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Counties 1 Southern North (formerly known as Southern Counties North) is a division at level 7 of the English rugby union system.[1] 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 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.
Current season or competition: 2023–24 Counties 1 Southern North | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 (as Southern Counties) |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Chinnor III (2022–23) |
| Most titles | High Wycombe, Witney (3 titles) |
| Website | englandrugby.com |
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.[citation needed] 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
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  Buckingham Grove Wallingford Windsor Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 1 Southern North teams
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Buckingham Grove Wallingford Windsor Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 1 Southern North teams
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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.
League table
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points for | Points against | Points diff | Try bonus | Loss bonus | Points | Points deducted | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chinnor III | 22 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 852 | 219 | 633 | 16 | 0 | 98 | |||||
| 2 | Marlow | 22 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 755 | 301 | 454 | 16 | 2 | 92 | |||||
| 3 | Wallingford | 22 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 495 | 246 | 249 | 10 | 3 | 80 | |||||
| 4 | Bicester | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 699 | 370 | 329 | 10 | 2 | 74 | |||||
| 5 | Bracknell II | 22 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 697 | 384 | 313 | 12 | 6 | 68 | |||||
| 6 | Milton Keynes | 22 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 462 | 486 | −24 | 9 | 0 | 58 | |||||
| 7 | Bletchley | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 352 | 563 | −211 | 7 | 3 | 39' | |||||
| 8 | Gosford All Blacks | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 385 | 586 | −201 | 5 | 5 | 38 | −5 | ||||
| 9 | Reading Abbey | 21 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 263 | 599 | −336 | 4 | 3 | 32 | |||||
| 10 | High Wycombe | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 365 | 629 | −264 | 5 | 1 | 29 | −5 | ||||
| 11 | Swindon College Old Boys (R) | 21 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 382 | 770 | −388 | 5 | 0 | 25 | |||||
| 12 | Thatcham (R) | 22 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 212 | 766 | −554 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −20 | ||||
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| Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places. Updated: 18 April 2023 Source:[7] | ||||||||||||||||
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 Aylesbury Gosford Stow Thatcham Wallingford Locations of the 2021-22 Southern Counties North teams
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Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.
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Aylesbury Buckingham Drifters Gosford Stow Thatcham Wallingford Windsor Locations of the 2017-18 Southern Counties North teams
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Aylesbury Buckingham Gosford Stow on the Wold Thatcham Wallingford Locations of the 2016-17 Southern Counties North teams
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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 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.
Aylesbury
Buckingham
Stow on the Wold
Swindon College
Thatcham
Wallingford
Locations of the 2015-16 Southern Counties North teams
Locations of the 2015-16 Southern Counties North teams in South Buckinghamshire
| Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aylesbury | Ostler's Field | Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire | 2nd (lost promotion play-off) | |
| Beaconsfield | Oak Lodge Meadow | Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire | 8th | |
| Bicester | Oxford Road | Bicester, Oxfordshire | 5th | |
| Bletchley | Manor Fields | Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire | relegated from South West 1 East (14th) | |
| Buckingham | Floyd Field | Maids Moreton, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire | relegated from South West 1 East (13th) | |
| Drifters | Farnham Common Sports Club | Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire | 9th | |
| Marlow | Riverwoods Drive | Marlow, Buckinghamshire | 7th | |
| Reading Abbey | Rosehill | Reading, Berkshire | promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (champions) | |
| Stow-on-the-Wold | Oddington Road | Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire | 4th | |
| Swindon College Old Boys | Nationwide Sports Pavilion | Swindon, Wiltshire | promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (runner-up) | |
| Thatcham | Henwicky Worthy Sports Field | Thatcham, Berkshire | 6th | |
| Wallingford | Wallingford Sports Park | Wallingford, Oxfordshire | 10th | |
- Alchester
- Aylesbury
- Beaconsfield
- Bicester (promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier)
- Drifters
- High Wycombe
- Marlow (relegated from South West 1 East)
- Milton Keynes
- Royal Wootton Bassett
- Stow-on-the-Wold
- Thatcham
- Wallingford
- Alchester
- Aylesbury
- Bletchley
- Drifters
- High Wycombe
- Milton Keynes
- Reading Abbey
- Royal Wootton Bassett
- Stow-on-the-Wold
- Swindon College Old Boys
- Thatcham
- Wallingford
- Alchester
- Aylesbury
- Buckingham
- Drifters
- Grove
- Milton Keynes
- Olney
- Reading Abbey
- Slough
- Tadley
- Thatcham
- Wallingford
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams:
- Aylesbury
- Banbury
- Bletchley
- Bracknell
- Marlow
- Oxford Marathon[a]
- Oxford Old Boys[b]
- Redingensians[c]
- Swindon
- Wimborne
- Windsor
Southern Counties (1987–1993)
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[d] and relegation to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1[e] or Bucks/Oxon 1.[f]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Redingensians | Swindon | Bracknell | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Banbury | Aylesbury | Oxford Marathon | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Marlow | Swanage & Wareham | Oxford Old Boys | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Sherborne | Windsor | Swindon, Chiltern, Slough, Bracknell | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Banbury | Aylesbury[g] | No relegation[h] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Swanage & Wareham | Dorchester | Grove | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
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.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Bournemouth | Bracknell | Royal Wootton Bassett, Redingensians | [9] | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Dorchester | Bracknell | Slough, Oxford Marathon | [10] | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Amersham & Chiltern | Bracknell[i] | No relegation[j] | [11] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Southern Counties North (1996–2000)
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 was now to the new South West 2 East[k] while relegation was now only to Bucks/Oxon 1.[l]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 10 | Stow-on-the-Wold | Bicester | Grove | ||||||||||
| 1997–98 | 10 | Slough | Olney | Milton Keynes, Witney | ||||||||||
| 1998–99 | 10 | Olney | Bicester | Farnham Royal | [12] | |||||||||
| 1999–00 | 10 | Witney | Beaconsfield | Oxford, Wallingford | [13] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
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).[m]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 11 | Windsor | Grove | Drifters, Bletchley, Phoenix | [14] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | 10 | Oxford Harlequins | Grove | Oxford, Milton Keynes, Chipping Norton | [15] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 10 | High Wycombe | Aylesbury | Wallingford, Beaconsfield, Swindon | [16] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | 10 | Aylesbury | Amersham & Chiltern | No relegation[n] | [17] | |||||||||
| 2004–05 | 12 | High Wycombe | Henley Wanderers | Phoenix, Bicester | [18] | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | 12 | Redingensians | Swindon | Slough, Stow-on-the-Wold, Olney | [19] | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | 12 | Bletchley | Tadley | Supermarine, Chipping Norton | [20] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 12 | Olney | Wallingford | Newbury Stags, Amersham & Chiltern | [21] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 12 | Buckingham | Marlow | Beaconsfield | [22] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Southern Counties North (2009–2022)
Despite widespread league restructuring by 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.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 12 | Witney | Amersham & Chiltern | Bicester, Slough | [23] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 12 | Swindon | Aylesbury | Chipping Norton, Oxford, Crowthorne | [24] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | Beaconsfield | Milton Keynes[o] | Marlborough | [25] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 12 | Buckingham | Grove | Slough, Tadley | [26] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Bletchley | Aylesbury | Swindon College Old Boys, Reading Abbey | [27] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | High Wycombe | Aylesbury | Milton Keynes, Alchester | [28] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 12 | Reading Abbey | Aylesbury | Drifters, Swindon College Old Boys | [29] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 12 | Marlow | Bicester | Bletchley, Milton Keynes | [30] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 12 | Beaconsfield | Windsor | Drifters, Gosford All Blacks | [31] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 12 | Windsor | Buckingham | Littlemore, Slough | [32] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 12 | Witney | Reading | Didcot, Chesham | [33] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 12 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | ||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | 12 | Stow-on-the-Wold | Reading | No relegation due to league reorganisation | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
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 Regional 2 South Central 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.
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 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.
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| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01[34] | Salisbury (S) | 49-20 | Grove (N) | Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire | ||||
| 2001–02[35] | Grove (N) | 30-13 | Oakmeadians (S) | Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2002–03[36] | Oakmeadians (S) | 24-17 | Aylesbury (N) | Meryick Park, Bournemouth, Dorset | ||||
| 2003–04[37] | Amersham & Chiltern (N)[q] | Tadley (S) | Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire | |||||
| 2004–05[38] | Frome (S) | 12-38 | Henley Wanderers (N) | Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset | ||||
| 2005–06[39] | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | 32-33 | Swindon (N) | Shaft Road, Monkton Combe, Somerset | ||||
| 2006–07[40] | Wootton Bassett (S) | 17-20 | Tadley (N) | Ballards Ash Sports Ground, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire | ||||
| 2007–08[41] | Wallingford (N) | 22-3 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Wallingford Sports Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2008–09[42] | Marlow (N) | 18-15 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2009–10[43] | Amersham & Chiltern (N) | 45-12 | Frome (S) | Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2010–11[44] | Aylesbury (N) | 10-39 | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | Ostler's Field, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2011–12[45] | Windsor (N) | 22-15 | Dorcester (S) | Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire | ||||
| 2012–13[46] | Grove (N) | 39-20 | Trowbridge (S) | Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2013–14[47] | Trowbridge (S) | 27-19 | Aylesbury (N) | Doric Park, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire | ||||
| 2014–15[48] | Salisbury (S) | 34-16 | Aylesbury (N) | Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire | ||||
| 2015–16[49] | Midsomer Norton (S) | 29-22 | Aylesbury (N) | Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset | ||||
| 2016–17[50] | Bicester (N) | 53-20 | Trowbridge (S) | Oxford Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2017–18[51] | Windsor (N) | 29-31 | Marlborough (S) | Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire | ||||
| 2018–19[52] | Frome (S) | 10-23 | Buckingham (N) | Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset | 400 | |||
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Frome (S) - promoted instead. | |||||||
| 2020–21 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. | |||||||
| 2021–22 | No play-off due to league reorganisation | |||||||
| Green background is the promoted team. N = Southern Counties North and S = Southern Counties South | ||||||||
- High Wycombe (3)
- Witney (3)
- Banbury (2)[r]
- Beaconsfield (2)
- Bletchley (2)
- Buckingham (2)
- Marlow (2)[s]
- Olney (2)
- Redingensians (2)[t]
- Windsor (2)
- Amersham & Chiltern (1)[u]
- Aylesbury (1)
- Bournemouth (1)[v]
- Dorchester (1)[w]
- Oxford Harlequins (1)
- Reading Abbey (1)
- Sherborne (1)[x]
- Slough (1)
- Stow-on-the-Wold (2)
- Chinnor III (1)
- Swanage & Wareham (1)[y]
- Swindon (1)
- Oxford Marathon would merge with Oxford Old Boys in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[8]
- Oxford Old Boys would merge with Oxford Marathon in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[8]
- Redingensians are currently known as Rams.
- South West 2 is currently two regional divisions - South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
- Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 no longer contains Berkshire clubs and is currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 1 South.
- Bucks/Oxon 1 has since involved Berkshire clubs and is currently known as Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
- Due to the cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and subsequent restructuring of the leagues at the end of the 1995–96 season, six clubs were promoted from Southern Counties including Chinnor, Chippenham, Marlow and Swindon.
- The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and splitting of Southern Counties into Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South at the end of the 1995–96 season, meant that there was no relegation.
- Another change at the end of the 1995–96 saw South West 2 also split into two regional divisions – South West 2 East and South West 2 West.
- Relegated Southern Counties South clubs dropped to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1.
- Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 would be renamed as Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier ahead of the 2004–05 season.
- Although the RFU website has Milton Keynes as runners up, third place Windsor actually went into the playoffs and won promotion.[25]
- The result of the 2003-04 playoff between Amersham & Chiltern and Tadley is unknown due to all the south-west promotion playoff games from this season missing from the RFU website. However, as Amersham & Chiltern were in the higher division the next season (and Tadley were not) it is assumed they won the playoff game. Amersham & Chiltern would also have hosted the game as they had a better points record in their league than Tadley did in theirs.
- Both of Banbury's titles were won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- one of Marlow's titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- One of Redingensians titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Amersham & Chiltern's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Bournemouth's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Dorchester's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Sherborne's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
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