Eastern Counties 3

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Eastern Counties 3
Current season or competition:
England Rugby text logo.svg
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 35 years ago (1987)
Number of teams20
Holders (North – 1st title)
(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
1988–89 11
1989–90 11
1990–91 11
1991–92 11 [a] No relegation[b]
1992–93 13 ,
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 London Hospital,
1994–95 13 ,
1995–96 13 ,
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
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 East Counties 3 North
8 Billericay East Counties 3 South
1998–99
[2][3]		 9 , East Counties 3 North
8 East Counties 3 South
1999–00
[4][5]		 9 No relegation[c] East Counties 3 North
9 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 No relegation East Counties 3 North
11 No relegation East Counties 3 South
2001–02
[8][9]		 9 No relegation East Counties 3 North
10 No relegation East Counties 3 South
2002–03
[10][11]		 8 No relegation East Counties 3 North[e]
9 [f] No relegation East Counties 3 South[g]
2003–04[12] 6 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 Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Colchester III Sudbury II Eastern Counties 3 South
8 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2015–16
[16][17][18]		 11 North Walsham II Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Colchester IV Eastern Counties 3 South
10 Shelford IV No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2016–17
[19][20][21]		 11 Diss III[i] Eastern Counties 3 North
9 Eastern Counties 3 South
11 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West
2017–18
[22][23][24]		 12 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North
9 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
4 Shelford V[j] No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South
2018–19
[25][26]		 12 No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North
8 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 , , , , and .
  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 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 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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