Tribute Western Counties West


Tribute Western Counties West is an English, level seven, rugby union league for clubs based in the south-west of England; mainly Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. The champions are promoted to Tribute South West 1 West and the runner-up plays the second team in Tribute Western Counties North, with the winning team also gaining promotion. The number of teams relegated depends on feedback following promotion and relegation in the leagues above, but is usually two or three to either Tribute Cornwall/Devon or Tribute Somerset Premier, depending on location.
Each year two Tribute Western Counties West sides take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - one affiliated with the Cornwall RFU, the other with the Devon RFU.

Format

The champions are promoted to South West 1 West and the second-placed team plays the runner-up from Western Counties North with the winner also promoted. The teams finishing in 13th and 14th are relegated to the Cornwall/Devon league. The season runs from September to April and comprises twenty-six 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:

Participating teams and location

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BidefordKing George's Field2,000Bideford, Devon10th
ChardThe Park, Essex CloseChard, Somerset12th
CullomptonStafford ParkCullompton, DevonRelegated from South West 1 West
FalmouthRecreation Ground3,000Falmouth, Cornwall7th
HonitonAllhallows Playing FieldHoniton, DevonPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
KingsbridgeHigh House1,000 Kingsbridge, Devon8th
PenrynMemorial Ground4,000 Penryn, CornwallPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
SaltashMoorlands LaneSaltash, Cornwall11th
St AustellTregorrick Park4,000 St Austell, Cornwall4th
TeignmouthBitton Park Sports Ground1,210 Teignmouth, DevonRelegated from South West 1 West
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devon5th
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwall6th
WellingtonAthletic GroundWellington, Somerset3rd
WiveliscombeRecreational GroundWiveliscombe, SomersetPromoted from Somerset Premier

2018–19

Participating teams and location

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BidefordKing George's Field2,000Bideford, DevonRelegated from South West 1 West
ChardThe Park, Essex CloseChard, Somerset7th
CreditonBlagdonCrediton, Devon10th
FalmouthRecreation Ground3,000Falmouth, Cornwall12th
KingsbridgeHigh House1,000 Kingsbridge, Devon4th
PaigntonQueen's Park1,650 Paignton, Devon9th
SaltashMoorlands LaneSaltash, CornwallPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
SidmouthBlackmore FieldSidmouth, Devon6th
St AustellTregorrick Park4,000 St Austell, Cornwall3rd
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devon11th
TruroSt Clement's Hill2,000Truro, Cornwall8th
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwall5th
WellingtonAthletic GroundWellington, SomersetPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
WinscombeRecreation Ground1,200Winscombe, SomersetLevel transfer from Western Counties North

2017–18

Participating teams and location

The 2017–18 Tribute Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; seven from Devon, five from Cornwall and two from Somerset. The season starts on 2 September 2017 and is due to be completed on 21 April 2018. Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2016–17 champions, Exeter University were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West, along with the play-off winners Cullompton, while Chard and Kingsbridge were relegated from that league. Bude and Wellington were relegated to Tribute Cornwall/Devon League and are replaced by Falmouth and Paignton.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/CityPrevious season
Burnham-on-SeaBASC GroundBurnham-on-Sea, Somerset12th
ChardThe Park, Essex CloseChard, SomersetRelegated from South West 1 West
CreditonBlagdonCrediton, Devon10th
Devonport ServicesThe Rectory2,000Devonport, Plymouth, Devon3rd
FalmouthRecreation Ground3,000Falmouth, CornwallPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
KingsbridgeHigh House1,000 Kingsbridge, DevonRelegated from South West 1 West
PaigntonQueen's Park1,650 Paignton, DevonPromoted from Cornwall/Devon
St AustellTregorrick Park4,000 St Austell, Cornwall7th
St IvesRecreation Ground3,000 St Ives, Cornwall6th
SidmouthBlackmore FieldSidmouth, Devon8th
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devon11th
Torquay AthleticRecreation Ground3,000 Torquay, Devon9th
TruroSt Clement's Hill2,000Truro, Cornwall4th
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwall5th

2016–17

Participating teams and location

The 2016–17 Tribute Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; seven from Devon, five from Cornwall and two from Somerset. The season began on 3 September 2016 and finished on 22 April 2017. Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition, the 2015–16 champions, Okehampton were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West, along with the play-off winners Kingsbridge. Two Cornish teams, Penryn and Saltash were relegated to Tribute Cornwall/Devon League and were replaced by Bude and St Ives. The three relegated teams from Tribute South West One were all allocated places in Tribute Western Counties North so the two most westerly teams from that division, Burnham and Wellington were transferred to this league to bring the number of teams to fourteen.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
BudeBencoolen Meadow750Bude, Cornwallpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
Burnham-on-SeaBASC GroundBurnham-on-Sea, Somersetlevel transfer from Tribute Western Counties North
CreditonBlagdonCrediton, Devon12th
CullomptonStafford ParkCullompton, Devon7th
Devonport ServicesThe Rectory2,000Devonport, Plymouth, Devon9th
Exeter UniversityDuckes Meadow, Salmon Pool LaneExeter, Devon4th
SidmouthBlackmore FieldSidmouth, Devon8th
St AustellTregorrick Park4,000 St Austell, Cornwall11th
St IvesRecreation Ground3,000 St Ives, Cornwallpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devon6th
Torquay AthleticRecreation Ground3,000 Torquay, Devon5th
TruroSt Clement's Hill2,000Truro, Cornwall3rd
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwall10th
WellingtonAthletic GroundWellington, Somersetlevel transfer from Tribute Western Counties North

League table

Promotion play-off

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 they lost to Cullompton 12 – 29.
PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Chew Valley262204822493329180106
Cullompton 262204659311348112101

2015–16

The 2015–16 Tribute Western Counties West League consists of fourteen teams; nine from Devon and five from Cornwall. The seasons started on 5 September 2015 and the last matches were played on 30 April 2016.

Participating teams and location

Ten of the fourteen teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Teignmouth were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West and Tavistock and St Ives were relegated to Tribute Cornwall/Devon League. The only team from Somerset, Wellington, was transferred to Tribute Western Counties North.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
CreditonBlagdonCrediton, Devonpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
CullomptonStafford ParkCullompton, Devonrelegated from Tribute South West 1 West
Devonport ServicesThe Rectory2,000Devonport, Plymouth, Devon6th
Exeter UniversityDuckes Meadow, Salmon Pool LaneExeter, Devon9th
KingsbridgeHigh House1,000 Kingsbridge, Devon2nd
OkehamptonShowground1,120 Okehampton, Devon7th
PenrynMemorial Ground4,000 Penryn, Cornwall11th
SaltashMoorlands LaneSaltash, Cornwallpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon
SidmouthBlackmore FieldSidmouth, Devon8th
St AustellTregorrick Park4,000 St Austell, Cornwallrelegated from Tribute South West 1 West
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devon3rd
Torquay AthleticRecreation Ground3,000 Torquay, Devon12th
TruroSt Clement's Hill2,000Truro, Cornwall4th
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwall5th

League table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Tribute Western Counties North and Tribute Western Counties West, participate in a play-off for promotion to Tribute South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Kingsbridge, hosted the match against Keynsham and won 16 – 10.
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Kingsbridge 262204745264481162108
Keynsham262024681306375144102

2014–15

Participating teams and location

The 2014–15 Tribute Western Counties West League consisted of fourteen teams; nine from Devon, four from Cornwall and one from Somerset. The season started on 6 September 2014 and finished on 18 April 2015. Teignmouth became champions with two matches to play after Exeter University had fifty points deducted for playing ineligible players. Teignmouth were promoted to Tribute South West 1 West, while the second place team, Kingsbirdge, lost to the runner-up of Tribute Western Counties North, Newent in the play-off for promotion. The last two teams, Tavistock and St Ives were relegated to Tribute Cornwall/Devon.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Devonport ServicesThe Rectory2,000Devonport, Plymouth, Devon8th
Exeter UniversityDuckes Meadow, Salmon Pool LaneExeter, Devonpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon league
KingsbridgeHigh House1,000 Kingsbridge, Devon3rd
OkehamptonShowground1,120 Okehampton, Devon9th
PenrynMemorial Ground4,000 Penryn, Cornwall6th
St IvesRecreation Ground3,000 St Ives, Cornwall12th
SidmouthBlackmore FieldSidmouth, Devonrelegated from Tribute South West 1 West
TavistockSandy ParkTavistock, Devon11th
TeignmouthBitton Sports Ground1,210 Teignmouth, Devon2nd
TivertonCoronation Field750Tiverton, Devonpromoted from Tribute Cornwall/Devon league
Torquay AthleticReceation Ground3,000Torquay, Devon7th
TruroSt Clement's Hill2,000Truro, Cornwall5th
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth Field500Wadebridge, Cornwallrelegated from Tribute South West 1 West
WellingtonAthletic GroundWellington, Somerset10th

League table

Promotion play-off

Each season, the runners-up in Tribute Western Counties North and Tribute Western Counties West, participate in a play-off for promotion to Tribute South West 1 West. The team with the best playing record, in this case Newent, hosted the match; their opponents were Kingsbridge who lost the match 26 – 28 to a stoppage time penalty.
TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPoints
Newent 262303827399428161110
Kingsbridge26180870142227912488

2013–14

Western Counties honours

In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was ten, tier seven leagues. The Western Counties League was for teams based in the south-west of England from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester and Somerset. Each team played one match against each of the other teams with the winning team awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match. This system prevailed for five seasons, and in 1992–93 the number of teams increased from eleven to thirteen. The following season Western Counties League was renamed Courage South West 2 League, and three seasons later in 1996–97 a major reorganisation occurred with South West 2 being split into two regional leagues:
  1. Courage Western Counties North consisted of sixteen teams based in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset, and each team continued to play the others once
  2. Courage Western Counties West consisted of eleven teams based in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, and each team played the other twice.

    Western Counties

South West 2

restructuring due to creating of Courage League Division 5 meant that Western Counties was renamed as South West 2 for the 1993–94 season.

Western Counties West

The league system was re-organised for 1996–97 season with South-West 2 being replaced with two divisions; Western Counties West and Western Counties North.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the 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 getting home advantage in the tie. As of the end of the 2019–20 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.

Number of league titles

Sponsorship

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, 1987–88 to season 1996–97. The league was unsponsored until season 2007–08 when St Austell Brewery sponsored South-west based leagues under the Tribute Ale label.