Counties 3 Kent Explained

Counties 3 Kent
Current Season:	2024-25 Counties 3 Kent
Teams:	10
Most Champs:	Park House
Count:	4
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.

Teams for 2024–25

Departing were Old Elthamians and Old Alleynians II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Faversham (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
	Balmoral Avenue			Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions)
Brockleians	Civil Service Sports Ground			Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up)
Gravesend II	Rectory Field			8th
Hastings & Bexhill				7th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			9th
Old Dunstonians	St. Dunstan's Lane
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground			Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (3rd)
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club			4th
	The Slade	1,500		3rd
	St Marks Recreation Ground	3,000		5th
Whitstable	Reeves Way			6th

Teams for 2023–24

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Faversham	Recreation Ground			5th
Gravesend II	Rectory Field			8th
Hastings & Bexhill				Relegated from Counties 2 Kent
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			7th
	The Common			4th
	Hospital Ground			3rd
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club			Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (runners-up)
	The Slade	1,500		Promoted from Counties 4 Kent (champions)
	St Marks Recreation Ground	3,000		New entry
Whitstable	Reeves Way			6th

Teams for 2022–23

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Dartford Valley				Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)
Faversham	Recreation Ground			5th
	Footscray Playing Fields			8th
Gravesend II	Rectory Field			New entry
	Dulwich Sports Ground			6th
	Priestfields			New entry
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			4th
	The Common			New entry
	Hospital Ground			New entry
Whitstable	Reeves Way			Promoted from Kent 2 (runners-up)

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.

Despite finishing 7th in season 2019–20, HSBC did not return to the league for the current season.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Brockleians	Civil Service Sports Ground			Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)
Cliffe Crusaders	Recreation Ground			6th
Faversham	Recreation Ground			5th
	Footscray Playing Fields			Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up)
Hastings & Bexhill				4th
	Dulwich Sports Ground			3rd
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			8th
Old Williamsonians				Relegated from London 3 SE (12th)
Park House	Barnet Wood Road			Relegated from London 3 SE (11th)

Season 2020–21

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

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cliffe Crusaders	Recreation Ground			Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)
	Tomlin Ground			4th
Faversham	Recreation Ground			Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up)
Hastings & Bexhill				Relegated from London 3 SE (10th)
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground			6th
	Dulwich Sports Ground			7th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			9th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground			5th
Southwark Lancers				3rd
Whitstable	Reeves Way			8th

Participating clubs 2018-19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ashford	Kinney's Field			11th (not relegated)
	Tomlin Ground			5th
	Footscray Playing Fields			Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up)
Gillingham Anchorians	Darland Banks			4th
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground			7th
	Dulwich Sports Ground			3rd
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			11th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground			9th
Sheppey	Stupple Field			Relegated from London 3 SE (11th)
Southwark Lancers				10th
Whitstable	Reeves Way			Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)

Participating clubs 2017-18

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ashford	Kinney's Field			Relegated from London 3 South East (12th)
Beccehamian	Sparrow's Den			4th
	Tomlin Ground			3rd
Gillingham Anchorians	Darland Banks			Relegated from London 3 South East (10th)
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground			5th
	Dulwich Sports Ground			6th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion			9th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground			Promoted from Kent 2 (champions)
Royal Bank of Scotland	Goals Beckenham			Promoted from Kent 2 (runners up)
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club			10th
Southwark Lancers				7th
Vigo	Swanswood Field			8th

Participating clubs 2016-17

• 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

• Beccehamaian
• Brockleians (promoted from Kent 2)
• Hastings & Bexhill (relegated from London 3 South East)
• HSBC
• King's College Hospital
• Lordswood
• New Ash Green (promoted from Kent 2)
• Old Gravesendians
• Old Williamsonians
• Sheppey
• Southwark Lancers
• Vigo

Participating clubs 2014-2015

• Beccehamian (relegated from London 3 South East)
• Bexley (promoted from Kent 2)
• Cranbrook
• HSBC
• King's College Hospital
• Lordswood
• Old Gravesendians
• Old Williamsonians
• Sheppey (relegated from London 3 South East)
• Sittingbourne
• Southwark Lancers
• Vigo

Participating clubs 2010-2011

• Ashford
• Beccehamian
• Cranbrook
• Dartfordians
• Erith
• Gillingham Anchorians.
• Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital
• Hastings and Bexhill
• HSBC
• New Ash Green
• Old Gravesendians
• Shooters Hill
• Sittingbourne
• Vigo
• Whitstable

Original teams

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

• Bromley
• Charlton Park
• Erith
• Medway
• NatWest Bank
• Old Elthamians
• Old Shootershillians
• Park House
• Sevenoaks
• Thanet Wanderers
• Tonbridge

Kent 1 honours

Kent 1 (1987–1993)

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
1988–89	11	Gillingham Anchorians
1989–90	11	Park House
1990–91	11	Thanet Wanderers		Met Police Hayes, Dover, Snowdown C.W.
1991–92	11	Erith		No relegation
1992–93	13	Canterbury		Sittingbourne, Tonbridge
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (1993–1996)

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
1994–95	13	Sevenoaks
1995–96	13	Tunbridge Wells
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (1996–2000)

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		No relegation
1997–98	16	Folkestone
1998–99^[4]	17	Dartfordians
1999–00^[5]	15	Old Dunstonians		Sheppey, HSBC, Ashford, Dover
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (2000–2009)

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
2001–02^[7]	10	Bromley		Brockleians, Medway, Park House
2002–03^[8]	10	Aylesford Bulls
2003–04^[9]	10	Lordswood
2004–05^[10]	10	Dover
2005–06^[11]	10	Beccehamian
2006–07^[12]	10	Whitstable
2007–08^[13]	10	Park House		No relegation
2008–09^[14]	12	Medway
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Kent 1 (2009–present)

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		Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital, Erith
2010–11^[16]	11	Ashford
2011–12^[17]	12	Gillingham Anchorians
2012–13^[18]	11	Dartfordians
2013–14^[19]	12	Park House		Footscray, Shooters Hill
2014–15^[20]	12	Cranbrook
2015–16^[21]	12	Sheppey
2016–17^[22]	12	Hastings & Bexhill		Snowdown C.W., Brockleians
2017–18^[23]	12	Beccehamian
2018–19^[24]	11	Ashford
2019–20^[25]	10	Southwark Lancers
2020–21
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Promotion play-offs

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)
2001–02^[27]	Heathfield & Waldron (S)	25-12	Whitstable (K)
2002–03^[28]	Ashford (K)	10-0	Hastings & Bexhill (S)
2003–04^[29]	Hastings & Bexhill (S)	13-21	Old Elthamians (K)
2004–05^[30]	Hastings & Bexhill (S)	0-22	Sittingbourne (K)
2005–06^[31]	Hastings & Bexhill (S)	17-18	Ashford (K)
2006–07^[32]	Horsham (S)	33-7	Park House (K)
2007–08^[33]	Old Gravesendians (K)	8-14	East Grinstead (S)
2008–09^[34]	Old Gravesendians (K)	10-5	Uckfield (S)		300
2009–10^[35]	Uckfield (S)	19-21	Cranbrook (K)
2010–11^[36]	Sheppey (K)	42-10	Burgess Hill (S)		500
2011–12^[37]	Vigo (K)	10-7	Burgess Hill (S)		400
2012–13^[38]	Eastbourne (S)	0-47	Beccehamian (K)
2013–14^[39]	Crawley (S)	22-41	Hastings & Bexhill (K)
2014–15^[40]	Burgess Hill (S)	26-23	Sheppey (K)
2015–16^[41]	Haywards Heath (S)	13-8	Old Williamsonians (K)
2016–17^[42]	Old Williamsonians (K)	20-17	Uckfield (S)
2017–18^[43]	Vigo (K)	31-17	Uckfield (S)
2018–19^[44]	Gillingham Anchorians (K)	23-21	Crawley (S)
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

• Park House (4)
• Dartfordians (3)
• Ashford (2)
• Beccehamian (2)
• Cranbrook (2)
• Gillingham Anchorians (2)
• Aylesford Bulls (1)
• Bromley (1)
• Canterbury (1)
• Charlton Park (1)
• Dover (1)
• Erith (1)
• Folkestone (1)
• Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital (1)
• Hastings & Bexhill (1)
• Lordswood (1)
• Medway (1)
• Old Dunstonians (1)
• Sevenoaks (1)
• Sheppey (1)
• Southwark Lancers (1)
• Thanet Wanderers (1)
• Tunbridge Wells (1)
• Whitstable (1)

See also

• London & SE Division RFU
• Kent RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

External links

• Kent Rugby Football Union

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kent RFU. League Make up. 9 July 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100701140607/http://www.kentrugby.org/5_rfu_rfuw_leaglinks.html. 1 July 2010. dead. dmy-all.
2. Web site: RFU announce new men's community structure . RFU . 2022-06-13.
3. Web site: RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season . RFU . 2020-10-20 . 2020-11-09.
4. Web site: 1998-1999 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
5. Web site: 1999-2000 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
6. Web site: 2000-2001 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
7. Web site: 2001-2002 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
8. Web site: 2002-2003 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
9. Web site: 2003-2004 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
10. Web site: 2004-2005 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
11. Web site: 2005-2006 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
12. Web site: 2006-2007 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
13. Web site: 2007-2008 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
14. Web site: 2008-2009 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
15. Web site: 2009-2010 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
16. Web site: 2010-2011 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
17. Web site: 2011-2012 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
18. Web site: 2012-2013 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
19. Web site: 2013-2014 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 14 February 2015.
20. Web site: 2014-2015 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 3 May 2015.
21. Web site: 2015-2016 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 25 April 2016.
22. Web site: 2016-2017 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 22 April 2017.
23. Web site: 2017-2018 London South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 21 April 2018.
24. Web site: 2018-2019 London & South-East Division. England Rugby. RFU . 13 April 2019.
25. Web site: Men's London & South East Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20. England Rugby. 25 April 2020.
26. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2000-01 . England Rugby . 19 May 2001.
27. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2001-02 . England Rugby . 27 April 2002.
28. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2002-03 . England Rugby . 6 May 2017.
29. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2003-04 . England Rugby . 24 April 2004.
30. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2004-05 . England Rugby . 30 April 2005.
31. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2005-06 . England Rugby . 29 April 2006.
32. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2006-07 . England Rugby . 28 April 2007.
33. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2007-08 . England Rugby . 27 April 2008.
34. Web site: Old Gravesendians 10-5 Uckfield . News Shopper . 28 April 2009.
35. Web site: Cranes in stunning fightback . This is Kent . 23 April 2010.
36. Web site: Sheppey 42 - 10 Burgess Hill . Sheppey RFC (Pitchero) . 16 April 2011.
37. Web site: Vigo 10 - 7 Burgess Hill . Burgess Hill RFC (Pitchero) . 28 April 2012.
38. Web site: What a finish to the season.... . Beccehamian RFC (Pitchero) . 27 April 2013.
39. Web site: Crawley Miss Out On Successive Promotions. Crawley RFC (Pitchero) . 26 April 2014.
40. Web site: BHRFC 1 v Sheppey . Burgess Hill RFC (Pitchero) . 25 April 2015.
41. Web site: Haywards Heath 13, Old Williamsonians 8: Heath gain promotion with home win after tense play-off . Mid Sussex Times . 2 May 2016.
42. Web site: London & SE Division Play-Offs 2016-17 . England Rugby . 22 April 2017.
43. Web site: LONDON & SOUTH EAST DIVISION PLAY OFFS: VIGO 31 UCKFIELD 17. Vigo RFC (Pitchero). 21 April 2018.
44. Web site: Gillingham Anchorians v Crawley London & SE Division – Level 9 Play-off, 15:00 13th April 2019. Gillingham Anchorians RFC. 15 April 2019.