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 Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

governing body for

South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of nine official regions of England. It consists of the counties of Bristol, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Cities and ...

, part of the

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It promo ...

. 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 Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of ...

and

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershir ...

. The league champions at the end of the season are promoted to

Regional 2 South Central Regional 2 South Central is a level six league in the English rugby union system, one of twelve leagues, at this level. The twelve teams are based in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Hampshir ...

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.

2020–21

Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.

2019–20

2018–19

2017–18

2016–17

Season 2015–16

The 2015–16 Southern Counties South consists of twelve teams; four each from

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...

and

. 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 Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

(who won their playoff game) were promoted to the

South West 1 East South West 1 East is an English, level six, rugby union league in south and south-west England; mainly Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Gloucester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Originally a sing ...

while

Supermarine Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that is most famous for producing the Spitfire fighter plane during World War II as well as a range of seaplanes and flying boats, and a series of jet-powered fighter aircraft after World War II. ...

and

Corsham Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south-eastern edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 national route, southwest of Swindon, southeast of Bristol, northeast of Bath and southwest of ...

were both relegated to Dorset & Wilts 1 North. Wootton Bassett were level transferred from Southern Counties North.

League Table 2015–16

Teams 2014–15

*Bradford-on-Avon *Corsham * Dorchester *Frome *Midsomer Norton *

North Dorset North Dorset was a local government district in Dorset, England. It was largely rural, but included the towns of Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Stalbridge and Sturminster Newton. Much of North Dorset was in the River Stour ...

(relegated from

) *

Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. T ...

*Supermarine *Swanage & Wareham *Walcot *Wimborne

Teams 2013–14

*Corsham * Dorchester *Frome *Ivel Barbarians *

(relegated from Tribute South West 1 West) *

*Swanage & Wareham *Trowbridge *Walcot *Wells *Wimborne

Teams 2012–13

*Corsham *Devizes * Dorchester *Frome *Oakmeadians *

*Supermarine *Trowbridge *Walcott *Weymouth *Wimborne *Wootton Bassett

Teams 2009–10

*Bradford-on-Avon *Corsham *Devizes * Dorchester *Frome *Ivel Barbarians *Minety *

*Oldfield Old Boys *

*Tadley *Wimborne

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams: *

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamsh ...

Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...

Bletchley Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated in the south-west of Milton Keynes, and is split between the civil parishes of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford and West Bletchley. Bletchley is best kn ...

Bracknell Bracknell () is a large town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, the westernmost area within the Greater London Urban Area and the administrative centre of the Borough of Bracknell Forest. It lies to the east of Reading, south of Maidenhe ...

* Marlow * Oxford Marathon * Oxford Old Boys * Redingensians * Swindon *

Wimborne Wimborne Minster (often referred to as Wimborne, ) is a market town in Dorset in South West England, and the name of the Church of England church in that town. It lies at the confluence of the River Stour and the River Allen, north of Poole ...

* 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 (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 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 South West 1 East is an English, level six, rugby union league in south and south-west England; mainly Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Gloucester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire. Originally a single ...

while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and

Dorset & Wilts 2 South Dorset & Wilts 2 South is an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs primarily based in Dorset, sitting at tier 9 of the English rugby union system. Promoted teams tend to move up to Dorset & Wilts 1 So ...

Southern Counties South (2000–2004)

Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to

. 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 (2005–2009)

Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing to

, 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 Dorset & Wilts 1 South is an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs primarily based in Dorset, sitting at tier 8 of the English rugby union system. Originally a single league, Dorset & Wilts 1 split into ...

Southern Counties North (2009–present)

Despite widespread league restructuring by the RFU, Southern Counties South continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion to

(formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to either Dorset & Wilts 1 North or

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

. 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

(4) *

(2) *

Bournemouth Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the English ...

(2) *

Frome Frome ( ) is a town and civil parish in eastern Somerset, England. The town is built on uneven high ground at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, and centres on the River Frome. The town, about south of Bath, is the largest in the Mendip ...

(2) * Redingensians (2) *

(2) * Swanage & Wareham (2) *

Trowbridge Trowbridge ( ) is the county town of Wiltshire, England, on the River Biss in the west of the county. It is near the border with Somerset and lies southeast of Bath, 31 miles (49 km) southwest of Swindon and 20 miles (32 km) southe ...

(2) * Amersham & Chiltern (1) *

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town in northwest Wiltshire, England. It lies northeast of Bath, west of London, and is near the Cotswolds Area of Natural Beauty. The town was established on a crossing of the River Avon and some form of settlement is ...

(1) *

Devizes Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It developed around Devizes Castle, an 11th-century Norman castle, and received a charter in 1141. The castle was besieged during the Anarchy, a 12th-century civil war between St ...

(2) * Dorchester (1) *

Grove Grove may refer to: * Grove (nature), a small group of trees Places England *Grove, Buckinghamshire, a village * Grove, Dorset * Grove, Herefordshire * Grove, Kent * Grove, Nottinghamshire, a village * Grove, Oxfordshire, a village and civil ...

(1) * Ivel Barbarians (1) * Marlow (1) *

(1) * Oakmeadians (1) *

Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, ...

(1) * Royal Wootton Bassett (1) *

(1) *

Tadley Tadley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), now known as AWE, became the area's largest employer, and many houses were built during this p ...

(1) * Walcot (1) *

Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada * Wells, British Columbia England * Wel ...

(1)

Notes

References

{{Rugby union in England 7 Rugby union in Dorset Rugby union in Wiltshire Rugby union in Somerset Sports leagues established in 1987 1987 establishments in England

2021–22

2020–21

2019–20

2018–19

2017–18

2016–17

Season 2015–16

Participating teams

League Table 2015–16

Teams 2014–15

Teams 2013–14

Teams 2012–13

Teams 2009–10

Original teams

Southern Counties South Honours

Southern Counties (1987–1993)

Southern Counties (1993–1996)

Southern Counties South (1996–2000)

Southern Counties South (2000–2004)

Southern Counties South (2005–2009)

Southern Counties North (2009–present)

Promotion play-offs

See also

Number of league titles

Notes

References