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Counties 4 Hampshire
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 4 Hampshire
SportRugby union
Instituted1994; 30 years ago (1994)
Number of teams14
Country England
Most titlesAldershot & Fleet, Kingsclere, Overton, Ventnor (2 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com

Counties 4 Hampshire (formerly Hampshire 2) is an English level 10 rugby union league for teams based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It was originally known as Hampshire 3 until the 2008–09 season when it was discontinued, but the division was reinstated as Hampshire 2 following restructuring of the Hampshire leagues for the 2018–19 season, which would once again see Hampshire rugby have three divisions as well as including second XV sides for the first time. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 4 Hampshire.

Promoted teams move up to Counties 3 Hampshire. Relegated teams drop down to the Hampshire RFU merit leagues.

Competition points will be awarded as follows: For a win: five points; For a draw: three points; others i.e. match abandoned = two points. For a loss: one point; For losing by less than 15 points; one point. Four try bonus: one point.[1]

Season 2024-25

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Ahead of the new season the experiment with parallel A and B divisions was abandoned and the league reinstated as a single competition. This season was the first when Counties 4 Hampshire was recognised and administered as a RFU league, rather than as part of the Hampshire RFU merit leagues.

Departing were Southampton, promoted to Counties 3 Hampshire.

Joining were Alresford, relegated from Counties 3 Hampshire, together with Alton who last competed in Counties 1 Hampshire in 2022-23 finishing 11th.

Season 2023-24

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Departing were Christchurch and Aldershot & Fleet, promoted to Counties 3 Hampshire.

Ahead of the new season the decision was taken to split the league into parallel A and B divisions.

Counties 4A

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Counties 4B

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Season 2022-23

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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[2] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 4 Hampshire.

Departing were Havant III, Andover II and Winchester II, all promoted to Counties 3 Hampshire. Petersfield II (5th) dropped into Counties 5 Hampshire South East.

Joining were Christchurch and Hook & Odiham.

Bognor II (6th in 2021-22) started but did not complete the season withdrawing part way through.

Season 2021-22

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The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.

Stoneham started but did not complete the season withdrawing part way through.

Season 2020–21

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On 30 October the RFU announced [3] that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Hampshire 2 was not contested.

Season 2019-20

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For the 2019–20 season, the league is being run as a 'Pro14' system, split into two pools. Teams will play six home and six away games against the other teams in their pool, and another seven games against the teams in the other pool, giving clubs 19 games in the season.[4]

Season 2018-19

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Original teams

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When this division was introduced in 1994 (as Hampshire 3) it contained the following teams:

Hampshire 2 honours

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Hampshire 3 (1994–1996)

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Originally known as Hampshire 3, it was a tier 11 league. Promotion was to Hampshire 2 and as it was the lowest league tier in the region there was no relegation.

Hampshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1994–95 6 Fleet Nomads No relegation
1995–96 7 Overton Alresford No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Hampshire 3 (1996–2000)

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The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Hampshire 3 went from being a tier 11 to a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Hampshire 2 and there was no relegation.

Hampshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 7 Team Solent AC Delco No relegation
1997–98 8 Hampshire Constabulary Hamble No relegation
1998–99[5] 9 Stoneham Chineham No relegation
1999–00[6] 7 Fordingbridge Hampshire Constabulary No relegation
2000–01[7] 8 Aldershot & Fleet Kingsclere No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Hampshire 3 (2000–2009)

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The introduction of London 4 South West ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Hampshire 3 dropped to become a tier 11 league. Promotion continued to Hampshire 2 and there was no relegation. The division was cancelled at the end of the 2008–09 season, with the majority of teams transferring up into Hampshire 2.

Hampshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2001–02[8] 7 Ellingham & Ringwood Alresford No relegation
2002–03[9] 6 Kingsclere Overton No relegation
2003–04[10] 6 Ventnor Chineham No relegation
2004–05[11] 6 Kingsclere Locksheath Pumas No relegation
2005–06[12] 6 East Dorset Fawley No relegation
2006–07[13] 7 Lytchett Minster Ventnor No relegation
2007–08[14] 7 Overton Fawley No relegation
2008–09[15] 7 Ventnor Chineham[a] No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Hampshire 2 (2018–present)

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After an absence of nine years the division returned ahead of the 2018–19 season, this time with the name of Hampshire 2 due to Hampshire league restructuring. It remained a tier 11 league with promotion to Hampshire 1 (formerly Hampshire 2) and relegation to the newly introduced Hampshire 3.

Hampshire 2
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2018–19[16] 12 Havant III Fawley Aldershot & Fleet, Fareham Heathens II, Winchester Knights[b]
2019–20 12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ As Hampshire 3 was to be abolished all 7 teams in the division were promoted into Hampshire 2 for the following season.
  2. ^ Relegated due to Winchester II relegation to this league.
  3. ^ Aldershot & Fleet's titles include 1 win by Fleet prior to merger.

References

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  1. ^ "Adult Competitions - Hampshire Domestic Leagues" (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  2. ^ "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 13 June 2022.
  3. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Hampshire 2 Fictures" (PDF). Hampshire RFU. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  5. ^ "1998–1999 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. ^ "1999–2000 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ "2000–2001 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. ^ "2001–2002 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  9. ^ "2002–2003 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  10. ^ "2003–2004 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  11. ^ "2004–2005 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  12. ^ "2005–2006 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  13. ^ "2006–2007 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  14. ^ "2007–2008 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  15. ^ "2008–2009 London South-East Division". England Ruigby. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  16. ^ "2018–2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
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