2017–18 London & South East Premier

The 2017–18 London & South East Premier season is the 31st season of level 5 in the London and South East region of English rugby union. It consists of thirteen teams from England and one from the Channel Island of Guernsey. It will be the first season organised under the London & South East Premier title following the rename from "National League 3 London & SE" during the off-season. This decision was made by the Rugby Football Union owing to the fact that it was felt that the league title was misleading as it was not a nationwide league but was instead the highest level of rugby in the London and South East region.[1]

2017–18 London & South East Premier
Countries England
 Guernsey
Date2 September 2017 – April 2018

The winners are promoted to National League 2 South with the runners-up entering a play-off against the runner-up of South West Premier.[2] The bottom three are relegated to either London 1 North or London 1 South.[3]

Teams

Fourteen teams will compete in the 2017–18 London & South East Premier season. Nine of the teams competing made up the previous year's National League 3 London & SE league. Leaving the league were Tonbridge Juddians who were promoted to National League 2 South as champions of the previous year.[4] Wimbledon were also promoted from the league after winning a play-off against National League 3 South West runners-up, Dings Crusaders.[2] Amersham and Chiltern, Chichester and Colchester were all relegated from the league due to finishing in the relegation places.[3][5]

Promoted into the league are Tring as champions of London 1 North[6] and Sidcup as winners of London 1 South.[7] The final promoted team is Tunbridge Wells who finished second in London 1 South and defeated Chingford in a promotion play-off to earn back-to-back promotions and play at Level 5 for the first time in their history.[8] Barnes also joined the league after being relegated from 2016–17 National League 2 South.[9] Owing to an imbalance in the leagues between the regions, Towcestrians were level transferred into London & South East Premier from Midlands Premier.[10]

Locations
Locations of the 2017–18 London & South East Premier teams
Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season
BarnesBarn ElmsBarnes, LondonRelegated from National League 2 South (15th)[9]
DorkingThe Big FieldDorking, Surrey8th[11]
GuernseyFootes Lane5,000[12]Saint Peter Port, Guernsey5th[11]
GuildfordBroadwater Sports ClubFarncombe, Surrey9th[11]
HertfordHighfieldsWare, Hertfordshire3rd[11]
ShelfordThe Davey FieldGreat Shelford, Cambridgeshire6th[11]
SidcupCrescent FarmSidcup, LondonPromoted from London 1 South (champions)[7]
Southend SaxonsWarners Bridge ParkSouthend, Essex11th[11]
Sutton & EpsomRugby LaneCheam, London10th[11]
TowcestriansGreens Norton RoadTowchester, NorthamptonshireLevel transfer from Midlands Premier (10th)[10]
TringPendley Sports CentreTring, HertfordshirePromoted from London 1 North (champions)[6]
Tunbridge WellsSt Mark's Recreation Ground3,000[13]Royal Tunbridge Wells, KentPromoted from London 1 South (play-off)[8]
WestcliffThe GablesEastwood, Southend-on-Sea, Essex7th[11]
Westcombe ParkGoddington DeneOrpington, London4th[11]

Table
2017–18 London & South East Premier Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Barnes (P)262204944380564203111
2Guernsey (P)262204962446516193110
3Tring262114783414369163105
4Hertford262015896484412203105
5Tunbridge Wells261401268155712416577
6Westcliff261401281655526115475
7Shelford2611015672688-1612359
8Sidcup2611015654790-13611459
9Dorking2610115646725-7911457
10Sutton & Epsom2610016634875-24113457
11Guildford267118604834-23015752
12Westcombe Park (R)269116511759-2488349
13Southend Saxons (R)2650214581052-5946430
14Towcestrians (R)2631223861088-7025120
  • If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background is the promotion place. Blue background is the play-off place. Pink background are relegation places.
Updated: 07 June 2018
Source: "London & South East Premier". RFU.
Notes

References
  1. "Renaming of RFU National 3 Leagues". Oxfordshire RFU. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  2. "Wimbledon RFC to join fourth tier of English rugby, National 2 South, next season (From Sutton Guardian)". Sutton Guardian. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  3. Mike Bacon (27 March 2017). "O'Riordan pulls no punches as Colchester rugby club get set for life back in London 1". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  4. newsdesk. "Galbraith-Lowe scores three times to show why TJs are the team to beat". Times of Tunbridge Wells. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  5. "Got to give it a try! Relegated Chichester start promotion bid against Sevenoaks at Oaklands Park". Chichester News. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  6. "Super Saturday for senior rugby at Tring". Tring Rugby. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  7. "Havant coach positive despite play-off misery". Portsmouth Daily News. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  8. newsdesk. "Tunbridge Wells survive play-off thriller to secure place among elite". Times of Tunbridge Wells. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  9. Heal, Chris (2 May 2017). "Old Elthamians reach the play-off while Barnes suffer relegation". Talkingrugbyunion.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  10. "2017/18 Pre-season and League fixture news". Nuneaton Rugby. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  11. "2016–17 National League 3 London & SE table". RFU London. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  12. "Guernsey's Footes Lane improvements agreed". BBC News. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  13. Courage clubs championship Official Rugby Union club directory 1990–91. Bungay: Burlington Publishing. 1990. p. 584. ISBN 1-873057-01-6.
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