

Somerset 3
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	Ref
1987–88	10	Avonvale	Westland	No relegation	[4]
1988–89	12	Wiveliscombe	Tor	No relegation	[5]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

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
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated teams	League name	Ref
1989–90	7	Blagdon	Backwell	No relegation	Somerset 3A	[6]
	7	Wellington	Chard	No relegation	Somerset 3B	[6]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Somerset 3 (1990–1993)

After a single season Somerset 3 reverted back to being a single division at tier 10 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.

Somerset 3
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.

Somerset 3
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 1999–00 season and all teams transferred into Somerset 2.

Somerset 3
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]
1999–00	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.

Somerset 3 South
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)

Somerset 3 South
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.

Number of league titles

• 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)

Notes

1. Backwell are now known as Nailsea & Backwell RFC.[1]
2. Westland would later merge with Yeovil to form Ivel Barbarians in 1995.[2] Ivel Barbarians would in turn be renamed as Yeovil Rugby Club in 2014.[3]
3. Restructuring of the majority of the south west leagues from 11 to 13 teams meant that five clubs were promoted including Avon, Bath Old Edwardians and Castle Cary.
4. 3rd place Castle Cary also promoted.
5. Champions Martock would be promoted into Dorset & Wilts 2 North instead of Somerset 2.
6. Due to the cancellation of Somerset 3 at the end of the 1999–00 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.
7. Somerset 2 had also split into two regional divisions - Somerset 2 North and Somerset 2 South - at the start of the 2006–07 season.
8. Mistakenly listed as Wells 1st XV on RFU website - the 1st team were actually in Somerset Premier.
9. 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.
10. Both of Avonvale's titles were for Somerset 3.
11. Both of St. Brendan's Old Boys titles were for Somerset 3.
12. Backwell's title was for Somerset 3.
13. Bath Old Edwardians title was for Somerset 3.
14. Blagdon's title was for Somerset 3.
15. British Gas's title was for Somerset 3.
16. Castle Cary's title was for Somerset 3.
17. Chard's title was for Somerset 3.
18. As a club Chew Valley have won Somerset 3 twice. The 1st XV won Somerset 3 when it was a single division, while the 2nd XV have won Somerset 3 South.
19. Martock's title was for Somerset 3.
20. As a club Wellington have won Somerset 3 twice. The 1st XV won Somerset 3 when it was a single division, while the 3rd XV have won Somerset 3 South.
21. As a club Weston-super-Mare have won Somerset 3 South twice - once by the 3rd XV, once by the 4th XV.
22. Wiveliscombe's title was for Somerset 3.

See also

• South West Division RFU
• Somerset RFU
• Somerset Premier
• Somerset 1
• Somerset 2 North
• Somerset 2 South
• Somerset 3 North
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "Extension plans for popular rugby club". North Somerset Times. 28 January 2016.
2. "Yeovil Rugby Club History". Yeovil Rugby Club. 3 May 2017.
3. "RUGBY: Ivel Barbarians are becoming Yeovil Rugby Club". Yeovil Press. 15 August 2014.
4. 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.
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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7850-4.
11. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4.
12. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0.
13. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-7732-X.
14. "1998-99 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
15. "1999-00 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
16. "2006-07 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
17. "2007-08 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
18. "2008-09 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
19. "2009-10 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
20. "2010-11 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
21. "2011-12 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
22. "2012-13 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
23. "2013-14 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
24. "2014-15 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
25. "2015-16 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
26. "2016-17 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
27. "2017-18 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
28. "2018-19 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
29. "Men's South West Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.