35-671: Counties 1 Southern North (formerly known as Southern Counties North ) is a division at level 7 of the English rugby union system . When league rugby first began in 1987 it was known as Southern Counties but since 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues – Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South . Counties 1 Southern North currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and features teams based in Berkshire , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire . The league champions at
70-480: A distinction between regional rugby union and the National Leagues above. Other changes that season saw London 3 North East be replaced by two new leagues - London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex - with teams transferred depending on location. In 2020, it was announced that a new league structure would be implemented in the community game from 2022–23. The new structure which was partly in response to
105-458: A place in the next season's Premiership. The new National League structure includes: The National League 1 was decreased from 16 to 14 teams. This resulted in a 26-game season on a home and away basis. The champions are promoted to the level 2 RFU Championship, and the bottom three sides are relegated to the level 4 National League 2 East , National League 2 West or National League 2 North depending on geographical location. The fourth tier
140-467: A select number of clubs bouncing between the leagues. (For example, each season between 2005–06 and 2008–09 saw the club relegated to National Division One earning promotion to the Premiership the following season, and also either the promotion or relegation of Leeds Carnegie ). Debate still continues over the question of promotion and relegation, but with the strict criteria fears are reduced. From 2023–24,
175-450: A tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to South West 2 and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1 . Restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Southern Counties split into two separate leagues, Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South, which reverted to tier 7 leagues due to
210-477: A tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to South West 2 and relegation to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1 . Restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Southern Counties split into two separate leagues, Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South . They reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South . Promotion from Southern Counties North
245-591: Is a level 7 league in the Rugby Football Union South West Division, the rugby union governing body for South West England , part of the Rugby Football Union . When league rugby first began in 1987 it was a single league known as Southern Counties but in 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues: Southern Counties North (now Counties 1 Southern North ) and Southern Counties South. Counties 1 Southern South currently sits at
280-400: Is increased to three leagues of 14 teams each. The three league champions are promoted, with the bottom two in each league relegated to their respective regional division. With the restructuring, levels 5–11 became the new regional system. There are now 6 Regional 1 leagues, which are connected to the national leagues by promotion and relegation. The table below shows the current structure of
315-406: Is relegated, depending on location, to a level eight league; Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South. Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 East . The team with the superior league record has home advantage in
350-440: The 2012–13 season , the second group stage was discontinued. The top four teams at the end of the home-and-away season entered play-offs to determine the league champion, which earned promotion providing Premiership entry standards were met. The bottom team at the end of home-and-away season was relegated to, and replaced by the champions of, the third tier National League 1 . From 2017–18 through to 2019–20 and from 2021–22 ,
385-680: The COVID-19 pandemic will be reviewed every three years and saw the following changes: Below level 6 leagues sizes will depend on number of teams and geographical location. In February 2021, the RFU approved a moratorium on relegation from both the Premiership and Championship in response to uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also confirmed that league structure and minimum standards criteria for promotion were being reviewed. The moratorium only covered relegation and did not include promotion from
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#1732852401842420-404: The RFU , Southern Counties North continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 East (formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier . Following the reorganisation of the leagues, Southern Counties North was renamed Counties 1 Southern North and remained a level seven league. The champions are promoted to Regional 2 South Central and the bottom side
455-429: The RFU , Southern Counties South continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 East (formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or Dorset & Wilts 1 South . Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 East . The team with
490-641: The 2022–23 season, with the RFU league restructuring, lower XVs are able to play in Counties 1 Southern South. Thatcham finished 11th in 2019–20 but were level transferred to Southern Counties North for the current season. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled. The 2015–16 Southern Counties South consists of twelve teams; four each from Dorset , Somerset and Wiltshire . The season started on 12 September 2015 and ended on 23 April 2016. Eight of
525-462: The Championship may be reduced to 10. A summary of changes is outlines below: Promotion remains subject to minimum standards which have been reviewed and include several factors. Premiership Rugby is the top level league in England, containing the best 10 professional clubs. The premiership still includes strict ground criteria and a salary cap that must be met by all participants. Promotion from
560-462: The Championship meaning the Premiership expanded to 13 teams with the Championship reduced to 11 in 2021–22 with the promotion of Saracens . In June 2021, as part of the wider review the moratorium was extended by a further two years in the Premiership and also included relegation from the Championship in 2021–22 and promotion from the Championship following the 2022–23 season. This means the Premiership may be further expanded to 14 teams in 2022–23 and
595-469: The Championship remains (subject to eligibility), however the bottom side have not been relegated since the end of the 2019–20 season. The club seeking promotion must meet the minimum standards criteria. The champion is the top team in the RFU Championship after the league season. A play-off system was previously in place to decide which team were crowned champions. It was hoped this would bring to an end
630-554: The Dorset/Wilts leagues to the Bucks/Oxon leagues, meant that relegation was now to Dorset & Wilts 1 (formerly Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1). Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East , while a further restructuring of the Dorset/Wilts leagues meant that relegation was now to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or Dorset & Wilts 1 South . Despite widespread league restructuring by
665-492: The Premiership, is professional . Beneath the two professional leagues, the National Leagues were restructured to include a new 16 team National League 1 , 16 team National League 2 South and 16 team National League 2 North . The four top regional leagues became part of National League 3 at level five. For the 2017-18 season, the National League 3 leagues were renamed to have Premier as part of their title in order to make
700-502: The RFU allowed the creation of regional merit leagues with the most significant ones being the North, Midlands, South West and London merit leagues. In 1984 the RFU approved the creation of two national merit tables where clubs had to play a minimum of eight games against the clubs in their division. 1985 saw the creation of a third national merit league. In 1987 this was formed into a true national league system. The format and competitiveness of
735-409: The cancellation of National 5 South . Promotion from Southern Counties South was now to the new South West 2 East while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 2 South ). Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East . However, the transfer of Berkshire clubs from
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#1732852401842770-399: The championship play-off was eliminated. The league-season champions earned automatic promotion (again, assuming that they meet Premiership standards). Relegation criteria did not change. However, there was a moratorium placed on relegation in both 2020–21 and 2021–22 . From 2023–24 the winner (subject to eligibility) will contest a playoff with the bottom placed team in the Premiership for
805-716: The end of each season are automatically promoted to Regional 2 South Central . Relegated teams usually drop to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South . The twelve teams in this league are drawn from Berkshire , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire , with the league champions (if eligible) promoted to Regional 2 South Central . The league's bottom two teams are relegated to either Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South, depending on their geographic location. The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-two rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals home and away. The results of
840-498: The following teams: Originally Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South were combined in a single division called Southern Counties. It was a tier 7 league with promotion up to South West 2 and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1 . At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South . This meant that Southern Counties dropped from
875-563: The following teams: Originally the Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South leagues were combined in a single division called Southern Counties. It was a tier 7 league with promotion to South West 2 and relegation to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1 . At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South . This meant that Southern Counties dropped from
910-585: The last league matches were played on 23 April 2016. Seven of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions High Wycombe were promoted to the South West 1 East while Milton Keynes and Alchester were relegated to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier . Royal Wootton Bassett , who finished 4th, were level transferred to Southern Counties South . When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained
945-449: The last placed team from the Premiership will playoff against the Championship winner (subject to promotion eligibility) for a place in the following season's Premiership. The new RFU Championship was formed in 2009–10 to provide a second tier of professional competition. The former National Division One was decreased from 16 clubs to 12 to accommodate the new fixture structure. For the first three seasons this included: Starting with
980-563: The leagues has changed greatly since the leagues were first formed and a widespread and global restructuring of the leagues was announced in November 2008, for implementation from the 2009–10 season. Under this new structure, the top league remained the 12-team Gallagher Premiership . The second tier league was rebranded and restructured as the RFU Championship which replaced the old National Division One. This league also had 12 teams, and like
1015-721: The matches contribute points to the league table as follows: This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Southern Counties North with eight teams returning from season 2021-22. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled. The 2015–16 Southern Counties North consisted of twelve teams; six from Buckinghamshire , two each from Berkshire and Oxfordshire , and one each from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire . The season started on 12 September 2015 and
1050-538: The seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire . The league champions at the end of the season are promoted to Regional 2 South Central while the runners up face the runners up from Southern Counties North for their place. Relegated teams tend to drop to either Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North , Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South or Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central depending on geographic placement. As of
1085-447: The system. Women's Rugby union in England consists of 26 leagues, which includes a national semi-professional league at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system, with the exception of the Women's Premiership . Historically, there were no leagues allowed as these were seen as a sign of professionalism. In the 1970s
Counties 1 Southern North - Misplaced Pages Continue
1120-1430: The system. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which differs from its historic name) and number of clubs is given. At levels 1–3, each division promotes to the national division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the national division(s) that lie directly below it. Below that level, clubs relegate to the nearest local league. Level 1 Premiership Rugby 10 clubs 2 RFU Championship 12 clubs 3 National League 1 14 clubs 4 National League 2 North 14 clubs National League 2 East 14 clubs National League 2 West 14 clubs 5 Regional 1 North East 12 clubs Regional 1 North West 12 clubs Regional 1 South East 12 clubs Regional 1 South Central 12 clubs Regional 1 South West 12 clubs Regional 1 Midlands 12 clubs 6 Regional 2 North 12 clubs Regional 2 North East 12 clubs Regional 2 North West 12 clubs Regional 2 Anglia 12 clubs Regional 2 South East 12 clubs Regional 2 Thames 12 clubs Regional 2 South Central 12 clubs Regional 2 South West 12 clubs Regional 2 Severn 12 clubs Regional 2 Midlands West 12 clubs Regional 2 Midlands North 12 clubs Southern Counties South Counties 1 Southern South (formerly known as Southern Counties South )
1155-558: The tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Southern Counties North teams have been the most successful with twelve wins to the Southern Counties South teams seven; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six. English rugby union system Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout
1190-469: The twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Swanage & Wareham and runners up Salisbury (who won their playoff game) were promoted to the South West 1 East while Supermarine and Corsham were both relegated to Dorset & Wilts 1 North . Royal Wootton Bassett were level transferred from Southern Counties North . When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained
1225-421: Was now to the new South West 2 East while relegation was now only to Bucks/Oxon 1 . Southern Counties North remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East . However, the transfer of Berkshire clubs from the Dorset/Wilts leagues to the Bucks/Oxon leagues, meant that relegation was now to new Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 (formerly Bucks/Oxon 1). Despite widespread league restructuring by
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