Southern Counties South
Southern Counties South is a league in the Rugby Football Union South West Division, the rugby union governing body for South West England, part of the Rugby Football Union. The league 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 South West 1 East while the runners up face the runners up from Southern Counties North for their place. Relegated teams tend to drop to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or Dorset & Wilts 1 South depending on geographic placement. Although 2nd XV rugby is part of the Dorset & Wilts regional leagues, only 1st XV teams can play in Southern Counties South.
Teams affiliated with the Dorset & Wilts RFU who play in Southern Counties South also participate in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a national competition for clubs at level 7.
2019-20
Participating teams
Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Area | Previous season |
Combe Down | Holly's Corner | Combe Down, Bath, Somerset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North | |
Corsham | Lacock Road | Corsham, Wiltshire | 9th | |
Devizes | The Sports Club | Devizes, Wiltshire | 8th | |
Frome | Gypsy Lane | Frome, Somerset | Runners up | |
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 | |
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 | |
Walcot | Albert Field | Lansdown, Bath, Somerset | 5th | |
Yeovil | Yeovil Showground | Yeovil, Somerset | 3rd |
2018-19
Participating teams
Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Area | Previous season |
Bradford-on-Avon | Broom Ground | Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North | |
Corsham | Lacock Road | Corsham, Wiltshire | 4th | |
Devizes | The Sports Club | Devizes, Wiltshire | 8th | |
Dorchester | Coburg Road | Dorchester, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South | |
Frome | Gypsy Lane | Frome, Somerset | 6th | |
Grove | Cane Lane | Grove, Oxfordshire | Relegated from South West 1 East | |
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 | |
Walcot | Albert Field | Lansdown, Bath, Somerset | 10th | |
Yeovil | Yeovil Showground | Yeovil, Somerset | 7th |
2017-18
Participating teams
Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Area | Previous season |
Blandford | Larksmead Recreation Ground | Blandford, Dorset | 10th | |
Corsham | Lacock Road | Corsham, Wiltshire | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North | |
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 | |
Trowbridge | Doric Park | Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire | 2nd | |
Walcot | Albert Field | Lansdown, Bath, Somerset | 9th | |
Yeovil | Yeovil Showground | Yeovil, Somerset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South |
2016-17
Participating teams
Team | Ground | Capacity | City/Area | Previous season |
Blandford | Larksmead Recreation Ground | Blandford, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South | |
Combe Down | Holly's Corner | Combe Down, Bath, Somerset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North | |
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 | |
Trowbridge | Doric Park | Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire | Relegated from South West 1 East | |
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 were promoted to the South West 1 East while Supermarine and Corsham were both relegated to Dorset & Wilts 1 North. Wootton Bassett were level transferred from Southern Counties North.Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
Bradford-on-Avon | Broom Ground | Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire | 10th | |
Devizes | The Sports Club | Devizes, Wiltshire | Relegated from South West 1 East | |
Dorchester | Coburg Road | Dorchester, Dorset | 9th | |
Dorset Dockers | Potterne Park | Verwood, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South | |
Frome | Gypsy Lane | Frome, Somerset | 6th | |
Marlborough | The Common | Marlborough, Wiltshire | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North | |
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 | |
Sherborne | Gainsborough Park | Sherborne, Dorset | 3rd | |
Walcot | Albert Field | Lansdown, Bath, Somerset | 5th | |
Wimborne | Leigh Park | Wimborne, Dorset | 8th |
League Table 2015-16
Teams 2014-15
- Bradford-on-Avon
- Corsham
- Dorchester
- Frome
- Midsomer Norton
- North Dorset
- Salisbury
- Sherborne
- Supermarine
- Swanage & Wareham
- Walcot
- Wimborne
Teams 2013-14
- Corsham
- Dorchester
- Frome
- Ivel Barbarians
- North Dorset
- 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
Southern Counties South Honours
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.Number of league titles
- Wimborne
- Frome
- Sherborne
- Trowbridge
- Bournemouth
- Chippenham
- Devizes
- Grove
- Ivel Barbarians
- North Dorset
- Oakmeadians
- Redingensians
- Salisbury
- Swanage & Wareham
- Tadley
- Walcot
- Wells
- Wootton Bassett