Counties 3 Kent

Counties 3 Kent is an English level 9 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. 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.
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 2025–26

Departing were Tonbridge Juddians II and Beckenham II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent.
Old Dunstonians withdrew before the season started.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Brockleians	Civil Service Sports Ground		Eltham, London	4th
Canterbury III	Marine Travel Ground	1,500	Canterbury, Kent	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Dartford Valley	Leigh Academy		Dartford, Kent	Relegated from Counties 2 Kent
Gravesend II	Rectory Field		Gravesend, Kent	11th
Hastings & Bexhill	William Parker Lower School		Hastings, East Sussex	3rd
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	10th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground		Gravesend, Kent	8th
Old Williamsonians	Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School		Rochester, Kent	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club		Sittingbourne, Kent	5th
Tunbridge Wells II	St Marks Recreation Ground	3,000	Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent	6th
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	7th

Teams for 2024–25

Departing were Old Elthamians and Old Alleynians II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. Faversham 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

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Beckenham II	Balmoral Avenue		Beckenham, London	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Brockleians	Civil Service Sports Ground		Eltham, London	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Gravesend II	Rectory Field		Gravesend, Kent	8th
Hastings & Bexhill	William Parker Lower School		Hastings, East Sussex	7th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	9th
Old Dunstonians	St. Dunstan's Lane		Beckenham, London	Relegated from Counties 2 Kent
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground		Gravesend, Kent	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club		Sittingbourne, Kent	4th
Tonbridge Juddians II	The Slade	1,500	Tonbridge, Kent	3rd
Tunbridge Wells II	St Marks Recreation Ground	3,000	Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent	5th
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	6th

Teams for 2023–24

Departing were Dartford Valley and Medway II, both promoted to Counties 2 Kent. King's College Hospital and Footscray 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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Faversham	Recreation Ground		Faversham, Kent	5th
Gravesend II	Rectory Field		Gravesend, Kent	8th
Hastings & Bexhill	William Parker Lower School		Hastings, East Sussex	Relegated from Counties 2 Kent
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	7th
Old Alleynians II	The Common		Dulwich, London	4th
Old Elthamians	Hospital Ground		Chislehurst, London	3rd
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club		Sittingbourne, Kent	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Tonbridge Juddians II	The Slade	1,500	Tonbridge, Kent	Promoted from Counties 4 Kent
Tunbridge Wells II	St Marks Recreation Ground	3,000	Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent	New entry
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	6th

Teams for 2022–23

This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review 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, Cliffe Crusaders, Brockleians 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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Dartford Valley	Leigh Academy		Dartford, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2
Faversham	Recreation Ground		Faversham, Kent	5th
Footscray	Footscray Playing Fields		New Eltham, London	8th
Gravesend II	Rectory Field		Gravesend, Kent	New entry
King's College Hospital	Dulwich Sports Ground		Dulwich, London	6th
Medway II	Priestfields		Rochester, Kent	New entry
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	4th
Old Alleynians II	The Common		Dulwich, London	New entry
Old Elthamians	Hospital Ground		Chislehurst, London	New entry
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2

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.

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Brockleians	Civil Service Sports Ground		Eltham, London	Promoted from Kent 2
Cliffe Crusaders	Recreation Ground		Cliffe, Kent	6th
Faversham	Recreation Ground		Faversham, Kent	5th
Footscray	Footscray Playing Fields		New Eltham, London	Promoted from Kent 2
Hastings & Bexhill	William Parker Lower School		Hastings, East Sussex	4th
King's College Hospital	Dulwich Sports Ground		Dulwich, London	3rd
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	8th
Old Williamsonians	Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School		Rochester, Kent	Relegated from London 3 SE
Park House	Barnet Wood Road		Hayes, London	Relegated from London 3 SE

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 for the 2020/21 season meaning Kent 1 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Cliffe Crusaders	Recreation Ground		Cliffe, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2
Cranbrook	Tomlin Ground		Cranbrook, Kent	4th
Faversham	Recreation Ground		Faversham, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2
Hastings & Bexhill	William Parker Lower School		Hastings, East Sussex	Relegated from London 3 SE
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground		Beckenham, London	6th
King's College Hospital	Dulwich Sports Ground		Dulwich, London	7th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	9th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground		Gravesend, Kent	5th
Southwark Lancers	Burgess Park		Camberwell, London	3rd
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	8th

Participating clubs 2018–19

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ashford	Kinney's Field		Ashford, Kent	11th
Cranbrook	Tomlin Ground		Cranbrook, Kent	5th
Footscray	Footscray Playing Fields		New Eltham, London	Promoted from Kent 2
Gillingham Anchorians	Darland Banks		Gillingham, Kent	4th
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground		Beckenham, London	7th
King's College Hospital	Dulwich Sports Ground		Dulwich, London	3rd
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	11th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground		Gravesend, Kent	9th
Sheppey	Stupple Field		Minster, Kent	Relegated from London 3 SE
Southwark Lancers	Burgess Park		Camberwell, London	10th
Whitstable	Reeves Way		Chestfield, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2

Participating clubs 2017–18

Team	Ground	Capacity	City/Area	Previous season
Ashford	Kinney's Field		Ashford, Kent	Relegated from London 3 South East
Beccehamian	Sparrow's Den		West Wickham, London	4th
Cranbrook	Tomlin Ground		Cranbrook, Kent	3rd
Gillingham Anchorians	Darland Banks		Gillingham, Kent	Relegated from London 3 South East
HSBC	HSBC Sports Ground		Beckenham, London	5th
King's College Hospital	Dulwich Sports Ground		Dulwich, London	6th
New Ash Green	New Ash Green Sports Pavilion		New Ash Green, Kent	9th
Old Gravesendians	Fleetway Sports Ground		Gravesend, Kent	Promoted from Kent 2
Royal Bank of Scotland	Goals Beckenham		Beckenham, London	Promoted from Kent 2
Sittingbourne	Gore Court Cricket Club		Sittingbourne, Kent	10th
Southwark Lancers	Burgess Park		Camberwell, London	7th
Vigo	Swanswood Field		Vigo, Kent	8th

Participating clubs 2016–17

Beccehamaian
Brockleians
Hastings & Bexhill
HSBC
King's College Hospital
Lordswood
New Ash Green
Old Gravesendians
Sittingbourne '
Southwark Lancers
Snowdon C.W. '
Vigo

Participating clubs 2015–16

Beccehamaian
Brockleians '
Hastings & Bexhill '
HSBC
King's College Hospital
Lordswood
New Ash Green
Old Gravesendians
Old Williamsonians
Sheppey
Southwark Lancers
Vigo

Participating clubs 2014–15

Beccehamian '
Bexley '
Cranbrook
HSBC
King's College Hospital
Lordswood
Old Gravesendians
Old Williamsonians
Sheppey
Sittingbourne
Southwark Lancers
Vigo

Participating clubs 2010–11

Ashford
Beccehamian
Cranbrook
Dartfordians
Erith
Gillingham Anchorians.
Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital
Hastings and Bexhill
HSBC
New Ash Green
Old Gravesendians
Shooters Hill
Sittingbourne
Vigo
Whitstable

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kent 1 (2009–present)

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

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.