Southern Counties South
Southern Counties South (also known as Wadworth 6X Southern Counties South for sponsorship reasons) 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. 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. Southern Counties South currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire.
Current season or competition: 2019–20 Southern Counties South | |
Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Instituted | 1987 | (as Southern Counties)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Holders | Grove (1st title) (2019–20) (promoted to South West 1 East) |
Most titles | Wimborne (4 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
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
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2018-19
Participating teams
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2017-18
Participating teams
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Blandford Corsham Devizes Frome Marlborough Swanage & Wareham Swindon College Trowbridge Walcot Yeovil
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2016-17
Participating teams
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Devizes Marlborough Trowbridge
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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. 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 (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[lower-alpha 1]
- Oxford Old Boys[lower-alpha 2]
- Redingensians[lower-alpha 3]
- 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[lower-alpha 4] and relegation down to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1[lower-alpha 5] or Bucks/Oxon 1[lower-alpha 6].
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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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[lower-alpha 7] | No relegation[lower-alpha 8] | ||||||||||
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.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Bournemouth | Bracknell | Royal Wootton Bassett, Redingensians | [2] | |||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Dorchester | Bracknell | Slough, Oxford Marathon | [3] | |||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Amersham & Chiltern | Bracknell[lower-alpha 9] | No relegation[lower-alpha 10] | [4] | |||||||||
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 back 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[lower-alpha 11] while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 2 South)[lower-alpha 12].
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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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 | [5] | |||||||||
1999–00 | 10 | Tadley | Windsor | Sherborne | [6] | |||||||||
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)[lower-alpha 13].
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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2000–01 | 9 | Redingensians | Salisbury | No relegation | [7] | |||||||||
2001–02 | 10 | Wimborne | Oakmeadians | Melksham, Corsham, Swindon College Old Boys | [8] | |||||||||
2002–03 | 10 | Frome | Oakmeadians | Calne | [9] | |||||||||
2003–04 | 9 | Ivel Barbarians | Tadley | Westbury | [10] | |||||||||
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.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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2004–05 | 12 | Bournemouth | Frome | Minety, Bradford-on-Avon | [11] | |||||||||
2005–06 | 12 | Frome | Oldfield Old Boys | Blandford, Corsham | [12] | |||||||||
2006–07 | 12 | Walcot | Royal Wootton Bassett | Melksham, Bridport | [13] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 12 | Trowbridge | Royal Wootton Bassett | Devizes, Dorchester | [14] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 12 | Oakmeadians | Royal Wootton Bassett | No relegation | [15] | |||||||||
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.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 12 | Wimborne | Frome | Ivel Barbarians, Minety | [16] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Salisbury | Oldfield Old Boys | Bradford-on-Avon, Bridport, Marlborough | [17] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 12 | North Dorset | Dorchester | Melksham, Blandford | [18] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 12 | Devizes | Trowbridge | Supermarine, Oakmeadians | [19] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 12 | Wells | Trowbridge | Ivel Barbarians | [20] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 12 | Swanage & Wareham | Salisbury | Supermarine, Corsham | [21] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 12 | Royal Wootton Bassett | Midsomer Norton | Dorchester, Bradford-on-Avon | [22] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 12 | Wimborne | Trowbridge | Dorset Dockers, Combe Down | [23] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 12 | Trowbridge | Marlborough | Blandford, Swanage & Wareham | [24] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 12 | Sherborne | Frome | Bradford-on-Avon, Dorchester | [25] | |||||||||
2019–20 | 12 | Grove | Frome | North Dorset | [26] | |||||||||
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.
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Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||
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2000–01[27] | Salisbury (S) | 49-20 | Grove (N) | Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire | ||||
2001–02[28] | Grove (N) | 30-13 | Oakmeadians (S) | Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire | ||||
2002–03[29] | Oakmeadians (S) | 24-17 | Aylesbury (N) | Meryick Park, Bournemouth, Dorset | ||||
2003–04[30] | Amersham & Chiltern (N)[lower-alpha 14] | Tadley (S) | Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire | |||||
2004–05[31] | Frome (S) | 12-38 | Henley Wanderers (N) | Gypsy Lane, Frome, Somerset | ||||
2005–06[32] | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | 32-33 | Swindon (N) | Shaft Road, Monkton Combe, Somerset | ||||
2006–07[33] | Wootton Bassett (S) | 17-20 | Tadley (N) | Ballards Ash Sports Ground, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire | ||||
2007–08[34] | Wallingford (N) | 22-3 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Wallingford Sports Park, Wallingford, Oxfordshire | ||||
2008–09[35] | Marlow (N) | 18-15 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Riverwoods Drive, Marlow, Buckinghamshire | ||||
2009–10[36] | Amersham & Chiltern (N) | 45-12 | Frome (S) | Ash Grove, Amersham, Buckinghamshire | ||||
2010–11[37] | Aylesbury (N) | 10-39 | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | Ostler's Field, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire | ||||
2011–12[38] | Windsor (N) | 22-15 | Dorcester (S) | Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire | ||||
2012–13[39] | Grove (N) | 39-20 | Trowbridge (S) | Recreation Lane, Grove, Oxfordshire | ||||
2013–14[40] | Trowbridge (S) | 27-19 | Aylesbury (N) | Doric Park, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire | ||||
2014–15[41] | Salisbury (S) | 34-16 | Aylesbury (N) | Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire | ||||
2015–16[42] | Midsomer Norton (S) | 29-22 | Aylesbury (N) | Norton Down Playing Fields, Midsomer Norton, Somerset | ||||
2016–17[43] | Bicester (N) | 53-20 | Trowbridge (S) | Oxford Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire | ||||
2017–18[44] | Windsor (N) | 29-31 | Marlborough (S) | Home Park, Windsor, Berkshire | ||||
2018–19[45] | 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
Number of league titles
- Wimborne (4)
- Banbury (2)[lower-alpha 15]
- Bournemouth (2)[lower-alpha 16]
- Frome (2)
- Redingensians (2)[lower-alpha 17]
- Sherborne (2)[lower-alpha 18]
- Swanage & Wareham (2)[lower-alpha 19]
- Trowbridge (2)
- Amersham & Chiltern (1)[lower-alpha 20]
- Chippenham (1)
- Devizes (1)
- Dorchester (1)[lower-alpha 21]
- Grove (1)
- Ivel Barbarians (1)[lower-alpha 22]
- Marlow (1)[lower-alpha 23]
- North Dorset (1)
- Oakmeadians (1)
- Reading Abbey (1)
- Royal Wootton Bassett (1)
- Salisbury (1)
- Tadley (1)
- Walcot (1)
- Wells (1)
Notes
- Oxford Marathon would merge with Oxford Old Boys in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[1]
- Oxford Old Boys would merge with Oxford Marathon in 1996 to form Oxford Harlequins.[1]
- Redingensians are currently known as Rams.
- South West 2 is currently two regional divisions - South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
- Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 no longer contains Berkshire clubs and is currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 1 South.
- Bucks/Oxon 1 has since involved Berkshire clubs and is currently known as Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier
- 3rd place Windsor also promoted.
- No relegation due to league expansion from 11 to 13 teams for the 1992–93 season.
- Due to the cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and subsequent restructuring of the leagues at the end of the 1995–96 season, six clubs were promoted from Southern Counties including Chinnor, Chippenham, Marlow and Swindon.
- The cancellation of Courage League Division 5 and splitting of Southern Counties into Southern Counties North and Southern Counties South at the end of the 1995–96 season, meant that there was no relegation.
- Another change at the end of the 1995–96 saw South West 2 also split into two regional divisions - South West 2 East and South West 2 West.
- Relegated Southern Counties North clubs dropped to Bucks/Oxon 1.
- Dorset & Wilts 1 is now split into two regional divisions - Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts South.
- The result of the 2003-04 playoff between Amersham & Chiltern and Tadley is unknown due to all the south-west promotion playoff games from this season missing from the RFU website. However, as Amersham & Chiltern were in the higher division the next season (and Tadley were not) it is assumed they won the playoff game. Amersham & Chiltern would also have hosted the game as they had a better points record in their league than Tadley did in theirs.
- Both of Banbury's titles were won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- One of Bournemouth's titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- One of Redingensians titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- One of Sherborne's titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- One of Swanage & Wareham's titles was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Amersham & Chiltern's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Dorchester's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
- Ivel Barbarians are now known as Yeovil Rugby Club.
- Marlow's title was won when league was a single division known as Southern Counties.
References
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- Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
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- "2017-18 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- "2018-19 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
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- "South West Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
- "South West Play-Offs 2002-03". England Rugby. 26 April 2003.
- "South West Play-Offs 2003-04". England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
- "South West Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
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- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 7 May 2010.
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- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 28 April 2012.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 27 April 2013.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 26 April 2014.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 25 April 2015.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 30 April 2016.
- "South West Play-Offs". England Rugby. 29 April 2017.
- "Marlborough win promotion after play-off win at Windsor". Gazette & Herald. 30 April 2017.
- "Frome RFC 10 - 23 Buckingham RFC". Frome RFC. 27 April 2019.