Southern Counties North
| Southern Counties North | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition:: 2016–17 Southern Counties North
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| Sport | Rugby union |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |
 England
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| Holders |
Marlow (1st title) (2016–17) (promoted to South West 1 East) |
| Most titles | High Wycombe (3 titles) |
| Website | englandrugby.com |
Southern Counties North is a division at level 7 of the English rugby union system sitting at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily featuring teams based in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The league champions at the end of each season are automatically promoted to South West 1 East while the runner-up play against the runner-up from Southern Counties South in a play-off for the third promotion place. Relegated teams usually drop to Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier.
The 2015–16 Southern Counties North consisted of twelve teams; six from Buckinghamshire, two each from Berkshire and Oxfordshire, and one each from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The season started on 12 September 2015 and the last league matches were played on 23 April 2016.
Seven of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions High Wycombe were promoted to the South West 1 East while Milton Keynes and Alchester were relegated to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier. Royal Wootton Bassett, who finished 4th, were level transferred to Southern Counties South.
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South for the third and final promotion place to South West 1 East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2016–17 season Southern Counties North teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the Southern Counties South teams six; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams four.
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