Counties 3 Somerset (formerly known as Somerset 1 or Tribute Somerset 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England involving teams based in the county of

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

as well as some teams based in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

. 1st, 2nd and even 3rd XV sides can participate in the division as long as they are not from the same club. The league champions and runners up are promoted to Counties 2 Somerset while relegated teams drop to either Counties 4 Somerset North or Counties 4 Somerset South depending on location. Each year clubs in this division also take part in the

RFU Junior Vase The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, altho ...

– a level 9–12 national competition.

Teams 2025-26

North

Departing were Keynsham II, promoted to Counties 2 Somerset, while Walcott II were relegated to Counties 4 Somerset North.

South

Departing were Castle Cary promoted to Counties 2 Somerset while Cheddar Valley (12th) and Somerton (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Somerset North and Counties 4 Somerset South respectively.

Teams 2024–25

North

Departing were Nailsea & Backwell II, promoted to Counties 2 Somerset, while Imperial II were relegated. Joining were Walcott II, Yatton and Chew Valley III. Chew Valley III (promoted as champions from Counties 4 Somerset North) and Oldfield Old Boys II (10th in 2023-24) both started but did not complete the season meaning the remaining league fixtures were contested by ten sides.

South

Departing were Burnham-on-Sea II (12th) and Wiveliscombe II (11th) both relegated to Counties 4 Somerset South. There was no promotion as Hornets II were already in Counties 2 Somerset meaning Hornets III could not compete in the same league. Joining were Wyvern and Weston-super-Mare II.

Teams 2023–24

North

Departing were Chew Valley II, promoted to Counties 2 Somerset, while

Stothert & Pitt Stothert & Pitt was a British engineering company founded in 1855 in Bath, Somerset, Bath, England. It was the builder of various engineering products ranging from Crane (machine), Dock cranes to construction plant and household cast iron items. ...

(9th) and Bristol Telephone Area (12th) were relegated. Joining were Imperial II and Old Redcliffians III..

South

Departing were Huish Tigers, promoted to Counties 2 Somerset. Wells II (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Somerset South. Joining were Burnham-on-Sea II, Cheddar Valley, Crewkerne and Tor.

Teams 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 with the league split into North and South divisions. Departing were Old Redcliffians II, promoted, together with Cheddar Valley (7th) who took a voluntary relegation to Counties 4 Somerset South and Morganians (11th) who withdrew from league competition.

North

Joining were Bristol Harlequins, Bristol Telephone Area, Clevedon II, Gordano II, Oldfield Old Boys II,

and Winscombe II.

South

Joining were Castle Cary, Chard II, Hornets III, Huish Tigers (double promotion), Somerton, Wells II and Wiveliscombe II.

Teams 2021–22

Taunton II (11th in 2019–20) started but did not complete the season leaving eleven sides to contest the remaining fixtures. , position=label_size=80

2020–21

Due to the

COVID-19 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 2020–21 season was cancelled.

Teams 2019–20

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams: *

Burnham-on-Sea Burnham-on-Sea is a seaside town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett, upon Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small fishing village until the late 18th century when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. ...

Crewkerne Crewkerne ( ) is a town and electoral ward in south Somerset, England, southwest of Yeovil and east of Chard. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Coombe, Woolminstone and Henley, and borders the county of Dorset to the s ...

Frome Frome ( ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, on uneven high ground at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills and on the River Frome, south of Bath. The population of the parish was 28,559 in 2021. Frome was one of the largest tow ...

Hornets Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to yellowjackets, their close relatives. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by ...

North Petherton North Petherton is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Quantocks, and close to the edge of the Somerset Levels. The town has a population of 6,730 as of 2014. The parish includes Ha ...

* Old Culverhaysians * Oldfield Old Boys * Old Sulians * Walcot Old Boys *

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

Yeovil Yeovil () is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England. It is close to Somerset's southern border with Dorset, west of London, south of Bristol, west of Sherborne and east of Taunton. The population of the bui ...

Somerset 1 honours

Somerset 1 (1987–1993)

The original Somerset 1 was a tier 9 league with promotion to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Somerset 2.

Somerset 1 (1993–1996)

The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Somerset 1 dropped to become a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire/Somerset 1 and relegation to Somerset 2.

Somerset 1 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Somerset 1 reverted to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Gloucestershire/Somerset and relegation to Somerset 2.

Somerset 1 (2000–2006)

The cancellation of Gloucestershire/Somerset at the end of the 1999–00 season, saw Somerset 1 remain at tier 9, with promotion now to the new Somerset Premier and relegation continuing to Somerset 2.

Somerset 1 (2006–2009)

Somerset 1 remained a tier 9 league with promotion to Somerset Premier but the splitting of Somerset 2 into two regional divisions, meant that relegation was now to either

Somerset 2 North Counties 4 Somerset North (formerly known as Somerset 2 North or Tribute Somerset 2 North for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset ...

Somerset 2 South Counties 4 Somerset South (formerly known as Somerset 2 South or Tribute Somerset 2 South for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset ...

. From the 2007–08 season onward the league sponsor would be

Tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of lands which the state con ...

Somerset 1 (2009–present)

Despite widespread restructuring by the

at the end of the 2008–09 season, Somerset 1 remained a tier 9 league, with promotion continuing to Somerset Premier, while relegation to either

. The league would continued to be sponsored by

Number of league titles

* Minehead Barbarians (3) *

Chard Chard (; '' Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'', Cicla Group and Flavescens Group) is a green leafy vegetable. In the cultivars of the Flavescens Group, or Swiss chard, the leaf stalks are large and often prepared separately from the leaf b ...

(2) *

(2) * Gordano (2) * Nailsea & Backwell (2) * St. Bernadette's Old Boys (2) *

Winscombe Winscombe is a large village in the North Somerset unitary district of Somerset, South West England, close to the settlements of Axbridge and Cheddar, on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, southeast of Weston-super-Mare and southwest of ...

(2) * Avon (1) * Bridgwater & Albion II (1) * Bristol Barbarians (1) * Bristol Harlequins (1) *

(1) *

Chew Valley The Chew Valley is an affluent area in North Somerset, England, named after the River Chew, which rises at Chewton Mendip, and joins the River Avon at Keynsham. Technically, the area of the valley is bounded by the water catchment area of ...

(1) * Clevedon II (1) *

(1) * Hornets II (1) *

Midsomer Norton Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, Somerset, Bath, north-east of Wells, Somerset, Wells, north-west of Frome, west of Trowbridge and south-east of Bristol. It has ...

(1) * Old Culverhaysians (1) * Old Redcliffians II (1) * Old Sulians (1) * Oldfield Old Boys (1) *

Tor Tor, TOR or ToR may refer to: Places * Toronto, Canada ** Toronto Raptors * Tor, Pallars, a village in Spain * Tor, former name of Sloviansk, Ukraine, a city * Mount Tor, Tasmania, Australia, an extinct volcano * Tor Bay, Devon, England * Tor ...

(1) *

(1) * Wells (1) *

Wiveliscombe Wiveliscombe (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Taunton. The town has a population of 2,893. The Square, fronted by several listed structures, held the former market. The parish includes the nearby hamlet o ...

(1)

Notes

References

{{Rugby union in England 9 Rugby union in Somerset Rugby union in Bristol

Teams 2025-26

North

South

Teams 2024–25

North

South

Teams 2023–24

North

South

Teams 2022–23

North

South

Teams 2021–22

2020–21

Teams 2019–20

Original teams

Somerset 1 honours

Somerset 1 (1987–1993)

Somerset 1 (1993–1996)

Somerset 1 (1996–2000)

Somerset 1 (2000–2006)

Somerset 1 (2006–2009)

Somerset 1 (2009–present)

Number of league titles

Notes

See also

References