Counties 3 Cornwall


Counties 3 Cornwall is an English level nine rugby union league for clubs based in Cornwall. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 2 Cornwall ; there is no relegation. The league ran continuously since 1987–88, except for a two-season break, when Cornwall 2 combined with Cornwall League 1 for seasons [2009–10 Cornwall League 1|Cornwall League 1|2009–10] and 2010–11. The competition recommenced in [2011–12 St Austell Brewery|Tribute Cornwall League 2|2011–12] when it was decided to form two leagues of seven teams each.
For the 2016–17 season Cornwall 1 and Cornwall 2 were amalgamated to create the Cornwall League with fifteen teams playing each other once in the first phase. After Christmas the teams split into two leagues with the top eight playing in Cornwall One and the remainder playing in Cornwall Two. For the 2018–19 season Cornwall League 1 and Cornwall League 2 reverted to separate divisions. The RFU reorganised the league system in 2022, renaming the league Counties 3 Cornwall.
Launceston II XV are the current champions and are promoted to Counties 2 Cornwall. St Agnes are the most successful team having won the league on six occasions.

Format

The season runs from September to April and the results of the matches contribute points to the league as follows:
  • 4 points are awarded for a win
  • 2 points are awarded for a draw
  • 0 points are awarded for a loss, however
  • 1 losing point is awarded to a team that loses a match by 7 points or fewer
  • 1 additional point is awarded to a team scoring 4 tries or more in a match.

2025–26

Departing were Launceston II promoted to Counties 2 Cornwall.
The league as arranged was due to be contested by 12 sides; however, over the course of the season the following withdrew leaving eight sides to contest the fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Camborne School of MinesMemorial Park, Kernick RoadPenryn7th
HayleMemorial ParkHayleRelegated from Counties 2 Cornwall
Illogan ParkPaynters Lane Playing FieldIllogan6th
Lankelly-FoweyLankelly FarmFoweyRe-entry
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleigh3rd
Saltash IIMoorlands LaneSaltash4th
St AgnesEnys ParcSt Agnes2nd
St Ives IIRecreation Ground3,000 St Ives5th

2024–25

Participating teams and locations

Departing were Hayle and Wadebridge Camels II, promoted to Counties 2 Cornwall. Relegated from Counties 2 Cornwall were Illogan Park and Camborne School of Mines, while Truro II, St Ives II and Penryn II joined the league.
At the start of the season the league was due to be contested by fifteen sides; over the course of the season the following teams withdrew leaving just seven sides to contest the fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Camborne School of MinesMemorial Park, Kernick RoadPenrynRelegated from Counties 2 Cornwall
Illogan ParkPaynters Lane Playing FieldIlloganRelegated from Counties 2 Cornwall
Launceston IIPolson Bridge3,000 Launceston3rd
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleigh9th
Saltash IIMoorlands LaneSaltash8th
St AgnesEnys ParcSt Agnes6th
St Ives IIRecreation Ground3,000 St IvesNew entry

2023–24

Departing were Perranporth and St. Just, both promoted to Counties 2 Cornwall.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Bude IIBencoolen Meadow750Bude, Cornwall9th
Camborne IIRecreation Ground7,000 Camborne3rd
Falmouth IIRecreation Ground3,000Falmouth, CornwallFirst season
HayleMemorial ParkHayleRelegated from Counties 2 Cornwall
Lankelly-FoweyLankelly FarmFowey8th
Launceston IIPolson Bridge3,000 Launceston5th
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth10th
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleigh7th
Saltash IIMoorlands LaneSaltashFirst season
St AgnesEnys ParcSt Agnes4th
St Austell IIITregorrick Park4,000 St AustellFirst season
Wadebridge Camels IIMolesworth Field500Wadebridge6th

2022–23

Ten teams competed this season with Perranporth, Redruth Albany and St Just returning from the 2021–22 competition. Lankelly-Fowey, Roseland and St Agnes were relegated from Cornwall 1, while, four club 2nd teams joined the league; Bude II, Camborne II, Launceston II and Wadebridge Camels II.

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
Bude IIBencoolen Meadow750Bude, CornwallFirst season
Camborne IIRecreation Ground7,000 CamborneFirst season
Launceston IIPolson Bridge3,000 LauncestonFirst season
Lankelly-FoweyLankelly FarmFoweyRelegated from Cornwall League 1
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth2nd
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth4th
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleighRelegated from Cornwall League 1
St AgnesEnys ParcSt AgnesRelegated from Cornwall League 1
St JustTregesealTregeseal, St Just
Wadebridge Camels IIMolesworth Field500WadebridgeFirst season

2021–22

Participating teams and locations

Stithians, who finished 4th in 2019–20, returned for 2021–22 but withdrew from the league in September 2021, consequently it ran with five teams instead.
TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
CamelfordLane End500Camelford5th
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth3rd
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth6th
St IvesRecreation Ground3,000 St Iveswithdrew from South West 1 West in 2019–20
St JustTregesealTregeseal, St Justrelegated from Cornwall 1

2020–21

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season was cancelled.

2019–20

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
CamelfordLane End500Camelford4th
HelstonKing George V Playing Field2,500HelstonRelegated from Cornwall 1
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth3rd
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth6th
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleighRelegated from Cornwall 1
StithiansPlaying FieldStithians5th

2018–19

Participating teams and locations

TeamGroundCapacityTown/VillagePrevious season
CamelfordLane End500Camelford4th
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth6th
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth7th
St AgnesEnys ParcSt AgnesRelegated from Cornwall 1
St JustTregesealTregeseal, St Just3rd
StithiansPlaying FieldStithians5th

2016–17

For the current season Cornwall 1 and Cornwall 2 have been amalgamated to create the Cornwall League with fifteen teams playing each other once in the first phase. After Christmas the teams split into two leagues with the top eight playing in Cornwall One and the remainder playing in Cornwall Two.

Participating clubs (phase 2)

TeamGroundTown/VillagePhase one
Camelford RFCLane EndCamelford14th
Illogan ParkPaynters Lane Playing FieldIllogan13th
Lankelly-Fowey RFCLankelly FarmFowey11th
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth9th
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth15th
St JustTregesealSt Just12th
StithiansPlaying FieldStithians10th

2015–16

The first matches of the 2015–16 Cornwall League 2 were played on 10 October 2015 and the final matches on 2 April 2016 with the six teams playing each of the other teams twice to make ten matches each.

Participating clubs and locations

TeamGroundTown/VillagePrevious season
Camelford RFCParc Tremain, TintagelCamelford3rd
Lankelly-Fowey RFCLankelly FarmFowey6th
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgie RoadRedruth5th
RoselandPhilleighrelegated from Cornwall 1
St JustTregesealSt Just4th
StithiansPlaying FieldStithiansrelegated from Cornwall 1

2014–15

The 2014–15 Cornwall League 2 originally consisted of seven teams; each team playing the others twice, home and away. St Day withdrew before the season started reducing the league to six teams. The season started on 4 October 2014 and finished on 24 January 2015 with the champions, St Agnes promoted to Cornwall 1. Lanner, in their first season in league rugby was also promoted after finishing the league season in second place. Both promoted teams finished the league season unbeaten winning eight of their ten matches.

2013–14

The 2013–14 Cornwall League 2 kicked off on 28 September 2013 and was due to finish on 18 January 2014 with each team playing each of the other teams three times. Owing to fixture cancellations the competition finished on 8 February 2014. The champions, Illogan Park are promoted to Cornwall 1, there is no relegation.

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
  • Lankelly-Fowey
  • RAF St Mawgan
  • Redruth CGSOB
  • Roseland
  • Veor

Cornwall League 2 honours

Cornwall League 2 (1987–1993)

The original Cornwall 2 was a tier 10 league with promotion to Cornwall 1; there was no relegation.

Cornwall League 2 (1993–1996)

The creation of National 5 South for the 1993–94 season meant that the Cornwall League 2 dropped one tier to tier 11. Promotion was to Cornwall 1 and there was no relegation.

Cornwall League 2 (1996–2009)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Cornwall League 2 return to being a tier 10 division. Promotion continued to Cornwall 1 and there was no relegation. From the 2008–09 season onwards the league sponsor is Tribute. Restructuring at the end of the 2008–09 season saw Cornwall 1 and Cornwall 2 clubs merged into a single Cornwall League.

Cornwall League 2 (2011–2016)

After an absence of several seasons, Cornwall 2 returned due to the splitting of the Cornwall League back into two separate divisions. Remaining at tier 10 of the league system, promotion was once again to Cornwall 1 and there was no relegation

Cornwall League 2 (2016–2017)

The 2016–17 season saw a restructuring of the Cornwall leagues. For the first half of the season, all clubs from Cornwall 1 and Cornwall 2 played in a single tier 9 division. In the second half of the season the league divided into Cornwall 1 and Cornwall 2 leagues based on the league position of the clubs. During this season there was no promotion or relegation to or from Cornwall 2.

Cornwall League 2 (2017–2022)

The 2017–18 season saw Cornwall 2 revert to being a tier 10 league. Promotion was to Cornwall 1 and there was no relegation.

Counties 3 Cornwall (2022– )

Following reorganisation of the league structure, Cornwall 2 became a tier nine league and renamed Counties 3 Cornwall. Promotion is to Counties 2 Cornwall and there is no relegation.

Number of league titles

  • St Agnes
  • Helston
  • Illogan Park
  • Redruth Albany
  • Roseland
  • Bodmin
  • Veor
  • Hayle
  • Lankelly-Fowey
  • Launceston II XV
  • Liskeard-Looe
  • Mounts Bay
  • Perranporth
  • St Day
  • St Ives
  • St Just
  • Stithians

Geography

The following clubs have participated in the Cornwall League 2.
TeamGroundTown/Village
BodminClifden ParkBodmin
CallingtonDuchy College Playing FieldsStoke Climsland
CamborneMemorial GroundCamborne
Camborne School of MinesMemorial Park, Kernick RoadPenryn
CamelfordParc Tremain, TintagelCamelford
RNAS CuldroseSport FieldRNAS Culdrose
HayleMemorial GroundHayle
HelstonKing George V Playing FieldHelston
Illogan ParkPaynters Lane Playing FieldIllogan
Lankelly-FoweyLankelly FarmFowey
LannerTrevarthLanner
LauncestonPolson BridgeLaunceston
Liskeard-LooeLux ParkLiskeard
Mounts BayThe Mennaye FieldPenzance
OrmdaleTreleighRedruth
PerranporthPonsmere ValleyPerranporth
Pirate AmateursThe Mennaye FieldPenzance
Redruth IIRecreation GroundRedruth
Redruth AlbanyTrewirgieRedruth
Redruth Grammar School Old BoysClijah CroftRedruth
RoselandPhilleigh Rugby FieldPhilleigh
St AgnesEnys ParcSt Agnes
St DayPlaying Field, Telegraph HillSt Day
St IvesRecreation GroundSt Ives
St JustTregesealSt Just
RAF St MawganRAF St Mawgan
StithiansPlaying FieldStithians
VeorWheal Gerry / Memorial GroundCamborne
Wadebridge CamelsMolesworth FieldWadebridge

Sponsorship

The competition is known as Cornwall League 2 and has been sponsored by St Austell Brewery from season 2011–12 through to the current season; Tribute is the name of a beer. For the first ten seasons the league was sponsored by the Courage Brewery.