Eastern Counties 3

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.

Eastern Counties 3
Current season or competition:
2019–20 Eastern Counties 3
SportRugby union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Number of teams20
HoldersSouthwold II (North – 1st title)
Aldeburgh & Thorpeness (South – 1st title) (2018–19)
(promoted to Eastern Counties 2)
Most titlesMultiple teams (1 title)
Websiteecrurugby.com

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.[1]

Eastern Counties 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–8811Old EdwardiansSouth Woodham FerrersSouthwold
1988–8911CampionMaldonWisbech
1989–9011BancroftHoltThetford
1990–9111NewmarketWansteadIlford Wanderers
1991–9211WymondhamThames Sports[lower-alpha 1]No relegation[lower-alpha 2]
1992–9313LoughtonClactonDereham, 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 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9413Old CooperiansIlford WanderersLondon Hospital, Old Brentwoods
1994–9513FakenhamSouthwoldRedbridge, Beccles
1995–9613HadleighFelixstoweClacton, 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 back to being a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 2, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 4.

Eastern Counties 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–9712South Woodham FerrersMersea IslandWisbech
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 / South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
1997–989BecclesCrusadersBrightlingseaEast Counties 3 North
8BillericayEast LondonHaverhill & DistrictEast Counties 3 South
1998–99
[2][3]		9WisbechCrusadersMarch Bears, StowmarketEast Counties 3 North
8East LondonStanford Le HopeWithamEast Counties 3 South
1999–00
[4][5]		9Ipswich Y.M.Lakenham HewettNo relegation[lower-alpha 3]East Counties 3 North
9Stanford Le HopeOld BrentwoodsNo relegation[lower-alpha 4]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 / South
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
2000–01
[6][7]		9StowmarketHaverhill & DistrictNo relegationEast Counties 3 North
11May & BakerMillwallNo relegationEast Counties 3 South
2001–02
[8][9]		9SouthwoldNorwich UnionNo relegationEast Counties 3 North
10Burnham-On-CrouchDagenhamNo relegationEast Counties 3 South
2002–03
[10][11]		8Broadland – Great YarmouthHarwich & DovercourtNo relegationEast Counties 3 North[lower-alpha 5]
9Ravens[lower-alpha 6]Runwell WyvernsNo relegationEast Counties 3 South[lower-alpha 7]
2003–04[12]6SwaffhamClactonNo relegationEast Counties 3[lower-alpha 8]
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 / West
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams League Name
2014–15
[13][14][15]		10Beccles IIWymondham IIWisbech IIEastern Counties 3 North
9Colchester IIISudbury IIWoodbridge IIEastern Counties 3 South
8Ely IICantabrigian IIINo relegationEastern Counties 3 West
2015–16
[16][17][18]		11North Walsham IINorwich UnionLakenham HewettEastern Counties 3 North
9BrightlingseaColchester IVMersea Island IIEastern Counties 3 South
10SawstonShelford IVNo relegationEastern Counties 3 West
2016–17
[19][20][21]		11Diss III[lower-alpha 9]Holt IICrusaders IIEastern Counties 3 North
9Thurston IIHarwich IIUniversity of EssexEastern Counties 3 South
11March BearsSt Ives IINo relegationEastern Counties 3 West
2017–18
[22][23][24]		12DerehamNorwich IIINo relegationEastern Counties 3 North
9Woodbridge IIMersea Island IINo relegationEastern Counties 3 South
4Shelford V[lower-alpha 10]Cantabrigian IIINo relegationEastern Counties 3 South
2018–19
[25][26]		12Southwold IICrusaders IINo relegationEastern Counties 3 North
8Aldeburgh & ThorpenessMaldon IINo relegationEastern Counties 3 South
2019–2012No relegationEastern Counties 3 South
8No relegationEastern Counties 3 South
2020–2112No relegationEastern Counties 3 South
8No relegationEastern Counties 3 South
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles
  • Aldeburgh & Thorpeness (1)
  • Bancroft (1)
  • Beccles (1)[lower-alpha 11]
  • 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)[lower-alpha 12]
  • Southwold II (1)
  • Stanford Le Hope (1)
  • Stowmarket (1)
  • Swaffham (1)
  • Thurston II (1)
  • Wisbech (1)
  • Woodbridge II (1)
  • Wymondham (1)

Notes
  1. League restructuring in the Eastern Counties meant that eight teams would be promoted including Old Bealonians, Thetford, Lakenham Hewett, Ipswich YMCA, Old Palmerians and Harwich & Dovercourt.
  2. No relegation as league was to increase from 11 to 13 teams for the following season.
  3. No relegation as Eastern Counties 4 was abolished for the next season.
  4. No relegation as East Counties tier 4 was abolished for the next season.
  5. This was the last season for East Counties 3 North due to the restructuring of the Eastern Counties league. A new Essex league would be introduced leading to teams from East Counties 3 South breaking away to join it. Teams from the East Counties 3 North division would move into either Eastern Counties 2 or Eastern Counties 3 for the next year depending on league position, asides from Witham who joined Essex 3.
  6. Transferred to Essex 1.
  7. This was the last season for East Counties 3 South as a new Essex league was introduced. The teams in this division would split away and move into either Essex 2 or Essex 3 depending on league position.
  8. East Counties 3 was only operational as a single division for one season. When the season finished most teams were promoted to Eastern Counties 2 asides from Clacton who transferred to Essex 3.
  9. Despite being champions Diss III were not promoted as Diss II were in division above.
  10. Champions Shelford V not promoted as Shelford IV in division above.
  11. As a club Beccles has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.
  12. As a club Southwold has won 2 titles - 1 by the 1st XV, 1 by the 2nd XV.

See also

References
  1. "EASTERN COUNTIES RUGBY UNION HANDBOOK 2015/16" (PDF). Eastern Counties RU. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  2. "1998–1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. "1998–1999 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. "1999–2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. "1999–2000 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  6. "2000–2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  7. "2000–2001 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  8. "2001–2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. "2001–2002 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  10. "2002–2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  11. "2002–2003 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  12. "2003–2004 London South-East Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  13. "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  14. "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  15. "Eastern Counties Greene King Leagues – 2014-15 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  16. "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  17. "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  18. "London & SE Division – 2015-16 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  19. "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  20. "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  21. "London & SE Division – 2016-17 Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West". Pitchero. Eastern Counties Rugby Union. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  22. "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  23. "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  24. "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three West 2017-18". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  25. "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three North 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  26. "Eastern Counties Greene King Division Three South 2018-19". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
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