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.

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 (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.

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 (1996–1997)
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Eastern Counties 3 reverted to being a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to Eastern Counties 2, while relegation was to Eastern Counties 4.

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 (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 / 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

Number of league titles

 * Aldeburgh & Thorpeness (1)
 * Bancroft (1)
 * Beccles (1)
 * 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)
 * Southwold II (1)
 * Stanford Le Hope (1)
 * Stowmarket (1)
 * Swaffham (1)
 * Thurston II (1)
 * Wisbech (1)
 * Woodbridge II (1)
 * Wymondham (1)