Current season or competition: 2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 | (as Bucks/Oxon 1)
Number of teams | 11 |
Country | England |
Holders |
Gosford All Blacks (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Southern Counties North) |
Most titles | Amersham & Chiltern, Bicester, Chipping Norton, Gosford All Blacks, Newbury Stags, Slough (2 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.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.
In February 2022 Drifters RFC withdrew from the league with their fixtures liquidated meaning it will be completed with eleven teams.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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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.
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.
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 |
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Bucks/Oxon 1) contained the following teams from Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire:
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.
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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.
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]
| ||||||||||||||
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 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
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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.
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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. |
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).
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]).
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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. |
Current season or competition: 2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 | (as Bucks/Oxon 1)
Number of teams | 11 |
Country | England |
Holders |
Gosford All Blacks (2nd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Southern Counties North) |
Most titles | Amersham & Chiltern, Bicester, Chipping Norton, Gosford All Blacks, Newbury Stags, Slough (2 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.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.
In February 2022 Drifters RFC withdrew from the league with their fixtures liquidated meaning it will be completed with eleven teams.
|
|
|
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
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.
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 |
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Bucks/Oxon 1) contained the following teams from Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire:
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.
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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.
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]
| ||||||||||||||
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 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
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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.
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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).
| ||||||||||||||
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. |
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]).
| ||||||||||||||
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. |