Counties 4 Somerset South (formerly known as Somerset 2 South or Tribute Somerset 2 South for sponsorship reasons) is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Counties 4 Somerset North. 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.
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 South while relegated teams used to drop to Somerset 3 South but since the RFU Adult Competition Review they instead now join county merit leagues.
Teams 2026-27
Departing were Burnham-on-Sea II (champions) and Somerton (runners-up), both promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South.
North Petherton III were originally allocated to the league but withdrew before the season began.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bridgwater & Albion III Bath Road 5,000 Bridgwater, Somerset 8th Crewkerne Henhayes Recreation Ground Crewkerne Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset South Hornets IV Hutton Moor Park Weston-super-Mare Re-entry Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 4th Morganians Chedzoy Lane Bridgwater 3rd Tor II Brian Harbinson Memorial Park Glastonbury, Somerset 9th Wellington II Athletic Ground Wellington Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset South Wells II Charter Way Wells 5th Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground Weston-super-Mare, Somerset 6th Wincanton Wincanton Sports Ground Wincanton, Somerset 7th Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil 10th
Teams 2025–26
Departing were Wiveliscombe II (champions) and Martock (runners-up), both promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South.
North Petherton III were originally placed in the league but subsequently withdrew. Subsequently Hornets IV (10th in 2024-25) also withdrew leaving ten clubs to contest the outstanding fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bridgwater & Albion III Bath Road 5,000 Bridgwater, Somerset 9th Burnham-on-Sea II BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea 3rd Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 4th Morganians Chedzoy Lane Bridgwater 8th Somerton Gasson's Lane Somerton Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset South Tor II Brian Harbinson Memorial Park Glastonbury, Somerset 7th Wells II Charter Way Wells Level transfer from Counties 4 Somerset North (8th) Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground Weston-super-Mare, Somerset 5th Wincanton Wincanton Sports Ground Wincanton, Somerset Re-entry Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil 6th
Teams 2024–25
Departing were Wyvern (champions), promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South. Wells II (5th) and Yatton II (7th) moved on a level transfer to Counties 4 Somerset North.
Joining were Bridgwater & Albion III, Burnham-on-Sea II and Wiveliscombe II.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bridgwater & Albion III Bath Road 5,000 Bridgwater, Somerset Burnham-on-Sea II BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea Hornets IV Hutton Moor Park Weston-super-Mare 4th Martock The Recreation Ground Martock 3rd Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 6th Morganians Chedzoy Lane Bridgwater 2nd Tor II Brian Harbinson Memorial Park Glastonbury, Somerset 10th Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground Weston-super-Mare, Somerset 8th Wiveliscombe II Recreational Ground Wiveliscombe Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil 9th
Teams 2023–24
Departing were Burnham-on-Sea II, Cheddar Valley and Crewkerne, promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South. Wincanton (9th) were relegated.
Joining were Hornets IV, Morganians, Wells II, Wyvern and Yeovil II.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Hornets IV Hutton Moor Park Weston-super-Mare Promoted from Merit Leagues Martock The Recreation Ground Martock 7th Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 8th Morganians Chedzoy Lane Bridgwater Promoted from Merit Leagues Tor II Brian Harbinson Memorial Park Glastonbury, Somerset 6th Wells II Charter Way Wells Relegated from Counties 3 Somerset South Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground Weston-super-Mare, Somerset 4th Wyvern Mountfields road Taunton Promoted from Merit Leagues Yatton II The Park Yatton, Somerset 5th Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil Promoted from Merit Leagues
Teams 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review.
Departing were Chard, Wiveliscombe II, Somerton, Wells II and Castle Cary (1st - 5th in that order) all promoted to Counties 3 Somerset South. Yeovil II (6th), Winscombe II (7th) and Wyvern (10th) did not return for the new season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Burnham-on-Sea II BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea 8th Cheddar Valley II Sharpham Road Cheddar 11th Crewkerne Henhayes Recreation Ground Crewkerne Relegated from Somerset Premier (14h) Martock The Recreation Ground Martock 12th Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 9th Tor II Brian Harbinson Memorial Park Glastonbury, Somerset Promoted from Somerset 3 South Weston-super-Mare III Recreation Ground Weston-super-Mare, Somerset Level transfer from Counties 4 Somerset North (6th) Wincanton Wincanton Sports Ground Wincanton, Somerset Promoted from Somerset 3 South Yatton II The Park Yatton, Somerset Level transfer from Counties 4 Somerset North (9th)
Teams 2021–22
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Burnham-on-Sea II BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea 9th Castle Cary Brook House Field Castle Cary 7th Chard II The Park, Essex Close Chard 4th Cheddar Valley II Sharpham Road Cheddar Promoted from Somerset 3 South (Champions) Martock The Recreation Ground Martock Promoted from Somerset 3 South (runners-up) Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 8th Somerton Gasson's Lane Somerton 2nd Wells II Charter Way Wells 5th Winscombe II Recreation Ground 1,200 Winscombe Transfer from Somerset 2 North (6th) Wiveliscombe II Recreational Ground Wiveliscombe 3rd Wyvern Mountfields road Taunton 6th Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil 10th
2020–21 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
Teams 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Burnham-on-Sea II BASC Ground Burnham-on-Sea 9th Castle Cary Brook House Field Castle Cary Relegated from Somerset 1 (12th) Chard II The Park, Essex Close Chard 5th Minehead Barbarians II The Tom Stewart Field Minehead 7th Morganians Chedzoy Lane Bridgwater 3rd Somerton Gasson's Lane Somerton 6th Wells II Charter Way Wells Transfer from Somerset 2 North (11th) Wiveliscombe II Recreational Ground Wiveliscombe 10th Wyvern Mountfields road Taunton Promoted from Somerset 3 South (runners up) Yeovil II Yeovil Showground Yeovil 4th
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 South (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 South. From the 2007–08 season onward the league sponsor would be Tribute.
Somerset 2 SouthSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsRef 2006–07 5 Bridgwater & Albion II Taunton II No relegation 2007–08 11 Taunton II Weston-super-Mare II Morganians 2008–09 11 Weston-super-Mare II Bridgwater & Albion III No relegation Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Somerset 2 South (2009–present)
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Somerset 2 South and its counterpart Somerset 2 South remained as tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Somerset 1, while relegation was to Somerset 3 South. The league continued to be sponsored by Tribute.
Somerset 2 SouthSeasonNo. of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated teamsRef 2009–10 13 Wellington II Bridgwater & Albion III No relegation 2010–11 13 Castle Cary Wells II No relegation 2011–12 13 Chard II North Petherton II No relegation 2012–13 13 Crewkerne Cheddar Valley Martock 2013–14 12 Cheddar Valley Tor II No relegation 2014–15 13 Wyvern Hornets III Yeovil II, Wellington 2015–16 14 Wells II Hornets III Frome III 2016–17 13 Morganians North Petherton II Midsomer Norton III 2017–18 13 Castle Cary Winscombe II Tor II 2018–19 12 Taunton III Winscombe II Bridgwater & Albion III, Martock 2019–20 10 Morganians Somerton No relegation 2020–21 Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles
Avonvale (2) Castle Cary (2) Crewkerne (2) Morganians (2) Wells (2) Winscombe (2) Avon (1) Bath Old Edwardians (1) Blagdon (1) Bridgwater & Albion II (1) Bristol Barbarians (1) Broadplain (1) Chard II (1) Cheddar Valley (1) Imperial (1) North Petherton (1) Old Sulians (1) St. Bernadette's Old Boys (1) Stothert & Pitt Taunton II (1) Taunton III (1) Tor (1) Wellington II (1) Wells II (1) Weston-super-Mare II (1) Wiveliscombe (1) Wyvern (1)
Notes
See also South West Division RFU Somerset RFU Somerset Premier Somerset 1 Somerset 2 North Somerset 3 North Somerset 3 South English rugby union system Rugby union in England
References