Current season or competition: 2019–20 Dorset & Wilts 1 South | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 | (as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Holders | Dorchester (3rd title) (2019–20) (promoted to Southern Counties South) |
Most titles | Blandford, Dorchester, Ivel Barbarians (3 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
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 north and south regional divisions in 2004. Teams based in Berkshire participated until 2001 when they left to join the Buckinghamshire & Oxon leagues.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Southern Counties South, while relegated generally teams drop to Dorset & Wilts 2 South. Only 1st XV sides can be promoted into Southern Counties South, while any side can fall to Dorset & Wilts 2 South. Each year all 1st XV sides in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase – a level 8 national competition – provided they are members of the Dorset & Wilts RFU.
Dorset Dockers (2nd in 2019-20) and East Dorset (11th in Dorset & Wilts 2 South in 2019-20) merged to form East Dorset Dockers for season 2021-22.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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The 2015–16 Dorset & Wilts 1 South consisted of twelve teams; nine based in Dorset, two in south Wiltshire and one from Somerset. 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 champions, Dorset Dockers were promoted to Southern Counties South while Yeovil were relegated to Dorset & Wilts 2 South and Westbury to Dorset & Wilts 2 North.
Team | Ground | Capacity | Town/Village | Previous season |
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Blandford | Larksmead Rugby Pitches | Blandford Forum, Dorset | 4th | |
Bournemouth II | Chapel Gate | Bournemouth, Dorset | 2nd | |
East Dorset | Iford Lane Playing Fields | Bournemouth, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (champions) | |
Frome II | Gypsy Lane | Frome, Somerset | 7th | |
Lytchett Minster | Lytchett Park | Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset | 5th | |
New Milton II | Normans Way | Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire | ||
North Dorset II | Slaughtergate | 1,000 | Gillingham, Dorset | 9th |
Oakmedians | Meyrick Park | Bournemouth, Dorset | 8th | |
Salisbury II | Castle Road | Salisbury, Wiltshire | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (runners up) | |
Sherborne II | Gainsborough Park | Sherborne, Dorset | 3rd | |
Swanage & Wareham II | Bestwall Road | Wareham, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (3rd) | |
Warminster | Folly Lane | Warminster, Wiltshire | 10th | |
Wimbourne II | Leigh Park | Wimbourne, Dorset | 6th | |
When league rugby began in 1987 this division (known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1) contained the following teams from Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire:
Originally Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 1 South were combined in a single division known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1, involving clubs based in Berkshire [lower-alpha 2] , Dorset and Wiltshire. It was a tier 8 league with promotion to Southern Counties and relegation to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2.
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
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1987–88 | 10 | Swanage & Wareham | Devizes | Hungerford | [1] |
1988–89 | 11 | Bracknell | Dorchester | Marlborough | [2] |
1989–90 | 11 | Sherborne | Corsham | R.E.M.E. Arborfield | [3] |
1990–91 | 11 | Dorchester | Devizes | Lytchett Minster, Puddletown, Aldermaston | [4] |
1991–92 | 11 | Bracknell | Chippenham | No relegation [lower-alpha 3] | [5] |
1992–93 | 13 | Royal Wootton Bassett | Swindon | Bournemouth University | [6] |
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Southern Counties and relegation to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2.
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1993–94 | 13 | Devizes | Swindon | Puddletown, Bradford-on-Avon, North Dorset | [7] |
1994–95 | 13 | Swindon | Melksham | Swindon College Old Boys | [8] |
1995–96 | 13 | Blandford | Royal Wootton Bassett [lower-alpha 4] | No relegation [lower-alpha 5] | [9] |
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Further restructuring meant that promotion was now to Southern Counties South [lower-alpha 6] , while relegation continued to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2.
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
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1996–97 | 10 | Weymouth | Westbury | Supermarine, Lytchett Minster | |
1997–98 | 10 | Tadley | Redingensians | Marlborough, Aldermaston | |
1998–99 | 10 | Ivel Barbarians | Swindon College Old Boys | Weymouth & Portland, East Dorset, Thatcham | [10] |
1999–00 | 10 | Swindon | Corsham | Calne, Blandford | [11] |
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
At the end of the 1999–00 season the division became known as Dorset & Wilts 1 following the departure of Berkshire clubs to join the Bucks & Oxon leagues. It remained a tier 8 league with promotion to Southern Counties South and relegation to either Dorset & Wilts 2 North or Dorset & Wilts 2 South (both formerly part of Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2).
Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
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2000–01 | 8 | Frome | Oakmeadians | North Dorset | [12] |
2001–02 | 8 | Westbury | Calne | Bridport | [13] |
2002–03 | 8 | Trowbridge | Swindon College Old Boys | No relegation [lower-alpha 7] | [14] |
2003–04 | 10 | Sherborne | Bradford-on-Avon | No relegation [lower-alpha 8] | [15] |
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Ahead of the 2004–05 season, local league restructuring saw Dorset & Wilts 1 split into two tier 8 regional divisions: Dorset & Wilts 1 North and Dorset & Wilts 1 South. Promotion continued to Southern Counties South, while relegation was now to Dorset & Wilts 2 South.
Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
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2004–05 | 10 | Blandford | Weymouth & Portland | Dorchester II, Swanage & Wareham III | [16] |
2005–06 | 11 | Bournemouth II | Swanage & Wareham II | Wincanton, Ivel Barbarians II, Oakmeadians II | [17] |
2006–07 | 9 | Ivel Barbarians | Swanage & Wareham II | No relegation [lower-alpha 9] | [18] |
2007–08 | 11 | Swanage & Wareham II [lower-alpha 10] | Salisbury II | Blandford | [19] |
2008–09 | 11 | Dorchester II | Bridport | Wimborne II | [20] |
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Dorset & Wilts 1 South remained a tier 8 league, with promotion continuing to Southern Counties South and relegation to Dorset & Wilts 2 South.
Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier is a division at level 8 of the English rugby union system featuring teams from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Promoted teams usually move up to Southern Counties North while relegated teams used to drop to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Championship, although this division has been discontinued as of the end of the 2018–19 season. Each year three teams are picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase.
Counties 1 Southern 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 North is a division at level 7 of the English rugby union system. When league rugby first began in 1987 it was 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 North currently sits at the seventh tier of club rugby union in England and features teams based in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The league champions at the end of each season are automatically promoted to Regional 2 South Central. Relegated teams usually drop to Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon North or Counties 2 Berks/Bucks & Oxon South.
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 division known as South West 2, since 1996 the division has been split into two regional leagues – South West 1 East and South West 1 West.
Dorset & Wilts 3 North was an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs primarily based in Wiltshire, sitting at tier 10 of the English rugby union system. Promoted teams tended to move up to Dorset & Wilts 2 North and there was no relegation. The league was created in 2005 and was disbanded after the 2019–20 season.
Dorset & Wilts 2 North is an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs based primarily in Wiltshire, sitting at tier 9 of the English rugby union system. From this league teams can either be promoted to Dorset & Wilts 1 North or relegated to Dorset & Wilts 3 North. Each year 1st XV clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase – a level 9–12 national competition.
Dorset & Wilts 2 North is an English rugby union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs primarily based in Wiltshire, sitting at tier 8 of the English rugby union system. Originally consisting of one league, Dorset & Wilts 1 split into north and south regional divisions in 2004. It had even had teams based in Berkshire participating until 2001, at which time they left to join the Buckinghamshire & Oxon leagues.
Dorset and Wilts Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in the counties of Dorset and Wiltshire, England. Dorset & Wilts RFU is a Constituent Body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and is responsible for the management and administration of the game within the counties of Dorset and Wiltshire of all forms and at all levels. Originally Dorset and Wiltshire had their own county teams but would start to merge into one body towards the end of the 1930s, having already played a combined match against Hampshire in 1935–36 which Dorset & Wilts won 9–6. By 1939 Dorset & Wilts agreed to become a unified rugby football union to take part in the 1940–41 County Championships but this was postponed by the outbreak of World War II. After the war Dorset & Wilts played its first official county match in 1947 and attained full county status from the RFU in 1949.
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 South. Relegated teams used to drop to Dorset & Wilts 3 South but since that division was cancelled at the end of the 2018–19 season there has been no relegation. Each year 1st XV clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase, a level 9–12 national competition.
Dorset & Wilts 3 South was an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, primarily for clubs based in Dorset, sitting at tier 10 of the English rugby union system. Promoted teams generally moved up to Dorset & Wilts 2 South. Relegated teams dropped to Dorset & Wilts 4 until the cancellation of this division at the end of the 2015–16 season; after that there was no relegation. The league was created in 2005 and disbanded after the 2018–19 season.
Berks, Bucks and Oxon Championship was a division at level 9 of the English rugby union system featuring teams from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Promoted teams moved up to the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier and there was no relegation. Each year three teams were picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase.
Dorset & Wilts 4 was an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs based in Dorset and Wiltshire as well as the occasional team from Somerset. Promoted teams moved up to Dorset & Wilts 3 North or Dorset & Wilts 3 South depending on geographical position. Due to a lack of teams the league was cancelled at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Dorset & Wilts 3 West was English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs based in western Dorset. Promoted teams tended to move up to Dorset & Wilts 2 North or Dorset & Wilts 2 South depending on geographical location and there was no relegation. The league was originally created as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West in 1988 and ran until 1992 until it merged with Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East to form Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3. The division would return as Dorset & Wilts 3 West in 2006. By the end of the 2008–09 season, the league was disbanded and clubs were transferred to Dorset & Wilts 3 North or Dorset & Wilts 3 South.
Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East was an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs primarily based in Berkshire and Wiltshire. Promoted teams moved up to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 and there was no relegation. The league ran for four seasons until 1992 when it merged with Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West to form Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
Somerset 1 is an English rugby union league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England involving teams based in the county of Somerset as well as some teams based in Bristol. 1st, 2nd and even 3rd XV sides can participate in the division as long as they are not from the same club.
Somerset 2 North is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 2 South. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 2, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Somerset 2 South is an English rugby union league which sits at the tenth level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 2 North. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 2, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Somerset 3 North is an English rugby union league which sits at the eleven level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 3 South. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 3, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Somerset 3 South is an English rugby union league which sits at the eleven level of league rugby union in England alongside its counterpart Somerset 3 North. When the division was founded in 1987 it was a single league known as Somerset 3, but since 2006 it has been split into two regional divisions.
Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club located in Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. The club operates four senior teams, two under-18s sides, girls rugby teams and a minis and junior section. The 1st XV plays at the sixth level of the English rugby union system, participating in Regional 2 Severn, following relegation from Regional 1 South Central.