Current season or competition: 2019–20 Gloucester Premier | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 | (as Gloucestershire/Somerset)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Holders | Chosen Hill Former Pupils (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Western Counties North) |
Most titles | Drybrook, Spartans (3 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Gloucester Premier is an English rugby union league which sits at the eighth level of league rugby union in England with teams largely being based in the county of Gloucestershire and Bristol. Originally a single division called Gloucestershire/Somerset, in 2000 the division split into two county leagues called Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.
The league champions are automatically promoted to Western Counties North while the runner-up play the runner-up from Somerset Premier for the third promotion place. Relegated teams drop down into Gloucester 1. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
St Mary's Old Boys and Berry Hill who finished 9th and 10th respectively in 2019-20 but will play in Gloucester 1 in the current season. Their places were taken by Clifton II and Dings Crusaders II.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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Team | Ground | Town/Village | Previous season |
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Barton Hill | Duncombe Road | Speedwell, Bristol | relegated from Western Counties North |
Berry Hill | Lakers Road | Coleford, Gloucestershire | 3rd |
Cheltenham North | Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | level transfer from Midlands 3 West (South) (8th) | |
Cheltenham Saracens | King George V Playing Field | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | 4th |
Chipping Sodbury | Wickwar Road | Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire | 5th |
Frampton Cotterell | The Park | Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire | 8th |
Gordon League | Hempsted Lane | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | promoted from Gloucester 1 (2nd) |
Hucclecote | Charlies Way | Hucclecote, Gloucestershire | 9th |
Longlevens | Longford Lane | Longlevens, Gloucestershire | 10th |
North Bristol | Oaklands | Almondsbury, Bristol | 6th |
Old Richians | Sandyleaze | Gloucester, Gloucestershire | promoted from Gloucester 1 (1st) |
St Mary's Old Boys | Trench Lane | Almondsbury, Bristol | 7th |
The 2015–16 Gloucester Premier consisted of twelve teams from Gloucestershire and Bristol. The season started on 5 September 2015 and the last match was played on 23 April 2016. Eight of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition.
Team | Ground | Town/Village | Previous season |
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Berry Hill | Lakers Road | Coleford, Gloucestershire | 5th |
Bream | High Street | Bream, Lydney, Gloucestershire | 9th |
Bristol Saracens | Bakewell Memorial Ground | Patchway, Bristol | relegated from Western Counties North (12th) |
Cheltenham Saracens | King George V Playing Field | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | 3rd |
Chipping Sodbury | Wickwar Road | Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire | promoted from Gloucester 1 (runner-up) |
Cirencester | The Whiteway | Cirencester, Gloucestershire | 6th |
Frampton Cotterell | The Park | Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire | 8th |
Hucclecote | Charlies Way | Hucclecote, Gloucestershire | 7th |
Longlevens | Longford Lane | Longlevens, Gloucestershire | promoted from Gloucester 1 (champions) |
North Bristol | Oaklands | Almondsbury, Bristol | relegated from Western Counties North (13th) |
St Mary's Old Boys | Trench Lane | Almondsbury, Bristol | 4th |
Tewkesbury | The Moats | Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire | 10th |
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Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points | ||||||
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1 | Bristol Saracens(P) | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1041 | 210 | 931 | 19 | 0 | 107 | ||||
2 | Cirencester (P) | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 669 | 304 | 365 | 14 | 2 | 84 | ||||
3 | Berry Hill | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 524 | 331 | 193 | 10 | 4 | 76 | ||||
4 | Cheltenham Saracens | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 586 | 373 | 213 | 11 | 5 | 72 | ||||
5 | Chipping Sodbury | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 559 | 369 | 190 | 11 | 2 | 69 | ||||
6 | North Bristol | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 499 | 388 | 111 | 9 | 4 | 63 | ||||
7 | St Mary's Old Boys | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 493 | 548 | −55 | 8 | 3 | 51 | ||||
8 | Frampton Cotterell | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 388 | 660 | −272 | 8 | 1 | 41 | ||||
9 | Hucclecote | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 416 | 479 | −63 | 6 | 2 | 40 | ||||
10 | Longlevens | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 352 | 566 | −214 | 4 | 5 | 37 | ||||
11 | Tewkesbury | 22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 295 | 801 | −506 | 1 | 0 | 17 | ||||
12 | Bream | 22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 168 | 961 | −793 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
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Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places. Updated: 27 August 2016 |
Stroud are champions and along with the runner-up Whitehall (play-off winner) were promoted to Western Counties North. Painswick and Gordon League were relegated to Gloucester 1.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Gloucestershire/Somerset) contained the following teams from Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset:
Originally Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier were combined in a single division known as Gloucestershire/Somerset, involving teams based in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Bristol. It was tier 8 league with promotion to Western Counties [lower-alpha 1] and relegation to either Gloucestershire 1 [lower-alpha 2] or Somerset 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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1987–88 | 11 | Avonmouth Old Boys | Combe Down | St Brendan's Old Boys, Tredworth | [2] | |||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Old Culverhaysians | Combe Down | Minehead Barbarians | [3] | |||||||||
1989–90 | 10 [lower-alpha 3] | Combe Down | Midsomer Norton | Old Redcliffians | [4] | |||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Spartans | Whitehall | Midsomer Norton | [5] | |||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Gloucester Old Boys | Drybrook [lower-alpha 4] | Cleve | [6] | |||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | Old Patesians | Keynsham | Old Sulians | [7] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Gloucestershire/Somerset dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Western Counties and relegation to either Gloucester 1 or Somerset 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Dings Crusaders | St. Mary's Old Boys | Coney Hill, Frome | [8] | |||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Keynsham | Whitehall | Midsomer Norton, Wiveliscombe | [9] | |||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | St. Mary's Old Boys | Cleve [lower-alpha 5] | No relegation | [10] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Gloucestershire/Somerset reverted to being a tier 8 league. Further restructuring meant that promotion was now to Western Counties North [lower-alpha 6] , while relegation continued to either Gloucester 1 or Somerset 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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1996–97 | 16 | Coney Hill | Old Richians | Old Cryptians | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 17 | St. Bernadette's Old Boys | Wiveliscombe | Bristol Saracens | ||||||||||
1998–99 | 17 | Barton Hill | Chew Valley | Old Sulians | ||||||||||
1999–00 | 17 | Old Centralians [lower-alpha 7] | Yatton [lower-alpha 8] | Chard, Frampton Cotterell | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Gloucestershire/Somerset was reorganised into two county leagues at the end of the 1999–00 season, Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier, with both leagues remaining at level 8. Promotion from Gloucester Premier was to Western Counties North and relegation to Gloucester 1. Between 2007–2009 Gloucester Premier was sponsored by High Bridge Jewellers.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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2000–01 | 10 | Thornbury | Old Centralians | Brockworth, Bream, Aretians | [11] | |||||||||
2001–02 | 10 | Spartans | Drybrook | Chipping Sodbury, Bristol Saracens | [12] | |||||||||
2002-03 | 10 | Drybrook | Barton Hill | Hucclecote | [13] | |||||||||
2003–04 | 10 | Cheltenham North | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Cirencester, Old Bristolians, Chipping Sodbury | [14] | |||||||||
2004–05 | 10 | North Bristol | Avonmouth Old Boys | Southmead, Tewkesbury | [15] | |||||||||
2005–06 | 10 | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Barton Hill | No relegation [lower-alpha 9] | [16] | |||||||||
2006–07 | 12 | Avonmouth Old Boys | Widden Old Boys | Longlevens, Painswick | [17] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 12 | Hartpury College | North Bristol | Aretians | [18] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 12 | Drybrook | Southmead | No relegation | [19] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Gloucester Premier remained a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to Western Counties North and relegation to Gloucester 1. From the 2017–18 season onward Gloucester Premier has been sponsored by Wadworth 6x.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 12 | Matson | Cirencester | Hucclecote, Spartans | [20] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Whitehall | Old Richians | Gloucester Old Boys, Brockworth, Ross-on-Wye | [21] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 12 | Old Bristolians | Drybrook | Longlevens, Bishopston, Old Colstonians | [22] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 12 | Drybrook | Frampton Cotterell | Widden Old Boys | [23] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 12 | Newent | Bristol Saracens | Southmead, Dursley | [24] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 12 | Stroud | Whitehall | Painswick, Gordon League | [25] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 12 | Bristol Saracens | Cirencester | Bream, Tewkesbury | [26] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 12 | Old Richians | St Mary's Old Boys | North Bristol, Berry Hill, Cheltenham North | [27] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 12 | Chipping Sodbury | Barton Hill | Cirencester | [28] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 12 | Spartans | Bristol Saracens | Gloucester Old Boys, Gordon League | [29] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 12 | Chosen Hill Former Pupils | Cheltenham North | Widden Old Boys, Whitehall | [30] | |||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of the Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier for the third and final promotion place to Western Counties North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Gloucester Premier teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Somerset Premier teams six; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away teams seven.
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Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||
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2000–01 [31] | Gordano (S) | 19-21 | Old Centralians (G) | Caswell Lane, Portbury, Somerset | ||||
2001–02 [32] | Yatton (S) | 32-0 | Drybrook (G) | The Park, Yatton, Somerset | ||||
2002–03 [33] | Barton Hill (G) | 36-0 | Midsomer Norton (S) | Duncombe Lane, Speedwell, Bristol | ||||
2003–04 [34] | Nailsea & Backwell (S) [lower-alpha 10] | Chosen Hill Former Pupils (G) | West End Park, Nailsea, Somerset | |||||
2004–05 [35] | Tor (S) | 25-26 | Avonmouth Old Boys (G) | Brian Harbinson Memorial Park, Glastonbury, Somerset | ||||
2005–06 [36] | Barton Hill (G) | 20-0 | Tor (S) | Duncombe Lane, Speedwell, Bristol | ||||
2006–07 [37] | Midsomer Norton (S) | 10-31 | Widden Old Boys (G) | Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset | ||||
2007–08 [38] | North Bristol (G) | 29-17 | Chew Valley (S) | Oaklands, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire | ||||
2008–09 [39] | Southmead (G) | 20-14 | North Petherton (S) | Greenway Centre, Southmead, Bristol | ||||
2009–10 [40] | Cirencester (G) | 35-17 | Chard (S) | The Whiteway, Cirencester, Gloucestershire | ||||
2010–11 [41] | Chard (S) | 32-12 | Old Richians (G) | Essex Close, Chard, Somerset | ||||
2011–12 [42] | Wells (S) | 18-10 | Drybrook (G) | Charter Way, Wells, Somerset | ||||
2012–13 [43] | Midsomer Norton (S) | 28-12 | Frampton Cotterell (G) | Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset | ||||
2013–14 [44] | Bristol Saracens (G) | 19-8 | Tor (S) | Bakewell Memorial Ground, Henbury, Bristol | ||||
2014–15 [45] | Winscombe (S) | 13-21 | Whitehall (G) | Winscombe Recreation Ground, Winscombe, Somerset | ||||
2015–16 [46] | Winscombe (S) | 21-22 | Cirencester (G) | Winscombe Recreation Ground, Winscombe, Somerset | ||||
2016–17 [47] | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | 9-6 | St Mary's Old Boys (G) | Shaft Road, Monkton Combe, Somerset | 1,000 | |||
2017–18 [48] | Wiveliscombe (S) | 12-15 | Barton Hill (G) | Recreational Ground, Wiveliscombe, Somerset | ||||
2018–19 [49] | Burnham-on-Sea (S) | 24-25 | Bristol Saracens (G) | BASC Ground, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset | ||||
2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cheltenham North (G) - promoted instead. | |||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. G = Gloucester Premier and S = Somerset Premier | ||||||||
The Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination is an organisation for the promotion of junior rugby union in the city of Bristol, England.
The Gloucestershire County Football League is a football league in England, founded in 1968. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.
Somerset Premier is an English rugby union league which sits at the eighth level of league rugby union in England involving teams based in the county of Somerset as well as some teams based in Bristol. Originally a single division called Gloucestershire/Somerset, in 2000 the division split into two county leagues called Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.
Counties 1 Western West is an English rugby union league. Originally a single division called Western Counties, in 1996 the division split into two regional leagues called Western Counties North and Western Counties West. Western Counties West was renamed Counties 1 Western West prior to the 2022–23 season and is currently a seventh tier league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. The champions are promoted to Regional 2 South West. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually two or three to either Counties 2 Cornwall, Counties 2 Devon or Counties 2 Somerset, depending on location.
Regional 2 South West, is an English, level six, rugby union league for clubs based in the south-west of England; i.e. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. It is one of twelve leagues at this level in England. When league rugby started in 1986 it was known as South West 2, but in 1996 the division was split into two leagues — South West 1 West and South West 1 East. South West 1 West was renamed Regional 2 South West prior to the 2022–23 season. The champions are promoted to Regional 1 South West and the bottom two sides are relegated, depending on location, to either Counties 1 Western West, Counties 1 Western North or Counties 1 Southern South.
Counties 1 Western North is an English rugby union league. Originally a single division called Western Counties, in 1996 the division split into two regional leagues called Western Counties North and Western Counties West. Western Counties North was renamed Counties 1 Western North prior to the 2022–23 season and is currently a seventh tier league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. The champions are promoted to South West 1 West and the runner-up plays the second team in 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 Somerset Premier. Although 2nd XV rugby is part of the Somerset regional league system, only 1st XV teams are allowed in Tribute Western Counties North.
The Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union is the union responsible for rugby union in the county of Gloucestershire, England and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union. Formed in 1878, it has won the county championship on numerous occasions.
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 Gloucester Premier and relegated clubs drop into either Gloucester 2 North or Gloucester 2 South depending on location. Each year clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Gloucester 2 North and Gloucester 2 South are English rugby union leagues which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England for teams primarily based in Gloucestershire as well as some teams from Bristol. Promoted clubs move into Gloucester 1 and since the discontinuation of Gloucester 3 at the end of the 2017–18 season there is currently no relegation. Up until 2017-18 Gloucester 2 was a single division but has since been split into two regional divisions.
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.
Cheltenham Saracens RFC is an English rugby union club based in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, affiliated to Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. The club's First Team currently play in Gloucester Premier, while their reserve teams play in the Gloucestershire Merit Leagues. The club also runs an under 14's squad.
The Bristol Combination Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Bristol and District Rugby Football Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 2003–2004 season, with the inaugural winners being Frampton Cotterell. Prior to 2003–04 there had been a plate competition for teams knocked out of the early round of the Bristol Combination Cup, although the vase was not a direct replacement as it was a separate competition intended for lower ranked sides in the Bristol region. It is the second most important competition organised by the Bristol Combination, behind the Bristol Combination Cup but in front of the Bristol Combination Cyril Parsons Bowl.
The North Gloucestershire Combination Junior Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the North Gloucestershire Combination – one of the five bodies that make up the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1913–14 season, with the inaugural winners being St. Marks 'A' and is the second most important rugby union cup competition in north Gloucestershire, ahead of the Glanville Cup but behind the Senior Cup.
The North Gloucestershire Combination is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the city of Gloucester and surrounding area in the county of Gloucestershire, England. The combination is responsible for organising clubs and cup competitions in the city of Gloucester and surrounding area, but is ultimately part of the Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union, which has overall control over rugby union in the county. Although there is no senior men's team, there are North Combination junior sides (under-16), as well as a vets team.
Gloucester 4 was an English rugby union league which sat at the twelve level of league rugby union in England for teams based in Gloucestershire and parts of Bristol. Promoted clubs moved into Gloucester 3 and there was no relegation as this was the basement league for club rugby union in Gloucestershire. In 1996 after ten seasons Gloucester 4 was discontinued at the end of the 1995-96 campaign.
Somerset 1 is an English rugby union league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England involving teams based in the county of Somerset as well as some teams based in Bristol. 1st, 2nd and even 3rd XV sides can participate in the division as long as they are not from the same club.
Somerset 2 North is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 2 South. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 2, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Somerset 2 South is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 2 North. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 2, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.