Counties 2 Midlands East (South) (formerly 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). Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season saw it changed to Midlands 2 East (South). After the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name.
Promoted teams move up to Counties 1 Midlands East (South) while demoted teams drop into Counties 3 Midlands East North West, Counties 3 Midlands East North East, Counties 3 Midlands East Central or Counties 3 Midlands East South depending on location.
2026-27
Departing were Oundle II and Leighton Buzzard, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South) as champions and runners-up respectively.
Huntingdon & District (11th) and Rugby Lions (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East South (South).
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious season Brackley Nightingale Close Brackley, Northamptonshire 10th Dunstablians Bidwell Park Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) (12th) Leicester Lions II Westleigh Park 2,000 Blaby, Leicestershire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South North) Northampton Casuals Rush Mills House Northampton, Northamptonshire 6th Old Laurentians Fenley Field Rugby, Warwickshire 4th Old Northamptonians II Sir Humphrey Cripps Pavilion Northampton, Northamptonshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East South (South) Peterborough Lions Bretton Woods Bretton, Cambridgeshire 9th Rushden & Higham Manor Park Rushden, Northamptonshire 8th Stewarts & Lloyds Occupation Road Corby, Northamptonshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) (10th) St Ives Somersham Road St Ives, Cambridgeshire 5th St Neots The Common St Neots, Cambridgeshire 7th Stockwood Park London Road Luton, Bedfordshire 3rd
2025–26
Departing were Long Buckby and Dunstablians, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South) as champions and runners-up respectively.
Rugby St Andrews (9th) and Oakham (10th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East South (North) while Northampton BBOB (11th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East South (South).
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious season Brackley Nightingale Close Brackley, Northamptonshire 6th Huntingdon & District Huntingdon Racecourse Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire 7th Leighton Buzzard Wright's Meadow Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) Northampton Casuals Rush Mills House Northampton, Northamptonshire 5th Old Laurentians Fenley Field Rugby, Warwickshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Oundle II Occupation Road Oundle, Northamptonshire New entry Peterborough Lions Bretton Woods Bretton, Cambridgeshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Rugby Lions Webb Ellis Road 3,200 (200 seats) Rugby, Warwickshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) Rushden & Higham Manor Park Rushden, Northamptonshire 4th St Ives Somersham Road St Ives, Cambridgeshire 3rd St Neots The Common St Neots, Cambridgeshire 8th Stockwood Park London Road Luton, Bedfordshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South)
2024–25
Departing were Biggleswade and Stewarts & Lloyds, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South). Luton (11th) and Bedford Queens (12th) were relegated to Counties 3 Midlands East (South). Bedford Swifts (10th) elected to withdraw from the leagues and instead play merit table rugby for 2024–25.
Joining were Long Buckby and Oakham, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South), together with Northampton BBOB and Rugby St Andrews, both promoted.
With five teams departing and four joining the league was reduced in size from twelve clubs to eleven.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious season Brackley Nightingale Close Brackley, Northamptonshire 6th Dunstablians Bidwell Park Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire 8th Huntingdon & District Huntingdon Racecourse Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire 5th Long Buckby Station Road Long Buckby, Northamptonshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Northampton BBOB Saint Andrew's Road Northampton, Northamptonshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) (runners-up) Northampton Casuals Rush Mills House Northampton, Northamptonshire 9th Oakham Rutland Showground Oakham, Rutland Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Rugby St Andrews Ashlawn Road Rugby, Warwickshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) (champions) Rushden & Higham Manor Park Rushden, Northamptonshire 7th St Ives Somersham Road St Ives, Cambridgeshire 4th St Neots The Common St Neots, Cambridgeshire 3rd
2023–24
Departing were Daventry and Spalding, promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South). Melton Mowbray (6th) moved on a level transfer to Counties 2 Midlands East (North). Northampton BBOB and Northampton Men's Own were relegated.
Joining were St Ives, Dunstablians and Northampton Casuals, relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South), together with Bedford Swifts and Brackley, both promoted.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious season Bedford Queens Putnoe Woods 500 Bedford, Bedfordshire 10th Bedford Swifts International Athletics Stadium Bedford, Bedfordshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) (runners-up) Biggleswade Langford Road Biggleswade, Bedfordshire 7th Brackley Nightingale Close Brackley, Northamptonshire Promoted from Counties 3 Midlands East (South) (champions) Dunstablians Bidwell Park Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Huntingdon & District Huntingdon Racecourse Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire 8th Luton Newlands Road Luton, Bedfordshire 5th Northampton Casuals Rush Mills House Northampton, Northamptonshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) Rushden & Higham Manor Park Rushden, Northamptonshire 4th Stewarts & Lloyds Occupation Road Corby, Northamptonshire 3rd St Ives Somersham Road St Ives, Cambridgeshire Relegated from Counties 1 Midlands East (South) St Neots The Common St Neots, Cambridgeshire 9th
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 (South)).
Departing were Stockwood Park, Dunstablians and Bourne, all promoted to Counties 1 Midlands East (South).
Joining were Biggleswade, Northampton BBOB and St Neots, all promoted.
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious season Bedford Queens Putnoe Woods 500 Bedford, Bedfordshire 10th Biggleswade Langford Road Biggleswade, Bedfordshire Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South) (champions) Daventry Daventry & District Sports Club Daventry, Northamptonshire 12th Huntingdon & District Huntingdon Racecourse Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire 6th Luton Newlands Road Luton, Bedfordshire 8th Melton Mowbray Melton Sports Village Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire 5th Northampton BBOB Saint Andrew's Road Northampton, Northamptonshire Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South) (3rd) Northampton Men's Own Stoke Road Ashton, Northamptonshire 9th Rushden & Higham Manor Park Rushden, Northamptonshire 4th Spalding Memorial Field Spalding, Lincolnshire 11th Stewarts & Lloyds Occupation Road Corby, Northamptonshire 7th St Neots The Common St Neots, Cambridgeshire Promoted from Midlands 4 East (South) (runners-up)
2021–22
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious 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
2020–21 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.
2019–20
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious 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
2018–19
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious 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
2017–18
Participating teams and locations
TeamGroundCapacityCity/areaPrevious 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)
Teams 2016-17