Counties 3 Yorkshire

Counties 3 Yorkshire

Current season or competition: 2023–24 Counties 3 Yorkshire
Sport	Rugby union
Instituted	1987;38 years ago (1987)
Number of teams	12
Country	England
Holders	Hemsworth (2nd title) (2022–23) (promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire)
Most titles	Aireborough, Heath, Hemsworth, Leeds Corinthians, Roundhegians, Wetherby, Wath upon Dearne, Yarnbury, Barnsley (2 titles)
Website	England RFU

Counties 3 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Counties 3 Yorkshire or Counties 4 Yorkshire may be picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national competition for clubs at levels 9–12.

Participating clubs 2025-26

Departing were Old Otliensians and Halifax, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire while Thirsk were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire 10th Burly Abbey Lane Hawksworth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 7th Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 9th Dearne Valley Vancouver Drive Bolton upon Dearne, South Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (South) (champions) Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 2 Yorkshire (12th) Hornsea Hollis Recreation Ground Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (North) (champions) Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 5th Rotherham Phoenix Rotherham Rugby Club Rotherham, South Yorkshire 6th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 8th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire 11th West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 4th Wheatley Hills Brunel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire 3rd

Barnsley Burley Castleford Dearne Valley Hemsworth Hornsea Leeds Cor. Rotherham Phoenix Skipton Thornensians West Park Wheatley Hills class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams

Participating clubs 2024–25

Departing were Northallerton and Halifax Vandals, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire while Sheffield Medicals were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire 9th Burley Abbey Hawksworth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 11th Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 6th Halifax Ovenden Park Halifax, West Yorkshire 3rd Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 2 Yorkshire (12th) Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (champions) Rotherham Phoenix Rotherham Rugby Club Rotherham, South Yorkshire 5th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 10th Thirsk Newsham Road Thirsk, North Yorkshire 4th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (runners up) West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 8th Wheatley Hills Brunel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire 7th

Barnsley Burley Castleford Halifax Leeds Cor. Otliensians Rotherham Phoenix Skipton Thirsk Thornensians West Park Wheatley Hills class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams

Participating clubs 2023–24

Departing were Hemsworth and Ossett, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire. Thornensians (10th), Knottingley (11th) and Leeds Medics & Dentists (12th) were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 2 Yorkshire (12th) Burley Abbey Hawksworth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 9th Halifax Ovenden Park Halifax, West Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (runners up) Halifax Vandals Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire 6th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 2 Yorkshire (10th) Rotherham Phoenix Rotherham Rugby Club Rotherham, South Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 4 Yorkshire (champions) Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 8th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 5th Thirsk Newsham Road Thirsk, North Yorkshire 4th West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 7th Wheatley Hills Brunel Road Doncaster, South Yorkshire Relegated from Counties 2 Yorkshire (11th)

Barnsley Burley Castleford Halifax Halifax Vandals Northallerton Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Thirsk West Park Wheatley Hills class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams

Participating clubs 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 3 with teams ranked 4th to 12th returning (1st to 3rd were 'promoted' to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two 'relegated' to Counties 4 Yorkshire) and supplemented by top 2 from Yorkshire 4 and one coming down from Yorkshire 2 so with five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Burley Abbey Hawksworth, Leeds, West Yorkshire 8th Yorkshire 3 Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 4th Yorkshire 3 Halifax Vandals Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire 6th Yorkshire 3 Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, West Yorkshire 12th Yorkshire 3 Knottingley Howard's Field Knottingley, West Yorkshire 10th Yorkshire 3 Leeds Medics & Dentists Weetwood Playing Fields Weetwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 Ossett Queens Terrace, Ossett CC Ossett, West Yorkshire 5th Yorkshire 3 Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 9th Yorkshire 3 Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 7th Yorkshire 3 Thirsk Thirsk Athletic Club Thirsk, North Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (14th) West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire 11th Yorkshire 3

Burley Castleford Halifax Vandals Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds M & D Ossett Sheffield Medicals Skipton Thirsk Thornensians West Park class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams

Participating clubs 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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Barnsley Shaw Lane Barnsley, South Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (13th) Bramley Phoenix Grosmont Terrace Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (champions) Burley Abbey Hawksworth, Leeds, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (runners-up) Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 8th Harrogate Pythons Station View Harrogate, North Yorkshire 4th Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, West Yorkshire 11th Knottingley Howard's Field Knottingley, West Yorkshire 3rd Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire 5th Ossett Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club Ossett, West Yorkshire 7th Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 10th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 12th West Park Leeds The Sycamores Bramhope, Leeds, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (14th) Wibsey Northfield Road Wibsey, Bradford, West Yorkshire 6th

Bramley Burley West Park class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2021-22 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Barnsley Castleford Halifax Vandals Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Otliensians Ossett Sheffield Medicals Skipton Wibsey class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2021–22 Yorkshire 3 teams

Season 2020–21

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

Participating clubs 2019–20

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Aireborough Nunroyd Park Yeadon, West Yorkshire 13th (not relegated) Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 11th Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 5th Halifax Vandals RUFC Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire 9th Harrogate Pythons Station View Harrogate, North Yorkshire 3rd Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, West Yorkshire 8th Knottingley Howard's Field Knottingley, West Yorkshire 6th Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire 4th Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (14th) Ossett Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club Ossett, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (runners up) Rotherham Phoenix Herringthorpe Playing Fields Clifton, Rotherham, South Yorkshire 7th Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 12th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 10th Wibsey Northfield Road Wibsey, Bradford, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (champions)

Aireborough Baildon Castleford Halifax Vandals Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Cor Otliensians Ossett Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Wibsey class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2019–20 Yorkshire 3 teams

Participating clubs 2018-19

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Aireborough Nunroyd Park Yeadon, West Yorkshire 6th Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 12th Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 5th Halifax Vandals RUFC Warley Town Lane Halifax, West Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (14th) Harrogate Pythons Station View Harrogate, North Yorkshire 10th Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, West Yorkshire 7th Knottingley Howard's Field Knottingley, West Yorkshire 8th Leeds Corinthians Nutty Slack Middleton, Leeds, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (runners up) Leeds Modernians Cookridge Lane Cookridge, Leeds, West Yorkshire 4th Rotherham Phoenix Herringthorpe Playing Fields Clifton, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (champions) Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 9th Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire 11th Thornensians Coulman Road Thorne, South Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (13th) Wensleydale Cawkill Park Leyburn, North Yorkshire 3rd

Leeds Corinthians Leeds Modernians class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Aireborough Baildon Castleford Halifax Vandals Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Thornensians Wensleydale class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 3 teams

Participating clubs 2017-18

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Aireborough Nunroyd Park Yeadon, West Yorkshire 8th Baildon Jenny Lane Baildon, West Yorkshire 7th Castleford Methley Pitch Castleford, West Yorkshire 12th Harrogate Pythons Station View Harrogate, North Yorkshire 11th Hemsworth Moxon Fields Hemsworth, West Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (champions) Knottingley Howard's Field Knottingley, West Yorkshire 3rd Leeds Medics & Dentists Weetwood Playing Fields Weetwood, Leeds, West Yorkshire 5th Leeds Modernians Cookridge Lane Cookridge, Leeds, West Yorkshire 6th Northallerton Brompton Lodge Northallerton, North Yorkshire 4th Old Otliensians Chaffers Field Otley, West Yorkshire 9th Sheffield Medicals Norton Playing Fields Norton, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Relegated from Yorkshire 2 (14th) Skipton Sandylands Skipton, North Yorkshire Promoted from Yorkshire 4 (runners up) Stocksbridge Coal Pit Lane Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire 13th Wensleydale Cawkill Park Leyburn, North Yorkshire 10th

Leeds M&D Leeds Mod class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Aireborough Baildon Castleford Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Northallerton Otliensians Sheffield Medicals Skipton Stocksbridge Wensleydale class=notpageimage| Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 3 teams

Participating clubs 2016-17

• Aireborough
• Baildon
• Castleford (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Goole
• Halifax
• Halifax Vandals RUFC (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Harrogate Pythons
• Knottingley (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Leeds Medics and Dentists
• Leeds Modernians
• Northallerton
• Old Otliensians
• Stocksbridge
• Wensleydale (promoted from Yorkshire 4)

Participating clubs 2015-16

• Aireborough
• Baildon
• Bramley Phoenix
• Goole (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Halifax (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Harrogate Pythons
• Leeds Medics and Dentists (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Leeds Modernians
• Northallerton
• Old Otliensians
• Rotherham Phoenix
• Stocksbridge
• Thornensians
• Wetherby (promoted from Yorkshire 4)

Participating clubs 2014-15

• Aireborough
• Baildon (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Bramley Phoenix
• Burley
• Castleford
• Harrogate Pythons
• Hemsworth
• Northallerton
• Old Grovians
• Old Modernians
• Old Otliensians (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Rotherham Phoenix
• Stocksbridge (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Thornensians

Participating clubs 2013-14

• Aireborough
• Bramley Phoenix
• Burley
• Castleford
• Goole
• Harrogate Pythons (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Hemsworth
• Leeds Medics and Dentists
• Northallerton
• Old Grovians (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
• Old Modernians
• Rotherham Phoenix
• Skipton (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
• Thornensians

Participating clubs 2012–13

• Aireborough
• Baildon
• Bramley Phoenix
• Burley
• Goole
• Hemsworth
• Hessle
• Leeds Medics and Dentists
• Northallerton
• Old Modernians
• Old Rishworthians
• Rotherham Phoenix
• Thornensians
• York Railway Institute

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

• Airebronians
• Baildon
• Bradford Salem
• Bridlington
• Heath
• Knottingley
• Leeds CSSA
• Marist
• Northallerton
• Rodillians
• Yarnbury

Yorkshire 3 honours

Yorkshire 3 (1987–1993)

The original Yorkshire 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Yorkshire 2 and relegation down to Yorkshire 4.

Yorkshire 3
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1987–88	11	Bridlington	Marist	Northallerton, Bradford Salem
1988–89	11	Yarnbury	Old Otliensians	Heath, Leeds CSSA
1989–90	11	Leodiensian	Knottingley	Baildon
1990–91	11	Bradford Salem	Sheffield Oaks	Aireborians
1991–92	11	Wath upon Dearne	Old Modernians [a]	No relegation [b]
1992–93	13	Hessle	Halifax Vandals	Baildon
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 3 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 3 remain at tier 12.

Yorkshire 3
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
1993–94	13	Aireborough	Wibsey	Leeds YMCA
1994–95	13	Wetherby	Skipton	Burley
1995–96	13	Hullensians	Phoenix Park	Multiple teams [c]
1996–97	10	Huddersfield Y.M.C.A.	West Leeds	No relegation [d]
1997–98	10	Hemsworth	Stanley Rodillians	Hornsea
1998–99 [2]	10	York Railway Institute	Heath	Wibsey, Old Modernians, Wetherby
1999–00 [3]	10	Leeds Corinthians	Moortown	Stanley Rodillians, Baildon, Stocksbridge
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 3 (2000–present)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Yorkshire 3 became a tier 9 league.

Yorkshire 3
Season	No of Teams	Champions	Runners–up	Relegated Teams
2000–01 [4]	12	Skipton	Malton and Norton	Hullensians, Sheffield Oaks, Moortown
2001–02 [5]	12	Heath	Malton and Norton	Hessle, Roundhegians, Barnsley
2002–03 [6]	12	Knottingley	Stocksbridge	Halifax Vandals
2003–04 [7]	12	Pocklington	Castleford	Leeds Corinthians, Wath upon Dearne
2004–05 [8]	12	Barnsley	West Leeds	Hemsworth, Bramley Phoenix
2005–06 [9]	12	Heath	York Railway Institute	Old Modernians, Castleford
2006–07 [10]	12	Yarnbury	Skipton	Stocksbridge, Northallerton
2007–08 [11]	12	Moortown	Castleford	York Railway Institute, Thornensians
2008–09 [12]	12	West Park Leeds	Hullensians [e]	Wath upon Dearne
2009–10 [13]	12	Roundhegians	Old Rishworthians	Garforth
2010–11 [14]	12	Wath upon Dearne	Goole	Old Otliensians
2011–12 [15]	12	Roundhegians	Sheffield Medicals	Halifax Vandals
2012–13 [16]	14	Old Rishworthians	Baildon	York Railway Institute, Hessle
2013–14 [17]	14	Goole	Leeds Medics and Dentists	Skipton
2014–15 [18]	14	Old Grovians	Castleford	Hemsworth, Burley
2015–16 [19]	14	Wetherby	Thornensians	Rotherham Phoenix, Bramley Phoenix
2016–17 [20]	14	Halifax Vandals	Goole	Halifax [f]
2017–18 [21]	14	Northallerton	Otliensians	Leeds Medics & Dentists, Stocksbridge
2018–19 [22]	14	Wensleydale	Thornensians	Leeds Modernians
2019–20 [23]	14	Leeds Corinthians	Baildon	Aireborough, Rotherham Phoenix
2020–21	14	Barnsley	Harrogate Pythons	Old Otliesians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

• Aireborough (2)
• Heath (2)
• Hemsworth (2)
• Leeds Corinthians (2)
• Roundhegians (2)
• Wetherby (2)
• Wath upon Dearne (2)
• Yarnbury (2)
• Barnsley (2)
• Bradford Salem (1)
• Bridlington (1)
• Goole (1)
• Halifax Vandals (1)
• Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (1)
• Hullensians (1)
• Knottingley (1)
• Leodiensian (1)
• Moortown (1)
• Northallerton (1)
• Pocklington (1)
• Old Grovians (1)
• Old Rishworthians (1)
• Skipton (1)
• Wensleydale (1)
• West Park Leeds (1)
• York Railway Institute (1)

See also

• Yorkshire RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes

1. League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant seven clubs were promoted into Yorkshire 2 including Dinnington, West Leeds, Northallerton, Withernsea and Sheffield Tigers.
2. League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant no clubs were relegated and nine clubs would be promoted from Yorkshire 4.
3. Yorkshire league restructuring due to reintroduction of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1996–97 season saw nine clubs, including Marist, Ossett, Stanley Rodillians, York Railway Institute, Knottingley, Old Rishworthians, Mosborough, Heath, Leeds Corinthians, Baildon relegated from Yorkshire 3; Marist and Ossett, were relegated to Yorkshire 4, while the other seven relegated sides dropped into Yorkshire 5.
4. No relegation due to cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1997–98 season.
5. Barnsley, Hessle, Goole, West Leeds and Doncaster Phoenix were also promoted. This was due to the restructure of the Yorkshire League increasing the number of teams in the divisions above, meaning that there were a lot of promotions at the end of this season.
6. Only 1 team relegated at end of season meaning 13th placed Stocksbridge were safe.

References

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