Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
Division of the English rugby union system
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
In February 2022 Drifters RFC withdrew from the league with their fixtures liquidated meaning it will be completed with eleven teams.
Team
Ground
Capacity
Town/Village
Previous season
Abingdon
Southern Sports Park
Abingdon , Oxfordshire
4th
Aldermaston
Recreational Society
Aldermaston , Berkshire
Promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2
Bletchley
Manor Fields
Bletchley , Buckinghamshire
7th
Chesham
Chiltern Hills Academy
Chesham , Buckinghamshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (11th)
Chipping Norton
Greystones
Chipping Norton , Oxfordshire
3rd
Crowthorne
The Crows New Nest
Crowthorne , Berkshire
Promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2
Didcot
Boundary Park
Didcot , Oxfordshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (12th)
Hungerford
Triangle Field
Hungerford , Berkshire
9th
Slough
Tamblyn Fields
Slough , Buckinghamshire
6th
Tadley Tigers
Red Lane
Aldermaston , Berkshire
8th
Wheatley
Holton Playing Field of Dreams
Holton , Wheatley , Oxfordshire
5th
Locations of the 2021–22 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams
2020–21
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
Teams 2019–20
Team
Ground
Capacity
Town/Village
Previous season
Abingdon
Southern Sports Park
Abingdon , Oxfordshire
Promoted from BBO Championship (runners up)
Bletchley
Manor Fields
Bletchley , Buckinghamshire
10th
Chipping Norton
Greystones
Chipping Norton , Oxfordshire
Promoted from BBO Championship (champions)
Drifters
Farnham Common
Farnham Common , Buckinghamshire
8th
Gosford All Blacks
Stratfield Brake
Kidlington , Oxfordshire
5th
Hungerford
Triangle Field
Hungerford , Berkshire
9th
Littlemore[ a]
Oxford Academy
Littlemore , Oxford , Oxfordshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (12th)
Milton Keynes
Emerson Valley
Shenley Brook End , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire
3rd
Oxford
North Hinksey Park
North Hinksey , Oxford , Oxfordshire
6th
Slough
Tamblyn Fields
Slough , Buckinghamshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (11th)
Tadley Tigers
Red Lane
Aldermaston , Berkshire
4th
Wheatley
Holton Playing Field of Dreams
Holton , Wheatley , Oxfordshire
7th
Locations of the 2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Oxfordshire
Locations of the 2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Berkshire
Locations of the 2019–20 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Buckinghamshire
Teams 2018–19
Team
Ground
Capacity
Town/Village
Previous season
Bletchley
Manor Fields
Bletchley , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire
8th
Chesham
Chiltern Hills Academy
Chesham , Buckinghamshire
3rd
Didcot
Edmunds Park
Didcot , Oxfordshire
6th
Drifters
Farnham Common
Farnham Common , Buckinghamshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (12th)
Gosford All Blacks
Stratfield Brake
Kidlington , Oxfordshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (11th)
Hungerford
Triangle Field
Hungerford , Berkshire
9th
Milton Keynes
Emerson Valley
Shenley Brook End , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire
7th
Oxford
North Hinksey Park
North Hinksey , Oxford , Oxfordshire
Promoted from BBO Championship (runners up)
Risborough
Princes Risborough School
Princes Risborough , Buckinghamshire
Promoted from BBO Championship (champions)
Tadley Tigers
Red Lane
Aldermaston , Berkshire
5th
Wheatley
Holton Playing Fields
Holton , Wheatley , Oxfordshire
4th
Locations of the 2018–19 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Oxfordshire
Locations of the 2018–19 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Berkshire
Locations of the 2018–19 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Buckinghamshire
Teams 2017–18
Team
Ground
Capacity
Town/Village
Previous season
Abingdon
Southern Sports Park
Abingdon , Oxfordshire
8th
Bletchley
Manor Fields
Bletchley , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (12th)
Chesham
Chiltern Hills Academy
Chesham , Buckinghamshire
4th
Didcot
Edmunds Park
Didcot , Oxfordshire
5th
Hungerford
Triangle Field
Hungerford , Berkshire
6th
Littlemore
Oxford Academy
Littlemore , Oxford , Oxfordshire
Promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship (champions)
Milton Keynes
Emerson Valley
Shenley Brook End , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire
Relegated from Southern Counties North (11th)
Slough
Tamblyn Fields
Slough , Berkshire
3rd
Tadley Tigers
Red Lane
Aldermaston , Berkshire
9th
Wheatley
Holton Playing Fields
Holton , Wheatley , Oxfordshire
Promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship (runners up)
Locations of the 2017–18 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Oxfordshire
Locations of the 2017–18 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Berkshire
Locations of the 2017–18 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Buckinghamshire
Teams 2016–17
2015–16
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
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 .
Locations of the 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Oxfordshire
Locations of the 2015–16 Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier teams in Berkshire
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
Participating teams
2013–14
Participating teams
2012–13
Participating teams
Aylesbury Athletic
Bicester
Chipping Norton
Gosford All Blacks
Harwell
Hungerford
Littlemore
Phoenix
Risborough
Stow-on-the-Wold
Swindon College Old Boys
2011–12
Participating teams
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
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
Bucks/Oxon 1 (1987–1993)
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 (1993–1996)
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 (1996–1997)
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 1 (1997–1999)
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 (1999–2000)
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.
Berks/Bucks & Oxon 1 (2000–2004)
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 (2004–2009)
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 (2009–present)
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] ).
Number of league titles
Notes
^ Littlemore dropped out of the league in December 2019.[ 1]
^ Chiltern were renamed as Amersham & Chiltern in 1992.[ 5]
^ Pennanians were renamed as Farnham Royal RFC in 2005.[ 6]
^ Berkshire based clubs would not join the division until 2000, having originally been involved in the Berks/Dorset/Wilts leagues .
^ Due to restructuring of the majority of south west leagues increasing from 11 to 13 teams for the following season, there was no relegation.
^ Despite winning the league, champions Oxford Marathon would not be promoted.
^ Oxford Old Boys would merge with Oxford Marathon the following season to form Oxford Harlequins .
^ 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 .
^ Restructuring caused by the cancellation of National League 5 South meant that there was no relegation.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ No relegation as Bucks & Oxon would merge with Bucks & Oxon 2 to reform as a single division – Bucks & Oxon – for the following season.
^ Berkshire based clubs would leave the Dorset & Wilts leagues at the end of the 1999–00 season to join the Bucks/Oxon leagues.
^ 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 .
^ Previously Berkshire clubs played in the Berks/Dorset/Wilts leagues .
^ No relegation as league would expand to 12 teams for the next season.
^ Berks/Bucks & Oxon 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2003–04 season.
^ League reduced from 12 to 11 teams by December 2019 when Littlemore dropped out of the league.[ 1]
^ 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.
^ One of Bicester's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ One of Chipping Norton's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon.
^ One of Slough's titles was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Chinnor's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Cholsey's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Grove's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Olney's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Oxford's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
^ Oxford Marathon merged with Oxford Old Boys in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins .
^ Oxford Old Boys merged with Oxford Marathon in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins .
^ Phoenix's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon.
^ Witney's title was won back when the league was known as Bucks/Oxon 1.
See also
References
^ a b "NEW LEAGUE STRUCTURES ANNOUNCED" . Littlemore RFC . 1 June 2020.
^ Drifters RFC
^ Gosford All Blacks RFC
^ Stow-on-the-Wold and District RFC
^ "80 seasons at Amersham & Chiltern RFC" (PDF) . Roger Cook. Retrieved 3 October 2020 .
^ "HISTORY" . Farnham Royal RFC. Retrieved 3 October 2020 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ 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 .
^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95 . London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4 .
^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96 . London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4 .
^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97 . London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0 .
^ "1998–99 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "1999-00 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2000–01 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2001–02 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2002–03 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2003–04 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2004–05 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2005–06 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2006–07 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2007–08 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2008–09 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2009–10 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2010–11 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2011–12 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2012–13 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2013–14 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2014–15 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2015–16 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2016–17 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2 May 2017 .
^ "2017–18 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 21 April 2018 .
^ "2018–19 South-West Division" . England Rugby . Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 13 April 2018 .
^ "Men's South West Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF) . England Rugby . Retrieved 25 April 2020 .
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