Eastern Counties 3
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Eastern Counties 3
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams20
HoldersSouthwold II (North – 1st title)
Aldeburgh & Thorpeness (South – 1st title) (2018–19)
(promoted to Eastern Counties 2)
Most titlesMultiple teams (1 title)
Websiteecrurugby.com

Eastern Counties 3 is an English level 11 Rugby Union league, currently divided into 3 regional leagues (north, south, west). Promoted teams moved up to the relevant regional divisions in Eastern Counties 2 while since the abolition of Eastern Counties 4 at the end of the 2016–17 season there has been no relegation. For most of its history, Eastern Counties 3 was divided into two regional divisions – north and south – with teams from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex taking part. A breakaway of Essex teams at the end of the 2002–03 to form a new league would lead to Eastern Counties 3 being abolished by the end of 2003–04 only to return due to a league restructure to cater for more 2nd and 3rd teams.

Original teams

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

Eastern Counties 3 honours

Eastern Counties 3 (1987–1993)

The original Eastern Counties 3 was a tier 10 league with promotion up to Eastern Counties 2 and relegation down to Eastern Counties 4.[1]

Eastern Counties 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–88 11 Old Edwardians South Woodham Ferrers Southwold
1988–89 11 Campion Maldon Wisbech
1989–90 11 Bancroft Holt Thetford
1990–91 11 Newmarket Wanstead Ilford Wanderers
1991–92 11 Wymondham Thames Sports[a] No relegation[b]
1992–93 13 Loughton Clacton Dereham, Wisbech
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 3 (1993–96)

The creation of National 5 South meant that Eastern Counties 3 dropped from a tier 10 league to a tier 11 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 2 and Eastern Counties 4 respectively.

Eastern Counties 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–94 13 Old Cooperians Ilford Wanderers London Hospital, Old Brentwoods
1994–95 13 Fakenham Southwold Redbridge, Beccles
1995–96 13 Hadleigh Felixstowe Clacton, Haverhill & District
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 3 (1996–1997)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 3 reverted to being a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 2, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 4.

Eastern Counties 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–97 12 South Woodham Ferrers Mersea Island Wisbech
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 3: North / South (1997–2000)

Ahead of the 1997–98 season Eastern Counties 3 was split into two regional divisions - north and south - with both divisions remaining as tier 10 leagues. Promotion and relegation continued to Eastern Counties 2, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 4 - now split into two regional divisions (north and south).

Eastern Counties 3: North / South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
1997–98 9 Beccles Crusaders Brightlingsea East Counties 3 North
8 Billericay East London Haverhill & District East Counties 3 South
1998–99
[2][3]		 9 Wisbech Crusaders March Bears, Stowmarket East Counties 3 North
8 East London Stanford Le Hope Witham East Counties 3 South
1999–00
[4][5]		 9 Ipswich Y.M. Lakenham Hewett No relegation[c] East Counties 3 North
9 Stanford Le Hope Old Brentwoods No relegation[d] East Counties 3 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 3: North / South (2000–2004)

the introduction of London 4 North East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant that Eastern Counties North and South dropped to once again become tier 11 leagues. The regionalisation of Eastern Counties 2 meant that promotion was now to either Eastern Counties 2 North or Eastern Counties 2 South, while the cancellation of Eastern Counties 4 at the end of the 1999–00 season meant there was no longer relegation. The creation of Essex 1, Essex 2 and Essex 3 ahead of the 2003–04 season, meant that Essex based sides left the Eastern Counties leagues. This in turn would lead to the cancellation of Eastern Counties 3 North and South at the end of the 2003–04 season, with all teams transferred to relevant divisions in Eastern Counties 2.

Eastern Counties 3: North / South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
2000–01
[6][7]		 9 Stowmarket Haverhill & District No relegation East Counties 3 North
11 May & Baker Millwall No relegation East Counties 3 South
2001–02
[8][9]		 9 Southwold Norwich Union No relegation East Counties 3 North
10 Burnham-On-Crouch Dagenham No relegation East Counties 3 South
2002–03
[10][11]		 8 Broadland – Great Yarmouth Harwich & Dovercourt No relegation East Counties 3 North[e]
9 Ravens[f] Runwell Wyverns No relegation East Counties 3 South[g]
2003–04[12] 6 Swaffham Clacton No relegation East Counties 3[h]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Eastern Counties 3: North / South / West (2014—present)

After an absence of nine years, Eastern Counties 3 was re-introduced as a tier 11 league ahead of the 2014–15 season, this time split into three regional divisions - north, south and west. Promotion was to the respective regional division in Eastern Counties 2, and relegation was to Eastern Counties 4 - north or south - until that league was cancelled at the end of the 2016–17 season

Eastern Counties 3: North / South / West
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
2014–15
[13][14][15]		 10 Beccles II Wymondham II Wisbech II Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Colchester III Sudbury II Woodbridge II Eastern Counties 3 South
8 Ely II Cantabrigian III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2015–16
[16][17][18]		 11 North Walsham II Norwich Union Lakenham Hewett Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Brightlingsea Colchester IV Mersea Island II Eastern Counties 3 South
10 Sawston Shelford IV No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2016–17
[19][20][21]		 11 Diss III[i] Holt II Crusaders II Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Thurston II Harwich II University of Essex Eastern Counties 3 South
11 March Bears St Ives II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2017–18
[22][23][24]		 12 Dereham Norwich III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Woodbridge II Mersea Island II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
4 Shelford V[j] Cantabrigian III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
2018–19
[25][26]		 12 Southwold II Crusaders II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North
8 Aldeburgh & Thorpeness Maldon II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
2019–20 12 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
8 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
2020–21 12 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
8 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

See also

Notes

  1. ^ League restructuring in the Eastern Counties meant that eight teams would be promoted including Old Bealonians, Thetford, Lakenham Hewett, Ipswich YMCA, Old Palmerians and Harwich & Dovercourt.
  2. ^ No relegation as league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
  3. ^ No relegation as Eastern Counties 4 was abolished for the next season.
  4. ^ No relegation as East Counties tier 4 was abolished for the next season.
  5. ^ This was the last season for East Counties 3 North due to the restructuring of the Eastern Counties league. A new Essex league would be introduced leading to teams from East Counties 3 South breaking away to join it. Teams from the East Counties 3 North division would move into either Eastern Counties 2 or Eastern Counties 3 for the next year depending on league position, asides from Witham who joined Essex 3.
  6. ^ Transferred to Essex 1.
  7. ^ This was the last season for East Counties 3 South as a new Essex league was introduced. The teams in this division would split away and move into either Essex 2 or Essex 3 depending on league position.
  8. ^ East Counties 3 was only operational as a single division for one season. When the season finished most teams were promoted to Eastern Counties 2 asides from Clacton who transferred to Essex 3.
  9. ^ Despite being champions Diss III were not promoted as Diss II were in division above.
  10. ^ Champions Shelford V not promoted as Shelford IV in division above.
  11. ^ As a club Beccles has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.
  12. ^ As a club Southwold has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.

References

  1. ^ "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  2. ^ "1998–1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. ^ "1998–1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. ^ "1999–2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. ^ "1999–2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. ^ "2000–2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. ^ "2000–2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. ^ "2001–2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. ^ "2001–2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  10. ^ "2002–2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  11. ^ "2002–2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  12. ^ "2003–2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  14. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  16. ^ "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  17. ^ "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  18. ^ "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  19. ^ "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  20. ^ "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  21. ^ "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  22. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  24. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  25. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  26. ^ "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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