Counties 3 Yorkshire

Last updated

Counties 3 Yorkshire
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2023–24 Counties 3 Yorkshire
Sport Rugby union
Instituted1987;37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams12
CountryFlag of England.svg  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.

Contents

Participating clubs 2024–25

Participating clubs 2023–24

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.

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.

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

Participating clubs 2018-19

Participating clubs 2017-18

Participating clubs 2016-17

Participating clubs 2015-16

Participating clubs 2014-15

Participating clubs 2013-14

Participating clubs 2012–13

Original teams

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

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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
1987–8811 Bridlington Marist Northallerton, Bradford Salem
1988–8911 Yarnbury Old Otliensians Heath, Leeds CSSA
1989–9011 Leodiensian Knottingley Baildon
1990–9111 Bradford Salem Sheffield Oaks Aireborians
1991–9211 Wath upon Dearne Old Modernians [a] No relegation [b]
1992–9313 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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams
1993–9413 Aireborough Wibsey Leeds YMCA
1994–9513Wetherby Skipton Burley
1995–9613 Hullensians Phoenix Park Multiple teams [c]
1996–9710 Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. West Leeds No relegation [d]
1997–9810 Hemsworth Stanley Rodillians Hornsea
1998–99 [2] 10York 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
SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated 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] 14Wetherby 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
2020–2114BarnsleyHarrogate PythonsOld Otliesians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

See also

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, Leeds CSSA 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.

Related Research Articles

North East 3 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North East 2 while relegated teams dropped to either Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1 depending on their location.

Dorset & Wilts 2 North is an English Rugby Union league, forming part of the South West Division, for clubs based primarily in Wiltshire, sitting at tier 9 of the English rugby union system. From this league teams can either be promoted to Dorset & Wilts 1 North or relegated to Dorset & Wilts 3 North. Each year 1st XV clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase – a level 9–12 national competition.

Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, formerly known as Durham/Northumberland 1 is an English amateur rugby union competition. The league consists of twelve clubs, and is the seventh tier of the English rugby union system, as one of the 16 regional leagues, though is the highest level of local rugby in the North East of England. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses the Yorkshire region. The runners-up participate in a play-off against the runners-up from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Yorkshire, for promotion. The bottom two are relegated to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.

Counties 1 Cumbria is a competitive rugby union league at level 7 of the English rugby union system run by the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) for club sides based in Cumbria. It was previously a tier 7 league but the creation of North 2 West demoted it to level 8. Promoted teams typically go up to North 2 West and since Cumbria 2 was cancelled at the end of the 2018–19 season there is no relegation. Each season a team from Cumbria 1 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8. The original Cumbria league was formed at the start of the 1992–93 season when the North-West North 1 division was cancelled.

Counties 1 Yorkshire is an English rugby union division, the seventh tier of the domestic competition, and the top level for local rugby union in parts of Yorkshire. The champions are automatically promoted to Regional 2 North East, a division with a wider geographical area that also encompasses northeast England. The runners-up participate in a playoff against the 2nd place team from the equivalent regional league, Counties 1 Durham & Northumberland, for promotion to Regional 2 North East. The bottom two clubs are relegated to Counties 2 Yorkshire.

Counties 2 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 2 is an English rugby union league at the eighth tier of the domestic competition for teams from Yorkshire. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 1 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 3 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Yorkshire 2 is picked to take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a national competition for clubs at level 8.

Counties 4 Yorkshire is an English rugby union league at the tenth tier of the domestic competition for teams from Yorkshire. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Yorkshire 3 and the bottom two teams were relegated to Yorkshire 5 until the RFU made changes to the Yorkshire league structure. Each season a team from Counties 3 Yorkshire or Yorkshire 4 may be picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12.

Yorkshire 5 was an English Rugby Union league at the eleventh tier of the domestic competition and was the basement league of club rugby in Yorkshire. This league was not always the bottom division as for a while there was a Yorkshire 6 but this league merged with Yorkshire 5. Also, for a short period, Yorkshire 5 was split into two parallel leagues based on geographical location. Promoted teams moved up to Yorkshire 4.

Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland, previously known as Durham/Northumberland 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and is currently the basement league of club rugby in North East England. Any club in the north east wishing to join the rugby union club hierarchy must begin at the bottom so all new teams from the north east start in this division - although until 2005-06 there was relegation to the now defunct Durham/Northumberland 4. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.

Counties 2 ADM Lancashire & Cheshire is a regional English Rugby Union league for teams from Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester, ranked at tier 8 of the English league system.

Yorkshire 6 was an English Rugby Union league which existed for a short period in the 2000s and throughout its existence it was the basement league of club rugby in Yorkshire. It was merged with Yorkshire 5 towards the end of the 2000s and the teams which would have been promoted into Yorkshire 5 that season were elevated to Yorkshire 4. At this point Yorkshire 5 became the basement league of Yorkshire club rugby.

Counties 3 Hampshire is an English level 9 Rugby Union league for teams based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Up until the 2017–18 season it was known as Hampshire 2 but was changed to Hampshire 1 following the restructuring of the Hampshire leagues, which would see the re-introduction of a third division as well as 2nd and 3rd XV sides joining for the first time. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 3 Hampshire.

Gloucester 1 is an English rugby union league which sits at the ninth level of league rugby union in England for teams based primarily in the county of Gloucestershire but also on occasion teams from Bristol. Promoted clubs move into Gloucester Premier and relegated clubs drop into either Gloucester 2 North or Gloucester 2 South depending on location. Each year clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bramley R.L.F.C.</span> Defunct English rugby league club

Bramley RLFC was a rugby league club from the Bramley area of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, that folded following the 1999 season. The club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed before the formation of the Northern Union in 1895. The traditional nickname for the club was 'the Villagers'.

The Yorkshire Rugby Football Union is the governing body responsible for rugby union in the historic county of Yorkshire, England. It is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having formed in 1869, the union was formerly called Yorkshire County Club.

North East 1 was an English Rugby Union league which was at the 7th tier of the domestic competition and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North 2 East while relegated teams dropped to North East 2. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999–2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams either being moved up to North 2 East or dropping down to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.

North East 2 was an English Rugby Union league was at the eighth tier of the domestic competition when it was founded in 1987 and was available to teams in North East England. Promoted teams moved up to North East 1 while relegated teams dropped to Durham/Northumberland 1 and latterly North East 3. The division was abolished at the end of the 1999–2000 season due to RFU restructuring with teams being transferred to regional leagues such as Yorkshire 1 or Durham/Northumberland 1.

The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, although sides as low as level 12 or even outside the league system can sometimes enter. The competition is a national one, but split into regions until the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. Presently, the RFU Junior Vase is the fifth most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup, RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase.

Regional 2 North East is a level six league in the English rugby union system, with the twelve teams drawn in the main from across Yorkshire with others in Lancashire and Derbyshire. The other level six leagues in the Northern Division are Regional 2 North for teams in North East England and Cumbria; and Regional 2 North West for teams in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Selby are the current champions and are promoted to Regional 1 North East.

References

  1. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. "1998–1999 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. "1999–2000 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. "2000-2001 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. "2001-2002 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  6. "2002-2003 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  7. "2003-2004 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  8. "2004-2005 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  9. "2005-2006 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. "2006-2007 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  11. "2007-2008 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  12. "2008-2009 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  13. "2009-2010 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  14. "2010-2011 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  15. "2011-2012 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  16. "2012-2013 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  17. "2013-2014 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  18. "2014-2015 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  19. "2015-2016 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  20. "2016-2017 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  21. "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  22. "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  23. "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.