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 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. Counties 1 Southern South currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire.
Counties 1 Southern South
Current season or competition: 2022–23 Counties 1 Southern South
The league champions at the end of the season are promoted to Regional 2 South Central 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.
2021–22edit
Thatcham finished 11th in 2019–20 but were level transferred to Southern Counties North for the current season.
Locations of the 2016–17 Southern Counties South teams in Dorset
Season 2015–16edit
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.
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.
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[k] while relegation was now only to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 (currently split into Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 2 South).[l]
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).[m]
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.
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.
Southern Counties North v Southern Counties South promotion play-off results
^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.
^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.