Southern Counties South
Introduction '''Counties 1 Southern South''' (formerly known as '''Southern Counties South''') is a level 7 league in the Rugby Football Union South West Division, the rugby union governing body for South West England, part of the Rugby Football Union. When league rugby first began in 1987 it was a single league known as Southern Counties but since 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues: Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South. Counties 1 Southern South currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire.The league champions at the end of the season are promoted to Regional 2 South Central while the runners up face the runners up from Southern Counties North for their place. Relegated teams tend to drop to either Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North, Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South or Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central depending on geographic placement. As of the 2022–23 season, with the RFU league restructuring, lower XVs are able to play in Counties 1 Southern South.
2021–22 Thatcham finished 11th in 2019–20 but were level transferred to Southern Counties North for the current season. TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Avonvale  Bathford Playing Fields   Bathford, Bath, Somerset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Combe Down  Holly's Corner   Combe Down, Bath, Somerset  6th  Corsham  Lacock Road   Corsham, Wiltshire  10th Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  4th Dorchester  Coburg Road   Dorchester, Dorset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (champions) Salisbury  Castle Road  1,500  Salisbury, Wiltshire  Relegated from South West 1 East (14th) Swindon  Greenbridge Road   Swindon, Wiltshire  3rd Swindon College Old Boys  Nationwide Sports Pavilion   Swindon, Wiltshire  8th Swanage & Wareham  Bestwall Road   Wareham, Dorset  5th  Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  9th Wimborne  Leigh Park   Wimborne, Dorset   Relegated from South West 1 East (13th) Yeovil  Yeovil Showground   Yeovil, Somerset  7th
2020–21 Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.
2019–20 TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Combe Down  Holly's Corner   Combe Down, Bath, Somerset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Corsham  Lacock Road   Corsham, Wiltshire  9th Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  8th Frome  Gypsy Lane   Frome, Somerset  Runners up (lost playoff) Grove  Cane Lane    Grove, Oxfordshire  4th North Dorset  Slaughtergate  1,000  Gillingham, Dorset  7th Swindon  Greenbridge Road   Swindon, Wiltshire  Relegated from South West 1 East (13th) Swindon College Old Boys  Nationwide Sports Pavilion   Swindon, Wiltshire  6th Thatcham  Henwicky Worthy Sports Field   Thatcham, Berkshire  10th Swanage & Wareham  Bestwall Road   Wareham, Dorset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (champions) Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  5th Yeovil  Yeovil Showground   Yeovil, Somerset  3rd
2018–19 TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Bradford-on-Avon  Broom Ground   Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Corsham  Lacock Road   Corsham, Wiltshire  4th Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  8th Dorchester  Coburg Road   Dorchester, Dorset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (champions) Frome  Gypsy Lane   Frome, Somerset  6th Grove  Cane Lane    Grove, Oxfordshire  Relegated from South West 1 East (13th) North Dorset  Slaughtergate  1,000  Gillingham, Dorset  5th Sherborne  Gainsborough Park   Sherborne, Dorset  3rd Swindon College Old Boys  Nationwide Sports Pavilion   Swindon, Wiltshire  9th Thatcham  Henwicky Worthy Sports Field   Thatcham, Berkshire  Level transfer from Southern Counties North (5th) Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  10th Yeovil  Yeovil Showground   Yeovil, Somerset  7th
2017–18 TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Blandford  Larksmead Recreation Ground   Blandford, Dorset  10th Corsham  Lacock Road   Corsham, Wiltshire  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  6th Frome  Gypsy Lane   Frome, Somerset  8th Marlborough  The Common   Marlborough, Wiltshire  5th North Dorset  Slaughtergate  1,000  Gillingham, Dorset  7th Sherborne  Gainsborough Park   Sherborne, Dorset  3rd Swanage & Wareham  Bestwall Road   Wareham, Dorset  4th Swindon College Old Boys  Nationwide Sports Pavilion   Swindon, Wiltshire  Promoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier (champions) Trowbridge  Doric Park   Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire  2nd (lost playoff) Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  9th Yeovil  Yeovil Showground   Yeovil, Somerset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (Champions)
2016–17 TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Blandford  Larksmead Recreation Ground   Blandford, Dorset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (runners up) Combe Down  Holly's Corner   Combe Down, Bath, Somerset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  4th Dorset Dockers  Potterne Park   Verwood, Dorset  7th Frome  Gypsy Lane   Frome, Somerset  10th Marlborough  The Common   Marlborough, Wiltshire  6th North Dorset  Slaughtergate  1,000  Gillingham, Dorset  3rd Sherborne  Gainsborough Park   Sherborne, Dorset  5th Swanage & Wareham  Bestwall Road   Wareham, Dorset  Relegated from South West 1 East (14th) Trowbridge  Doric Park   Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire  Relegated from South West 1 East (13th) Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  8th Wimborne  Leigh Park   Wimborne, Dorset  9th
Season 2015–16 The 2015–16 Southern Counties South consists of twelve teams; four each from Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. The season started on 12 September 2015 and ended on 23 April 2016.===Participating teams===Eight of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions Swanage & Wareham and runners up Salisbury (who won their playoff game) were promoted to the South West 1 East while Supermarine and Corsham were both relegated to Dorset & Wilts 1 North. Royal Wootton Bassett were level transferred from Southern Counties North.TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bradford-on-Avon  Broom Ground   Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire  10th Devizes  The Sports Club   Devizes, Wiltshire  Relegated from South West 1 East (12th) Dorchester  Coburg Road   Dorchester, Dorset  9th Dorset Dockers  Potterne Park   Verwood, Dorset  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (champions) Frome  Gypsy Lane   Frome, Somerset  6th Marlborough  The Common   Marlborough, Wiltshire  Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) Midsomer Norton  Norton Down Playing Fields   Midsomer Norton, Somerset  7th North Dorset  Slaughtergate  1,000  Gillingham, Dorset  4th Royal Wootton Bassett  Ballard's Ash Sports Ground   Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire  Transferred from Southern Counties North (3rd) Sherborne  Gainsborough Park   Sherborne, Dorset  3rd Walcot  Albert Field   Lansdown, Bath, Somerset  5th Wimborne  Leigh Park   Wimborne, Dorset  8th=== League Table 2015–16 === Team P W D L Points For Points Against +/− Try Bonus Points Losing Bonus Points League Points 1  Royal Wootton Bassett  22  19  0  3  640  223  417  13  3  92 2  Midsomer Norton  22  16  1  5  643  297  346  14  3  83 3  North Dorset  22  15  1  6  712  365  347  13  5  80 4  Devizes  22  14  0  8  462  322  140  10  4  71 5  Sherborne  22  14  1  7  619  392  227  9  3  70 6  Marlborough  22  14  0  8  491  391  100  7  5  68 7  Dorset Dockers  22  10  1  11  506  555  −49  9  2  54 8  Walcot  22  7  1  14  467  561  −94  6  2  38 9  Wimborne  22  6  2  14  406  577  −171  7  3  38 10  Frome  22  7  0  15  324  664  −340  4  4  31 11  Bradford-on-Avon  22  3  1  18  255  691  −436  3  3  20 12  Dorchester  22  3  0  19  284  771  −487  4  0  11
Teams 2014–15 *Bradford-on-Avon*Corsham*Dorchester*Frome*Midsomer Norton*North Dorset*Salisbury '''(relegated from South West 1 East)'''*Sherborne*Supermarine*Swanage & Wareham*Walcot*Wimborne
Teams 2013–14 *Corsham*Dorchester*Frome*Ivel Barbarians*North Dorset '''(relegated from Tribute South West 1 West)'''*Sherborne*Swanage & Wareham*Trowbridge*Walcot*Wells*Wimborne
Teams 2012–13 *Corsham*Devizes*Dorchester	*Frome*Oakmeadians*Sherborne*Supermarine*Trowbridge*Walcott*Weymouth*Wimborne*Wootton Bassett
Teams 2009–10 *Bradford-on-Avon*Corsham*Devizes*Dorchester	*Frome*Ivel Barbarians*Minety*North Dorset*Oldfield Old Boys*Sherborne*Tadley*Wimborne
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams:*Aylesbury*Banbury*Bletchley*Bracknell *Marlow*Oxford Marathon*Oxford Old Boys*Redingensians*Swindon*Wimborne*Windsor
Southern Counties South Honours ===Southern Counties (1987–1993)===Originally Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South were combined in a single division called Southern Counties. It was a tier 7 league with promotion up to South West 2 and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1. '''Southern Counties'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 1987–88  11  '''Redingensians'''  Swindon  Bracknell   1988–89  11  '''Banbury'''  Aylesbury  Oxford Marathon   1989–90  11  '''Marlow'''  Swanage & Wareham  Oxford Old Boys  1990–91  11  '''Sherborne'''  Windsor  Swindon, Chiltern, Slough, Bracknell   1991–92  11  '''Banbury'''  Aylesbury  No relegation   1992–93  13  '''Swanage & Wareham'''  Dorchester  Grove   Green backgrounds are promotion places.===Southern Counties (1993–1996)===At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that Southern Counties dropped from a tier 7 league to a tier 8 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to South West 2 and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 or Bucks/Oxon 1. '''Southern Counties'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 1993–94  13  '''Bournemouth'''  Bracknell  Royal Wootton Bassett, Redingensians   1994–95  13  '''Dorchester'''  Bracknell  Slough, Oxford Marathon   1995–96  13  '''Amersham & Chiltern'''  Bracknell  No relegation   Green backgrounds are promotion places.===Southern Counties South (1996–2000)===Restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Southern Counties split into two separate leagues, Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South, which reverted to tier 7 leagues due to the cancellation of National 5 South. Promotion from Southern Counties South was now to the new South West 2 East while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 2 South). '''Southern Counties South'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 1996–97  10  '''Reading Abbey'''  Wimborne  Redingensians, Corsham   1997–98  10  '''Wimborne'''  Chippenham  Westbury, Weymouth   1998–99  10  '''Chippenham'''  Royal Wootton Bassett  Blandford, North Dorset, Swindon   1999–00  10  '''Tadley'''  Windsor  Sherborne   Green backgrounds are promotion places.===Southern Counties South (2000–2004)===Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East. However, the transfer of Berkshire clubs from the Dorset/Wilts leagues to the Bucks/Oxon leagues, meant that relegation was now to Dorset & Wilts 1 (formerly Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1). '''Southern Counties South'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 2000–01  9  '''Redingensians'''  Salisbury  No relegation   2001–02  10  '''Wimborne'''  Oakmeadians  Melksham, Corsham, Swindon College Old Boys   2002–03  10  '''Frome'''  Oakmeadians  Calne    2003–04  9  '''Ivel Barbarians'''  Tadley  Westbury   Green backgrounds are promotion places.===Southern Counties South (2005–2009)===Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to South West 2 East, while a further restructuring of the Dorset/Wilts leagues meant that relegation was now to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or Dorset & Wilts 1 South. '''Southern Counties South'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 2004–05  12  '''Bournemouth'''  Frome  Minety, Bradford-on-Avon   2005–06  12  '''Frome'''  Oldfield Old Boys  Blandford, Corsham   2006–07  12  '''Walcot'''  Royal Wootton Bassett Melksham, Bridport    2007–08  12  '''Trowbridge'''  Royal Wootton Bassett  Devizes, Dorchester   2008–09  12  '''Oakmeadians'''  Royal Wootton Bassett  No relegation   Green backgrounds are promotion places.===Southern Counties North (2009–present)===Despite widespread league restructuring by the RFU, Southern Counties South continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to South West 1 East (formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or Dorset & Wilts 1 South. '''Southern Counties South'''SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners-upRelegated teamsRef 2009–10  12  '''Wimborne'''  Frome  Ivel Barbarians, Minety   2010–11  12  '''Salisbury'''  Oldfield Old Boys  Bradford-on-Avon, Bridport, Marlborough    2011–12  12  '''North Dorset'''  Dorchester  Melksham, Blandford   2012–13  12  '''Devizes'''  Trowbridge  Supermarine, Oakmeadians   2013–14  12  '''Wells'''  Trowbridge  Ivel Barbarians   2014–15  12  '''Swanage & Wareham'''  Salisbury  Supermarine, Corsham   2015–16  12  '''Royal Wootton Bassett'''  Midsomer Norton  Dorchester, Bradford-on-Avon   2016–17  12  '''Wimborne'''  Trowbridge  Dorset Dockers, Combe Down    2017–18  12  '''Trowbridge'''  Marlborough  Blandford, Swanage & Wareham   2018–19  12  '''Sherborne'''  Frome  Bradford-on-Avon, Dorchester   2019–20  12  '''Grove'''  Frome  North Dorset   2020–21  12   Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Promotion play-offs 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 2019–20 season Southern Counties North teams have been the most successful with twelve wins to the Southern Counties South teams seven; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six. '''Southern Counties North v Southern Counties South promotion play-off results'''SeasonHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttendance 2000–01  '''Salisbury''' (S)  49–20  Grove (N)  Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire  2001–02  '''Grove''' (N)  30–13  Oakmeadians (S)  Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire  2002–03  '''Oakmeadians''' (S)  24–17  Aylesbury (N)  Meryick Park, Bournemouth, Dorset  2003–04  '''Amersham & Chiltern''' (N)   Tadley (S)  Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire  2004–05  Frome (S)  12–38  '''Henley Wanderers''' (N)  Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset  2005–06  Oldfield Old Boys (S)  32–33  '''Swindon''' (N)  Shaft Road, Monkton Combe, Somerset  2006–07  Wootton Bassett (S)  17–20  '''Tadley''' (N)  Ballards Ash Sports Ground, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire  2007–08  '''Wallingford''' (N)  22–3  Wootton Bassett (S)  Wallingford Sports Park,	Wallingford, Oxfordshire  2008–09  '''Marlow''' (N)  18–15  Wootton Bassett (S)  Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, Buckinghamshire  2009–10  '''Amersham & Chiltern''' (N)  45–12  Frome (S)  Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire  2010–11  Aylesbury (N)  10–39  '''Oldfield Old Boys''' (S)  Ostler's Field, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire  2011–12   '''Windsor''' (N)  22–15  Dorcester (S)   Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire  2012–13  '''Grove''' (N)  39–20  Trowbridge (S)  Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire  2013–14  '''Trowbridge''' (S)  27–19  Aylesbury (N)  Doric Park, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire  2014–15  '''Salisbury''' (S)  34–16  Aylesbury (N)  Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire  2015–16  '''Midsomer Norton''' (S)  29–22  Aylesbury (N)  Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset  2016–17  '''Bicester''' (N)  53–20  Trowbridge (S)  Oxford Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire  2017–18  Windsor (N)  29–31  '''Marlborough''' (S)  Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire  2018–19  Frome (S)  10–23  '''Buckingham''' (N)  Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset  400 2019–20  Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up – Frome (S) – promoted instead. 2020–21  Green background is the promoted team. N = Southern Counties North and S = Southern Counties South
See also * South West Division RFU* Dorset & Wilts RFU* English rugby union system* Rugby union in England
Number of league titles *Wimborne (4)*Banbury (2)*Bournemouth (2)*Frome (2)*Redingensians (2)*Sherborne (2)*Swanage & Wareham (2)*Trowbridge (2)*Amersham & Chiltern (1)*Chippenham (1)*Devizes (2)*Dorchester (1)*Grove (1)*Ivel Barbarians (1)*Marlow (1)*North Dorset (1)*Oakmeadians (1)*Reading Abbey (1)*Royal Wootton Bassett (1)*Salisbury (1)*Tadley (1)*Walcot (1)*Wells (1)
Notes
References