Counties 1 Southern North (formerly known as Southern Counties North) is a division at level 7 of the

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 the system. Women's Rugby union in England consi ...

.Rugby First
/ref> 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 South (formerly known as Southern Counties South) 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 rug ...

. Counties 1 Southern North currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and features teams based in

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

and

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

. The league champions at the end of each season are automatically promoted to

Regional 2 South Central Regional 2 South Central is a level six league in the English rugby union system, one of twelve leagues, at this level. Originally part of the South West Division of the RFU, the league was transferred to the London & SE Division for season ...

. Relegated teams usually drop to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (North) or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (South).

Format

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 the matches contribute points to the league table as follows: * 4 points are awarded for a win * 2 points are awarded for a draw * 0 points are awarded for a loss, however * 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer * 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match

2025-26

Departing were Oxford Harlequins II and Windsor , promoted to

Regional 2 Thames Regional 2 Thames is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Greater London, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Surrey. It ...

as champions and runners-up respectively. Grove (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (West).

2024–25

Departing were

Beaconsfield Beaconsfield ( ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, northwest of central London and southeast of Aylesbury. Three other towns are within : Gerrards Cross, Amersham and High Wycombe. The ...

, promoted to

whilst

Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of Milton Keynes urban area, its urban area was 264,349. The River Great Ouse forms t ...

(12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (North) and Rams III (11th) relegated to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (South).

2023–24

Departing were Marlow (runners-up being Chinnor III) promoted to

. Gosford All Blacks (8th) and

High Wycombe High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye, Buckinghamshire, River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, ...

(10th) were relegated to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (North), Thatcham (12th) and

Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, ...

(9th) were relegated to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (South) whilst Swindon College Old Boys (11th) were relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North.

2022–23

This was the first season following the

RFU The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It prom ...

Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to

Southern Counties North 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 ...

with eight teams returning from season 2021-22.

League table

2021–22

2020–21

Due to the

coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

the season was cancelled.

2019–20

2018–19

2017–18

2016–17

2015–16

The 2015–16 Southern Counties North consisted of twelve teams; six from

, two each from

and

, and one each from

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

and

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

. The season started on 12 September 2015 and 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

were promoted to the

South West 1 East South West 1 East was an English, level six, rugby union league in south and south-west England; mainly Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Gloucester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Originally a sing ...

while

and

Alchester Alchester is the site of an ancient Roman town. The site is not included in any ancient references; hence, the Roman name is not known. However, Eilert Ekwall contended that it appears as ''Alavna'' in the Ravenna Cosmography, with the addition ...

were relegated to the

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon (West) / (East) (formerly Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier) is a division at level 8 of the English rugby union system featuring teams principally from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Promoted teams usually m ...

Royal Wootton Bassett Royal Wootton Bassett , formerly Wootton Bassett, is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 13,570 at the 2021 Census. In the north of the county, it lies to the west of the town of Swindon and northeast of ...

, who finished 4th, were level transferred to

2014–15

*Alchester *Aylesbury *

Bicester Bicester ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of Oxfordshire, England, north-west of Oxford. The town is a notable tourist attraction due to the Bicester Village shopping centre. The historical town centre � ...

(promoted from

) *Drifters *

* Marlow (relegated from

) *

*Stow-on-the-Wold *Thatcham *Wallingford

2013–14

*Alchester *Aylesbury *

Bletchley Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, in the south-west of the city, split between the civil parishes in England, civil parishes of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford and West Bletchley, which In 2011 had a com ...

*Drifters *

*Stow-on-the-Wold *Swindon College Old Boys *Thatcham *Wallingford

2012–13

*Alchester *Aylesbury *Buckingham *Drifters *Grove *

* Olney *

*Slough *Tadley *Thatcham *Wallingford

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams: *

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Waterside Theatre. It is located in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wycombe and Milt ...

Banbury Banbury is an historic market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. The parish had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding ...

Bracknell Bracknell () is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Built-up Area, Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the borough of Bracknell Forest. It lies to the east of Re ...

* Marlow * Oxford Marathon * Oxford Old Boys * Redingensians *

Swindon Swindon () is a town in Wiltshire, England. At the time of the 2021 Census the population of the built-up area was 183,638, making it the largest settlement in the county. Located at the northeastern edge of the South West England region, Swi ...

Wimborne Wimborne Minster (often referred to as Wimborne, ) is a market town in Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. It lies at the confluence of the River Stour and the River Allen, north of Pool ...

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

Counties 1 Southern North honours

Southern Counties (1987–1993)

Originally the Southern Counties North and

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.

Southern Counties (1993–1996)

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 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.

Southern Counties North (1996–2000)

Restructuring by the

at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Southern Counties split into two separate leagues, Southern Counties North and

. They reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South. Promotion from Southern Counties North was now to the new South West 2 East while relegation was now only to Bucks/Oxon 1.

Southern Counties North (2000–2009)

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).

Southern Counties North (2009–2022)

Despite widespread league restructuring by the

, Southern Counties North continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to

(formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to

Counties 1 Southern North (2022– )

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

and the bottom side is relegated, depending on location, to a level eight league; Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Southern Counties North and

for the third and final promotion place to

. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in 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.

Number of league titles

(3) *

Witney Witney is a market town on the River Windrush in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It is west of Oxford. History The Toponymy, place-name "Witney" is derived from the Old English for "Witta's island". The earliest kno ...

(3) *

(2) *

Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of ...

(2) * Marlow (2) * Olney (2) * Redingensians (2) *

(2) * Amersham & Chiltern (1) *

(1) *

Bournemouth Bournemouth ( ) is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. At the 2021 census, the built-up area had a population of 196,455, making it the largest ...

(1) * Dorchester (1) * Oxford Harlequins (1) *

(1) *

Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo (South Somerset), River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish include ...

(1) *

Slough Slough () is a town in Berkshire, England, in the Thames Valley, west of central London and north-east of Reading, at the intersection of the M4, M40 and M25 motorways. It is part of the historic county of Buckinghamshire. In 2021, the ...

(1) *

Stow-on-the-Wold Stow-on-the-Wold is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, on top of an 800-foot (244 m) hill at the junction of main roads through the Cotswolds, including the Fosse Way (A429), which is of Roman ...

(2) *Chinnor III (1) * Swanage & Wareham (1) *

(1)

Notes

References

{{Rugby union in England 7 Rugby union in Berkshire Rugby union in Buckinghamshire Rugby union in Gloucestershire Rugby union in Oxfordshire Sports leagues established in 1987 1987 establishments in England

Format

2025-26

2024–25

2023–24

2022–23

League table

2021–22

2020–21

2019–20

2018–19

2017–18

2016–17

2015–16

2014–15

2013–14

2012–13

Original teams

Counties 1 Southern North honours

Southern Counties (1987–1993)

Southern Counties (1993–1996)

Southern Counties North (1996–2000)

Southern Counties North (2000–2009)

Southern Counties North (2009–2022)

Counties 1 Southern North (2022– )

Promotion play-offs

Number of league titles

See also

Notes

References