Counties 3 Yorkshire
Current season or competition:
2023–24 Counties 3 Yorkshire
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 36 years ago (1987)
Number of teams12
Country England
HoldersHemsworth (2nd title) (2022–23)
(promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire)
Most titlesAireborough, Heath, Hemsworth, Leeds Corinthians, Roundhegians, Wetherby, Wath upon Dearne, Yarnbury, Barnsley (2 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Counties 3 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to either Yorkshire 4 (North West) or Yorkshire 4 (South East) depending on location. Each season a team from Yorkshire 3 or Yorkshire 4 may be picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12.

Participating clubs 2023–24

The teams competing in 2023-24.


Participating clubs 2022–23

The teams competing in 2022-23.

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.

Season 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] 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 Yorkshire 3 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Participating clubs 2018-19

Participating clubs 2017-18

Participating clubs 2016-17

Participating clubs 2015-16

Participating clubs 2014-15

Participating clubs 2013-14

Participating clubs 2012–13

Original teams

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

Yorkshire 3 honours

Yorkshire 3 (1987–1993)

The original Yorkshire 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Yorkshire 2 and relegation down to Yorkshire 4.

Yorkshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 11 Bridlington Marist Northallerton, Bradford Salem
1988–89 11 Yarnbury Old Otliensians Heath, Leeds CSSA
1989–90 11 Leodiensian Knottingley Baildon
1990–91 11 Bradford Salem Sheffield Oaks Aireborians
1991–92 11 Wath upon Dearne Old Modernians[a] No relegation[b]
1992–93 13 Hessle Halifax Vandals Baildon
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 3 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 3 remain at tier 12.

Yorkshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–94 13 Aireborough Wibsey Leeds YMCA
1994–95 13 Wetherby Skipton Burley
1995–96 13 Hullensians Phoenix Park Multiple teams[c]
1996–97 10 Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. West Leeds No relegation[d]
1997–98 10 Hemsworth Stanley Rodillians Hornsea
1998–99[2] 10 York Railway Institute Heath Wibsey, Old Modernians, Wetherby
1999–00[3] 10 Leeds Corinthians Moortown Stanley Rodillians, Baildon, Stocksbridge
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Yorkshire 3 (2000–present)

Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999-2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7-9). This meant that Yorkshire 3 became a tier 9 league.

Yorkshire 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[4] 12 Skipton Malton and Norton Hullensians, Sheffield Oaks, Moortown
2001–02[5] 12 Heath Malton and Norton Hessle, Roundhegians, Barnsley
2002–03[6] 12 Knottingley Stocksbridge Halifax Vandals
2003–04[7] 12 Pocklington Castleford Leeds Corinthians, Wath upon Dearne
2004–05[8] 12 Barnsley West Leeds Hemsworth, Bramley Phoenix
2005–06[9] 12 Heath York Railway Institute Old Modernians, Castleford
2006–07[10] 12 Yarnbury Skipton Stocksbridge, Northallerton
2007–08[11] 12 Moortown Castleford York Railway Institute, Thornensians
2008–09[12] 12 West Park Leeds Hullensians[e] Wath upon Dearne
2009–10[13] 12 Roundhegians Old Rishworthians Garforth
2010–11[14] 12 Wath upon Dearne Goole Old Otliensians
2011–12[15] 12 Roundhegians Sheffield Medicals Halifax Vandals
2012–13[16] 14 Old Rishworthians Baildon York Railway Institute, Hessle
2013–14[17] 14 Goole Leeds Medics and Dentists Skipton
2014–15[18] 14 Old Grovians Castleford Hemsworth, Burley
2015–16[19] 14 Wetherby Thornensians Rotherham Phoenix, Bramley Phoenix
2016–17[20] 14 Halifax Vandals Goole Halifax[f]
2017–18[21] 14 Northallerton Otliensians Leeds Medics & Dentists, Stocksbridge
2018–19[22] 14 Wensleydale Thornensians Leeds Modernians
2019–20[23] 14 Leeds Corinthians Baildon Aireborough, Rotherham Phoenix
2020–21 14 Barnsley Harrogate Pythons Old Otliesians
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

Notes

  1. ^ League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant seven clubs were promoted into Yorkshire 2 including Dinnington, West Leeds, Northallerton, Leeds CSSA and Sheffield Tigers.
  2. ^ League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant no clubs were relegated and nine clubs would be promoted from Yorkshire 4.
  3. ^ Yorkshire league restructuring due to reintroduction of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1996–97 season saw nine clubs, including Marist, Ossett, Stanley Rodillians, York Railway Institute, Knottingley, Old Rishworthians, Mosborough, Heath, Leeds Corinthians, Baildon relegated from Yorkshire 3; Marist and Ossett, were relegated to Yorkshire 4, while the other seven relegated sides dropped into Yorkshire 5.
  4. ^ No relegation due to cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1997–98 season.
  5. ^ Barnsley, Hessle, Goole, West Leeds and Doncaster Phoenix were also promoted. This was due to the restructure of the Yorkshire League increasing the number of teams in the divisions above, meaning that there were a lot of promotions at the end of this season.
  6. ^ Only 1 team relegated at end of season meaning 13th placed Stocksbridge were safe.

See also

References

  1. ^ "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ "1998–1999 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ^ "1999–2000 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. ^ "2000-2001 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. ^ "2001-2002 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  6. ^ "2002-2003 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  7. ^ "2003-2004 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  8. ^ "2004-2005 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  9. ^ "2005-2006 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  10. ^ "2006-2007 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  11. ^ "2007-2008 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  12. ^ "2008-2009 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  13. ^ "2009-2010 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  14. ^ "2010-2011 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  15. ^ "2011-2012 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  16. ^ "2012-2013 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  17. ^ "2013-2014 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  18. ^ "2014-2015 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  19. ^ "2015-2016 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  20. ^ "2016-2017 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  21. ^ "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  22. ^ "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  23. ^ "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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