WELLINGTON and Wiveliscombe will be playing each other three times in rugby derbies next season, writes Barry Knott.

Wellington’s relegation from Western Counties West after a long and hard season means both teams will be playing in Somerset Premier next winter while the sides will also be meeting each other in the traditional Boxing Day fixture.

Wiveliscombe failed by a whisker to reach the end of season divisional play-off despite winning their last ten league games.

They beat Stothert & Pitt 50-10 on Saturday but Oldfield Old Boys beat Nailsea &Backwell 72-10 away to pip them for the runners-up spot.

Wellington’s season ended in another loss – their 18th of the season – when they slumped 22-5 away to Crediton, who only recently secured their own place in the division for next season.

Wellington’s acting coach Allyn Chetland: “The game at Crediton just about summed up our season. We played well in spells but ended up getting nothing from the game. We scored one try but should have scored two or three.”

Wellington have not been able to field a settled side for various reasons this season and this is something they will have to address during the summer.

Coach Lawrence Ovens was appointed in the summer but that did not work out and he was released by the club in November.

Wellington 2nd XV ended their season in Somerset One with a 49-22 victory over bottom side Castle at the Athletic Ground on Saturday. It enabled them to finish eighth in the table with 12 wins and 12 defeats – but with a points deficit of 62.

Wiveliscombe went down 47-10 in their final game at North Petherton in Somerset Two South which means they ended tenth.

n Minehead Barbarians have won Somerset One in the first season under coach Mick Orton which means two more derby games for Wellington and Wiveliscombe next season.