Overview
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.
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)
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. - ! style="width:70px;" Season ! style="width:50px;" No of teams ! style="width:200px;" Champions ! style="width:200px;" Runners–up ! style="width:200px;" Relegated team(s) ! style="width:30px;" Ref - align=left 1992–93 style="text-align: center;" 6 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Poole style="background:#d8ffeb;" Westbury No relegation - colspan="15" style="border:0; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" 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. - ! style="width:70px;" Season ! style="width:50px;" No of teams ! style="width:200px;" Champions ! style="width:200px;" Runners–up ! style="width:200px;" Relegated team(s) ! style="width:30px;" Ref - align=left 1993–94 style="text-align: center;" 6 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Berkshire Shire Hall style="background:#d8ffeb;" Pewsey Vale No relegation - 1994–95 style="text-align: center;" 8 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Portcastrians style="background:#d8ffeb;" Tadley No relegation - 1995–96 style="text-align: center;" 6 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Dorset Police style="background:#d8ffeb;" Colerne No relegation - colspan="15" style="border:0; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" 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 - ! style="width:70px;" Season ! style="width:50px;" No of teams ! style="width:200px;" Champions ! style="width:200px;" Runners–up ! style="width:200px;" Relegated team(s) ! style="width:30px;" Ref - align=left 1996–97 style="text-align: center;" 7 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Minety style="background:#d8ffeb;" Christchurch No relegation - 1997–98 style="text-align: center;" 7 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Puddletown style="background:#d8ffeb;" Hungerford No relegation - 1998–99 style="text-align: center;" 7 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Bradford-on-Avon style="background:#d8ffeb;" Berkshire Shire Hall No relegation - 1999–00 style="text-align: center;" 6 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Hungerford style="background:#d8ffeb;" Warminster No relegation - colspan="15" style="border:0; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" 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. - ! style="width:70px;" Season ! style="width:50px;" No of Teams ! style="width:200px;" Champions ! style="width:200px;" Runners–up ! style="width:200px;" Relegated team(s) ! style="width:30px;" Ref - align=left 2005–06 style="text-align: center;" 9 style="background:#d8ffeb;" North Dorset III style="background:#d8ffeb;" Chard II No relegation - 2006–07 style="text-align: center;" 10 Swanage & Wareham IV style="background:#d8ffeb;" Blandford II No relegation - 2007–08 style="text-align: center;" 8 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Bridport II style="background:#d8ffeb;" Lytchett Minster II No relegation - 2008–09 style="text-align: center;" 9 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Fordingbridge II style="background:#d8ffeb;" Ellingham & Ringwood II No relegation - colspan="15" style="border:0; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" 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. - ! style="width:70px;" Season ! style="width:50px;" No of Teams ! style="width:200px;" Champions ! style="width:200px;" Runners–up ! style="width:375px;" Relegated team(s) ! style="width:30px;" Ref - align=left 2009–10 style="text-align: center;" 10 style="background:#d8ffeb;" East Dorset style="background:#d8ffeb;" Poole No relegation - 2010–11 style="text-align: center;" 12 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Wincanton style="background:#d8ffeb;" Weymouth & Portland II Swanage & Wareham IV, Bournemouth IV, Wimborne III - 2011–12 style="text-align: center;" 10 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Dorchester II style="background:#d8ffeb;" New Milton II Lytchett Minster II, Blandford II, Bridport II - 2012–13 style="text-align: center;" 10 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Lytchett Minster style="background:#d8ffeb;" Frome III Oakmeadians Vets, Wincanton, Verwood - 2013–14 style="text-align: center;" 8 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Bournemouth III style="background:#d8ffeb;" Wimborne III No relegation - 2014–15 style="text-align: center;" 12 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Wheatsheaf Cabin Crew style="background:#d8ffeb;" Poole Weymouth & Portland II, Blandford II - 2015–16 style="text-align: center;" 9 style="background:#d8ffeb;" Dorset Dockers II style="background:#d8ffeb;" Lytchett Minster II No relegation - 2016–17 style="text-align: center;" 12 style="background:#d8ffeb;" New Milton III style="background:#d8ffeb;" Blandford II No relegation - 2017–18 style="text-align: center;" 8 style="background:#d8ffeb;" North Dorset III style="background:#d8ffeb;" Wimborne III No relegation - 2018–19 style="text-align: center;" 7 New Milton III style="background:#d8ffeb;" Poole No relegation - colspan="15" style="border:0; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" 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)
See also
* South West Division RFU * Dorset & Wilts RFU * English rugby union system * Rugby union in England