Counties 4 Hampshire

Counties 4 Hampshire 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.
Promoted teams move up to Counties 3 Hampshire. Relegated teams drop down to the Hampshire [Rugby Football Union|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.

Season 2025–26

Departing were Alton and Winchester III, promoted to Counties 3 Hampshire as champions and runners-up respectively. Bognor II did not return for the new season.
Overton were initially placed in the league having been relegated from Counties 3 Hampshire. However, shortly before the season began they were reinstated in the higher league with Farnham III taking the place instead.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Alresford	Alresford Recreation Centre		New Alresford, Hampshire	7th
Basingstoke II	Down Grange		Basingstoke, Hampshire	Promoted from Hampshire Premiership North
Chineham	Basingstoke Sports & Social Club		Basingstoke, Hampshire	4th
Farnham III	Wilkinson Way		Farnham, Surrey	New entry
Fawley	Gang Warily Recreation Centre		Fawley, Hampshire	3rd
Gosport and [Fareham R.F.C.\|Gosport & Fareham II]	Gosport Park		Gosport, Hampshire	6th
Hook & Odiham	Papermill Avenue		Hook, Hampshire	8th
Lymington Mariners	Woodside Park		Lymington, Hampshire	5th
Millbrook II	Lordshill Recreational Ground		Southampton, Hampshire	Promoted from Hampshire Premiership South
Southsea Nomads	Cockleshell Gardens		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	9th

Season 2024–25

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Alresford	Alresford Recreation Centre		New Alresford, Hampshire	Relegated from Counties 3 Hampshire
Alton	Antsey Park		Alton, Hampshire	Re-entry
Bognor II	Hampshire Avenue		Bognor, West Sussex	1st 4B
Chineham	Basingstoke Sports & Social Club		Basingstoke, Hampshire	7th 4A
Fawley	Gang Warily Recreation Centre		Fawley, Hampshire	3rd 4A
Gosport & Fareham II	Gosport Park		Gosport, Hampshire	2nd 4A
Hook & Odiham	Papermill Avenue		Hook, Hampshire	5th 4A
Lymington Mariners	Woodside Park		Lymington, Hampshire	6th 4A
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	4th 4A
Winchester III	North Walls Park		Winchester, Hampshire	2nd 4B

Season 2023–24

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

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Andover III	Foxcotte Lane		Andover, Hampshire	Promoted from Counties 5 Hampshire North
Chineham	Basingstoke Sports & Social Club		Basingstoke, Hampshire	7th
Fawley	Gang Warily Recreation Centre		Fawley, Hampshire	Re-entry
Gosport & Fareham II	Gosport Park		Gosport, Hampshire	Relegated from Counties 3 Hampshire
Hook & Odiham	Papermill Avenue		Hook, Hampshire	4th
Lymington Mariners	Woodside Park		Lymington, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South West
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	3rd
Trojans II	Stoneham Lane		Eastleigh, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South East

Counties 4B

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Basingstoke II	Down Grange		Basingstoke, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire North
Bognor II	Hampshire Avenue		Bognor, West Sussex	Re-entry
Chichester III	Oaklands Park		Chichester, West Sussex	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South East
Farnborough	Tilebarn Close		Farnborough, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire North
Locksheath Pumas II	Brookfield [Community School, Fareham\|Brookfield Community School]		Locks Heath, Fareham, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South East
Millbrook II	5 Acres		Southampton, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South West
Sandown & Shanklin II	The Fairway Ground		Sandown, Isle of Wight	6th
Tottonians Badgers	Water Lane		Totton, Hampshire	8th
Winchester III	North Walls Park		Winchester, Hampshire	Promoted Counties 5 Hampshire South West

Season 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review 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 dropped into Counties 5 Hampshire South East.
Joining were Christchurch and Hook & Odiham.
Bognor II started but did not complete the season withdrawing part way through.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aldershot & Fleet	Aldershot Park		Aldershot, Hampshire	8th
Chineham	Basingstoke Sports & Social Club		Basingstoke, Hampshire	7th
Christchurch	East Sports and Social Club		Christchurch, Dorset	Dorset & Wilts 2 South
Hook & Odiham	Papermill Avenue		Hook, Hampshire	Promoted from Hampshire Merit Tables
Sandown & Shanklin II	The Fairway Ground		Sandown, Isle of Wight	10th
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	9th
Southampton	Test Park Playing Fields		Southampton, Hampshire	4th
Tottonians Badgers	Water Lane		Totton, Hampshire	11th

Season 2021–22

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aldershot & Fleet	Aldershot Park		Aldershot, Hampshire	Promoted from Hampshire 3
Andover II	Foxcotte Lane		Andover, Hampshire	5th
Bognor II	Hampshire Avenue		Bognor, Sussex	9th
Chineham	Fortress Chineham		Basingstoke, Hampshire	8th
Havant III	Hook's Lane	1,500	Havant, Hampshire	1st
Petersfield II	Penn's Place		Petersfield, Hampshire	3rd
Sandown & Shanklin II	The Fairway Ground		Sandown, Isle of Wight	Promoted from Hampshire 3
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	4th
Southampton	Test Park Playing Fields		Southampton, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 1
Tottonians Badgers	Water Lane		Totton, Hampshire	7th
Winchester II	North Walls Park		Winchester, Hampshire	2nd

Season 2020–21

On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 season meaning Hampshire 2 was not contested.

Season 2019–20

For the 2019–20 season, the league was run as a 'Pro14' system, split into two pools. Teams played 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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Andover II	Foxcotte Lane		Andover, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 1
Basingstoke II	Down Grange	2,500	Basingstoke, Hampshire	10th
Bognor II			Bognor, Sussex	Sussex 2 Reserves
Chineham	Fortress Chineham		Basingstoke, Hampshire	4th
Hook & Odiham			Hook, Hampshire	Promoted from Hampshire 3
Havant III	Hook's Lane	1,500	Havant, Hampshire	Hampshire 2
Isle Of Wight 2nd XV	Footways		Wootton, Isle of Wight	Promoted from Hampshire 3
New Milton II	Ashley Recreation Ground		Ashley, New Milton, Hampshire	Transferred from Dorset & Wilts 2 South
Overton II	The Old Cricket Ground		Laverstoke, Hampshire	9th
Petersfield II	Penn's Place		Petersfield, Hampshire	7th
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	3rd
Stoneham	University of Southampton		Southampton, Hampshire	5th
Tottonians Badgers	Water Lane		Totton, Hampshire	8th
Winchester II	North Walls Park		Winchester, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 1

Season 2018–19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Aldershot & Fleet	Aldershot Park		Aldershot, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 2
Basingstoke II	Down Grange	2,500	Basingstoke, Hampshire	N/A
Chineham	Fortress Chineham		Basingstoke, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 2
Fareham Heathens II	Cams Alders Recreation Centre		Fareham, Hampshire	N/A
Fawley	Gang Warily Recreation Centre		Fawley, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 2
Havant III	Hook's Lane	1,500	Havant, Hampshire	N/A
Overton II	The Old Cricket Ground		Laverstoke, Hampshire	N/A
Petersfield II	Penn's Place		Petersfield, Hampshire	N/A
Southsea Nomads	University of Portsmouth		Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire	Relegated from Hampshire 2
Stoneham	University of Southampton		Southampton, Hampshire	N/A
Tottonians Vets	Water Lane		Totton, Hampshire	N/A
Winchester Knights	North Walls Park		Winchester, Hampshire	N/A

Original teams

When this division was introduced in 1994 it contained the following teams:

Alresford - relegated from Hampshire 2
Basingstoke Wombats - relegated from Hampshire 2
Ellingham & Ringwood - relegated from Hampshire 2
Fleet - relegated from Hampshire 2
Nomads - relegated from Hampshire 2
Waterlooville - relegated from Hampshire 2

Hampshire 2 honours

Hampshire 3 (1994–1996)

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 (1996–2000)

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 (2000–2009)

The introduction of London [3 South West|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 2 (2018–present)

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 and relegation to the newly introduced Hampshire 3.