Gloucester 3 was an English rugby union league which sat at the eleventh level of league rugby union in England for teams based in Gloucestershire as well as some in Bristol. Promoted clubs moved into Gloucester 2, and since the cancellation of Gloucester 4 at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season there had been no relegation. The division was discontinued at the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 season and Gloucester 2 was divided into north and south regional divisions.
The 2015âÂÂ16 Gloucester 3 consists of seven teams from Gloucestershire. The season starts on 12 September 2015 and is due to end on 16 April 2016. Four of the seven teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014âÂÂ15 champions Smiths and runners up Minchinhampton were promoted to the Gloucester 2 while Wotton joined from the Gloucestershire Reserve League. As it is the basement league in Gloucestershire there is no relegation.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (then a single division known as Gloucestershire 3) contained the following teams:
Originally a single division known as Gloucestershire 3, it was a tier 11 league with promotion to Gloucestershire 2 and relegation to Gloucestershire 4.
Gloucestershire 3 was shorted to Gloucester 3 for the 1991âÂÂ92 season onward. It remained a tier 11 league with promotion to Gloucester 2 and relegation to Gloucester 4.
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993âÂÂ94 season meant that Gloucester 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and relegation to Gloucester 4.
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season meant that Gloucester 3 reverted to being a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Gloucester 1 while the cancellation of Gloucester 4 meant there was no longer relegation.
Restructuring of the Gloucester leagues at the end of the 1999âÂÂ00 season saw Gloucester 3 split into two regional leagues - Gloucester 3 North and Gloucester 3 South - both at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and there was no relegation.
For the 2006âÂÂ07 season Gloucester 3 North and South were remerged back into a single Gloucester 3 division, remaining at tier 11 of the league system. Promotion continued to Gloucester 2 and there was no relegation. Between 2007 and 2009 Gloucester 3 was sponsored by High Bridge Jewellers.
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008âÂÂ09 season, Gloucester 2 remained a tier 11 league, with promotion continuing to Gloucester 1 and there was no relegation. From 2017 the league was now sponsored by Wadworth 6x. At the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 the division was disbanded and all teams promoted to the newly regionalised Gloucester 2 - Gloucester 2 North or Gloucester 2 South.
Between 2001 and 2005 there was a promotion play-off between the runners-up of Gloucester 3 North and Gloucester 3 South for the third and final promotion place to Gloucester 2. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. During the 2005âÂÂ06 season the play-offs were discontinued as Gloucester 3 would merge into one division for the 2006âÂÂ07 season. Before they were discontinued Gloucester 3 North teams have been the most successful with three wins to the Gloucester 3 South teams' two; and the home team has won promotion on all five occasions.