Midlands 3 East (South) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League , made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire , Leicestershire , Northamptonshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire , all of whom play home and away matches throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to the current name of Midlands 3 East (South).
Promoted teams tend to move up to Midlands 2 East (South) while demoted teams typically drop to Midlands 4 East (South) . Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.
2021–22 [ ]
Participating teams & locations [ ]
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Bedford Queens
Putnoe Woods
500
Bedford , Bedfordshire
10th
Bourne
Milking Nook Drove
Bourne , Lincolnshire
3rd
Daventry
Daventry & District Sports Club
Daventry , Northamptonshire
9th
Dunstablians
Bidwell Park
Houghton Regis , Bedfordshire
5th
Huntingdon & District
Huntingdon Racecourse
Brampton , Huntingdon , Cambridgeshire
8th
Luton
Newlands Road
Luton , Bedfordshire
Relegated from London 2 North West (12th)
Melton Mowbray
Melton Sports Village
Melton Mowbray , Leicestershire
Relegated from Midlands 2 ES (11th)
Northampton Men's Own
Stoke Road
Ashton , Northamptonshire
Promoted from Midlands 4 ES (runners-up)
Rushden & Higham
Manor Park
Rushden , Northamptonshire
7th
Spalding
Memorial Field
Spalding , Lincolnshire
6th
Stewarts & Lloyds
Occupation Road
Corby , Northamptonshire
Relegated from Midlands 2 ES (12th)
Stockwood Park
London Road
Luton , Bedfordshire
4th
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Locations of the 2021–22 Midlands 3 East (South) teams
2020–21 [ ]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20 [ ]
Participating teams & locations [ ]
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Bedford Queens
Putnoe Woods
500
Bedford , Bedfordshire
8th
Bourne
Milking Nook Drove
Bourne , Lincolnshire
7th
Daventry
Daventry & District Sports Club
Daventry , Northamptonshire
4th
Dunstablians
Bidwell Park
Houghton Regis , Bedfordshire
6th
Huntingdon & District
Huntingdon Racecourse
Brampton , Huntingdon , Cambridgeshire
Relegated from Midlands 2 ES (12th)
Northampton BBOB
Saint Andrew's Road
Northampton , Northamptonshire
Promoted from Midlands 4 ES (champions)
Oakham
Rutland Showground
Oakham , Rutland
Relegated from Midlands 2 ES (11th)
Rushden & Higham
Manor Park
Rushden , Northamptonshire
10th
Spalding
Memorial Field
Spalding , Lincolnshire
Level transfer from Midlands 3 EN (3rd)
St Neots
The Common
St Neots , Cambridgeshire
9th
Stamford
Hambleton Road
Stamford , Lincolnshire
3rd
Stockwood Park
London Road
Luton , Bedfordshire
5th
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Locations of the 2019–20 Midlands 3 East (South) teams
2018–19 [ ]
Participating teams & locations [ ]
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Bedford Queens
Putnoe Woods
500
Bedford , Bedfordshire
10th
Biggleswade
Langford Road
Biggleswade , Bedfordshire
5th
Birstall
Co-Op Sports Ground
Birstall , Leicestershire
Level transfer from Midlands 3 East (North) (7th)
Bourne
Milking Nook Drove
Bourne , Lincolnshire
Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South) (runners up)
Daventry
Daventry & District Sports Club
Daventry , Northamptonshire
6th
Dunstablians
Bidwell Park
Houghton Regis , Bedfordshire
9th
Leicester Forest
Hinckley Road
Leicester Forest East , Leicestershire
4th
Northampton Casuals
Rush Mills House
Northampton , Northamptonshire
3rd
Rushden & Higham
Manor Park
Rushden , Northamptonshire
8th
St Neots
The Common
St Neots , Cambridgeshire
Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South) (champions)
Stamford
Hambleton Road
Stamford , Lincolnshire
Relegated from Midlands 2 East (South) (11th)
Stockwood Park
London Road
Luton , Bedfordshire
7th
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Locations of the 2018–19 Midlands 3 East (South) teams
2017–18 [ ]
Participating teams & locations [ ]
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Bedford Queens
Putnoe Woods
500
Bedford , Bedfordshire
Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South)
Biggleswade
Langford Road
Biggleswade , Bedfordshire
7th
Daventry
Daventry & District Sports Club
Daventry , Northamptonshire
9th
Dunstablians
Bidwell Park
Houghton Regis , Bedfordshire
5th
Leicester Forest
Hinckley Road
Leicester Forest East , Leicestershire
8th
Northampton BBOB
Saint Andrew's Road
Northampton , Northamptonshire
6th
Northampton Casuals
Rush Mills House
Northampton , Northamptonshire
4th
Northampton Mens Own
Stoke Road
Ashton , Northamptonshire
10th
Rushden & Higham
Manor Park
Rushden , Northamptonshire
Relegated from Midlands 2 East (North) (12th)
St Ives (Midlands)
Somersham Road
St Ives , Cambridgeshire
3rd
Stockwood Park
London Road
Luton , Bedfordshire
Relegated from London 2 North West (12th)
Vipers
Vipers Ground
Whetstone , Leicestershire
Relegated from Midlands 2 East (North) (11th)
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Locations of the 2017–18 Midlands 3 East (South) teams
Teams 2016-17 [ ]
Teams 2015-16 [ ]
Teams 2014-15 [ ]
Teams 2013-14 [ ]
Teams 2012–13 [ ]
Bedford Queens
Daventry
Deepings
Long Buckby
Northampton Casuals
Northampton Mens Own
Old Newtonians
Rugby St Andrews
Rushden & Higham
Stamford
Stewarts & Lloyds
Stockwood Park
Teams 2011–12 [ ]
Bedford Queens
Bedford Swifts
Biggleswade
Brackley
Daventry
Deepings
Northampton BBOB
Northampton Casuals
Rugby St Andrews
Rushden & Higham
Stamford
Stewarts & Lloyds
Teams 2010–11 [ ]
Bedford Queens
Bedford Swifts
Brackley
Daventry
Deepings
Long Buckby
Northampton Casuals
Northampton Mens Own
Oadby Wyggestonians
Old Newtonians
Rugby St Andrews
Rushden & Higham
Teams 2008–09 [ ]
Aylestone St James
Banbury
Huntingdon & District
Leicester Forest
Lutterworth
Northampton BBOB
Northampton Old Scouts
Old Newtonians
Old Northamptonians
Stewarts & Lloyds
Towcestrians
Vipers
Original teams [ ]
Teams in Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 East, which contained the following sides when in was introduced in 1992:
Midlands 3 East (South) honours [ ]
Midlands East 2 (1992–1993) [ ]
Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands East 2. Promotion was to Midlands East 1 and relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 .
Season
No of teams
Champions
Runners–up
Relegated teams
Reference
1992–93
14
Kettering
, , ,
[1]
Green backgrounds are the promotion places.
Midlands East 2 (1993–1996) [ ]
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North , meaning that Midlands 2 East dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 .
Midlands East 2 (1996–2000) [ ]
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 .
Midlands 4 East (South) (2000–2006) [ ]
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North) [f] and relegation to East Midlands 1 .
Midlands 4 East (South) (2006–2009) [ ]
Midlands 4 East (South) continued to be a tier 8 league with promotion up into Midlands 3 East (South) . However, the cancellation of East Midlands 1 at the end of the 2005–06 season meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 East (South) .
Midlands 3 East (South) (2009–present) [ ]
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (South) (formerly Midlands 5 East (South)).
Season
No of teams
Champions
Runners–up
Relegated teams
Reference
2009–10
11
No relegation[i]
[17]
2010–11
12
,
[18]
2011–12
12
Biggleswade
,
[19]
2012–13
12
Rushden & Higham
,
[20]
2013–14
12
Biggleswade
,
[21]
2014–15
12
Rushden & Higham
,
[22]
2015–16
11
No relegation[j]
[23]
2016–17
12
,
[24]
2017–18
12
,
[25]
2018–19
12
Biggleswade , Birstall
[26]
2019-20
12
Oakham
St Neots , ,
[27]
2020–21
12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles [ ]
Notes [ ]
^ Due to the cancellation of National 5 North at the end of the season, eight clubs were promoted including , , Nottingham Moderns , , and .
^ Due to widespread restructuring caused by the cancellation of National 5 North there was no relegation.
^ Champions Market Bosworth would be promoted into the new Midlands 3 East (North) .
^ Due to Midlands league restructuring five clubs would be promoted including (3rd) and who would go up into Midlands 3 East (North) , while (4th) would go up into Midlands 3 East (South) .
^ As Midlands East 2 was due to split up into two regional leagues there was no relegation. Clubs that were not promoted were transferred into either Midlands 4 East (North) or Midlands 4 East (South).
^ Prior to the 2000–01 season Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were part of a Midlands East 1.
^ No relegation but Biddenham would drop out of the league for the following season.
^ No relegation but would drop out of the league for the following season.
^ No relegation as the division would increase from 11 to 12 teams for the next season.
^ As the league was set to expand from 11 to 12 teams for the following season there was no relegation.
^ One of titles was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ Dunstablians title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ Kettering's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ Luton's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ Market Bosworth's title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
^ title was when league was single division known as Midlands East 2.
See also [ ]
References [ ]
^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1993). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1993-94 . Headline. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1 .
^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1994). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1994-95 . Headline. pp. 164–167. ISBN 0-7472-7891-1 .
^ Jones, Stephen; Griffiths, John (1995). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1995-96 . Headline. pp. 176–179. ISBN 0-7472-7850-4 .
^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1996). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1996-97 . Headline. pp. 192–195. ISBN 0-7472-7816-4 .
^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1997). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1997-98 . Headline. pp. 156–159. ISBN 0-7472-7771-0 .
^ Cleary, Mick; Griffiths, John (1998). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998-99 . Headline. pp. 90–93. ISBN 0-7472-7653-6 .
^ "2000-2001 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2000-2001 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2001-2002 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2001-2002 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2003-2004 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2004-2005 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2005-2006 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2006-2007 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2007-2008 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2008-2009 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2009-2010 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2010-2011 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2011-2012 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2012-2013 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2013-2014 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 7 March 2015 .
^ "2014-2015 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2015 .
^ "2015-2016 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 2 May 2016 .
^ "2016-2017 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 22 April 2017 .
^ "2017-2018 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 28 April 2018 .
^ "2018-19 Midlands Division" . England Rugby . RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019 .
^ "Men's Midlands Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF) . England Rugby . Retrieved 25 April 2020 .
English RFU (2008). "Rugby First" . RFU. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2008 .
Rugby First: To view previous seasons in the league, search for any club within that league then click on to club details followed by fixtures and then select the appropriate season.
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