Counties 2 Eastern Counties

Counties 2 Eastern Counties

Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 2 Eastern Counties
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	2017;8 years ago (2017)
Number of teams	11
Country	England
Most titles	Stowmarket, West Norfolk, Wymondham (1 title)
Website	englandrugby.com

Counties 2 Eastern Counties (formerly London 3 Eastern Counties) is an English rugby union league that is at the eighth level of the English rugby union system and is available to club sides based in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk (Eastern Counties).

The division was created for the 2017-18 as part of an RFU reorganization of the London & South East regional league. Originally there had been a London 3 North East league which had involved teams from the Eastern Counties as well as Essex and parts of north-east London. Due to the distances involved for teams travelling potentially from London to Norfolk and vice versa, at the end of the 2016–17 season, this league was discontinued. Teams in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk who had played in London 3 North East were transferred into the new look London 3 Eastern Counties along with additional promoted teams from Eastern Counties 1, while the Essex and London sides went into another new division called London 3 Essex. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Eastern Counties.

Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Eastern Counties, while demoted teams drop down to their local merit leagues.

Participating teams 2025-26

Departing were West Norfolk and Ipswich Y.M., both promoted to Counties 1 Eastern Counties while Bedford Athletic II (7th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (South South). March Bears (11th) did not return for the new season.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Cantabrigian Sedley Taylor Road Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Relegated from Counties 1EC (12th) Diss Mackenders Roydon, South Norfolk Relegated from Counties 1EC (11th) Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 5th Lakenham Union Norwich Sports Ground Norwich, Norfolk New entry Mersea Island Glebe Pavilion West Mersea, Essex 8th Mistley Furze Hill Playing Fields Mistley, Essex 3rd Sudbury II Whittome Field Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk New entry Thorney Ron Jacobs Playing Fields Thorney, Cambridgeshire New entry Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk 10th Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 6th Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 4th Wymondham II The Foster Harrison Memorial Ground Wymondham, Norfolk 9th

Cantabrigian Diss Fakenham Lakenham Union Mersea Island Mistley Sudbury II Thorney Thurston Wisbech Woodbridge Wymondham II class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 2 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 2024-25

Departing were Colchester II and Newmarket, both promoted to Counties 1 Eastern Counties. Sudbury II (9th), Shelford III (10th) Cotttenham Renegades (11th) were relegated.

Joining were Wisbech, West Norfolk and Ipswich Y.M., all relegated from Counties 1 Eastern Counties, together with Wyndonham II, Mistley and March Bears.

Crusaders (8th in 2023-24) withdrew from the league.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Bedford Athletic II Putnoe Woods 500 Bedford, Bedfordshire 3rd Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 6th Ipswich Y.M. The Street Ipswich, Suffolk Relegated from Counties 1 EC (10th) March Bears Elm Road March, Cambridgeshire Mersea Island Glebe Pavilion West Mersea, Essex 5th Mistley Furze Hill Playing Fields Mistley, Essex Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk 7th West Norfolk Gatehouse Lane North Wootton, King's Lynn, Norfolk Relegated from Counties 1EC (11th) Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Relegated from Counties 1 EC (12th) Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 4th Wymondham II The Foster Harrison Memorial Ground Wymondham, Norfolk

Bedford Athletic II Fakenham Ipswich YM March Bears Mersea Island Mistley Thurston West Norfolk Wisbech Woodbridge Wymondham II class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 2 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 2023-24

Departing were Wisbech and North Walsham II, both promoted to Counties 1 Eastern Counties. Norwich Union (9th), Cambridge III (10th) Ipswich II (11th) were relegated.

Joining were Thurston (relegated from Counties 1 Eastern Counties) together with Bedford Athletic II, Crusaders, Shelford III and Mersea Island.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Bedford Athletic II Putnoe Woods 500 Bedford, Bedfordshire Colchester II Raven Park Colchester, Essex 5th Cotttenham Renegades High Street Cottenham, Cambridgeshire 8th Crusaders Little Melton Road Hethersett, Norfolk Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 3rd Mersea Island Glebe Pavilion West Mersea, Essex Newmarket NSDA Pavilion Newmarket, Suffolk 4th Shelford III The Davey Field 2,000 (150 seats) Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire Sudbury II Whittome Field Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk 7th Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk Relegated from Counties 1 EC Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 6th

Bedford Athletic II Colchester II Cottenham Renegades Crusaders Fakenham Mersea Island Newmarket Shelford III Sudbury II Thurston Woodbridge class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 2 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 2022-23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review ^[1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Eastern Counties.

Departing were Holt, Ely, Ipswich Y.M. and Thurston, all promoted to Counties 1 Eastern Counties. Thetford, 9th the previous season, did not return.

Joining were lower teams from Cambridge III, Sudbury II, Colchester II, North Walsham II and Ipswich II together with Cottenham Renegades.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Cambridge III Grantchester Road Cambridge, Cambridgeshire New entry Colchester II Raven Park Colchester, Essex New entry Cotttenham Renegades High Street Cottenham, Cambridgeshire New entry Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 7th Ipswich II Humber Doucy Lane Ipswich, Suffolk New entry Newmarket NSDA Pavilion Newmarket, Suffolk 6th North Walsham II Norwich Road 1,600 Scottow, Norfolk New entry Norwich Union Barkers Lane Norwich, Norfolk 8th Sudbury II Whittome Field Great Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk New entry Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 5th Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 10th

Cambridge III Colchester II Cottenham Renegades Fakenham Ipswich II Newmarket North Walsham II Norwich Union Sudbury II Wisbech Woodbridge class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 2 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 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.

Ahead of the new season Crusaders, who finished 6th in 2019-20 withdrew from the league (and will instead participate in Eastern Counties Greene King Division Two North) meaning London 3 EC will run with 10 teams for this season.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Ely Cambridge Commodities Park Ely, Cambridgeshire 3rd Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 7th Holt Bridge Road Holt, Norfolk Relegated from London 2NE (11th) Ipswich Y.M. The Street Ipswich, Suffolk 5th Newmarket NSDA Pavilion Newmarket, Suffolk Promoted via EC Shield (3rd) from Eastern Counties 1 (West) (2nd) Norwich Union Barkers Lane Norwich, Norfolk Promoted via EC Shield (1st) from Eastern Counties 1 (North) (1st) Thetford Mundford Road Thetford, Norfolk 10th Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk 8th Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 9th Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 4th

Ely Fakenham Holt Ipswich YM Newmarket Norwich Union Thetford Thurston Wisbech Woodbridge class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2021-22 London 3 Eastern Counties teams

Season 2020–21

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

Participating teams 2019-20

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Beccles Beef Meadow Beccles, Suffolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (champions) Cantabrigian Sedley Taylor Road Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Relegated from London 2 North East (10th) Crusaders Beck Hythe Little Melton, Norwich, Norfolk 8th Ely Downham Road Ely, Cambridgeshire 3rd Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk 5th Ipswich Y.M. The Street Ipswich, Suffolk 11th (not relegated) Thetford Mundford Road Thetford, Norfolk 6th Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk 10th West Norfolk Gatehouse Lane North Wootton, King's Lynn, Norfolk 4th Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 7th Woodbridge Hatchley Barn Woodbridge, Suffolk 9th

Beccles Cantabrigian Crusaders Ely Fakenham Ipswich YM Thetford Thurston West Norfolk Wisbech Woodbridge class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019–20 London 3 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 2018-19

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Crusaders Beck Hythe Little Melton, Norwich, Norfolk 9th Ely Downham Road Ely, Cambridgeshire 3rd Fakenham Eckersley Drive Fakenham, Norfolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (champions) Holt Bridge Road Holt, Norfolk 5th Ipswich Y.M. The Street Ipswich, Suffolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (runners up) Thetford Mundford Road Thetford, Norfolk 4th Thurston Robinson Field Thurston, Suffolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (3rd) West Norfolk Gatehouse Lane North Wootton, King's Lynn, Norfolk 8th Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire 10th Woodbridge Heatherlands Woodbridge, Suffolk 7th Wymondham The Foster Harrison Memorial Ground Wymondham, Norfolk 6th

Crusaders Ely Fakenham Holt Ipswich YM Thetford Thurston West Norfolk Wisbech Woodbridge Wymondham class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2018–19 London 3 Eastern Counties teams

Participating teams 2017-18

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Crusaders Beck Hythe Little Melton, Norwich, Norfolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (3rd) Ely Downham Road Ely, Cambridgeshire 5th (London 3 North East) Holt Bridge Road Holt, Norfolk Relegated from London 2 North East (11th) Newmarket NSDA Pavilion Newmarket, Suffolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (4th) Southwold The Common Southwold, Suffolk 4th (London 3 North East) Stowmarket Chilton Fields Stowmarket, Suffolk 6th (London 3 North East) Thetford Mundford Road Thetford, Norfolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (champions) West Norfolk Gatehouse Lane North Wootton, King's Lynn, Norfolk 9th (London 3 North East) Wisbech Chapel Road Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (6th) Woodbridge Heatherlands Woodbridge, Suffolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (5th) Wymondham The Foster Harrison Memorial Ground Wymondham, Norfolk Promoted from Eastern Counties 1 (runners up)

Crusaders Ely Holt Newmarket Southwold Stowmarket Thetford West Norfolk Wisbech Woodbridge Wymondham class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2017–18 London 3 Eastern Counties teams

London 3 Eastern Counties honours

London 3 Eastern Counties is a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 2 North East and relegation down to Eastern Counties 1.

London 3 Eastern Counties
Season	No of teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2017–18 [3]	11	Stowmarket	Southwold	Newmarket
2018–19 [4]	11	Wymondham	Holt	No relegation
2019–20 [5]	11	West Norfolk	Cantabrigian	Beccles
2020–21	11
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

Since the 2017–18 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of London 3 Eastern Counties and London 3 Essex for the third and final promotion place to London 2 North East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 3 Eastern Counties have been the most successful with two wins to the London 3 Essex teams none; and the home team has won promotion on two occasions compared to the away teams none.

London 3 (Eastern Counties v Essex) promotion play-off results
Season	Home team	Score	Away team	Venue	Attendance
2017–18 [6]	Southwold (EC)	49-3	Millwall (EX)	The Common, Southwold, Suffolk	300 [7]
2018–-19 [8]	Holt (EC)	31-22	East London (EX)	Bridge Road, Holt, Norfolk
2019–20	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cantabrigian (EC) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. EC = London 3 Eastern Counties and EX = London 3 Essex

Number of league titles

• Stowmarket (1)
• West Norfolk (1)
• Wymondham (1)

See also

• London & SE Division RFU
• Eastern Counties RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

References

1. "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 13 June 2022.
2. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
3. "2017–18 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
4. "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
5. "Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
6. "Wold Simply Blow Their London Rivals Away To Gain Promotion". Southwold RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 21 April 2018.
7. "Rare smiles indeed from Buster and Fossett - it must have been a special day!". Southwold RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 21 April 2018.
8. "Holt earn promotion to London 2NE". Holt RFC (Pitchero). Retrieved 21 April 2018.