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Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier

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Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987) (as Bucks/Oxon 1)
Number of teams11
Country England
HoldersGosford All Blacks (2nd title) (2019–20)
(promoted to Southern Counties North)
Most titlesAmersham & Chiltern, Bicester, Chipping Norton, Gosford All Blacks, Newbury Stags, Slough (2 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier is a division at level 8 of the English rugby union system featuring teams from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Promoted teams usually move up to Southern Counties North while relegated teams used to drop to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship, although this division has been discontinued as of the end of the 2018–19 season. Each year three teams (one each from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire unions) are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase (a level 8 national cup competition).

When the league was introduced in 1987 it was known as Bucks/Oxon 1 and was set up originally for teams from Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. It was expanded to include teams from Berkshire (who had been playing teams from Dorset and Wiltshire) from the 2000–01 season onwards.

Teams 2021–22

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In February 2022 Drifters RFC withdrew from the league with their fixtures liquidated meaning it will be completed with eleven teams.

2020–21

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.

Teams 2019–20

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Teams 2018–19

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Teams 2017–18

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Teams 2016–17

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2015–16

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The 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier consisted of twelve teams; five from Oxfordshire, four from Berkshire and three from Buckinghamshire. The season started on 12 September 2015 and the last league matches were played on 23 April 2016.

Participating teams and location

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Seven of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Reading Abbey were promoted to the Southern Counties North along with runner-up, Swindon College Old Boys, while Phoenix were relegated to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship.

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Locations of the 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Oxfordshire
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Locations of the 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Berkshire
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Locations of the 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Buckinghamshire
Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season
Abingdon Southern Sports Park Abingdon, Oxfordshire 4th
Alchester Fritwell Playing Fields Fritwell, Oxfordshire relegated from Southern Counties North (11th)
Chesham Chiltern Hills Academy Playing Fields Chesham, Buckinghamshire 8th
Chipping Norton Greystones Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire 6th
Crowthorne The Crows New Nest Reading, Berkshire promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship (runner-up)
Driftera One Pin Lane As many as you like. Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire relegated from Southern Counties North
Gosford All Blacks Stratfield Brake Kidlington, Oxfordshire 3rd
Hungerford Triangle Field Hungerford, Berkshire 5th
Milton Keynes Emerson Valley Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Relegated from Southern Counties North (12th)
Risborough Princes Risborough School Playing Fields Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship (champions)
Slough Tamblyn Fields Slough, Berkshire 9th
Tadley Tigers Red Lane Aldermaston, Berkshire relegated from London 2 South West (12th) & level transferred to league
Wheatley Holton Playing Fields Holton, Wheatley, Oxfordshire 7th

2014–15

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Participating teams

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2013–14

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Participating teams

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2012–13

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Participating teams

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  • Aylesbury Athletic
  • Bicester
  • Chipping Norton
  • Gosford All Blacks
  • Harwell
  • Hungerford
  • Littlemore
  • Phoenix
  • Risborough
  • Stow-on-the-Wold
  • Swindon College Old Boys

2011–12

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Participating teams

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  • Bicester
  • Chipping Norton
  • Drifters[2]
  • Gosford All Blacks[3]
  • Hungerford
  • Littlemore
  • Phoenix
  • Stow-on-the-Wold and District[4]
  • Swindon College Old Boys
  • Thatcham

Original teams

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When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Bucks/Oxon 1) contained the following teams from Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire:

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier honours

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Bucks/Oxon 1 (1987–1993)

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Originally known as Bucks/Oxon 1, it was a level 8 league for clubs based in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.[d] Promotion was to Southern Counties and relegation to Bucks/Oxon 2.

Bucks/Oxon 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
1987–88 12 Slough Bicester Didcot, Abingdon [7]
1988–89 11 Chiltern Littlemore Buckingham, Witney [8]
1989–90 11 Grove Littlemore Cholsey, Bicester [9]
1990–91 11 Olney Oxford Marathon Didcot, Drifters, Littlemore [10]
1991–92 11 Bicester Slough No relegation[e] [11]
1992–93 13 Oxford Marathon[f] Chiltern Wheatley, Buckingham [12]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Bucks/Oxon 1 (1993–1996)

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The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Bucks/Oxon 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Southern Counties and relegation to Bucks/Oxon 2.

Bucks/Oxon 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
1993–94 13 Amersham & Chiltern Chinnor Chipping Norton [13]
1994–95 13 Chinnor Oxford Old Boys Abingdon, Littlemore, Drifters [14]
1995–96 13 Oxford Old Boys[g] Witney[h] No relegation[i] [15]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Bucks/Oxon (1996–1997)

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The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Bucks/Oxon 1 renamed as Bucks/Oxon and once more was a tier 8 league. Further restructuring meant that promotion was now to Southern Counties North[j] and relegation was to Bucks/Oxon 2.[k]

Bucks/Oxon
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
1996–97 13 Chipping Norton Beaconsfield Didcot, Harwell, Gosford All Blacks, Abingdon
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Bucks/Oxon 1 (1997–1999)

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Bucks/Oxon would revert to its former name of Bucks/Oxon 1 for the 1997–98 season, remaining a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Southern Counties North and relegation to Bucks/Oxon 2

Bucks/Oxon 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
1997–98 7 Cholsey Pennanians Grove, Wheatley
1998–99 7 Witney Drifters No relegation[l] [16]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Bucks/Oxon (1999–2000)

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Once again Bucks/Oxon 1 became a single league known as Bucks/Oxon, remaining at tier 8. Promotion continued to Southern Counties North, while relegation would be to the new Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2.[m]

Bucks/Oxon
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
1999–00 11 Phoenix Grove Multiple teams[n] [17]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 (2000–2004)

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Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season would see Berkshire based clubs join the Bucks & Oxon leagues.[o] This meant that Bucks/Oxon 1 would be renamed Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1, remaining a tier 8 league. Promotion would continue to Southern Counties North, while relegation was to Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2.

Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
2000–01 8 Oxford Milton Keynes Berkshire Shire Hall, Littlemore [18]
2001–02 10 Bicester Wallingford Wheatley, Chesham, Bletchley [19]
2002–03 10 Henley Wanderers Phoenix Pennanians, Littlemore, Drifters [20]
2003–04 9 Bletchley Beaconsfield No relegation[p] [21]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Berks/Bucks & Oxon (2004–2009)

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Ahead of the 2004–05 season Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 was renamed to Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier, remaining a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Southern Counties North and relegation was now to Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 (formerly Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2).

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
2004–05 12 Swindon Chipping Norton Thatcham, Harwell [22]
2005–06 12 Newbury Stags Milton Keynes Farnham Royal, Chesham, Littlemore [23]
2006–07 11 Wallingford Slough Swindon College Old Boys [24]
2007–08 12 Chipping Norton Bicester Wheatley, Farnham Royal, Crowthorne [25]
2008–09 11 Newbury Stags Amersham & Chiltern No relegation [26]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (2009–present)

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Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier remained a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to Southern Counties South and relegation to the newly introduced Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship (last known as Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2[q]).

Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
Season No of teams Champions Runners–up Relegated team(s) Ref
2009–10 11 Crowthorne Oxford Abingdon, Harwell [27]
2010–11 10 Alchester Slough No relegation [28]
2011–12 11 Drifters Thatcham Phoenix [29]
2012–13 11 Stow-on-the-Wold Swindon College Old Boys Risborough, Harwell [30]
2013–14 11 Tadley Bicester Farnham Royal, Aylesbury Athletic [31]
2014–15 10 Reading Abbey Swindon College Old Boys Phoenix [32]
2015–16 12 Gosford All Blacks Milton Keynes Chipping Norton, Wheatley [33]
2016–17 11 Swindon College Old Boys Drifters Phoenix, Risborough [34]
2017–18 10 Slough Littlemore Abingdon [35]
2018–19 11 Chesham Didcot Risborough [36]
2019–20 11[r] Gosford All Blacks Milton Keynes Oxford [37]
2020–21 11
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

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Notes

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  1. ^ Littlemore dropped out of the league in December 2019.[1]
  2. ^ Chiltern were renamed as Amersham & Chiltern in 1992.[5]
  3. ^ Pennanians were renamed as Farnham Royal RFC in 2005.[6]
  4. ^ Berkshire based clubs would not join the division until 2000, having originally been involved in the Berks/Dorset/Wilts leagues.
  5. ^ Due to restructuring of the majority of south west leagues increasing from 11 to 13 teams for the following season, there was no relegation.
  6. ^ Despite winning the league, champions Oxford Marathon would not be promoted.
  7. ^ Oxford Old Boys would merge with Oxford Marathon the following season to form Oxford Harlequins.
  8. ^ The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that seven clubs were promoted including Slough, Buckingham, Oxford Marathon, Grove and Milton Keynes.
  9. ^ Restructuring caused by the cancellation of National League 5 South meant that there was no relegation.
  10. ^ Southern Counties was split into Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South as part of RFU restructuring at the end of the 1995–96 season.
  11. ^ Although Bucks/Oxon 2 was cancelled for the 1996–97 season it would return the following year, meaning that was still relegation from Bucks/Oxon.
  12. ^ No relegation as Bucks & Oxon would merge with Bucks & Oxon 2 to reform as a single division – Bucks & Oxon – for the following season.
  13. ^ Berkshire based clubs would leave the Dorset & Wilts leagues at the end of the 1999–00 season to join the Bucks/Oxon leagues.
  14. ^ The reintroduction of Bucks/Oxon 2 for the following season, meant that fives clubs were relegated, including Gosford All Blacks, Harwell, Abingdon, Didcot and Wheatley.
  15. ^ Previously Berkshire clubs played in the Berks/Dorset/Wilts leagues.
  16. ^ No relegation as league would expand to 12 teams for the next season.
  17. ^ Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season.
  18. ^ League reduced from 12 to 11 teams by December 2019 when Littlemore dropped out of the league.[1]
  19. ^ Both of Amersham & Chiltern's titles were won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1, and one of the titles when the club was Chiltern RFC.
  20. ^ One of Bicester's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  21. ^ One of Chipping Norton's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon.
  22. ^ One of Slough's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  23. ^ Chinnor's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  24. ^ Cholsey's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  25. ^ Grove's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  26. ^ Olney's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  27. ^ Oxford's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
  28. ^ Oxford Marathon merged with Oxford Old Boys in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.
  29. ^ Oxford Old Boys merged with Oxford Marathon in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.
  30. ^ Phoenix's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon.
  31. ^ Witney's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "NEW LEAGUE STRUCTURES ANNOUNCED". Littlemore RFC. 1 June 2020.
  2. ^ Drifters RFC
  3. ^ Gosford All Blacks RFC
  4. ^ Stow-on-the-Wold and District RFC
  5. ^ "80 seasons at Amersham & Chiltern RFC" (PDF). Roger Cook. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  6. ^ "HISTORY". Farnham Royal RFC. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. ^ Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1988). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1988–89 (17th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 123–139. ISBN 0 356 15884 5.
  8. ^ Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1989). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1989–90 (18th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 133–136. ISBN 0 356 17862 5.
  9. ^ Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1990). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1990–91 (19th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 143–146. ISBN 0 356 19162 1.
  10. ^ Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1991). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1991–92 (20th ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0 356 20249 6.
  11. ^ Johns, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1992). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1992–93 (21st ed.). London: Rothmans Publications Ltd. pp. 176–179. ISBN 0 7472 7907 1.
  12. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993–94 (22nd ed.). London: Headline Book Publishing Ltd. pp. 157–160. ISBN 0 7472 7891 1.
  13. ^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
  14. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
  15. ^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
  16. ^ "1998–99 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  17. ^ "1999-00 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  18. ^ "2000–01 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  19. ^ "2001–02 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  20. ^ "2002–03 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  21. ^ "2003–04 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  22. ^ "2004–05 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  23. ^ "2005–06 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  24. ^ "2006–07 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  25. ^ "2007–08 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  26. ^ "2008–09 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  27. ^ "2009–10 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  28. ^ "2010–11 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  29. ^ "2011–12 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  30. ^ "2012–13 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  31. ^ "2013–14 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  32. ^ "2014–15 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  33. ^ "2015–16 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  34. ^ "2016–17 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  35. ^ "2017–18 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  36. ^ "2018–19 South-West Division". England Rugby. Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  37. ^ "Men's South West Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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