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:

Beccles Harwich & Dovercourt Holt Lakenham Hewett Maldon Newmarket Old Edwardians South Woodham Ferrers Southwold Wisbech Wymondham

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.

Eastern Counties 3SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1987–88 11 Old Edwardians South Woodham Ferrers Southwold 1988–89 11 Campion Maldon Wisbech 1989–90 11 Bancroft Holt Thetford 1990–91 11 Newmarket Wanstead Ilford Wanderers 1991–92 11 Wymondham Thames Sports No relegation 1992–93 13 Loughton Clacton Dereham, Wisbech 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 3SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1993–94 13 Old Cooperians Ilford Wanderers London Hospital, Old Brentwoods 1994–95 13 Fakenham Southwold Redbridge, Beccles 1995–96 13 Hadleigh Felixstowe Clacton, Haverhill & District 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 3SeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated Teams 1996–97 12 South Woodham Ferrers Mersea Island Wisbech 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 / SouthSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 1997–98 9 Beccles Crusaders Brightlingsea East Counties 3 North 8 Billericay East London Haverhill & District East Counties 3 South 1998–99 9 Wisbech Crusaders March Bears, Stowmarket East Counties 3 North 8 East London Stanford Le Hope Witham East Counties 3 South 1999–00 9 Ipswich Y.M. Lakenham Hewett No relegation East Counties 3 North 9 Stanford Le Hope Old Brentwoods No relegation 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 / SouthSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 2000–01 9 Stowmarket Haverhill & District No relegation East Counties 3 North 11 May & Baker Millwall No relegation East Counties 3 South 2001–02 9 Southwold Norwich Union No relegation East Counties 3 North 10 Burnham-On-Crouch Dagenham No relegation East Counties 3 South 2002–03 8 Broadland – Great Yarmouth Harwich & Dovercourt No relegation East Counties 3 North 9 Ravens Runwell Wyverns No relegation East Counties 3 South 2003–04 6 Swaffham Clacton No relegation East Counties 3 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 / WestSeasonNo of TeamsChampionsRunners–upRelegated TeamsLeague Name 2014–15 10 Beccles II Wymondham II Wisbech II Eastern Counties 3 North 9 Colchester III Sudbury II Woodbridge II Eastern Counties 3 South 8 Ely II Cantabrigian III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West 2015–16 11 North Walsham II Norwich Union Lakenham Hewett Eastern Counties 3 North 9 Brightlingsea Colchester IV Mersea Island II Eastern Counties 3 South 10 Sawston Shelford IV No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West 2016–17 11 Diss III Holt II Crusaders II Eastern Counties 3 North 9 Thurston II Harwich II University of Essex Eastern Counties 3 South 11 March Bears St Ives II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 West 2017–18 12 Dereham Norwich III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North 9 Woodbridge II Mersea Island II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South 4 Shelford V Cantabrigian III No relegation Eastern Counties 3 South 2018–19 12 Southwold II Crusaders II No relegation Eastern Counties 3 North 8 Aldeburgh & Thorpeness Maldon II 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

Aldeburgh & Thorpeness (1) Bancroft (1) Beccles (1) Beccles II (1) Billericay (1) Brightlingsea (1) Broadland – Great Yarmouth (1) Burnham-On-Crouch (1) Campion (1) Colchester III (1) Dereham (1) Diss III (1) East London (1) Ely II Fakenham (1) Hadleigh (1) Ipswich Y.M. (1) Loughton (1) March Bears (1) May & Baker (1) Newmarket (1) North Walsham (1) Old Cooperians (1) Old Edwardians (1) Ravens (1) Sawston (1) Shelford V (1) South Woodham Ferrers (1) Southwold (1) Southwold II (1) Stanford Le Hope (1) Stowmarket (1) Swaffham (1) Thurston II (1) Wisbech (1) Woodbridge II (1) Wymondham (1)

See also London & SE Division RFU Eastern Counties RU Essex RFU English rugby union system Rugby union in England

Notes

References