SOUTH-WEST CHAMPIONS
SOUTH-WEST PREMIER
EXETER UNIVERSITY
Captain Luke Bury
Coaches Keith Fleming (DoR), Richard Hodges (coach), Les Barrow (S&C) The students achieved a memorable treble and will play in the National Leagues for the first time next season, having also won the BUCS Championship and the Devon Cup. They beat holders Durham University in a thrilling BUCS final at Worcester. Wing James Botterill set a Level Five try-scoring record of 44 in a season and finished with 220 points. His haul included six tries against Okehampton. Exeter won 23 out of 26 league matches, with their first ten – each with a try bonus point – giving them a flying start and helping to pip Old Redcliffians to the title by two points.
SOUTH-WEST ONE EAST
OXFORD HARLEQUINS
Captain Allan Purchase
Coaches Stuart Wells (DoR), Pete Davies (head), Jon Vermont, Joe Winpenny, Viliami Hakalo, Sy Wiggall
Harlequins celebrated their 25th anniversary season with their first title in eight years. Created from a merger between Oxford Marathon and Oxford Old Boys, they had 80 players training on a regular basis and have developed an exciting partnership with Oxford Brookes University. The club’s previous league title was One East and their best finish, 12 years ago, was third in National Three South at Level Five. Fly-half Ewan Fox, a Scot, scored most points and half-back partner Harry Burn topped the try list. Quins won 25 of their 26 matches and exceeded 1,000 points for the first time in 20 seasons.
SOUTH-WEST ONE WEST
CHEW VALLEY
Captain Dan Gatton
Coaches Steve Worrall (head), Callum Sheedy (backs), Dan Brooker (forwards)
The remarkable progress of this Somerset village club gathered momentum in a league that included bigger and better funded sides. Former RAF scrum-half Worrall was able to enlist Sheedy, the Bristol Bears
