Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts South (formerly 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 typically move up to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South or occasionally to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central. 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.
2026-27
Departing were Blandford promoted to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South. Leaving were Swanage & Wareham III (8th) who were displaced by Swanage & Wareham II being relegated into the league.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bournemouth III Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset Re-entry Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 6th East Dorset Dockers 2XV Iford Lane Christchurch, Dorset New entry Lytchett Minster II Lytchett Park Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset 4th Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 5th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 7th Sherborne II Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset 2nd Swanage & Wareham II Bestwall Rd Wareham, Dorset Relegated from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 3rd
2025–26
Departing were Bournemouth III promoted to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South. Also leaving were Ellingham & Ringwood II (3rd) on a level transfer to Counties 3 Hampshire.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Blandford Larksmead Recreation Ground Blandford, Dorset Relegated from Counties 2 D&W South (9th) Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 8th Lytchett Minster II Lytchett Park Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset 7th Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 4th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 5th Sherborne II Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset 2nd Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Rd Wareham, Dorset 9th Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 6th
2024–25
Departing were Swanage & Wareham II and Puddletown, both promoted to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South while Salisbury III (7th) returned to merit league rugby.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bournemouth III Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset 4th Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 6th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire Relegated from Counties 2 D&W South (9th) Lytchett Minster II Lytchett Park Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset Promoted from Group 1 Dorset & Wilts Matrix Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 5th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 8th Sherborne II Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset 3rd Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Rd Wareham, Dorset New entry Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset Promoted from Group 1 Dorset & Wilts Matrix
2023–24
Departing were Ellingham & Ringwood II promoted to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South.
Bournemouth III re-joined the league pyramid having most recently competed in Dorset & Wilts 1 South in season 2021–22.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bournemouth III Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset Re-entry Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset Runners-up Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 3rd Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 4th Puddletown Enterprise Park Piddlehinton, Dorset Relegated from Counties 2 D&W South (7th) Salisbury III Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 5th Sherborne II Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset Level transfer from Counties 3 D&W Central (3rd) Swanage & Wareham II Bestwall Rd Wareham, Dorset Relegated from Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South
2022–23
Departing were Lytchett Minster promoted to Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts South, Christchurch (runners-up) moved to Counties 4 Hampshire whilst Wimborne III (7th), Swanage & Wareham III (8th) and East Dorset Dockers II (9th) returned to merit league rugby.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 4th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 5th Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 6th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 3rd Salisbury III Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire Level transfer from Counties 3 D&W Central (9th)
2021–22
Dorset Dockers and East Dorset (11th in 2019–20) merged ahead of the current season to form East Dorset Dockers.
North Dorset II, Salisbury III and Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew did not return as all were level transferred to the newly formed Dorset & Wilts 2 Central for the current season.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Christchurch East Sports And Social Club Christchurch, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts South Matrix 2 Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 7th East Dorset Dockers II Iford Lane Playing Fields Bournemouth, Dorset 11th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 3rd Lytchett Minster Lytchett Park Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (12th) Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 6th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 4th Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 10th Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 8th
2020–21 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bridport Brewery Fields Bridport, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (11th) Dinton The Recreation Ground Dinton, Wiltshire 7th Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset Champions (not promoted) East Dorset Iford Lane Playing Fields Bournemouth, Dorset 9th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 5th North Dorset II Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (dropped out) Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 11th Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (runners up) Salisbury III Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 6th Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (3rd) Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew Netherhampton Road Netherhampton, Salisbury, Wiltshire 4th Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 10th
2018–19
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Dinton The Recreation Ground Dinton, Wiltshire 5th Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 6th East Dorset Iford Lane Playing Fields Bournemouth, Dorset 4th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 7th Lytchett Minster Lytchett Park Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (12th) New Milton II Normans Way Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (11th) North Dorset III Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (champions) Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 10th Salisbury III Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 3rd Swanage & Wareham II Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (7th) Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew Netherhampton Road Netherhampton, Salisbury, Wiltshire 9th Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (runners up)
2017–18
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Blandford II Larksmead Rugby Pitches Blandford Forum, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (runners up) Dinton The Recreation Ground Dinton, Wiltshire Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (3rd) Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 9th East Dorset Iford Lane Playing Fields Bournemouth, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (12th) Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 6th New Milton III Normans Way Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (champions) Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset 7th Puddletown Enterprise Park Piddlehinton, Dorset 4th Salisbury III Castle Road 1,500 Salisbury, Wiltshire 2nd (not promoted) Sherborne II Gainsborough Park Sherborne, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (11th) Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew Netherhampton Road Netherhampton, Salisbury, Wiltshire 5th
2016–17 Bridport Bournemouth IV Dorchester II Ellinghan & Ringwood II Dorset Dockers II (promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South) Lytchett Minster II (promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South) New Milton II North Dorset III Oakmedians II Puddletown Salisbury III Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew
2015–16
The 2015–16 Dorset & Wilts 2 South consisted of twelve teams; seven based in Dorset, three from Hampshire and one each from Somerset and Wiltshire. 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, East Dorset were promoted to Dorset & Wilts 1 South along with Salisbury II (2nd) and Swanage & Wareham II (3rd), while North Dorset III and Wimborne III were relegated to Dorset & Wilts 3 South.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season Bournemouth III Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset 7th Bridport Brewery Fields Bridport, Dorset 5th Dorchester II Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 8th Ellingham & Ringwood II Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 9th Fordingbridge II The Recreation Ground Fordingbridge, Hampshire Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (3rd) New Milton II Normans Way Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire 10th North Dorset III Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset 12th (not relegated) Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (runners up) Puddletown Enterprise Park Piddlehinton, Dorset 6th Weymouth & Portland Monmouth Avenue Weymouth, Dorset 4th Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew Netherhampton Road Netherhampton, Salisbury, Wiltshire Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 3 South (champions) Yeovil Yeovil Showground Yeovil, Somerset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 1 South (11th)
2012–13 Dorchester II East Dorset Ellingham & Ringwood II Fordingbridge Frome II New Milton II North Dorset III Poole Puddletown Weymouth II
Original teams When league rugby began in 1987, this division (known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2) contained the following teams from Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire:
Bradford-on-Avon Chippenham Corsham Lytchett Minster Minety North Dorset Oakmedians Poole Puddletown Swindon College Old Boys Supermarine Trowbridge
Dorset & Wilts 2 South honours
Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 (1987–1993)
Originally Dorset & Wilts 2 North and Dorset & Wilts 2 South were combined in a single division known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2, involving clubs based in Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire. It was a tier 9 league with promotion to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1 and, from the 1988–89 season onward, relegation was to either Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East or Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West.
+Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated team(s)Ref 1987–88 12 Chippenham Corsham No relegation 1988–89 11 North Dorset Puddletown Minety 1989–90 11 Melksham Lytchett Minster Poole 1990–91 11 D.I.H.E. Swindon College Old Boys R.E.M.E. Arborfield, Trowbridge, Westbury 1991–92 11 Aldermaston Lytchett Minster No relegation 1992–93 13 Supermarine Marlborough Berkshire Shire Hall Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 (1993–1996)
The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 dropped to become a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 1, while relegation was now to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
+Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2SeasonNo of teamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated team(s)Ref 1993–94 13 Blandford Thatcham Minety, Hungerford 1994–95 13 Bournemouth University North Dorset Poole 1995–96 13 Trowbridge Calne Bournemouth University, Puddletown, Warminster Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 (1996–2000)