Counties 4 Kent (formerly known as Kent 2 or Shepherd Neame Kent 2 for sponsorship reasons) is an English level 10 Rugby Union League and is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London and Kent. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Currently promoted teams move up to Counties 3 Kent Now a single division, in the past Kent 2 was divided into regional divisions - Kent 2 East and Kent 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 5 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022–23 it adopted its current name Counties 4 Kent.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Teams for 2026-27
Departing were Sevenoaks III and Cliffe Crusaders, promoted to Counties 3 Kent while East Peckham & Paddock Wood (10th) and King's College Hospital (11th) were relegated to Counties 5 Kent.
During the off season Rye RFC merged with St Leonards Cinque Ports RFC with the merged clubs continuing to compete in this league under the Rye name.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Beckenham III Balmoral Avenue Beckenham, London 4th Blackheath III Well Hall Eltham, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (champions) Bromley II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London 7th Dartfordians II Bourne Road Bexley, London 8th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 9th New Ash Green New Ash Green Sports Pavilion New Ash Green, Kent Relegated from Counties 3 Kent (11th) Old Colfeians II Horn Park Lee, London 3rd Old Elthamians II Hospital Ground Chislehurst, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (3rd) Rye New Road Rye, East Sussex 5th Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 6th Sidcup III Crescent Farm Sidcup, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (runners-up)
Teams for 2025–26
Departing were Canterbury III and Old Williamsonians, promoted to Counties 3 Kent while Medway III were relegated to Counties 5 Kent.
Footscray (11th in 2024–25) did not return for the new season.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Beckenham III Balmoral Avenue Beckenham, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (3rd) Bromley II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London 3rd Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent 4th Dartfordians II Bourne Road Bexley, London 6th East Peckham & Paddock Wood Putlands Sports & Leisure Centre Paddock Wood, Kent Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (champions) Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 7th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 10th Old Colfeians II Horn Park Lee, London 9th Rye New Road Rye, East Sussex 5th Sevenoaks III Knole Paddock 1,000 Sevenoaks, Kent Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (runners-up) Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 8th
Teams for 2024–25
Departing were Beckenham II, Brockleians and Old Gravesendians, all promoted to Counties 3 Kent. Sidcup III (9th) and Lordswood (12th) were relegated to Counties 5 Kent. Footscray had finished 11th and would ordinarily have been relegated but for Sidcup electing to drop down a division.
Joining were Faversham relegated from Counties 3 Kent. Bromley II, Canterbury III, Old Colfeians II, all promoted from Counties 5 Kent. Rye completed the line-up having re-joined the RFU leagues after an extended absence.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bromley II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (runners-up) Canterbury III Marine Travel Ground 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, Kent Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (champions) Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent 5th Dartfordians II Bourne Road Bexley, London 4th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent Relegated from Counties 3 Kent (10th) Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London 11th King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London 8th Medway III Priestfields Rochester, Kent 10th Old Colfeians II Horn Park Lee, London Promoted from Counties 5 Kent (3rd) Old Williamsonians Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester, Kent 7th Rye New Road Rye, East Sussex Re-entry Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 6th
Teams for 2023–24
Departing were Tonbridge Juddians III and Sittingbourne promoted to Counties 3 Kent. Four clubs Beccehamian II (11th), Greenwich (12th) and Askeans (14th) were relegated to Counties 5 Kent. Weavering Warriors (13th) elected to drop into the Kent RFU merit leagues.
Joining were King's College Hospital and Footscray, both relegated from Counties 3 Kent, together with Beckenham II and Medway III
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Beckenham II Balmoral Avenue Beckenham, London Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London 4th Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent 3rd Dartfordians II Bourne Road Bexley, London 7th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London Relegated from Counties 3 Kent King's College Hospital Dulwich Sports Ground Dulwich, London Relegated from Counties 3 Kent Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 9th Medway III Priestfields Rochester, Kent Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 8th Old Williamsonians Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester, Kent 6th Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 5th Sidcup III Crescent Farm Sidcup, Kent 10th
Teams for 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 4 Kent.
Returning were 7 of the 9 teams who competed in the previous season's league.
Departing were Dartford Valley and Whitstable, promoted to Counties 3 Kent. There was no relegation.
Joining from Kent 1 were Brockleians, Cliffe Crusaders and Old Willamsonians. The league was supplemented by the addition of Tonbridge Juddians III, Beccehamian II, Dartfordians II and Sidcup III.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Askeans Rectory Field 3,500 (500 seats) Blackheath, London 9th Beccehamian II Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London New entry Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London Relegated from Kent 1 (9th) Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent Joined from Kent 1 (7th) Dartfordians II Bourne Road Bexley, London New entry Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 8th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 7th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent 4th Old Williamsonians Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Rochester, Kent Joined from Kent 1 (3rd) Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 5th Sidcup III Crescent Farm Sidcup, Kent New entry Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 3rd Tonbridge Juddians III The Slade 1,500 Tonbridge, Kent New entry Weavering Warriors Bicknor Road Maidstone, Kent 6th
Teams for 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.
Bexley, who finished 8th in 2019–20, played several of the early fixtures but withdrew from the league in November 2021.
Swanley RFC, a new entry, competed until January 2022 before withdrawing from the league.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Askeans Rectory Field 3,500 (500 seats) Blackheath, London 10th Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent 3rd Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 9th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 5th Old Gravesendians Fleetway Sports Ground Gravesend, Kent Relegated from Kent 1 (9th) Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent 7th Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 4th Swanley Swanley Recreation Ground Swanley, Kent New entry Weavering Warriors Bicknor Road Maidstone, Kent 6th Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent Relegated from Kent 1 (10th)
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Kent 2 was not contested.
Teams for 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Askeans Well Hall 1,650 (550 seats) Eltham, London 9th Bexley Bexley Park Dartford, Kent 6th Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London 5th Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent 7th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London Relegated from Kent 1 (10th) Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 8th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 3rd Hastings & Bexhill William Parker Lower School Hastings, East Sussex Sheppey Stupple Field Minster, Kent Relegated from Kent 1 (11th) Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent 4th Weavering Warriors Bicknor Road Maidstone, Kent N/A
Teams for 2018-19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Askeans Well Hall 1,650 (550 seats) Eltham, London 8th Bexley Bexley Park Dartford, Kent 5th Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London 3rd Cliffe Crusaders Recreation Ground Cliffe, Kent Kent Merit Leagues (runners up) Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent 7th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 6th Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 9th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 4th Sittingbourne Gore Court Cricket Club Sittingbourne, Kent Relegated from Kent 1 (12th)
Teams for 2017-18
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Askeans Well Hall 1,650 (550 seats) Eltham, London 8th Bexley Bexley Park Dartford, Kent 10th Brockleians Civil Service Sports Ground Eltham, London Relegated from Kent 1 (11th) Dartford Valley Leigh Academy Dartford, Kent 9th Faversham Recreation Ground Faversham, Kent 7th Footscray Footscray Playing Fields New Eltham, London 4th Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 11th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 5th Whitstable Reeves Way Chestfield, Kent 3rd
Teams for 2016-17 Askean Bexley Dartford Valley Edenbridge Erith Faversham Footscray Greenwich Lordswood (relegated from Kent 1) Old Gravsesendians (relegated from Kent 1) Orpington Royal Bank of Scotland Shooters Hill Whitstable
Teams for 2015–16 Askean Bexley (relegated from Kent 1) Dartford Valley Edenbridge Faversham Footscray Greenwich Orpington Shooters Hill Sittingbourne (relegated from Kent 1) Snowdown C.W. Whitstable
Teams for 2014–15 Askean Brockleians Dartford Valley Edenbridge Faversham Footscray (relegated from Kent 1) Greenwich New Ash Green Orpington Shooters Hill (relegated from Kent 1)
Teams for 2013–14 Ash Askean Bexley Brockleians Dartford Valley (www.dvrfc.com) Edenbridge Faversham Guy's Hospital Lordswood New Ash Green Orpington Whitstable
Teams for 2009–10 Askean Bexley Brockleians Footscray Kings Coll. Hospital Lordswood New Ash Green Old Williamsonians Orpington Shooters Hill
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
Ashford Betteshanger Dover Folkestone Greenwich Lloyds Bank Met Police Hayes Midland Bank Orpington Snowdown C.W. Thames Polytechnic
Kent 2 honours
Kent 2 (1987–1993)
he original Kent 2 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to Kent 1 and relegation down to Kent 3.
Kent 2SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams1987–88 11 Betteshanger Snowdown C.W. Orpington, Met Police Hayes, Thames Polytechnic 1988–89 11 Sevenoaks Dover Lloyds Bank, Greenwich 1989–90 11 Sittingbourne Met Police Hayes Midland Bank 1990–91 11 Tonbridge Sheppey Linton, Cranbrook, NatWest Bank1991–92 11 Canterbury Snowdown C.W. No relegation1992–93 13 Thames Polytechnic NatWest Bank Old Gravesendians, Linton Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Kent 2 (1993–1996)
The creation of National 5 South meant that Kent 2 dropped from a tier 9 league to a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Kent 1 and Kent 3 respectively.