Counties 4 Somerset North (formerly known as Somerset 2 North or Tribute Somerset 2 North for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 2 South. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 2, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Counties 4 Somerset North currently involves teams from the northern part of Somerset as well as teams based in south and west Bristol. 1st, 2nd and even 3rd XV sides can participate in the division as long as they are not from the same club. The league champions are promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North while relegated teams used to drop to Somerset 3 North but since the RFU Adult Competition Review now drop to local merit leagues.
Teams 2026-27
Departing were Cheddar Valley (runners-up) promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North. Oldfield Old Boys II were league winners but did not go up.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bristol Barbarians Norton Lane Whitchurch, Bristol Level transfer from Counties 4 Gloucestershire (South) (11th) Chew Valley III Chew Lane Chew Magna 4th Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 6th Imperial II South Bristol Sports Centre Hengrove, Bristol 9th Keynsham III Bristol Road Keynsham 7th Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton 10th Nailsea & Backwell III West End Park Nailsea, Somerset 3rd Oldfield Old Boys II Shaft Road Monkton Combe, Bath Champions (not promoted) Yatton II The Park Yatton 5th Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath 8th
Teams 2025–26
Departing were Bristol Telephone Area (runners-up) promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North. Yatton II were league winners but could not be promoted as Yatton were already in the league above.
St Bernadettes Old Boys II (4th) did not return for the new season.
Wells II (8th) moved on a level transfer back to Counties 4 Somerset South.
Chew Valley III had been promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North for season 2024–25 but withdrew and re-entered the leagues at the bottom of the pyramid. Oldfield Old Boys II also withdrew from Counties 3 Somerset North in 2024–25 and similarly re-joined the leagues a level below.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Cheddar Valley Sharpham Road Cheddar Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset South Chew Valley III Chew Lane Chew Magna Re-entry Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 7th Imperial II South Bristol Sports Centre Hengrove, Bristol New entry Keynsham III Bristol Road Keynsham 5th Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton 3rd Nailsea & Backwell III West End Park Nailsea, Somerset 6th Oldfield Old Boys II Shaft Road Monkton Combe, Bath Re-entry Yatton II The Park Yatton Champions (not promoted) Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset North
Teams 2024–25
Departing were Chew Valley III (champions) and Walcot II (3rd), promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North. Keynsham III were runners-up but could not be promoted as Keynsham II were already in the league above.
Joining were Yatton II and Wells II.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bristol Telephone Area BTRA Sports Ground Stockwood, Bristol 4th Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 8th Keynsham III Bristol Road Keynsham 2nd Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton 5th Nailsea & Backwell III West End Park Nailsea, Somerset 6th St Bernadettes Old Boys II Whitchurch Sports Ground Whitchurch, Bristol 7th Yatton II The Park Yatton Level transfer from Counties 4 Somerset South (7th) Wells II Charter Way Wells, Somerset Level transfer from Counties 4 Somerset South (5th)
Teams 2023–24
Departing were Old Redcliffians III and Imperial II, promoted to Counties 3 Somerset North.
Joining were Bristol Telephone Area, relegated from Counties 3 Somerset North.
With two leaving and only one joining the league was reduced in size from nine clubs to eight.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bristol Telephone Area BTRA Sports Ground Stockwood, Bristol Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset North (12th) Chew Valley III Chew Lane Chew Magna 6th Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 8th Keynsham III Bristol Road Keynsham 3rd Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton 7th Nailsea & Backwell III West End Park Nailsea, Somerset 9th St Bernadettes Old Boys II Whitchurch Sports Ground Whitchurch, Bristol 5th Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath 4th
Teams 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
Departing were Gordano II (champions), Clevedon II (3rd), Oldfield Old Boys (4th) and Bristol Telephone Area (7th) to Counties 3 Somerset North whilst Hornets III (runners-up) were promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South.
Also leaving were Weston-super-Mare III (6th) and Yatton (9th) who went on a level transfer to Counties 4 Somerset South.
Bristol Barbarians (5th) moved on a level transfer to Counties 4 Gloucestershire.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Chew Valley III Chew Lane Chew Magna Promoted from Somerset 3 North (5th) Frome III Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset Promoted from Somerset 3 South (runners-up) Imperial II South Bristol Sports Centre Hengrove, Bristol Promoted from Somerset 3 North (runners-up) Keynsham III Bristol Road Keynsham Promoted from Somerset 3 North (champions) Midsomer Norton III Norton Down Playing Fields Midsomer Norton Promoted from Somerset 3 South (4th) Nailsea & Backwell III West End Park Nailsea, Somerset Promoted from Somerset 3 North (3rd) Old Redcliffians III Scotland Lane 1,000 Brislington, Bristol 8th St Bernadettes Old Boys II Whitchurch Sports Ground Whitchurch, Bristol Promoted from Somerset 3 North (4th) Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath 10th
Teams 2021–22
Winscombe II, who finished 6th in 2019–20, were level transferred to Somerset 2 South for the 2021–22 season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bristol Barbarians Norton Lane Whitchurch, Bristol 9th Bristol Telephone Area BTRA Sports Ground Stockwood, Bristol 3rd Clevedon II Coleridge Vale Playing Fields Clevedon 12th Gordano II Caswell Lane Portbury 2nd Hornets III Hutton Moor Park 1,100 (100 stand) Weston-super-Mare 5th Old Redcliffians III Scotland Lane 1,000 Brislington, Bristol 8th Oldfield Old Boys II Shaft Road Monkton Combe, Bath 4th Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath 10th Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground 3,000 Weston-super-Mare 11th Yatton II The Park Yatton 7th
2020–21 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
Teams 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bristol Barbarians Norton Lane Whitchurch, Bristol 8th Bristol Telephone Area BTRA Sports Ground Stockwood, Bristol 4th Clevedon II Coleridge Vale Playing Fields Clevedon Promoted from Somerset 3 North (champions) Gordano II Caswell Lane Portbury Runners up Hornets III Hutton Moor Park 1,100 (100 stand) Weston-super-Mare 10th Nailsea & Backwell II West End Park Nailsea Promoted from Somerset 3 North (runners up) Old Redcliffians III Scotland Lane 1,000 Brislington, Bristol 6th Oldfield Old Boys II Shaft Road Monkton Combe, Bath 7th Walcott II Albert Field Lansdown, Bath 5th Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground 3,000 Weston-super-Mare 3rd Winscombe II Recreation Ground 1,200 Winscombe Transfer from Somerset 2 South (runners up) Yatton II The Park Yatton 9th
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this league (known as Somerset 2) was a single division containing the following teams from Somerset and parts of Bristol:
Avon Bath Old Edwardians Blagdon Bristol Harlequins Chard Cheddar Valley Imperial St. Bernadette's Old Boys Stothert & Pitt Wells Winscombe
Somerset 2 honours
Somerset 2 (1987–1993)
The original Somerset 2 was a tier 10 league with promotion to Somerset 1 and relegation to Somerset 3.
Somerset 2SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated team(s)Ref 1987–88 11 St. Bernadette's Old Boys Bristol Harlequins Cheddar Valley, Chard 1988–89 12 Avonvale Yeovil Westland, Wellington 1989–90 11 Wiveliscombe Imperial St. Brendan's Old Boys 1990–91 13 Stothert & Pitt Wellington Bath Old Edwardians, Avon 1991–92 13 Wells Imperial No relegation 1992–93 13 North Petherton Chard Burnham-on-Sea, Castle Cary Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 (1993–1996)
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Somerset 2 dropped to become a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 1 and relegation to Somerset 3.
Somerset 2SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated team(s)Ref 1993–94 13 Tor Gordano Avonvale, Bath Saracens 1994–95 13 Imperial Stothert & Pitt Cheddar Valley, Westland 1995–96 13 Wells North Petherton No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 (1996–2000)
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Somerset 2 reverted to being a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 1 and relegation to Somerset 3.
Somerset 2SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated team(s)Ref 1996–97 10 Winscombe Blagdon Bath Old Edwardians, Bath Old Saracens 1997–98 10 Avon Old Ashtonian Crewkerne, Castle Cary 1998–99 10 Broadplain Bristol Barbarians Cheddar Valley, Bath Old Edwardians 1999–00 10 Avonvale Minehead Barbarians No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 (2000–2006)
Somerset 2 remained as a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 1, while the cancellation of Somerset 3 at the end of the 1999–00 season meant there was no longer relegation.
Somerset 2SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsRef 2000–01 9 Crewkerne Burnham-on-Sea No relegation 2001–02 8 Bristol Barbarians Bath Old Edwardians No relegation 2002–03 8 Winscombe Burnham-on-Sea No relegation 2003–04 7 Blagdon Avonvale No relegation 2004–05 7 Old Sulians Martock No relegation 2005–06 6 Bath Old Edwardians Somerton Multiple teams Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 North (2006–2009)
At the start of the 2006–07 Somerset 2 was split into two regional divisions - Somerset 2 North and Somerset 2 South - both remaining at tier 10 of the league system. This restructuring was to enable 2nd XV and 3rd XV sides to play in the Somerset leagues for the first time and would make up most of the teams. Promotion continued to Somerset 1 while relegation was now to Somerset 3 North. From the 2007–08 season onward the league sponsor would be Tribute.
Somerset 2 NorthSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsRef 2006–07 11 Keynsham II Walcot II Nailsea & Backwell II, Chew Valley II 2007–08 10 Old Redcliffians II Clevedon II No relegation 2008–09 12 St. Mary's Old Boys II Midsomer Norton II Stothert & Pitt II, Gordano II Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 North (2009–present)
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Somerset 2 North and its counterpart Somerset 2 South, remained as tier 10 leagues. Promotion continued to Somerset 1, while relegation was to Somerset 3 North. The league would continued to be sponsored by Tribute.