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

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
Combe DownHolly's CornerCombe Down, Bath, SomersetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North
CorshamLacock RoadCorsham, Wiltshire9th
DevizesThe Sports ClubDevizes, Wiltshire8th
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, SomersetRunners up
GroveCane LaneGrove, Oxfordshire4th
North DorsetSlaughtergate1,000Gillingham, Dorset7th
SwindonGreenbridge RoadSwindon, WiltshireRelegated from South West 1 East
Swindon College Old BoysNationwide Sports PavilionSwindon, Wiltshire6th
ThatchamHenwicky Worthy Sports FieldThatcham, Berkshire10th
Swanage & WarehamBestwall RoadWareham, DorsetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South
WalcotAlbert FieldLansdown, Bath, Somerset5th
YeovilYeovil ShowgroundYeovil, Somerset3rd

2018-19

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
Bradford-on-AvonBroom GroundWinsley, Bradford-on-Avon, WiltshirePromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North
CorshamLacock RoadCorsham, Wiltshire4th
DevizesThe Sports ClubDevizes, Wiltshire8th
DorchesterCoburg RoadDorchester, DorsetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, Somerset6th
GroveCane LaneGrove, OxfordshireRelegated from South West 1 East
North DorsetSlaughtergate1,000Gillingham, Dorset5th
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, Dorset3rd
Swindon College Old BoysNationwide Sports PavilionSwindon, Wiltshire9th
ThatchamHenwicky Worthy Sports FieldThatcham, BerkshireLevel transfer from Southern Counties North
WalcotAlbert FieldLansdown, Bath, Somerset10th
YeovilYeovil ShowgroundYeovil, Somerset7th

2017-18

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season
BlandfordLarksmead Recreation GroundBlandford, Dorset10th
CorshamLacock RoadCorsham, WiltshirePromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North
DevizesThe Sports ClubDevizes, Wiltshire6th
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, Somerset8th
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, Wiltshire5th
North DorsetSlaughtergate1,000Gillingham, Dorset7th
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, Dorset3rd
Swanage & WarehamBestwall RoadWareham, Dorset4th
Swindon College Old BoysNationwide Sports PavilionSwindon, WiltshirePromoted from Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
TrowbridgeDoric ParkHilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire2nd
WalcotAlbert FieldLansdown, Bath, Somerset9th
YeovilYeovil ShowgroundYeovil, SomersetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South

2016-17

Participating teams

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
BlandfordLarksmead Recreation GroundBlandford, DorsetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South
Combe DownHolly's CornerCombe Down, Bath, SomersetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North
DevizesThe Sports ClubDevizes, Wiltshire4th
Dorset DockersPotterne ParkVerwood, Dorset7th
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, Somerset10th
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, Wiltshire6th
North DorsetSlaughtergate1,000Gillingham, Dorset3rd
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, Dorset5th
Swanage & WarehamBestwall RoadWareham, DorsetRelegated from South West 1 East
TrowbridgeDoric ParkHilperton, Trowbridge, WiltshireRelegated from South West 1 East
WalcotAlbert FieldLansdown, Bath, Somerset8th
WimborneLeigh ParkWimborne, Dorset9th

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.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Bradford-on-AvonBroom GroundWinsley, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire10th
DevizesThe Sports ClubDevizes, WiltshireRelegated from South West 1 East
DorchesterCoburg RoadDorchester, Dorset9th
Dorset DockersPotterne ParkVerwood, DorsetPromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 South
FromeGypsy LaneFrome, Somerset6th
MarlboroughThe CommonMarlborough, WiltshirePromoted from Dorset & Wilts 1 North
Midsomer NortonNorton Down Playing FieldsMidsomer Norton, Somerset7th
North DorsetSlaughtergate1,000Gillingham, Dorset4th
Royal Wootton BassettBallard's Ash Sports GroundWootton Bassett, WiltshireTransferred from Southern Counties North
SherborneGainsborough ParkSherborne, Dorset3rd
WalcotAlbert FieldLansdown, Bath, Somerset5th
WimborneLeigh ParkWimborne, Dorset8th

League Table 2015-16

Teams 2014-15

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