Sport Rugby union Country England | Number of teams 14 Most titles Reading (3 titles) | |
 | ||
Instituted 1987; 30 years ago (1987) Holders Exmouth (2015–16
(promoted to National League 2 South) | ||
National League 3 South West (formerly the South West Division One) is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of four leagues at this level, alongside National League 3 London & SE, National League 3 Midlands and National League 3 North. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following reorganisation by the Rugby Football Union.
Contents
- Format
- 201617
- 201516
- Promotion play off
- 201314
- League winners
- Relegated
- Transferred
- 201213
- 201112
- 201011
- 200910
- National League 3 South West honours
- Promotion play offs
- References
National League 3 South West is the highest regional rugby union league covering South West England and part of South East England. The club finishing in first place is automatically promoted to National League 2 South. The runner-up play the second placed team of National League 3 London & SE, with the winner also gaining promotion. Relegated teams drop down to either South West 1 East or South West 1 West (occasionally Midlands 1 West) depending on location, and other factors such as the location of relegated and promoted teams in other divisions.
The current champions are Exmouth, who will participate in National League 2 South next season, as will the second-place team, Barnstaple, after winning the play-off match against Tonbridge Juddians 31 – 30.
Format
The season runs from September to May and comprises twenty-six rounds of matches, with each club playing each of its rivals, home and away. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
2016–17
Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by Launceston who were relegated from National League 2 South, and by two promoted sides: Camborne and Salisbury. Exmouth (champions) and Barnstaple (play-off) were promoted to National League 2 South, while Chippenham were relegated to Tribute South West 1 West, and Old Patesians and Old Centralians to South West 1 East. To address a league imbalance due to only one team coming down from National League 2 South, both Bromsgrove and Bracknell have been level transferred into the league from National League 3 Midlands and National League 3 London & SE respectively, Bromsgrove having finished 9th and Bracknell 11th.
2015–16
Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. They are joined by two teams relegated from National League 2 South, Dings Crusaders and Lydney; and by three promoted teams Cleve, Chippenham and Ivybridge. The teams leaving the league were the 2014–15 champions, Redingensians who were promoted to National League 2 South and the relegated teams, Chard and Weston-super-Mare to play in Tribute South West 1 West, and Oxford Harlequins to South West 1 East. Bracknell, who finished 3rd last season, transferred to National League 3 London and SE.
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 London and SE, and National League 3 South West participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Tonbridge Juddians, host the match and their opponents were Barnstaple, who won the match 30 – 31, scoring the winning points with a penalty in the last seconds of the match.
Promotion play-off
Each season, the runners-up in the National League 3 London and SE, and National League 3 South West participate in a play-off for promotion to National League 2 South. The team with the best playing record, in this case Exmouth, hosts the match; their opponents were Barnes and the match was played on 25 April 2015. At the end of full-time the match score was 22 – 22, and Barnes scored the only points in extra-time, to win the match 27– 22.
After extra time (80 mins: 22 – 22)
2013–14
League winners
Relegated
Transferred
2012–13
2011–12
2010–11
2009–10
The first season as a national league
National League 3 South West honours
In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was four, tier five leagues. The geographical area for teams in South West Division One covered an area of south-west England from Oxfordshire and Berkshire in the east to Cornwall in the west. There were eleven teams in the league and they played each team once, giving each team ten matches. The other tier five leagues were London 1, Midlands 1 and North 1. This system prevailed for five seasons, and in 1992–93 the number of teams increased from eleven to thirteen. The following season (1993–94) the league was reorganised and the four tier five leagues became two; National 5 North and National 5 South. After three seasons, in 1996–97, a further reorganisation occurred, and there was a return to four, tier five leagues; with South West Division One covering the area of south-west England from Berkshire westwards. This system prevailed until 2009–10 when the number of teams was increased from twelve to fourteen and renamed National League Three South West.
The top six teams from London Division One and the top six from South West Division One were combined to create National 5 South. South West Division One was now the name of a tier six league and was one of two feeder leagues for National 5 South, the other being London Division One).
The division was renamed National League 3 South West following a restructuring of the national leagues which led to changes at all levels.
Promotion play-offs
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a promotion play-off game between the runners-up of National League 3 London & SE and National League 3 South West for the third and final promotion place to National League 2 South. The team with the superior league record has home advantage and have won twelve of the sixteen ties. The London and south-east teams have been most successful with ten wins to the south-west teams six.