Somerset 3 North (known as Tribute Somerset 3 North 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 South. 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 North | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 | (as Somerset 3)
Number of teams | 9 |
Country | England |
Holders | Stothert & Pitt II (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Somerset 2 North) |
Most titles | Avonvale, St. Brendan's Old Boys, Stothert & Pitt II (2 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Somerset 3 North currently involves teams from the northern part of Somerset as well as teams based in south and west 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 North and there is no relegation as this is the lowest level of league rugby in Somerset.
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Chew Valley II Imperial Keynsham III Nailsea II Bernadettes
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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B Quins Chew Valley II Imperial Keynsham III Culverhaysians Bernadettes Yatton II
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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:
The original Somerset 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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1987–88 | 10 | Avonvale | Westland | No relegation | [4] | |||||||||
1988–89 | 12 | Wiveliscombe | Tor | No relegation | [5] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
For the 1989–90 season Somerset 3 split into two regional leagues - Somerset 3A and Somerset 3B - both at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | League Name | Ref | ||||||||
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1989–90 | 7 | Blagdon | Backwell | No relegation | Somerset 3A | [6] | ||||||||
7 | Wellington | Chard | No relegation | Somerset 3B | [6] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
After a single season Somerset 3 reverted to being a single division at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 and there was no relegation.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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1990–91 | 12 | Backwell | Westland | No relegation | [7] | |||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Chard | Bath Civil Services[c] | No relegation | [8] | |||||||||
1992–93 | 7 | Chew Valley | Old Ashtonians | No relegation | [9] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
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.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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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[d] | No relegation | [12] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
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.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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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[e] | Bath Old Edwardians[f] | No relegation | [15] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
After an absence of six years, Somerset 3 returned - now split into two regional tier 11 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 North[g] and there was no relegation. From the 2007–08 season onward the league sponsor would be Tribute.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
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2006–07 | 12 | Walcot III[h] | Clevedon III | No relegation | [16] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 14 | Clevedon III[i] | Chew Valley II | No relegation | [17] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 14 | Old Redcliffians III | Clevedon III | No relegation | [18] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Somerset 3 North and its counterpart Somerset 3 South, remained as tier 11 leagues. Promotion continued to Somerset 2 North and there was no relegation. The league would continued to be sponsored by Tribute.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 13 | Keynsham III | Walcot III | No relegation | [19] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Avon II | Clevedon III | No relegation | [20] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 13 | Old Redcliffians IV[j] | Midsomer Norton III | No relegation | [21] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 7 | Nailsea & Backwell II | Bath Old Edwardians | No relegation | [22] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 11 | Stothert & Pitt II | Imperial II | No relegation | [23] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 13 | Midsomer Norton III | Bristol Barbarians II | No relegation | [24] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 9 | Whitehall II | Bath Old Edwardians | No relegation | [25] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 10 | Bristol Telephone Area | Barton Hill II | No relegation | [26] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 10 | Barton Hill II | Clevedon III[k] | No relegation | [27] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 7 | Clevedon II | Nailsea & Backwell II | No relegation | [28] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 9 | Stothert & Pitt II | Chew Valley III | No relegation | [29] | |||||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |