Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (formerly Midlands 3 East (North)) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played 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 (North) and post the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Counties 1 Midlands East (North) while demoted teams typically drop into Counties 3 Midlands East North West or Counties 3 Midlands East North East.
2026-27
Departing were Mansfield and Syston II, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North) as champions and runners-up respectively.
West Bridgford II (10th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) while Sleaford (11th) and Gainsborough (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North East).
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (12th) Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) Coalville Memorial Ground Coalville, Leicestershire 7th Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (10th) Loughborough Derby Road Playing Fields Loughborough, Leicestershire 5th Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire 4th Mosborough Mosborough Miners Welfare Club Mosborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 8th Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 6th Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) (11th) Scunthorpe II Heslam Park 1,212 (212 seats) Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire 3rd Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 9th
2025–26
Departing were Keyworth and Ashby, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North) as champions and runners-up respectively.
With a reorganisation of the leagues below, a greater than usual number of clubs were relegated meaning Boston (8th) and Newark II (11th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) together with Birstall (9th) relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (South North), while Derby II (10th) and Ashfield (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (North West).
Ashbourne (3rd) left on a level transfer to Counties 2 Midlands West (West).
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Coalville Memorial Ground Coalville, Leicestershire Level transfer from Counties 2 Midlands West (East) (3rd) Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 7th Loughborough Derby Road Playing Fields Loughborough, Leicestershire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire 5th Mosborough Mosborough Miners Welfare Club Mosborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire 6th Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 4th Scunthorpe II Heslam Park 1,212 (212 seats) Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire New entry Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) Syston II Barkby Road Queniborough, Leicestershire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands West (East) (champions) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (North West) West Bridgford II The Memorial Ground West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire New entry
2024–25
Departing were Kesteven and Nottingham Moderns, both promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Grimsby and Belper were relegated.
Joining were Boston and Birstall, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Keyworth were promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) whilst Mosborough came up from Counties 3 Midlands East (North).
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashbourne Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire 3rd Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire 10th Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire 7th Birstall Co-Op Sports Ground Birstall, Leicestershire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire 5th Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 9th Keyworth Willoughby Road Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (champions) Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire 4th Mosborough Mosborough Miners Welfare Club Mosborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (North) (champions) Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire 8th Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 6th
2023–24
Departing were Boston and Mansfield, both promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Bakewell Mannerians (10th), East Retford (11th) and Sielby (12th) were relegated.
Joining were Asbourne and Ashby, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North). Newark II were promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) East whilst Derby II came up from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) West. Melton Mowbray joined on a level transfer from Counties 2 Midlands East (South).
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashbourne Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (North) Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire 7th Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 9th Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) West (champions) Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire 6th Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire 8th Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 4th Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire Level transfer from Counties 2 Midlands East (South) (6th) Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (N) East (champions) Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 3rd Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 5th
2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 2 Midlands East (North)).
Departing were Mellish and Birstall, both promoted to Counties 1 Milands East (North).
Joining were Gainsborough and Nottingham Moderns, both promoted.
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire 9th Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 8th Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 10th Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire 5th East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 12th Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (East) Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire 7th Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 4th Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 6th Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 3rd Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (West) Sileby Platts Lane Cossington, Leicestershire 11th
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.
Buxton (4th) in 2019-20 did not return for the new season.
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 2 EN (12th) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 8th Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 7th Birstall Co-Op Sports Ground Birstall, Leicestershire Promoted from Midlands 4 ES (champions) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (champions) East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (runners-up) Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire 5th Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 6th Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 9th Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 3rd Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 2 EN (11th) Sileby Platts Lane Cossington, Leicestershire 10th
2020–21 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashby Nottingham Road Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire Relegated from Midlands 2 EN (12th) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 10th Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 4th Buxton Sunnyfields Buxton, Derbyshire 6th Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (champions) Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 5th Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 9th Mellish War Memorial Ground Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 4 EN (runners up) Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 7th Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 8th Sileby Platts Lane Cossington, Leicestershire Promoted from Midlands 4 ES (runners up) Southwell Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 2 EN (11th)
2018–19
Participating teams & locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Midlands 4 East (North) (champions) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire Relegated from Midlands 2 East (North) (12th) Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 9th Buxton Sunnyfields Buxton, Derbyshire 10th Kesteven Woodnook Grantham, Lincolnshire 5th Mansfield Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire 3rd Nottingham Casuals Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Midlands 2 East (North) (11th) Nottingham Moderns Ferryfields Wilford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 11th Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 4th Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire 6th Spalding Memorial Field Spalding, Lincolnshire 8th Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire Promoted from Midlands 4 East (North) (runners up)
2017–18
Participating teams & locations