# Counties 3 Kent

Counties 3 Kent (formerly Kent 1 known as Shepherd Neame Kent 1 for sponsorship reasons) 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 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

## 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.

## 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 (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.

## 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.

## 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 (National League 1 and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Kent 1 was not contested.

## 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

* Beccehamaian
* Brockleians (promoted from Kent 2)
* Hastings & Bexhill (relegated from London 3 South East)
* HSBC
* King's College Hospital
* Lordswood
* New Ash Green (promoted from Kent 2)
* Old Gravesendians
* Old Williamsonians
* Sheppey
* Southwark Lancers
* Vigo

## Participating clubs 2014-2015

* Beccehamian (relegated from London 3 South East)
* Bexley (promoted from Kent 2)
* Cranbrook
* HSBC
* King's College Hospital
* Lordswood
* Old Gravesendians
* Old Williamsonians
* Sheppey (relegated from London 3 South East)
* Sittingbourne
* Southwark Lancers
* Vigo

## Participating clubs 2010-2011

* 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:
* Bromley
* Charlton Park
* Erith
* Medway
* NatWest Bank
* Old Elthamians
* Old Shootershillians
* Park House
* Sevenoaks
* Thanet Wanderers
* Tonbridge

## 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 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1987–88 | 11 | Charlton Park | Erith | Old Shootershillians, NatWest Bank, Sevenoaks |
| 1988–89 | 11 | Gillingham Anchorians | Betteshanger | Old Elthamians, Tonbridge |
| 1989–90 | 11 | Park House | Medway | Canterbury, Dover |
| 1990–91 | 11 | Thanet Wanderers | Medway | Met Police Hayes, Dover, Snowdown C.W. |
| 1991–92 | 11 | Erith | Gillingham Anchorians | No relegation |
| 1992–93 | 13 | Canterbury | Sevenoaks | Sittingbourne, Tonbridge |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1993–94 | 13 | Park House | Sevenoaks | NatWest Bank, New Ash Green, Snowdown C.W. |
| 1994–95 | 13 | Sevenoaks | Tunbridge Wells | Thames Polytechnic, Betteshanger |
| 1995–96 | 13 | Tunbridge Wells | Gillingham Anchorians | Old Elthamians, Medway, Erith |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 1996–97 | 12 | Cranbrook | Medway | No relegation |
| 1997–98 | 16 | Folkestone | Dartfordians | Deal Wanderers, Snowdown C.W. |
| 1998–99 | 17 | Dartfordians | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital | Met Police Hayes, Sittingbourne |
| 1999–00 | 15 | Old Dunstonians | Betteshanger | Sheppey, HSBC, Ashford, Dover |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2000–01 | 10 | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital | Betteshanger | Old Elthamians |
| 2001–02 | 10 | Bromley | Whitstable | Brockleians, Medway, Park House |
| 2002–03 | 10 | Aylesford Bulls | Ashford | Erith, New Ash Green |
| 2003–04 | 10 | Lordswood | Old Elthamians | Askean |
| 2004–05 | 10 | Dover | Sittingbourne | Sheppey |
| 2005–06 | 10 | Beccehamian | Ashford | New Ash Green |
| 2006–07 | 10 | Whitstable | Park House | Brockleians, Sheppey, Cranbrook |
| 2007–08 | 10 | Park House | Old Gravesendians | No relegation |
| 2008–09 | 12 | Medway | Old Gravesendians | Askean |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

### 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.
Kent 1 :
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams |
| 2009–10 | 12 | Dartfordians | Cranbrook | Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital, Erith |
| 2010–11 | 11 | Ashford | Sheppey | Lordswood |
| 2011–12 | 12 | Gillingham Anchorians | Vigo | New Ash Green |
| 2012–13 | 11 | Dartfordians | Beccehamian | Whitstable |
| 2013–14 | 12 | Park House | Hastings & Bexhill | Footscray, Shooters Hill |
| 2014–15 | 12 | Cranbrook | Sheppey | Bexley, Sittingbourne |
| 2015–16 | 12 | Sheppey | Old Williamsonians | Old Gravesendians, Lordswood |
| 2016–17 | 12 | Hastings & Bexhill | Old Williamsonians | Snowdown C.W., Brockleians |
| 2017–18 | 12 | Beccehamian | Vigo | Sittingbourne |
| 2018–19 | 11 | Ashford | Gillingham Anchorians | Sheppey, Footscray |
| 2019–20 | 10 | Southwark Lancers | Cranbrook | Whitstable, Old Gravesendians |
| 2020–21 | |
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. |||||||||||

## 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.
Kent 1 v Sussex 1 promotion play-off results :
| Season | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Attendance |
| 2000–01 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 12-29 | Betteshanger (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | |
| 2001–02 | Heathfield & Waldron (S) | 25-12 | Whitstable (K) | Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground, Cross In Hand, Heathfield, East Sussex | |
| 2002–03 | Ashford (K) | 10-0 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | Canterbury Road, Ashford, Kent | |
| 2003–04 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 13-21 | Old Elthamians (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | |
| 2004–05 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 0-22 | Sittingbourne (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | |
| 2005–06 | Hastings & Bexhill (S) | 17-18 | Ashford (K) | William Parker Lower School, Hastings, East Sussex | |
| 2006–07 | Horsham (S) | 33-7 | Park House (K) | Coolhurst Ground, Horsham, West Sussex | |
| 2007–08 | Old Gravesendians (K) | 8-14 | East Grinstead (S) | Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent | |
| 2008–09 | Old Gravesendians (K) | 10-5 | Uckfield (S) | Fleetway Sports Ground, Gravesend, Kent | 300 |
| 2009–10 | Uckfield (S) | 19-21 | Cranbrook (K) | Hempstead Playing Fields, Uckfield, East Sussex | |
| 2010–11 | Sheppey (K) | 42-10 | Burgess Hill (S) | Stupple Field, Minster, Kent | 500 |
| 2011–12 | Vigo (K) | 10-7 | Burgess Hill (S) | Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent | 400 |
| 2012–13 | Eastbourne (S) | 0-47 | Beccehamian (K) | Park Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex | |
| 2013–14 | Crawley (S) | 22-41 | Hastings & Bexhill (K) | Willoughby Fields Pavilion, Crawley, West Sussex | |
| 2014–15 | Burgess Hill (S) | 26-23 | Sheppey (K) | Southway Recreation Ground, Burgess Hill, West Sussex | |
| 2015–16 | Haywards Heath (S) | 13-8 | Old Williamsonians (K) | Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, West Sussex | |
| 2016–17 | Old Williamsonians (K) | 20-17 | Uckfield (S) | Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, Rochester, Kent | |
| 2017–18 | Vigo (K) | 31-17 | Uckfield (S) | Swanswood Field, Meopham, Kent | |
| 2018–19 | Gillingham Anchorians (K) | 23-21 | Crawley (S) | Darland Banks, Gillingham, Kent | |
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Best ranked runner up - Cranbrook (K) - promoted instead. | Cancelled 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 |||||||||||

## Number of league titles

* Park House (4)
* Dartfordians (3)
* Ashford (2)
* Beccehamian (2)
* Cranbrook (2)
* Gillingham Anchorians (2)
* Aylesford Bulls (1)
* Bromley (1)
* Canterbury (1)
* Charlton Park (1)
* Dover (1)
* Erith (1)
* Folkestone (1)
* Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital (1)
* Hastings & Bexhill (1)
* Lordswood (1)
* Medway (1)
* Old Dunstonians (1)
* Sevenoaks (1)
* Sheppey (1)
* Southwark Lancers (1)
* Thanet Wanderers (1)
* Tunbridge Wells (1)
* Whitstable (1)