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Dorset & Wilts 3 South

Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1992 (as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3)
Ceased	2019
Number of teams	7
Country	England
Holders	New Milton III (2nd title) (2018–19) (not promoted to Dorset & Wilts 2 South as 2nd XV in division above)
Most titles	East Dorset, New Milton III, North Dorset III (2 titles)
Website	englandrugby.com

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.

History

Until 2005, Dorset & Wilts 3 was one division with teams from Berkshire included. In that year, three regional divisions were created for teams in Dorset and Wiltshire, namely Dorset & Wilts 3 North, Dorset & Wilts 3 South and Dorset & Wilts 3 West. The West division was disbanded at the end of the 2008–09 season, leaving just the North and South divisions. At the end of the 2018–19 season Dorset & Wilts 3 South was cancelled.

On occasion, clubs in this division also took part in the RFU Junior Vase, a level 9–12 national competition.

2019–20

Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season Bournemouth IV Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset 5th Dorchester III Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 4th Ellingham & Ringwood III Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 7th New Milton III Normans Way Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire Champions (not promoted) North Dorset III Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (12th) Oakmedians II Meyrick Park Bournemouth, Dorset Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (11th) Salisbury IV Castle Road Salisbury, Wiltshire 6th

B'mouth IVDorchester IIIE & R IIINew Milton IIINorth Dorset IIIOakmedians IISalisbury IVclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019–20 Dorset & Wilts 3 South teams

2018–19

Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season Bournemouth IV Chapel Gate Bournemouth, Dorset N/A (re-joined league) Dorchester III Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset 7th Ellingham & Ringwood III Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 6th New Milton III Normans Way Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (8th) Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 2nd Salisbury IV Castle Road Salisbury, Wiltshire 8th Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 5th

Blandford IIB'mouth IVDorchester IIIE & R IIILytchett Minster IINew Milton IIIOakmedians IIIPooleSalisbury IVSwanage & Wareham IIIclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2018–19 Dorset & Wilts 3 South teams

2017–18

Team Ground Capacity Town/Village Previous season Dorchester III Coburg Road Dorchester, Dorset N/A (joined league) Ellingham & Ringwood III Parsonage Barn Lane Ringwood, Hampshire 10th Fordingbridge II The Recreation Ground Fordingbridge, Hampshire 9th North Dorset III Slaughtergate 1,000 Gillingham, Dorset N/A (joined league) Poole Recreation Ground Hamworthy, Poole, Dorset 5th Salisbury IV Castle Road Salisbury, Wiltshire 8th Swanage & Wareham III Bestwall Road Wareham, Dorset 6th Wimborne III Leigh Park Wimborne, Dorset 4th

Dorchester IIIE & R IIIFordingbridge IILytchett Minster IINorth Dorset IIIPooleSalisbury IVSwanage & Wareham IIIWeymouth & Portland IIWimborne IIIclass=notpageimage| Locations of the 2017–18 Dorset & Wilts 3 South teams

2016–17

• Blandford II
• Bournemouth V
• Dinton
• Ellingham & Ringwood III
• Fordingbridge II (relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South)
• New Milton III
• Oakmedians III
• Poole (relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South)
• Salisbury IV
• Swanage & Wareham III
• Weymouth & Portland II
• Wimborne III

2015–16

The division consisted of ten teams, seven in Dorset, two in Wiltshire and one in Hampshire.

Seven of the teams participated in last season's competition. The 2014–15 champions, Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew were promoted to Dorset & Wilts 2 South along with Poole (2nd) and Fordingbridge II (3rd), while Weymouth & Portland II and Blandford II were relegated to Dorset & Wilts 4.

2012–13

• Frome III
• Lytchett Minster
• Oakmeadians III
• Salisbury III
• South Wilts
• Swanage & W III
• Verwood
• Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew
• Wimborne III
• Wincanton

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 1992 it was a single division known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3, containing the following teams from Dorset and Wiltshire:

• Amesbury – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East (4th)
• Colerne – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East (5th)
• Plessey Christ – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West (6th)
• Portcastrians – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West (7th)
• Poole – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West (5th)
• Westbury – transferred from Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West (4th)

Dorset & Wilts 3 South honours

Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 (1992–1993)

Originally Dorset & Wilts 3 North and Dorset & Wilts 3 South were combined in a single division known as Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3. Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 itself was created ahead of the 1992–93 season by merging the existing Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 East and Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 West divisions. It was a tier 10 league with promotion to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 and there was no relegation.

Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 (1993–1996)

The creation of National League 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 dropped to become a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 and there was no relegation.

Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National League 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 reverted to being a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 and there was no relegation. At the end of the 1999–00 season the division was cancelled and all teams transferred into the new look Dorset & Wilts 2 North or Dorset & Wilts 2 South

Dorset & Wilts 3 South (2005–2009)

After an absence of four years, Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 was reintroduced in the form of two tier 10 regional divisions – Dorset & Wilts 3 North and Dorset & Wilts 3 South. Promotion was to Dorset & Wilts 2 South and there was no relegation.

Dorset & Wilts 3 South (2009–present)

Despite widespread restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 2008–09 season, Dorset & Wilts 3 South remained a tier 10 league, with promotion continuing to Dorset & Wilts 2 South and, between 2011 and 2016, relegation was to the since discontinued Dorset & Wilts 4. Dorset & Wilts 3 South was itself cancelled at the end of the 2018–19 season.

Number of league titles

• East Dorset (2)
• New Milton III (2)
• North Dorset III (2)
• Berkshire Shire Hall (1)
• Bournemouth III (1)
• Bradford-on-Avon (1)
• Bridport II (1)
• Dorset Police (1)
• Dorchester II (1)
• Dorset Dockers II (1)
• Fordingbridge II (1)
• Hungerford (1)
• Lytchett Minster (1)
• Minety (1)
• Poole (1)
• Puddletown (1)
• Swanage & Wareham IV (1)
• Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew (1)
• Wincanton (1)

Notes

1. Despite finishing as champions New Milton III were denied promotion due to the New Milton 2nd XV playing in the division above.
2. Despite finishing 8th New Milton III were relegated due to New Milton II being relegated into Dorset & Wilts 2 South from Dorset & Wilts 1 South.
3. Despite the name for the first season of Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 there were no actual Berkshire based clubs.
4. Plessey Christ would be renamed as Christchurch RFC for the 1993–94 season onward.
5. In Portcastrians would be renamed as East Dorset RFC in 2003.
6. Berks/Dorset/Wilts 2 would be divided into Dorset & Wilts 2 North or Dorset & Wilts 2 South ahead of the 2000–01 season.
7. This would be the last season of Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3. All six Teams would all be promoted into a new regional league for the next season – joining either Dorset & Wilts 2 North or Dorset & Wilts 2 South depending on geographical location. A level 3 regional division would be reinstated in 2005–06.
8. Not promoted as Swanage & Wareham 3rd team in division above.
9. Division expanded due to folding of Dorset & Wilts 3 West.
10. Teams were relegated due to the creation of a new Dorset & Wilts 4 division for the following season.
11. 3rd place Dinton were also promoted.
12. Reduced from 8 to 6 teams after Fordingbridge II and Blandford II, who had been relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 North, dropped out. An extra team, Bournemouth IV rejoined to make it 7 teams.
13. 3rd place Swanage & Wareham III also promoted.
14. One of East Dorset's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 and the club was known as Portcastrians.
15. Berkshire Shire Hall's was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
16. Bradford-on-Avon's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
17. Dorset Police's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
18. Hungerford's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
19. Minety's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
20. Poole's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.
21. Puddletown's title was won back when the league was Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3.

See also

• South West Division RFU
• Dorset & Wilts RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "PORTCASTRIAN VETS". East Dorset RFC. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
2. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
3. Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7850 4.
4. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Bookline Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7816 4.
5. Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John, eds. (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0 7472 7771 0.
6. "1998–99 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
7. "1999-00 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
8. "2005–06 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
9. "2006–07 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
10. "2007–08 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
11. "2008–09 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
12. "2009–10 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
13. "2010–11 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
14. "2011–12 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
15. "2012–13 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
16. "2013–14 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
17. "2014–15 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
18. "2015–16 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
19. "2016–17 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
20. "2017–18 South West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
21. Despite winning the league New Milton III could not be promoted due to the 2nd XV being in the division above.
22. "2018–19 South-West Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2018.

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