Current season or competition: 2022–23 Counties 1 Southern South | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987; 38 years ago (1987)(as Southern Counties) |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | North Dorset (2nd title) (2021–22) (promoted toRegional 2 South Central) |
| Most titles | Wimborne(4 titles) |
| Website | englandrugby.com |
Counties 1 Southern South (formerly known asSouthern Counties South) is a level 7 league in the Rugby Football Union South West Division, therugby union governing body forSouth West England, part of theRugby Football Union. When league rugby first began in 1987 it was a single league known as Southern Counties but in 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues: Southern Counties North (nowCounties 1 Southern 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 inDorset andWiltshire.
The league champions at the end of the season are promoted toRegional 2 South Central while the runners up face the runners up from Southern Counties North for their place. Relegated teams tend to drop to eitherCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts North,Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South orCounties 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.
Departing wereRoyal Wootton Bassett II, promoted toRegional 2 Severn whileCombe Down (12th) were relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts North together withDorchester (11th), relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts South.
| Locations of the 2025–26 Southern Counties South teams in Avon and Wiltshire Locations of the 2025-26 Southern Counties South teams in Somerset and Dorset
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Departing wereNorth Dorset, promoted toRegional 2 South Central whilst Weymouth & Portland were relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts South together with Avondale and Yeovil, both relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central.
| Locations of the 2024–25 Southern Counties South teams in Avon and Wiltshire Locations of the 2024–25 Southern Counties South teams in Somerset and Dorset
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Departing were Wimborne, promoted toRegional 2 South Central whilst Blandford were relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts South together with Trowbridge II and Frome II, both relegated toCounties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central.
| Locations of the 2023–24 Southern Counties South teams in Avon and Wiltshire Locations of the 2023–24 Southern Counties South teams in Somerset and Dorset
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This was the first season following theRFU Adult Competition Review. Seven of the teams who competed in the final season of Southern Counties South returned.
| Locations of the 2022–23 Southern Counties South teams in Avon and Wiltshire Locations of the 2022–23 Southern Counties South teams in Somerset and Dorset
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Thatcham finished 11th in 2019–20 but were level transferred toSouthern Counties North for the current season.
| Locations of the 2021–22 Southern Counties South teams in Avon and Wiltshire Locations of the 2021–22 Southern Counties South teams in Somerset and Dorset
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Due to thecoronavirus pandemic the season was cancelled.
| Locations of the 2019–20 Southern Counties South teams
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| Locations of the 2018–19 Southern Counties South teams
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| Locations of the 2017–18 Southern Counties South teams in Wiltshire and Avon Locations of the 2017–18 Southern Counties South teams in Dorset & Somerset
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| Locations of the 2016–17 Southern Counties South teams in Wiltshire and Somerset Locations of the 2016–17 Southern Counties South teams in Dorset
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The 2015–16 Southern Counties South consists of twelve teams; four each fromDorset,Somerset andWiltshire. The season started on 12 September 2015 and ended on 23 April 2016.
Eight of the twelve teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 championsSwanage & Wareham and runners upSalisbury (who won their playoff game) were promoted to theSouth West 1 East whileSupermarine andCorsham were both relegated toDorset & Wilts 1 North.Royal Wootton Bassett were level transferred fromSouthern Counties North.
| Locations of the 2015–16 Southern Counties South teams in Wiltshire and Somerset Locations of the 2015–16 Southern Counties South teams in Dorset
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| 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 |
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Southern Counties) contained the following teams:
OriginallySouthern Counties North and Southern Counties South were combined in a single division called Southern Counties. It was a tier 7 league with promotion up toSouth West 2[d] and relegation down to eitherBerks/Dorset/Wilts 1[e] orBucks/Oxon 1.[f]
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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[g] | No relegation[h] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Swanage & Wareham | Dorchester | Grove | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams fromLondon Division 1 and the top six fromSouth West Division 1 were combined to createNational 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 toSouth West 2 and relegation down to eitherBerks/Dorset/Wilts 1 orBucks/Oxon 1.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Bournemouth | Bracknell | Royal Wootton Bassett,Redingensians | [3] | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Dorchester | Bracknell | Slough,Oxford Marathon | [4] | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Amersham & Chiltern | Bracknell[i] | No relegation[j] | [5] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Restructuring by theRFU 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 ofNational 5 South. Promotion from Southern Counties South was now to the newSouth West 2 East[k] while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split intoDorset & Wilts 1 North andDorset & Wilts 2 South).[l]
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | [6] | |||||||||
| 1999–00 | 10 | Tadley | Windsor | Sherborne | [7] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing toSouth 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).[m]
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 9 | Redingensians | Salisbury | No relegation | [8] | |||||||||
| 2001–02 | 10 | Wimborne | Oakmeadians | Melksham,Corsham,Swindon College Old Boys | [9] | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | 10 | Frome | Oakmeadians | Calne | [10] | |||||||||
| 2003–04 | 9 | Ivel Barbarians | Tadley | Westbury | [11] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Southern Counties South remained a tier 7 league, with promotion continuing toSouth West 2 East, while a further restructuring of the Dorset/Wilts leagues meant that relegation was now to eitherDorset & Wilts 1 North orDorset & Wilts 1 South.
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| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 12 | Bournemouth | Frome | Minety,Bradford-on-Avon | [12] | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | 12 | Frome | Oldfield Old Boys | Blandford,Corsham | [13] | |||||||||
| 2006–07 | 12 | Walcot | Royal Wootton Bassett | Melksham,Bridport | [14] | |||||||||
| 2007–08 | 12 | Trowbridge | Royal Wootton Bassett | Devizes,Dorchester | [15] | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 12 | Oakmeadians | Royal Wootton Bassett | No relegation | [16] | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Despite widespread league restructuring by theRFU, Southern Counties South continued as a tier 7 league, with promotion toSouth West 1 East (formerly South West 2 East) and relegation to eitherDorset & Wilts 1 North orDorset & Wilts 1 South.
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners-up | Relegated teams | Ref | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 12 | Wimborne | Frome | Ivel Barbarians,Minety | [17] | |||||||||
| 2010–11 | 12 | Salisbury | Oldfield Old Boys | Bradford-on-Avon,Bridport,Marlborough | [18] | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | 12 | North Dorset | Dorchester | Melksham,Blandford | [19] | |||||||||
| 2012–13 | 12 | Devizes | Trowbridge | Supermarine,Oakmeadians | [20] | |||||||||
| 2013–14 | 12 | Wells | Trowbridge | Ivel Barbarians | [21] | |||||||||
| 2014–15 | 12 | Swanage & Wareham | Salisbury | Supermarine,Corsham | [22] | |||||||||
| 2015–16 | 12 | Royal Wootton Bassett | Midsomer Norton | Dorchester,Bradford-on-Avon | [23] | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | 12 | Wimborne | Trowbridge | Dorset Dockers,Combe Down | [24] | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 12 | Trowbridge | Marlborough | Blandford,Swanage & Wareham | [25] | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | 12 | Sherborne | Frome | Bradford-on-Avon,Dorchester | [26] | |||||||||
| 2019–20 | 12 | Grove | Frome | North Dorset | [27] | |||||||||
| 2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up ofSouthern Counties North and Southern Counties South for the third and final promotion place toSouth 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01[28] | Salisbury (S) | 49–20 | Grove (N) | Castle Road,Salisbury,Wiltshire | ||||
| 2001–02[29] | Grove (N) | 30–13 | Oakmeadians (S) | Recreation Lane,Grove,Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2002–03[30] | Oakmeadians (S) | 24–17 | Aylesbury (N) | Meryick Park,Bournemouth,Dorset | ||||
| 2003–04[31] | Amersham & Chiltern (N)[n] | Tadley (S) | Ash Grove,Amersham,Buckinghamshire | |||||
| 2004–05[32] | Frome (S) | 12–38 | Henley Wanderers (N) | Gypsy Lane,Frome,Somerset | ||||
| 2005–06[33] | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | 32–33 | Swindon (N) | Shaft Road,Monkton Combe,Somerset | ||||
| 2006–07[34] | Wootton Bassett (S) | 17–20 | Tadley (N) | Ballards Ash Sports Ground,Wootton Bassett,Wiltshire | ||||
| 2007–08[35] | Wallingford (N) | 22–3 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Wallingford Sports Park,Wallingford, Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2008–09[36] | Marlow (N) | 18–15 | Wootton Bassett (S) | Riverwoods Drive,Marlow,Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2009–10[37] | Amersham & Chiltern (N) | 45–12 | Frome (S) | Ash Grove,Amersham,Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2010–11[38] | Aylesbury (N) | 10–39 | Oldfield Old Boys (S) | Ostler's Field,Weston Turville,Aylesbury,Buckinghamshire | ||||
| 2011–12[39] | Windsor (N) | 22–15 | Dorcester (S) | Home Park,Windsor,Berkshire | ||||
| 2012–13[40] | Grove (N) | 39–20 | Trowbridge (S) | Recreation Lane,Grove,Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2013–14[41] | Trowbridge (S) | 27–19 | Aylesbury (N) | Doric Park,Hilperton,Trowbridge,Wiltshire | ||||
| 2014–15[42] | Salisbury (S) | 34–16 | Aylesbury (N) | Castle Road,Salisbury,Wiltshire | ||||
| 2015–16[43] | Midsomer Norton (S) | 29–22 | Aylesbury (N) | Norton Down Playing Fields,Midsomer Norton,Somerset | ||||
| 2016–17[44] | Bicester (N) | 53–20 | Trowbridge (S) | Oxford Road,Bicester,Oxfordshire | ||||
| 2017–18[45] | Windsor (N) | 29–31 | Marlborough (S) | Home Park,Windsor,Berkshire | ||||
| 2018–19[46] | Frome (S) | 10–23 | Buckingham (N) | Gypsy Lane,Frome,Somerset | 400 | |||
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due toCOVID-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 | ||||||||
