Current season or competition:![]() | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 | (as Gloucestershire 1)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Holders | Old Cryptians (1st title) |
Most titles | Aretians, Bristol Saracens, Old Bristolians, Spartans, Tewkesbury (2 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Counties 3 Gloucestershire (formerly Gloucester 1) is an English rugby union league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England for teams based primarily in the county of Gloucestershire but also on occasion teams from Bristol. Promoted clubs move into Counties 2 Gloucestershire North or Counties 2 Gloucestershire South depending on location. Relegated clubs drop into either Counties 4 Gloucestershire North or Counties 4 Gloucestershire South again depending on location.
Departing were Old Patesians and Stroud, promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North whilst Norton (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire North. Fairford (9th) left on a level transfer to Counties 3 Tribute Dorset & Wilts North.
|
Departing were North Bristol and Old Colstonians promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South. Frampton Cottrell II were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire South
| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Gloucestershire (South) teams in Gloucestershire Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Gloucestershire (South) teams in Bristol |
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
Departing were Smiths, Gordon League, Brockworth, Cirencester and Old Centralians II - all promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North as were Berry Hill and Drybrook II to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South.
| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Gloucestershire (North) teams |
Departing were Bream, Dursley, Lydney II, St Mary's Old Boys and Whitehall - all promoted to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South.
United Bristol Hospitals (9th), Thornbury II (10th), Avonmouth Old Boys II (11th) and Barton Hill II (12th) were relegated to Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South).
| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Gloucestershire (South) teams in Gloucestershire Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Gloucestershire (South) teams in Bristol |
For the new season Gloucester 1 was split into North and South Divisions with the addition of several second teams from sides higher in the pyramid with twelve clubs in each division. The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
| Locations of the 2021-22 Gloucester 1 (North) teams |
| Locations of the 2021-22 Gloucester 2 South teams in Bristol |
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
|
|
|
The 2015–16 Gloucester 1 consists of twelve teams from Gloucestershire and Bristol as well as one team just over the border in Worcestershire. The season starts on 12 September 2015 and is due to end on 23 April 2016. Eight of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Longlevens and runners up Chipping Sodbury were promoted to the Gloucester Premier while Old Colstonians and Kingswood were relegated to Gloucester 2.
Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bishopston | Bonnington Walk | Stoke Gifford, Bristol | Promoted from Gloucester 2 (runners up) | |
Bredon Star | Bredon Playing Fields | Bredon, Worcestershire | 10th | |
Brockworth | Mill Lane | Brockworth, Gloucestershire | 3rd | |
Dursley | Stragglers Sports Ground | Stinchcombe, Dursley, Gloucestershire | 5th | |
Gloucester Old Boys | Horton Road | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 8th | |
Gordon League | Hempsted Lane | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | Relegated from Gloucester Premier (11th) | |
Old Cryptians | The Memorial Ground | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 6th | |
Old Richians | Sandyleaze | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 7th | |
Painswick | Broadham Fields | Painswick, Gloucestershire | Relegated from Gloucester Premier (12th) | |
Southmead | Greenway Centre | Southmead, Bristol | 9th | |
St Brendan's Old Boys | Coombe Dingle Sports Complex | Coombe Dingle, Bristol | Promoted from Gloucester 2 (champions) | |
Widden Old Boys | The Memorial Ground | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | 4th | |
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Gloucestershire 1) contained the following teams:
Originally known as Gloucestershire 1, it was a tier 9 league with promotion to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Gloucester 2.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987–88 | 11 | Spartans | Dings Crusaders | Bristol Saracens, Cheltenham North | [1] | |||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Drybrook | Dings Crusaders | Old Colstonians | [2] | |||||||||
1989–90 | 11 | Dings Crusaders | Gloucester Old Boys | Tredworth | [3] | |||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Gloucester Old Boys | Longlevens | Ashley Down Old Boys | [4] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Gloucestershire 1 was shorted to Gloucester 1 for the 1991–92 season onward. It remained a tier 9 league with promotion to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Gloucester 2.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991–92 | 11 | Old Patesians | North Bristol [a] | No relegation [b] | [5] | |||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | St. Mary's Old Boys | Bream | Bristol Saracens | [6] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Gloucester 1 dropped to become a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Gloucester 2.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | 13 | Stow-on-the-Wold | Cheltenham North | Ashley Down Old Boys, Saintbridge Former Pupils | [7] | |||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Cleve | Longlevens | Painswick | [8] | |||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Cheltenham North [c] | Barton Hill [d] | No relegation [e] | [9] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Gloucester 1 reverted to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Gloucester 2.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996–97 | 13 | Bristol Saracens | Old Centralians | Widden Old Boys, Bishopston | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 13 | Old Centralians | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Bristol Telephone Area | ||||||||||
1998–99 | 12 | Chipping Sodbury | Hucclecote | No relegation | [10] | |||||||||
1999–00 | 13 | Aretians | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Cainscross, Southmead, Painswick, Old Bristolians | [11] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Gloucester 1 remained a tier 9 league despite the cancellation of Gloucestershire/Somerset at the end of the 1999–00 season. Promotion was now to the new Gloucester Premier, while relegation continued to Gloucester 2. Between 2007 and 2009 Gloucester 1 was sponsored by High Bridge Jewellers.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000–01 | 10 | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Hucclecote | Tetbury, Cheltenham Saracens | [12] | |||||||||
2001–02 | 10 | Aretians | Painswick | Westbury-on-Severn, Old Cryptians, Brockworth | [13] | |||||||||
2002–03 | 10 | Old Bristolians | Chipping Sodbury | Bream | [14] | |||||||||
2003–04 | 10 | Tewkesbury | Southmead | Hucclecote, Brockworth, Cheltenham Saracens | [15] | |||||||||
2004–05 | 10 | Widden Old Boys | Old Colstonians | Ashley Down Old Boys, Old Cryptians | [16] | |||||||||
2005–06 | 10 | Cirencester | Frampton Cotterell | No relegation [f] | [17] | |||||||||
2006–07 | 12 | Hartpury College | Hucclecote | Cheltenham Civil Service, Old Cryptians | [18] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 12 | Bristol Saracens | Southmead | Bream | [19] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 12 | Tewkesbury | Ross-on-Wye | No relegation | [20] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Gloucester 1 remained a tier 9 league, with promotion continuing to Gloucester Premier and relegation to Gloucester 2.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009–10 | 12 | Old Bristolians | Brockworth | Old Cryptians, Chipping Sodbury | [21] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Bishopston | Longlevens | Aretians, Cotham Park, Cheltenham Civil Service | [22] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 12 | Painswick | Dursley | Spartans, Ross-on-Wye, Bream | [23] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 12 | Newent | Hucclecote | Broad Plain | [24] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 12 | Bream | Cheltenham Saracens | Bishopston, Ashley Down Old Boys | [25] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 12 | Longlevens | Chipping Sodbury | Old Colstonians, Kingswood | [26] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 12 | Old Richians | Gordon League | Painswick, Bishopston | [27] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 12 | Spartans | Gloucester Old Boys | Bream, Ashley Down Old Boys, Tewkesbury | [28] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Gloucester 1 remained a tier 9 league with promotion continuing to Gloucester Premier, while relegation was now to either Gloucester 2 North or Gloucester 2 South (formerly a single division). The league was now sponsored by Wadworth 6x.
| ||||||||||||||
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | Ref | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017–18 | 12 | Berry Hill | Widden Old Boys | St Brendan's Old Boys | [29] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 12 | Ross-on-Wye | Cheltenham North | Southmead, Bredon Star, Brockworth | [30] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 12 | Old Cryptians | Old Elizabethans | No relegation | [31] | |||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |