Gloucester Premier

Gloucester Premier is an English rugby union league which sits at the eighth level of league rugby union in England with teams largely being based in the county of Gloucestershire and Bristol. Originally a single division called Gloucestershire/Somerset, in 2000 the division split into two county leagues called Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier.

The league champions are automatically promoted to Western Counties North while the runner-up play the runner-up from Somerset Premier for the third promotion place. Relegated teams drop down into Gloucester 1. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.

Teams 2021–22
St Mary's Old Boys and Berry Hill who finished 9th and 10th respectively in 2019-20 but will play in Gloucester 1 in the current season. Their places were taken by Clifton II and Dings Crusaders II.

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

Teams 2015–16
The 2015–16 Gloucester Premier consisted of twelve teams from Gloucestershire and Bristol. The season started on 5 September 2015 and the last match was played on 23 April 2016. Eight of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition.

Teams 2014–15
Stroud are champions and along with the runner-up Whitehall (play-off winner) were promoted to Western Counties North. Painswick and Gordon League were relegated to Gloucester 1.


 * Berry Hill (relegated from Western Counties North)
 * Bream (promoted from Gloucester 1)
 * Cheltenham Saracens (promoted from Gloucester 1)
 * Cirencester (relegated from Western Counties North)
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gordon League
 * Hucclecote
 * Painswick
 * St. Mary's Old Boys
 * Stroud
 * Tewkesbury
 * Whitehall

Teams 2013–14

 * Bristol Saracens
 * Dursley
 * Frampton Cotterill
 * Gordon League
 * Hucclecote (promoted from Gloucester 1)
 * Newent (promoted from Gloucester 1)
 * Painswick
 * Southmead
 * Stroud
 * St Mary's Old Boys
 * Tewkesbury
 * Whitehall

Teams 2012–13

 * Bristol Saracens
 * Drybrook
 * Dursley
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gordon League
 * Painswick
 * Southmead
 * Stroud
 * St Mary's Old Boys (SW)
 * Tewkesbury
 * Whitehall
 * Widden Old Boys

Teams 2011–12

 * Bishopston
 * Bristol Saracens
 * Drybrook
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Longlevens
 * Old Bristolians
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Southmead
 * St. Mary's Old Boys
 * Tewkesbury
 * Widden Old Boys

Teams 2010–11

 * Bristol Saracens
 * Brockworth
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gloucester Old Boys
 * Old Bristolians
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Ross-on-Wye RFC
 * Southmead
 * Tewkesbury
 * Whitehall RFC
 * Widden Old Boys

Teams 2009–10

 * Bristol Saracens
 * Cirencester
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gloucester Old Boys
 * Hucclecote
 * Matson
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Ross-on-Wye RFC
 * Spartans
 * Tewkesbury
 * Whitehall

Teams 2008–09

 * Bristol Saraces
 * Cirencester
 * Drybrook
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gloucester Old Boys
 * Hucclecote
 * Matson
 * Old Bristolians
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Spartans
 * Whitehall

Teams 2007–08

 * Aretians
 * Cirencester
 * Drybrook
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Gloucester Old Boys
 * Hartpury College
 * Hucclecote
 * Matson
 * North Bristol
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Whitehall

Teams 2006–07

 * Aretians
 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Cirencester
 * Drybrook
 * Frampton Cotterell
 * Longlevens
 * Matson
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Painswick
 * Widden Old Boys
 * Whitehall

Teams 2005–06

 * Aretians
 * Barton Hill
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils
 * Drybrook
 * Longlevens
 * Matson
 * Old Colstonians
 * Old Richians
 * Painswick
 * Widden Old Boys

Teams 2004–05

 * Aretians
 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Barton Hill
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils
 * Longlevens
 * North Bristol
 * Old Richians
 * Painswick
 * Southmead
 * Tewkesbury

Teams 2003–04

 * Aretians
 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Cheltenham North
 * Chipping Sodbury
 * Cirencester
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils
 * Longlevens
 * North Bristol
 * Old Bristolians
 * Painswick

Teams 2002–03

 * Aretians
 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Barton Hill
 * Cirencester
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils
 * Drybrook
 * Hucclecote
 * Longlevens
 * North Bristol
 * Painswick

Teams 2001–02

 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Barton Hill
 * Bristol Saracens
 * Cirencester
 * Chipping Sodbury
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils
 * Drybrook
 * Hucclecote
 * Longlevens
 * Spartans

Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Gloucestershire/Somerset) contained the following teams from Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset:


 * Avonmouth Old Boys
 * Cleve
 * Combe Down
 * Coney Hill
 * Gordano
 * Keynsham
 * Midsomer Norton
 * Minehead Barbarians
 * St. Brendan's Old Boys
 * Tredworth
 * Whitehall

Gloucestershire/Somerset (1987–1993)
Originally Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier were combined in a single division known as Gloucestershire/Somerset, involving teams based in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Bristol. It was tier 8 league with promotion to Western Counties and relegation to either Gloucestershire 1 or Somerset 1.

Gloucestershire/Somerset (1993–1996)
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Gloucestershire/Somerset dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Western Counties and relegation to either Gloucester 1 or Somerset 1.

Gloucestershire/Somerset (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Gloucestershire/Somerset reverted to being a tier 8 league. Further restructuring meant that promotion was now to Western Counties North, while relegation continued to either Gloucester 1 or Somerset 1.

Gloucester Premier (2000–2009)
Gloucestershire/Somerset was reorganised into two county leagues at the end of the 1999–00 season, Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier, with both leagues remaining at level 8. Promotion from Gloucester Premier was to Western Counties North and relegation to Gloucester 1. Between 2007–2009 Gloucester Premier was sponsored by High Bridge Jewellers.

Gloucester Premier (2009–present)
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Gloucester Premier remained a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to Western Counties North and relegation to Gloucester 1. From the 2017–18 season onward Gloucester Premier has been sponsored by Wadworth 6x.

Promotion play-offs
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of the Gloucester Premier and Somerset Premier for the third and final promotion place to Western Counties North. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season Gloucester Premier teams have been the most successful with thirteen wins to the Somerset Premier teams six; and the home team has won promotion on twelve occasions compared to the away teams seven.

Number of league titles

 * Drybrook (3)
 * Spartans (3)
 * Avonmouth Old Boys (2)
 * Chosen Hill Former Pupils (2)
 * Barton Hill (1)
 * Bristol Saracens (1)
 * Cheltenham North (1)
 * Chipping Sodbury (1)
 * Combe Down (1)
 * Coney Hill (1)
 * Dings Crusaders (1)
 * Gloucester Old Boys (1)
 * Hartpury College (1)
 * Keynsham (1)
 * Matson (1)
 * Newent (1)
 * North Bristol (1)
 * Old Bristolians (1)
 * Old Centralians (1)
 * Old Culverhaysians (1)
 * Old Patesians (1)
 * Old Richians (1)
 * St. Bernadette's Old Boys (1)
 * St. Mary's Old Boys (1)
 * Stroud (1)
 * Thornbury (1)
 * Whitehall (1)