Current season or competition: 2024-25 Counties 2 Midlands East (South) | |
Sport | Rugby union |
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Instituted | 1992 | (as Midlands East 2)
Number of teams | 12 |
Country | England |
Most titles | Leicester Forest, Lutterworth, Market Harborough, Rushden & Higham, Stamford (2 titles) |
Website | England RFU |
Counties 2 Midlands East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, all of whom play home and away matches throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to the current name of Midlands 3 East (South). Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (South) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name.
Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Midlands East (South) while demoted teams drop into Counties 3 Midlands East North West, Counties 3 Midlands East North East, Counties 3 Midlands East Central or Counties 3 Midlands East South depending on location.
Departing were Biggleswade and Stewarts & Lloyds, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South). Bedford Swifts (10th), Luton (11th) and Bedford Queens (12th) were relegated.
Joining were Long Buckby and Oakham, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South), together with Northampton BBOB and Rugby St Andrews, both promoted.
With five teams departing and four joining the league was reduced in size from twelve clubs to eleven.
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Departing were Daventry and Spalding, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South). Melton Mowbray (6th) moved on a level transfer to Counties 2 Midlands East (North).
Joining were St Ives, Dunstablians and Northampton Casuals, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South), together with Bedford Swifts and Brackley, both promoted.
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This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review [1] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Midlands East (South)).
Departing were Stockwood Park, Dunstablians and Bourne, all promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South).
Joining were Biggleswade, Northampton BBOB and St Neots, all promoted.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
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Teams in Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 East, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:
Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands East 2. Promotion was to Midlands East 1 and relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1992–93 | 14 | Kettering | Northampton BBOB | Glossop, Southwell, Market Rasen & Louth, Stamford | [2] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North, meaning that Midlands 2 East dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1993–94 | 13 | Long Buckby | Wellingborough | Dronfield, Kesteven | [3] | |||||||||
1994–95 | 13 | Ilkeston | Huntingdon & District | Worksop, Grimsby, Luton | [4] | |||||||||
1995–96 | 13 | Lutterworth | Old Northamptonians [lower-alpha 1] | No relegation [lower-alpha 2] | [5] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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1996–97 | 17 | Northampton Men's Own | Northampton Old Scouts | Chesterfield Panthers, East Retford, Mellish | [6] | |||||||||
1997–98 | 17 | Dunstablians | Oadby Wyggestonian | Bedford Queens, Northampton BBOB | [7] | |||||||||
1998–99 | 17 | Luton | South Leicester | Nottingham Casuals, Biggleswade | ||||||||||
1999–00 | 17 | Market Bosworth [lower-alpha 3] | Long Eaton [lower-alpha 4] | No relegation [lower-alpha 5] | ||||||||||
Green backgrounds are the promotion places. |
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North) [lower-alpha 6] and relegation to East Midlands 1.
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2000–01 [8] | 10 | Market Harborough | Melton Mowbray | Sleaford, West Bridgford, Stamford | [9] | |||||||||
2001–02 | 10 | Lutterworth | Old Northamptonians | Oakham, Bugbrooke | [10] | |||||||||
2002–03 | 10 | Rushden & Higham | Stockwood Park | Biggleswade, Northampton BBOB | [11] | |||||||||
2003–04 | 10 | Coalville | Daventry | No relegation [lower-alpha 7] | [12] | |||||||||
2004–05 | 9 | Leicester Forest | Northampton Casuals | Market Harborough | [13] | |||||||||
2005–06 | 10 | Vauxhall Motors | Bugbrooke | Stoneygate | [14] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Midlands 4 East (South) continued to be a tier 8 league with promotion up into Midlands 3 East (South). However, the cancellation of East Midlands 1 at the end of the 2005–06 season meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 East (South).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2006–07 | 10 | Vipers | Northampton BBOB | Biggleswade, Rushden & Higham | [15] | |||||||||
2007–08 | 10 | Aylestone St James | Old Newtonians | Oadby Wyggestonians, Stockwood Park | [16] | |||||||||
2008–09 | 12 | Market Harborough | Peterborough Lions | No relegation [lower-alpha 8] | [17] | |||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (South) (formerly Midlands 5 East (South)).
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Season | No of teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated teams | Reference | |||||||||
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2009–10 | 11 | Bugbrooke | Stockwood Park | No relegation [lower-alpha 9] | [18] | |||||||||
2010–11 | 12 | Oadby Wyggestonians | Long Buckby | Northampton Mens Own, Old Newtonians | [19] | |||||||||
2011–12 | 12 | Northampton BBOB | Biggleswade | Brackley, Bedford Swifts | [20] | |||||||||
2012–13 | 12 | Stamford | Rushden & Higham | Old Newtonians, Long Buckby | [21] | |||||||||
2013–14 | 12 | Biggleswade | Stewarts & Lloyds | Deepings, Brackley | [22] | |||||||||
2014–15 | 12 | Rushden & Higham | Vipers | Northampton Mens Own, Bedford Queens | [23] | |||||||||
2015–16 | 11 | Oundle | Stockwood Park | No relegation [lower-alpha 10] | [24] | |||||||||
2016–17 | 12 | Stewarts & Lloyds | Long Buckby | Aylestone St James, St Neots | [25] | |||||||||
2017–18 | 12 | St Ives (Midlands) | Vipers | Northampton Mens Own, Northampton BBOB | [26] | |||||||||
2018–19 | 12 | Leicester Forest | Northampton Casuals | Biggleswade, Birstall | [27] | |||||||||
2019-20 | 12 | Stamford | Oakham | St Neots, Northampton BBOB, Bedford Queens | [28] | |||||||||
2020–21 | 12 | |||||||||||||
Green backgrounds are promotion places. |
Midlands 5 East (South) was an level 10 English Rugby Union league and level 5 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and the occasional side from Cambridgeshire, all of whom played home and away matches throughout the season.
Regional 2 Midlands East is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in the eastern region of the Midlands, including sides from Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and occasionally Bedfordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. When this division began in 1987 it was known as Midlands 2 East, and has been restructured several times, most notably as a single division known as Midlands 2 between 1992 and 2000, and Midlands 1 East before regionalising again to its present format with the new name of Regional 2 Midlands East as part of England Rugby's Future Competition Structure change at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Midlands 4 East (North) is a level 9 English Rugby Union league and level 4 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Midlands 3 East (North) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to the current name of Midlands 3 East (North).
Midlands 4 East (South) is a level 9 English Rugby Union league and level 4 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire, all of whom play home and away matches throughout the season. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midland 2 East (North)) is a level 7 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name
Counties 1 Midlands East (South) (formerly Midlands 2 East (South)) is a level 7 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including sides from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, who play home and away matches throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 1, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (South) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name.
The East Midlands Rugby Football Union (EMRFU) is a governing body for rugby union in part of The Midlands, England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union for the counties of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and the Huntingdonshire and Peterborough districts of Cambridgeshire and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in those areas. It also administers the East Midlands county rugby representative teams.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegated teams dropped to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 and relegated teams dropped to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 3.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 3 was a tier 11 English Rugby Union league with teams from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 and since the cancellation of Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 4 at the end of the 1995–96 season there was no relegation.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands/Leicestershire 2.
East Midlands 1 was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and parts of Cambridgeshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands 2. Originally a feeder league for East Midlands/Leicestershire, it ran for three spells between 1987–1992, 1996–1998 and 2000–2004.
East Midlands 2 was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and parts of Cambridgeshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to East Midlands 1 and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands 3 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1991–92 season. Restructuring of the East Midlands leagues at the end of the 2003–04 campaign meant that East Midlands 2 was discontinued and the majority of teams transferred into the new East Midlands/South Leicestershire 2 division.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands/Leicestershire 3.
East Midlands/Leicestershire 3 was a tier 11 English Rugby Union league with teams from Bedfordshire, parts of Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to East Midlands/Leicestershire 2 and relegated teams dropped to East Midlands/Leicestershire 4 until that division was cancelled at the end of the 1995–96 season.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East was a tier 9 division in the English rugby union system with teams from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the eastern region of Leicestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegated teams dropped to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 2 East.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 West was a tier 9 English Rugby Union league with teams from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and the western region of Leicestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegated teams dropped to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 2 West.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 2 East was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the eastern region of Leicestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 East and there was no relegation.
Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 2 West was a tier 10 English Rugby Union league with teams from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and the western region of Leicestershire taking part. Promoted teams moved up to Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire/Leicestershire 1 West and there was no relegation.