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 in 1996 the division was split into two regional leagues: Southern Counties North (now Counties 1 Southern North) and Southern Counties South. Counties 1 Southern South primarily features teams based in Dorset and Wiltshire, with some from Somerset.
The league champions at the end of the season are promoted to Regional 2 South Central or Regional 2 Severn while the last two or three teams are relegated to one of three Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts leagues depending on geographic location. As of the 2022–23 season, with the RFU league restructuring, second XVs are able to play in Counties 1 Southern South.
Structure and format The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April, making a total of twenty-two matches each. The results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows: 4 points are awarded for a win. 2 points are awarded for a draw. 0 points are awarded for a loss.
In addition: 1 losing (bonus) point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer 1 additional (bonus) point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match
The league champions are promoted to Regional 2 South Central or Regional 2 Severn while the last two or three teams are relegated to one of three Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts leagues depending on geographic location.
2026–27
Departing were Sherborne, promoted to Regional 2 South West while Swindon (11th) and Alfred's Nomads (Marlborough 2nd XV) (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Chippenham II Allington Fields 500 Chippenham, Wiltshire 10th Combe Down Holly's Corner Combe Down, Bath, Somerset Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North Corsham Lacock Road Corsham, Wiltshire 8th Devizes The Sports Club Devizes, Wiltshire 3rd Dorchester Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South Frome Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 4th Melksham The Conigre 1,000 Melksham, Wiltshire 7th North Dorset Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset Relegated from Regional 2 Severn Salisbury Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 5th Swanage & Wareham Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 6th Trowbridge II Doric Park Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire 9th Walcot Albert Field Lansdown, Bath, Somerset 2nd
2025–26 Participating teams and locations Departing were Royal Wootton Bassett II, promoted to Regional 2 Severn while Combe Down (12th) were relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North together with Dorchester (11th), relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Alfred's Nomads (Marlborough 2nd XV) The Common Marlborough, Wiltshire Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North (champions) Chippenham II Allington Fields 500 Chippenham, Wiltshire 10th Corsham Lacock Road Corsham, Wiltshire 8th Devizes The Sports Club Devizes, Wiltshire 2nd Frome Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 7th Melksham The Conigre 1,000 Melksham, Wiltshire 9th Salisbury Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 5th Sherborne Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset 3rd Swanage & Wareham Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 6th Swindon Greenbridge Road Swindon, Wiltshire Relegated from Regional 2 Severn (12th) Trowbridge II Doric Park Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central (champions) Walcot Albert Field Lansdown, Bath, Somerset 4th
2024–25 Participating teams and locations Departing were North Dorset, promoted to Regional 2 South Central while Weymouth & Portland (10th) were relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South together with Yeovil (11th) and Avondale (12th) both relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central. Incoming teams were Salisbury (11th) and Devizes (12th) relegated from Regional 2 South Central and Regional 2 Severn respectively. Promoted to Counties 1 Southern South were Chippenham II champions of Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North and Melksham, champions of Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Combe Down Holly's Corner Combe Down, Bath, Somerset 7th Chippenham II Allington Fields 500 Chippenham, Wiltshire Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North (champions) Corsham Lacock Road Corsham, Wiltshire 9th Devizes The Sports Club Devizes, Wiltshire Relegated from Regional 2 Severn (12th) Dorchester Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 8th Frome Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset 4th Melksham The Conigre 1,000 Melksham, Wiltshire Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central (champions) Royal Wootton Bassett II Ballards Ash 5,000 Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire 6th Salisbury Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire Relegated from Regional 2 South Central (11th) Sherborne Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset 3rd Swanage & Wareham Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 2nd Walcot Albert Field Lansdown, Bath, Somerset 5th
League table Counties 1 Southern South 2024–25 TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints adj 1 Royal Wootton Bassett II (P) 22 20 0 2 861 425 436 19 0 99 2 Devizes 22 16 2 4 646 482 164 16 3 88 1 3 Sherborne 22 17 2 3 690 389 301 14 1 87 4 Walcot 22 12 0 10 587 582 5 11 6 65 5 Salisbury 22 14 0 8 479 469 10 7 1 64 6 Swanage & Wareham 22 11 1 10 612 489 123 11 2 59 7 Frome 22 10 0 12 525 553 −28 12 2 54 8 Corsham 22 7 2 13 553 596 −43 10 5 47 9 Melksham 22 6 2 14 534 714 −180 9 2 39 10 Chippenham II 22 4 2 16 472 766 −294 8 4 32 11 Dorchester (R) 22 3 0 19 465 813 −348 10 5 27 12 Combe Down (R) 22 6 1 15 439 585 −146 6 3 25 −10If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Number of draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.Updated: 12 March 2026Source:
2023–24 Participating teams and locations Wimborne, as champions, was promoted to Regional 2 South Central, while Trowbridge II (10th) and Frome II (12), were both relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts North and Blandford (11th) was relegated to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South. Incoming teams were Frome (11th) and Sherborne (11th) relegated from Regional 2 Severn and Regional 2 South West respectively; while Corsham (1st) promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central and Weymouth & Portland (1st) promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Avonvale Bathford Playing Fields Bathford, Bath, Somerset 9th Combe Down Holly's Corner Combe Down, Bath, Somerset 4th Corsham Lacock Road Corsham, Wiltshire Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central (champions) Dorchester Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 5th Frome Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset Relegated from Regional 2 Severn (11th) North Dorset Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset 8th Royal Wootton Bassett II Ballards Ash 5,000 Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire 7th Sherborne Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset Relegated from Regional 2 South West (11th) Swanage & Wareham Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 6th Walcot Albert Field Lansdown, Bath, Somerset 2nd Weymouth & Portland Monmouth Avenue Weymouth, Dorset Promoted from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South (champions) Yeovil Yeovil Showground Yeovil, Somerset 3rd
League table Counties 1 Southern South 2023–24 TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints adj 1 North Dorset (P) 22 19 0 3 696 306 390 14 2 92 2 Swanage & Wareham 22 17 0 5 641 404 237 15 2 85 3 Sherborne 22 18 0 4 778 343 435 14 2 84 −4 4 Frome 22 15 0 7 530 405 125 10 3 74 1 5 Walcot 22 15 0 7 548 368 180 8 3 67 −4 6 Royal Wootton Bassett II 22 12 2 8 578 388 190 10 4 67 7 Combe Down 22 9 1 12 483 554 −71 9 5 53 1 8 Dorchester 22 7 1 14 629 560 69 11 5 47 1 9 Corsham 22 8 0 14 305 493 −188 4 2 38 10 Weymouth & Portland (R) 22 7 0 15 404 566 −162 6 2 31 −5 11 Yeovil (R) 22 1 0 21 293 1036 −743 4 1 9 12 Avondale (R) 22 2 0 20 249 711 −462 3 3 4 −10If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Number of draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.Updated: 12 March 2026Source:
2022–23 Participating teams and locations This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. Seven of the teams who competed in the final season of Southern Counties South returned.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/AreaPrevious season Avonvale Bathford Playing Fields Bathford, Bath, Somerset 11th Southern Counties South Blandford Larksmead Recreation Ground Blandford, Dorset Promoted Dorset & Wilts 1 South (2nd) Combe Down Holly's Corner Combe Down, Bath, Somerset 6th Southern Counties South Dorchester Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 8th Southern Counties South Frome II Gypsy Lane Frome, Somerset Promoted Dorset & Wilts 1 North (champions) North Dorset Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset Promoted Dorset & Wilts 1 South (champions) Royal Wootton Bassett II Ballards Ash 5,000 Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire Promoted Dorset & Wilts 1 North (3rd) Swanage & Wareham Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 5th Southern Counties South Trowbridge II Doric Park Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire Promoted Dorset & Wilts 1 North (2nd) Walcot Albert Field Lansdown, Bath, Somerset 9th Southern Counties South Wimborne Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 4th Southern Counties South Yeovil Yeovil Showground Yeovil, Somerset 7th Southern Counties South
League table Counties 1 Southern South 2022–23 TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffTry bonusLoss bonusPointsPoints adj 1 Wimborne (P) 22 20 2 0 943 263 680 18 0 104 2 2 Walcot 22 18 0 4 775 297 478 14 1 88 1 3 Yeovil 22 14 1 7 578 474 104 13 1 72 4 Combe Down 22 14 1 7 589 363 226 12 0 70 5 Dorchester 22 12 0 10 548 446 102 12 3 66 3 6 Swanage & Wareham 22 11 1 10 556 416 140 9 5 63 3 7 Royal Wootton Bassett II 22 11 0 11 691 509 182 14 4 62 8 North Dorset 22 11 1 10 595 523 72 10 4 60 9 Avondale 22 8 0 14 414 482 −68 8 3 33 −10 10 Trowbridge II (R) 22 4 0 18 412 1068 −656 6 1 18 −5 11 Blandford (R) 22 4 0 18 279 704 −425 4 3 13 −10 12 Frome II (R) 22 2 0 20 144 979 −835 1 1 1 −9If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Number of draws Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled Green background is the promotion place. Pink background are the relegation places.Updated: 11 March 2026Source:
2021–22 Participating teams and locations Thatcham finished 11th in 2019–20 but were level transferred to Southern Counties North for the current season.