Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 3 Kent | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1987 |
Number of teams | 10 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Park House (4 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Counties 3 Kent (formerly Kent 1 known as Shepherd Neame Kent 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English level 9 Rugby Union League [1] and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. The league champions move up to Counties 2 Kent. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 4 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 3 Kent.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Departing were Old Elthamians and Old Alleynians II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Faversham (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Old Dunstonians relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Beckenham II, Brockleians and Old Gravesendians, all promoted from Counties 4 Kent
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Departing were Dartford Valley and Medway II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. King's College Hospital (9th) and Footscray (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Hastings & Bexhill relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Sittingbourne promoted from Counties 4 Kent and Tonbridge Juddians III who upon joining this league were rebranded as Tonbridge Juddians II.
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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 3 Kent.
Returning were 4 of the 9 teams who competed in the previous season's league.
Departing were Hastings & Bexhill and Park House, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Old Williamsonians (3rd), Cliffe Crusaders (7th), Brockleians (9th) dropped to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Dartford Valley and Whitstable, promoted from Kent 2. New to the league were Gravesend II, Old Elthamians, Old Alleynians II and Medway II.
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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.
Despite finishing 7th in season 2019–20, HSBC did not return to the league for the current season.
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On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [3] 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 Kent 1 was not contested.
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When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
The original Kent 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to Kent 2.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1987–88 | 11 | Charlton Park | Erith | Old Shootershillians, NatWest Bank, Sevenoaks | ||||||||||
1988–89 | 11 | Gillingham Anchorians | Betteshanger | Old Elthamians, Tonbridge | ||||||||||
1989–90 | 11 | Park House | Medway | Canterbury, Dover | ||||||||||
1990–91 | 11 | Thanet Wanderers | Medway | Met Police Hayes, Dover, Snowdown C.W. | ||||||||||
1991–92 | 11 | Erith | Gillingham Anchorians | No relegation [lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||
1992–93 | 13 | Canterbury | Sevenoaks | Sittingbourne, Tonbridge | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The creation of National 5 South meant that Kent 1 dropped from a tier 8 league to a tier 9 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Kent 2 respectively.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Park House | Sevenoaks | NatWest Bank, New Ash Green, Snowdown C.W. | ||||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Sevenoaks | Tunbridge Wells | Thames Polytechnic, Betteshanger | ||||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Tunbridge Wells | Gillingham Anchorians | Old Elthamians, Medway, Erith [lower-alpha 3] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Kent 1 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Kent 2 respectively.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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1996–97 | 12 | Cranbrook | Medway [lower-alpha 4] | No relegation [lower-alpha 5] | ||||||||||
1997–98 | 16 | Folkestone | Dartfordians | Deal Wanderers, Snowdown C.W. | ||||||||||
1998–99 [4] | 17 | Dartfordians | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital | Met Police Hayes, Sittingbourne | ||||||||||
1999–00 [5] | 15 | Old Dunstonians | Betteshanger | Sheppey, HSBC, Ashford, Dover [lower-alpha 6] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
The introduction of London 4 South East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Kent 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to Kent 2.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2000–01 [6] | 10 | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital | Betteshanger | Old Elthamians | ||||||||||
2001–02 [7] | 10 | Bromley | Whitstable | Brockleians, Medway, Park House | ||||||||||
2002–03 [8] | 10 | Aylesford Bulls | Ashford | Erith, New Ash Green | ||||||||||
2003–04 [9] | 10 | Lordswood | Old Elthamians | Askean | ||||||||||
2004–05 [10] | 10 | Dover | Sittingbourne | Sheppey | ||||||||||
2005–06 [11] | 10 | Beccehamian | Ashford | New Ash Green | ||||||||||
2006–07 [12] | 10 | Whitstable | Park House | Brockleians, Sheppey, Cranbrook | ||||||||||
2007–08 [13] | 10 | Park House | Old Gravesendians | No relegation [lower-alpha 7] | ||||||||||
2008–09 [14] | 12 | Medway | Old Gravesendians | Askean | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Kent 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 South East (formerly London 4 South East) and relegation to Kent 2.
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Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2009–10 [15] | 12 | Dartfordians | Cranbrook | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital, Erith | ||||||||||
2010–11 [16] | 11 | Ashford | Sheppey | Lordswood | ||||||||||
2011–12 [17] | 12 | Gillingham Anchorians | Vigo | New Ash Green | ||||||||||
2012–13 [18] | 11 | Dartfordians | Beccehamian | Whitstable | ||||||||||
2013–14 [19] | 12 | Park House | Hastings & Bexhill | Footscray, Shooters Hill | ||||||||||
2014–15 [20] | 12 | Cranbrook | Sheppey | Bexley, Sittingbourne | ||||||||||
2015–16 [21] | 12 | Sheppey | Old Williamsonians | Old Gravesendians, Lordswood | ||||||||||
2016–17 [22] | 12 | Hastings & Bexhill | Old Williamsonians | Snowdown C.W., Brockleians | ||||||||||
2017–18 [23] | 12 | Beccehamian | Vigo | Sittingbourne | ||||||||||
2018–19 [24] | 11 [lower-alpha 8] | Ashford | Gillingham Anchorians | Sheppey, Footscray | ||||||||||
2019–20 [25] | 10 | Southwark Lancers | Cranbrook | Whitstable, Old Gravesendians | ||||||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Kent 1 and Sussex 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 South East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Kent 1 teams have been the most successful with fourteen wins to the Sussex 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams eight.
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Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance | |||||||||
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2000–01 [26] | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 12-29 | Betteshanger (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2001–02 [27] | Heathfield & Waldron (S) | 25-12 | Whitstable (K) | Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground, Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2002–03 [28] | Ashford (K) | 10-0 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | Canterbury Road, Ashford, Kent | ||||||||||
2003–04 [29] | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 13-21 | Old Elthamians (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2004–05 [30] | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 0-22 | Sittingbourne (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2005–06 [31] | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 17-18 | Ashford (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2006–07 [32] | Horsham (S) | 33-7 | Park House (K) | Coolhurst Ground, Horsham, West Sussex | ||||||||||
2007–08 [33] | Old Gravesendians (K) | 8-14 | East Grinstead (S) | Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent | ||||||||||
2008–09 [34] | Old Gravesendians (K) | 10-5 | Uckfield (S) | Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent | 300 | |||||||||
2009–10 [35] | Uckfield (S) | 19-21 | Cranbrook (K) | Hempstead Playing Fields, Uckfield, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2010–11 [36] | Sheppey (K) | 42-10 | Burgess Hill (S) | Stupple Field, Minster, Kent | 500 | |||||||||
2011–12 [37] | Vigo (K) | 10-7 | Burgess Hill (S) [lower-alpha 9] | Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent | 400 | |||||||||
2012–13 [38] | Eastbourne (S) | 0-47 | Beccehamian (K) | Park Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex | ||||||||||
2013–14 [39] | Crawley (S) | 22-41 | Hastings & Bexhill (K) | Willoughby Fields Pavilion, Crawley, West Sussex | ||||||||||
2014–15 [40] | Burgess Hill (S) | 26-23 | Sheppey (K) | Southway Recreation Ground, Burgess Hill, West Sussex | ||||||||||
2015–16 [41] | Haywards Heath (S) | 13-8 | Old Williamsonians (K) | Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, West Sussex | ||||||||||
2016–17 [42] | Old Williamsonians (K) | 20-17 | Uckfield (S) | Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester, Kent | ||||||||||
2017–18 [43] | Vigo (K) | 31-17 | Uckfield (S) | Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent | ||||||||||
2018–19 [44] | Gillingham Anchorians (K) | 23-21 | Crawley (S) | Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent | ||||||||||
2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | |||||||||||||
2020–21 | ||||||||||||||
Green background is the promoted team. K = Kent 1 and S = Sussex 1 | ||||||||||||||
Regional 1 South East is a level five league in the English rugby union system. It is one of six leagues at this level. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London Division 1. The format of the league was changed at the beginning of the 2009–10 season following re-organisation by the Rugby Football Union while the name change from National League 3 to Premier was introduced for the 2017–18 season to make it more obvious that it is a regional league. London & South East Premier was the highest regional rugby union league covering London and south east England. Following the RFU Adult Competition Review the league was decreased from 14 to 12 and the name changed to Regional 1 South East. Part of the area formerly covered by London & South East Premier is now covered by a new league Regional 1 South Central.
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London 2 South East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.
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Regional 2 South East, previously known as London 1 South, is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from East Sussex, south Essex, south Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 South, changing to London 1 South ahead of the 2009–10 season. It used to be the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season was promoted whilst the second-placed team entered a play-off against the runner-up of London 1 North. Three teams were relegated into either London 2 South East and London 2 South West depending on their location. The league was renamed as Regional 2 South East for the 2022-23 season and moved from a 14 team, to a 12 team competition. The champion would be promoted to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East depending on geographical location, whilst relegated sides would go to either Counties 1 Kent or Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex.
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Counties 2 Hampshire is an English level 8 Rugby Union league for teams based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Up until the 2017–18 season it was known as Hampshire 1 but was changed to Hampshire Premier due to 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 2 Hampshire.
Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex is a tier 7 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union and is the top-tier competition for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. It was previously known as London 2 North West. After the restructuring of the English rugby union system ahead of the 2022–23 season, the league was renamed to Counties 1 Herts/Middlesex.
Surrey 1 is a level 9 English Rugby Union League. It is made up of teams predominantly from Surrey and south-west London. Teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to London 3 South West with the league winners going straight up and the runners up playing against the runners up from Hampshire Premier. Relegated teams drop to Surrey 2.
Eastern Counties 2 is an English level 10 Rugby Union League - currently divided into 3 regional divisions. Promoted teams move up to Eastern Counties 1 with teams in this league tending to be from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or Suffolk. Currently a three divisions, Eastern Counties 2 has previously been divided into North and South divisions with teams from Essex taking part, and had relegation to Eastern Counties 3. In 2003-04 the Essex teams broke away, forming a new league - with Essex 2 being the equivalent division to Eastern Counties 2.
Counties 2 Essex is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and features teams from Essex and parts of north-east London. Promoted clubs tend to move up to Counties 1 Essex. Relegated clubs used to drop into Essex 2 but as that division has been abolished there is currently no relegation. The division was created in 2003 by Essex-based teams who left Eastern Counties 1 and Eastern Counties 2. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Essex.
Counties 2 Devon is an English level eight rugby union league for clubs primarily based in Devon. The champions are promoted to Counties 1 Western West and relegation is to Counties 3 Devon East or Counties 3 Devon East.
Eastern Counties 3 is an English level 11 Rugby Union league, currently divided into 3 regional leagues. Promoted teams moved up to the relevant regional divisions in Eastern Counties 2 while since the abolition of Eastern Counties 4 at the end of the 2016–17 season there has been no relegation. For most of its history, Eastern Counties 3 was divided into two regional divisions – north and south – with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. A breakaway of Essex teams at the end of the 2002–03 to form a new league would lead to Eastern Counties 3 being abolished by the end of 2003–04 only to return due to a league restructure to cater for more 2nd and 3rd teams.
Counties 3 Kent is an English Rugby Union league that is the lowest RFU league for clubs in south-east London and Kent. Promoted teams go up to Counties 4 Kent and relegation is to the Kent RFU merit leagues.
Kent 4 was an English Rugby Union league that was the fourth tier for clubs in south-east London and Kent. Promoted teams went up to Kent 3 and there was no relegation. Initially created in 1987 the league ran for ten seasons before being cancelled at the end of the 1996–97 season. Kent 4 was brought back in 2000 but after just one season, the six team division folded for the second time and all teams were automatically promoted to Kent 3.
The Kent Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Kent in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Kent, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Kent county rugby representative teams.
The Kent Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Kent Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 2001-02 season, with the inaugural winners being Bromley. It is the third most important rugby union cup competition in Kent, behind the Kent Cup and Kent Shield but ahead of the Kent Plate and Kent Salver.