Counties 3 Kent (formerly Kent 1 known as Shepherd Neame Kent 1 for sponsorship reasons) is an English level 9 Rugby Union League[1] 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. The league champions move up to Counties 2 Kent. Relegated teams drop down to Counties 4 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 3 Kent.

Quick Facts Sport, Instituted ...
Counties 3 Kent
Current season or competition:
2024-25 Counties 3 Kent
SportRugby union
Instituted1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Number of teams10
Country England
Most titlesPark House (4 titles)
Websiteenglandrugby.com
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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 2024–25

Departing were Old Elthamians and Old Alleynians II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Faversham (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.

Joining were Old Dunstonians relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Beckenham II, Brockleians and Old Gravesendians, all promoted from Counties 4 Kent

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Teams for 2023–24

Departing were Dartford Valley and Medway II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. King's College Hospital (9th) and Footscray (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Kent.

Joining were Hastings & Bexhill relegated from Counties 2 Kent together with Sittingbourne promoted from Counties 4 Kent and Tonbridge Juddians III who upon joining this league were rebranded as Tonbridge Juddians II.

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Teams for 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review[2] with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 Kent.

Returning were 4 of the 9 teams who competed in the previous season's league.

Departing were Hastings & Bexhill and Park House, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Old Williamsonians (3rd), Cliffe Crusaders (7th), Brockleians (9th) dropped to Counties 4 Kent.

Joining were Dartford Valley and Whitstable, promoted from Kent 2. New to the league were Gravesend II, Old Elthamians, Old Alleynians II and Medway II.

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Participating clubs 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.

Despite finishing 7th in season 2019–20, HSBC did not return to the league for the current season.

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Season 2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [3] 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 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019-20

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Participating clubs 2018-19

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Participating clubs 2017-18

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Participating clubs 2016-17

  • Beccehamaian
  • Brockleians
  • Hastings & Bexhill
  • HSBC
  • King's College Hospital
  • Lordswood
  • New Ash Green
  • Old Gravesendians
  • Sittingbourne (promoted from Kent 2)
  • Southwark Lancers
  • Snowdon C.W. (promoted from Kent 2)
  • Vigo

Participating clubs 2015-16

Participating clubs 2014-2015

Participating clubs 2010-2011

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

Kent 1 honours

Kent 1 (1987–1993)

The original Kent 1 was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to Kent 2.

More information Season, No of Teams ...
Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–8811Charlton ParkErithOld Shootershillians, NatWest Bank, Sevenoaks
1988–8911Gillingham AnchoriansBetteshangerOld Elthamians, Tonbridge
1989–9011Park HouseMedwayCanterbury, Dover
1990–9111Thanet WanderersMedwayMet Police Hayes, Dover, Snowdown C.W.
1991–9211ErithGillingham AnchoriansNo relegation[b]
1992–9313CanterburySevenoaksSittingbourne, Tonbridge
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
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Kent 1 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 South meant that Kent 1 dropped from a tier 8 league to a tier 9 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Kent 2 respectively.

More information Season, No of Teams ...
Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9413Park HouseSevenoaksNatWest Bank, New Ash Green, Snowdown C.W.
1994–9513SevenoaksTunbridge WellsThames Polytechnic, Betteshanger
1995–9613Tunbridge WellsGillingham AnchoriansOld Elthamians, Medway, Erith[c]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
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Kent 1 (1996–2000)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Kent 1 reverted to being a tier 8 league. Promotion and relegation continued to London 3 South East and Kent 2 respectively.

More information Season, No of Teams ...
Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1996–9712CranbrookMedway[d]No relegation[e]
1997–9816FolkestoneDartfordiansDeal Wanderers, Snowdown C.W.
1998–99[4]17DartfordiansGuys' Kings' & St Thomas' HospitalMet Police Hayes, Sittingbourne
1999–00[5]15Old DunstoniansBetteshangerSheppey, HSBC, Ashford, Dover[f]
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
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Kent 1 (2000–2009)

The introduction of London 4 South East ahead of the 2000–01 season meant Kent 1 dropped to become a tier 9 league with promotion to this new division. Relegation continued to Kent 2.

More information Season, No of Teams ...
Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[6]10Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' HospitalBetteshangerOld Elthamians
2001–02[7]10BromleyWhitstableBrockleians, Medway, Park House
2002–03[8]10Aylesford BullsAshfordErith, New Ash Green
2003–04[9]10LordswoodOld ElthamiansAskean
2004–05[10]10DoverSittingbourneSheppey
2005–06[11]10BeccehamianAshfordNew Ash Green
2006–07[12]10WhitstablePark HouseBrockleians, Sheppey, Cranbrook
2007–08[13]10Park HouseOld GravesendiansNo relegation[g]
2008–09[14]12MedwayOld GravesendiansAskean
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
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Kent 1 (2009–present)

Kent 1 remained a tier 9 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion was to London 3 South East (formerly London 4 South East) and relegation to Kent 2.

More information Season, No of Teams ...
Kent 1
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2009–10[15]12DartfordiansCranbrookGuys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital, Erith
2010–11[16]11AshfordSheppeyLordswood
2011–12[17]12Gillingham AnchoriansVigoNew Ash Green
2012–13[18]11DartfordiansBeccehamianWhitstable
2013–14[19]12Park HouseHastings & BexhillFootscray, Shooters Hill
2014–15[20]12CranbrookSheppeyBexley, Sittingbourne
2015–16[21]12SheppeyOld WilliamsoniansOld Gravesendians, Lordswood
2016–17[22]12Hastings & BexhillOld WilliamsoniansSnowdown C.W., Brockleians
2017–18[23]12BeccehamianVigoSittingbourne
2018–19[24]11[h]AshfordGillingham AnchoriansSheppey, Footscray
2019–20[25]10Southwark LancersCranbrookWhitstable, Old Gravesendians
2020–21
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
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Promotion play-offs

Since the 2000–01 season there has been a play-off between the runners-up of Kent 1 and Sussex 1 for the third and final promotion place to London 3 South East. The team with the superior league record has home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the Kent 1 teams have been the most successful with fourteen wins to the Sussex 1 teams five; and the home team has won promotion on eleven occasions compared to the away teams eight.

More information Season, Home team ...
Kent 1 v Sussex 1 promotion play-off results
Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
2000–01[26]Hastings & Bexhill (S)12-29Betteshanger (K)William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex
2001–02[27]Heathfield & Waldron (S)25-12Whitstable (K)Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground, Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex
2002–03[28]Ashford (K)10-0Hastings & Bexhill (S)Canterbury Road, Ashford, Kent
2003–04[29]Hastings & Bexhill (S)13-21Old Elthamians (K)William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex
2004–05[30]Hastings & Bexhill (S)0-22Sittingbourne (K)William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex
2005–06[31]Hastings & Bexhill (S)17-18Ashford (K)William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex
2006–07[32]Horsham (S)33-7Park House (K)Coolhurst Ground, Horsham, West Sussex
2007–08[33]Old Gravesendians (K)8-14East Grinstead (S)Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent
2008–09[34]Old Gravesendians (K)10-5Uckfield (S)Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent300
2009–10[35]Uckfield (S)19-21Cranbrook (K)Hempstead Playing Fields, Uckfield, East Sussex
2010–11[36]Sheppey (K)42-10Burgess Hill (S)Stupple Field, Minster, Kent500
2011–12[37]Vigo (K)10-7Burgess Hill (S)[i]Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent400
2012–13[38]Eastbourne (S)0-47Beccehamian (K)Park Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex
2013–14[39]Crawley (S)22-41Hastings & Bexhill (K)Willoughby Fields Pavilion, Crawley, West Sussex
2014–15[40]Burgess Hill (S)26-23Sheppey (K)Southway Recreation Ground, Burgess Hill, West Sussex
2015–16[41]Haywards Heath (S)13-8Old Williamsonians (K)Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, West Sussex
2016–17[42]Old Williamsonians (K)20-17Uckfield (S)Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester, Kent
2017–18[43]Vigo (K)31-17Uckfield (S)Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent
2018–19[44]Gillingham Anchorians (K)23-21Crawley (S)Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent
2019–20Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead.
2020–21
Green background is the promoted team. K = Kent 1 and S = Sussex 1
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Number of league titles

Notes

  1. Tonbridge would later merge with Old Juddian in 1999 to form Tonbridge Juddians RFC.
  2. No relegation as Kent 1 to increase from 11 to 13 teams.
  3. 11th place Erith would drop out of the leagues before the start of the following season.
  4. 3rd place Sheppey also promoted.
  5. No relegation as Kent 1 to increase from 12 to 16 teams.
  6. More relegations than normal due to league restructuring - Kent 2 would become a single division and Kent 3 and Kent 4 were created for the following season.
  7. No relegation due to Kent 3 folding at the end of the season and the subsequent league restructuring meant that the number of teams in Kent 1 would increase to 12 for the following season.
  8. Reduced from 12 to 11 teams after Royal Bank of Scotland withdrew from league.
  9. Despite finishing 3rd in the league Burgess Hill took 2nd placed East Grinstead II place in the 2011-12 promotion playoff as East Grinstead's first team were in the division above.

See also

References

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