Counties 1 Western North (known as Counties 1 Tribute Western North for sponsorship purposes) is an English rugby union league. Originally a single division called Western Counties, in 1996 the division split into two regional leagues called Western Counties North and Western Counties West. Western Counties North was renamed Counties 1 Western North prior to the 2022âÂÂ23 season and is currently a seventh tier league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. The current champions are Cleve.
The champions are promoted to Regional 2 Severn. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually two or three to Counties 2 Gloucestershire North / South and Counties 2 Somerset.
The season runs from September to March 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 as follows:
Departing were Cleve promoted to Regional 2 Severn while Cinderford 2XV and Burnham-on-Sea were relegated.
Departing were Longlevens, in second place were promoted to Regional 2 Severn instead of the champions Cinderford 2XV as league regulations to not allow second teams to be promoted to a level six league. Chipping Sodbury were relegated to Counties 2 Gloucestershire South and Clevedon and Midsomer Norton were relegated to Counties 2 Somerset. With four teams leaving and five joining the league was restored to twelve sides.
Departing were 2nd placed Burnham-on-Sea, promoted to Regional 1 South West. Although Cinderford 2XV finished top, owing to league regulations Cinderford were unable to be promoted. Avonmouth Old Boys and Cheltenham North were relegated. Barton Hill, 7th in 2022âÂÂ23, did not return for the new season and with four teams departing and three joining, the league ran with eleven sides last season.
Spartans, 11th in 2019âÂÂ20, withdrew during the season leaving the league to complete with thirteen clubs.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.
In the play-off for promotion, Midsomer Norton played Crediton from Western Counties West for promotion to South West 1 West. Midsomer Norton had the best playing record and hosted the match, losing 15 â 19. This was the first time either team had participated in the play-offs, at this level, and Crediton's win was the sixth time the away team had won match. Teams from Western Counties North lead 10âÂÂ9 in the nineteen play-off matches played since 2001.
The season started on 2 September and the final league matches were due to be completed by 21 April 2018, with the promotion play-off the following week.
Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties West and Western Counties North, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Chew Valley, host the match, and for the second successive season they lost, this time to Devonport Services 12 â 22. It is the first time Devonport Services are promoted to a level six league. This match was the eighteenth play-off for promotion; the northern sides lead with ten victories to the west's eight and the home teams are leading thirteen to five.
Each season, the runners-up in Western Counties North and Western Counties West, participate in a play-off for promotion to South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Chew Valley, host the match and they lost to their opponents Cullompton 12 â 29.
The 2015âÂÂ16 Tribute Western Counties North consists of fourteen teams; six from Somerset, four from Gloucestershire, three from Bristol and one from Wiltshire. The season started on 5 September 2015 and is finishes on 30 April 2016.
Nine of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014âÂÂ15 champions Coney Hill and runners up Newent (who won their playoff game) were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West while Bristol Saracens and North Bristol were relegated to the Gloucester Premier and Stothert & Pitt to the Tribute Somerset Premier.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Western Counties) contained the following teams:
Originally Western Counties North and Western Counties West was a single division called Western Counties (sponsored by Courage), involving teams based in the south-west of England including Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester and Somerset. Each team played one match against each of the other teams with the winning team awarded two points; there was one point for each team in a drawn match. It was a tier 7 league with promotion up to South West 2 and relegation to either Cornwall/Devon or Gloucestershire/Somerset.
At the end of the 1992âÂÂ93 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 Western 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 down to either Cornwall/Devon or Gloucestershire/Somerset. The league continued to be sponsored by Courage.
Major restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season saw Western Counties split into two separate leagues, Western Counties North and Western Counties West, which reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South. Promotion from Western Counties North was to the new South West 2 West division (formerly South West 2) while relegation was to Gloucestershire/Somerset.
Western Counties North remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 West. Relegation was to either Gloucester Premier or Somerset Premier following the cancellation of Gloucestershire/Somerset at the end of the 1999âÂÂ00 season. From the 2008âÂÂ09 season the league sponsor was Tribute.
Despite widespread league restructuring by the RFU, Western Counties North continues as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 West (formerly South West 2 West) and relegation to either Gloucester Premier or Somerset Premier. Tribute continue to sponsor the league.
Following league reorganisation, Western Counties North is renamed Counties 1 Western North and continues to be a tier 7 league. Promotion is to Regional 2 South West and relegation to Counties 2 Gloucester or Counties 2 Somerset. Tribute continue to sponsor the league.
Since the 2000âÂÂ01 season there has been a one-off promotion play-off game played between the league runners-up of Western Counties North and Western Counties West for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 West, with the team with the superior league record having home advantage in the tie. As of the end of the 2018âÂÂ19 season the northern sides have been the more successful with ten victories to the west's nine while the home team has won thirteen times compared to the away teams six.
The Western Counties League and South West 2 were part of the Courage Clubs Championship and was sponsored by Courage Brewery from the first season, 1987âÂÂ88 to season 1996âÂÂ97. The league was unsponsored until season 2007âÂÂ08 when St Austell Brewery sponsored South-west based leagues under the Tribute Ale label.