# Dorset & Wilts 3 South

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.

## 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.
| Team | Ground | Town/Village | Previous season |
| Bournemouth IV | Chapel Gate | Bournemouth, Dorset | 6th |
| Dinton | The Recreation Ground | Dinton, Wiltshire | 9th |
| Dorchester III | Coburg Road | Dorchester, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 4 (champions) |
| Dorset Dockers II | Potterne Park | Verwood, Dorset | 5th |
| Lytchett Minster II | Lytchett Park | Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset | Promoted from Dorset & Wilts 4 (runners up) |
| Newton Milton III | Normans Way | Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire | 10th |
| Oakmedians II | Meyrick Park | Bournemouth, Dorset | 8th |
| Salisbury III | Castle Road | Salisbury, Wiltshire | 7th |
| Swanage & Wareham III | Bestwall Road | Wareham, Dorset | 4th |
| Wimborne III | Leigh Park | Wimborne, Dorset | Relegated from Dorset & Wilts 2 South (11th) |

## 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 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) | Ref |
| 1992–93 | 6 | Poole | Westbury | No relegation | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) |
| 1993–94 | 6 | Berkshire Shire Hall | Pewsey Vale | No relegation |
| 1994–95 | 8 | Portcastrians | Tadley | No relegation |
| 1995–96 | 6 | Dorset Police | Colerne | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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
Berks/Dorset/Wilts 3 :
| Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) |
| 1996–97 | 7 | Minety | Christchurch | No relegation |
| 1997–98 | 7 | Puddletown | Hungerford | No relegation |
| 1998–99 | 7 | Bradford-on-Avon | Berkshire Shire Hall | No relegation |
| 1999–00 | 6 | Hungerford | Warminster | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) |
| 2005–06 | 9 | North Dorset III | Chard II | No relegation |
| 2006–07 | 10 | Swanage & Wareham IV | Blandford II | No relegation |
| 2007–08 | 8 | Bridport II | Lytchett Minster II | No relegation |
| 2008–09 | 9 | Fordingbridge II | Ellingham & Ringwood II | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places |||||||||||

### 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.
Dorset & Wilts 3 South :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated team(s) |
| 2009–10 | 10 | East Dorset | Poole | No relegation |
| 2010–11 | 12 | Wincanton | Weymouth & Portland II | Swanage & Wareham IV, Bournemouth IV, Wimborne III |
| 2011–12 | 10 | Dorchester II | New Milton II | Lytchett Minster II, Blandford II, Bridport II |
| 2012–13 | 10 | Lytchett Minster | Frome III | Oakmeadians Vets, Wincanton, Verwood |
| 2013–14 | 8 | Bournemouth III | Wimborne III | No relegation |
| 2014–15 | 12 | Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew | Poole | Weymouth & Portland II, Blandford II |
| 2015–16 | 9 | Dorset Dockers II | Lytchett Minster II | No relegation |
| 2016–17 | 12 | New Milton III | Blandford II | No relegation |
| 2017–18 | 8 | North Dorset III | Wimborne III | No relegation |
| 2018–19 | 7 | New Milton III | Poole | No relegation |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places |||||||||||

## 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)