Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 2 Kent | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 2000 | (as London 4 South East)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Aylesford Bulls, Crowborough (2 titles) |
Website | englandrugby.com |
Counties 2 Kent (formerly London 3 South East) is an English level 8 Rugby Union League involving club sides from Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and the south-east London. [1] The twelve teams play home and away matches from September to April. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 2 Kent.
Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Kent. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 3 Kent.
Departing were Sevenoaks II and Park House promoted to Counties 1 Kent. Old Dunstonians were relegated to Counties 3 Kent.
Joining were Thanet Wanderers, relegated from Counties 1 Kent together with Old Alleynians II and Old Elthamians, both promoted from Counties 3 Kent.
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Departing were Canterbury II and Dover promoted to Counties 1 Kent as joint champions. Southwark Lancers were relegated and moved on a level transfer to Counties 4 Surrey whilst Hastings & Bexhill were relegated to Counties 3 Kent.
Joining were Folkestone and Aylesford Bulls, both relegated from Counties 1 Kent together with Dartford Valley and Medway II, both promoted from Counties 3 Kent.
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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 2 Kent.
Returning were 6 of the 12 teams who competed in the previous season's league.
Departing were Bromley, Aylesford Bulls, Cranbrook and Heathfield & Waldron, all promoted to Counties 1 Kent. Also leaving on a level transfer to Counties 2 Sussex were Pulborough (10th) and Crawley (12th).
Joining were Hastings & Bexhill and Park House, both promoted. There were also new entries with the 2XVs from Sidcup, Canterbury, Sevenoaks and Westcombe Park added.
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The teams competing in 2021-22 season earned their places in the league based on their performances in the 2019-20, Thus, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to the 2019-20 season, not the 2020-21 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 London 3 South East was not contested.
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When this division was introduced in 2000 (as London 4 South East) it contained the following teams:
Originally known as London 4 South East, this division was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to either Kent 1 or Sussex 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2000–01 [4] | 10 | Dartfordians | Old Dunstonians | Park House, Chichester, Heathfield & Waldron | ||||||||||
2001–02 [5] | 10 | Betteshanger | Eastbourne | Askean, Cranbrook, Uckfield | ||||||||||
2002–03 [6] | 10 | Chichester | Bognor | Heathfield & Waldron, Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital, Beccehamian | ||||||||||
2003–04 [7] | 10 | Aylesford Bulls | Folkestone | Uckfield | ||||||||||
2004–05 [8] | 10 | Old Dunstonians | Lordswood | Crawley, Ashford | ||||||||||
2005–06 [9] | 10 | Old Elthamians | Betteshanger | East Grinstead, Horsham, Sittingbourne | ||||||||||
2006–07 [10] | 10 | Eastbourne | Dover | Dartfordians, Brighton, Ashford | ||||||||||
2007–08 [11] | 10 | Bognor | Hove | No relegation [lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||
2008–09 [12] | 12 | Tonbridge Juddians | Bromley | Beccehamian | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
League restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 4 South East renamed as London 3 South East. Remaining as a tier 8 league promotion was to London 2 South East (formerly London 3 South East), while relegation continued to either Kent 1 or Sussex 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
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2009–10 [13] | 12 | East Grinstead | Brighton | Old Gravesendians, Whitstable, Hastings & Bexhill | ||||||||||
2010–11 [14] | 12 | Heathfield & Waldron | Charlton Park | Dartfordians, Cranbrook, Crawley | ||||||||||
2011–12 [15] | 12 | Crowborough | Medway | Eastbourne, Uckfield | ||||||||||
2012–13 [16] | 12 | Maidstone | Tunbridge Wells | Vigo, Pulborough, Park House | ||||||||||
2013–14 [17] | 12 | Thanet Wanderers | Ashford | Beccehamian, Burgess Hill, Sheppey | ||||||||||
2014–15 [18] | 12 | Horsham | Dartfordians | Hastings & Bexhill, Lewes | ||||||||||
2015–16 [19] | 12 | Bromley | Heathfield & Waldron | Uckfield, Burgess Hill | ||||||||||
2016–17 [20] | 12 | Pulborough | Haywards Heath | Ashford, Eastbourne | ||||||||||
2017–18 [21] | 12 | Aylesford Bulls | Thanet Wanderers | Crawley, Sheppey | ||||||||||
2018–19 [22] | 11 [lower-alpha 2] | Crowborough | Beccehamian | Lewes, Hastings & Bexhill | ||||||||||
2019–20 [23] | 12 | Ashford | Folkestone | Old Williamsonians, Park House, Uckfield | ||||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
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