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Counties 3 Kent
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 3 Kent
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams10
Country England
Most titlesPark House (4 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.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.


Teams for 2024–25

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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

Teams for 2023–24

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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.

Teams for 2022–23

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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.

Participating clubs 2021-22

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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.

Season 2020–21

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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.

Participating clubs 2019-20

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Participating clubs 2018-19

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Participating clubs 2017-18

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Participating clubs 2016-17

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  • Beccehamaian
  • Brockleians
  • Hastings & Bexhill
  • HSBC
  • King's College Hospital
  • Lordswood
  • New Ash Green
  • Old Gravesendians
  • Sittingbourne (promoted from Kent 2)
  • Southwark Lancers
  • Snowdon C.W. (promoted from Kent 2)
  • Vigo

Participating clubs 2015-16

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Participating clubs 2014-2015

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Participating clubs 2010-2011

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Original teams

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

Kent 1 honours

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Kent 1 (1987–1993)

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The original Kent 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to Kent 2.

Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
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[b]
1992–93 13 Canterbury Sevenoaks Sittingbourne, Tonbridge
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (1993–1996)

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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.

Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
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[c]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (1996–2000)

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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.

Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 12 Cranbrook Medway[d] No relegation[e]
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[f]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (2000–2009)

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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.

Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
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[g]
2008–09[14] 12 Medway Old Gravesendians Askean
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (2009–present)

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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.

Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
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[h] Ashford Gillingham Anchorians Sheppey, Footscray
2019–20[25] 10 Southwark Lancers Cranbrook Whitstable, Old Gravesendians
2020–21
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

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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.

Kent 1 v Sussex 1 promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
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)[i] 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

Number of league titles

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Notes

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  1. ^ Tonbridge would later merge with Old Juddian in 1999 to form Tonbridge Juddians RFC.
  2. ^ No relegation as Kent 1 to increase from 11 to 13 teams.
  3. ^ 11th place Erith would drop out of the leagues before the start of the following season.
  4. ^ 3rd place Sheppey also promoted.
  5. ^ No relegation as Kent 1 to increase from 12 to 16 teams.
  6. ^ More relegations than normal due to league restructuring - Kent 2 would become a single division and Kent 3 and Kent 4 were created for the following season.
  7. ^ No relegation due to Kent 3 folding at the end of the season and the subsequent league restructuring meant that the number of teams in Kent 1 would increase to 12 for the following season.
  8. ^ Reduced from 12 to 11 teams after Royal Bank of Scotland withdrew from league.
  9. ^ Despite finishing 3rd in the league Burgess Hill took 2nd placed East Grinstead II place in the 2011-12 promotion playoff as East Grinstead's first team were in the division above.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "League Make up". Kent RFU. Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  2. ^ "RFU announce new men's community structure". RFU. 13 June 2022.
  3. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. ^ "1998-1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  5. ^ "1999-2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  6. ^ "2000-2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  7. ^ "2001-2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. ^ "2002-2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  9. ^ "2003-2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  10. ^ "2004-2005 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  11. ^ "2005-2006 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  12. ^ "2006-2007 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  13. ^ "2007-2008 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  14. ^ "2008-2009 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  15. ^ "2009-2010 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  16. ^ "2010-2011 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  17. ^ "2011-2012 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  18. ^ "2012-2013 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  19. ^ "2013-2014 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  20. ^ "2014-2015 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  21. ^ "2015-2016 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  22. ^ "2016-2017 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  23. ^ "2017-2018 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  24. ^ "2018-2019 London & South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  25. ^ "Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  26. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01". England Rugby. 19 May 2001.
  27. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02". England Rugby. 27 April 2002.
  28. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2002-03". England Rugby. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  29. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2003-04". England Rugby. 24 April 2004.
  30. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05". England Rugby. 30 April 2005.
  31. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06". England Rugby. 29 April 2006.
  32. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07". England Rugby. 28 April 2007.
  33. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08". England Rugby. 27 April 2008.
  34. ^ "Old Gravesendians 10-5 Uckfield". News Shopper. 28 April 2009.
  35. ^ "Cranes in stunning fightback". This is Kent. 23 April 2010.
  36. ^ "Sheppey 42 - 10 Burgess Hill". Sheppey RFC (Pitchero). 16 April 2011.
  37. ^ "Vigo 10 - 7 Burgess Hill". Burgess Hill RFC (Pitchero). 28 April 2012.
  38. ^ "What a finish to the season..." Beccehamian RFC (Pitchero). 27 April 2013.
  39. ^ "Crawley Miss Out On Successive Promotions". Crawley RFC (Pitchero). 26 April 2014.
  40. ^ "BHRFC 1 v Sheppey". Burgess Hill RFC (Pitchero). 25 April 2015.
  41. ^ "Haywards Heath 13, Old Williamsonians 8: Heath gain promotion with home win after tense play-off". Mid Sussex Times. 2 May 2016.
  42. ^ "London & SE Division Play-Offs 2016-17". England Rugby. 22 April 2017.
  43. ^ "LONDON & SOUTH EAST DIVISION PLAY OFFS: VIGO 31 UCKFIELD 17". Vigo RFC (Pitchero). 21 April 2018.
  44. ^ "Gillingham Anchorians v Crawley London & SE Division – Level 9 Play-off, 15:00 13th April 2019". Gillingham Anchorians RFC. 15 April 2019.
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