Midlands 3 East (South)

Midlands 3 East (South) is a level 8 English Rugby Union league and level 3 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the southern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and occasionally Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire, all of whom play home and away matches throughout the season. When this division began in 1992 it was known as Midlands East 2, until it was split into two regional divisions called Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) ahead of the 2000–01 season. Further restructuring of the Midlands leagues ahead of the 2009–10 season, led to the current name of Midlands 3 East (South).

Promoted teams tend to move up to Midlands 2 East (South) while demoted teams typically drop to Midlands 4 East (South). Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase - a level 8 national competition.

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

Teams 2016-17

 * Aylestone St James (transferred from Midlands 3 East (North))
 * Biggleswade (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * Daventry
 * Dunstablians
 * Leicester Forest (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * Long Buckby
 * Northampton BBOB
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Northampton Men's Own (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * St Ives (Midlands)
 * St Neots
 * Stewarts & Lloyds

Teams 2015-16

 * Daventry
 * Dunstablians (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * Long Buckby
 * Northampton BBOB
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Old Newtonians (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Oundale
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * Stockwood Park
 * St Ives (Midlands)
 * St Neots (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Stewarts & Lloyds (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))

Teams 2014-15

 * Bedford Queens
 * Daventry
 * Long Buckby (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Northampton BBOB (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Northampton Mens Own
 * Oundale	(promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * Rushden & Higham (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * St Ives (Midlands)
 * Stockwood Park
 * Vipers

Teams 2013-14

 * Bedford Queens
 * Biggleswade (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))
 * Brackley (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Daventry
 * Deepings
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Northampton Mens Own
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * St Ives (Midlands) (promoted from Midlands 4 East (South))
 * Stewarts & Lloyds
 * Stockwood Park
 * Vipers (relegated from Midlands 2 East (South))

Teams 2012–13

 * Bedford Queens
 * Daventry
 * Deepings
 * Long Buckby
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Northampton Mens Own
 * Old Newtonians
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * Rushden & Higham
 * Stamford
 * Stewarts & Lloyds
 * Stockwood Park

Teams 2011–12

 * Bedford Queens
 * Bedford Swifts
 * Biggleswade
 * Brackley
 * Daventry
 * Deepings
 * Northampton BBOB
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * Rushden & Higham
 * Stamford
 * Stewarts & Lloyds

Teams 2010–11

 * Bedford Queens
 * Bedford Swifts
 * Brackley
 * Daventry
 * Deepings
 * Long Buckby
 * Northampton Casuals
 * Northampton Mens Own
 * Oadby Wyggestonians
 * Old Newtonians
 * Rugby St Andrews
 * Rushden & Higham

Teams 2008–09

 * Aylestone St James
 * Banbury
 * Huntingdon & District
 * Leicester Forest
 * Lutterworth
 * Northampton BBOB
 * Northampton Old Scouts
 * Old Newtonians
 * Old Northamptonians
 * Stewarts & Lloyds
 * Towcestrians
 * Vipers

Original teams
Teams in Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single division called Midlands 2 East, which contained the following sides when it was introduced in 1992:


 * Coalville - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (6th)
 * Glossop - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (6th)
 * Kesteven - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (9th)
 * Kettering - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (7th)
 * Lincoln - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (10th)
 * Long Buckby - promoted from East Midlands 1 (champions)
 * Lutterworth - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (10th)
 * Market Rasen & Louth - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 (runners up)
 * Northampton BBOB - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (9th)
 * South Leicester - promoted from Leicestershire 1 (champions)
 * Southwell - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (7th)
 * Stamford - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1 (8th)
 * Wellingborough - promoted from East Midlands/Leicestershire (8th)
 * Worksop - promoted from Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 2 (champions)

Midlands East 2 (1992–1993)
Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South) were originally part of a single tier 8 division called Midlands East 2. Promotion was to Midlands East 1 and relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.

Midlands East 2 (1993–1996)
The top six teams from Midlands 1 and the top six from North 1 were combined to create National 5 North, meaning that Midlands 2 East dropped to become a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.

Midlands East 2 (1996–2000)
At the end of the 1995–96 season National 5 North was discontinued and Midlands East 2 returned to being a tier 8 league. Promotion continued to Midlands East 1 while relegation was to either East Midlands/Leicestershire 1 or Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire 1.

Midlands 4 East (South) (2000–2006)
Restructuring ahead of the 2000–01 season saw Midlands East 2 split into two tier 8 regional leagues - Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South). Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North) and relegation to East Midlands 1.

Midlands 4 East (South) (2006–2009)
Midlands 4 East (South) continued to be a tier 8 league with promotion up into Midlands 3 East (South). However, the cancellation of East Midlands 1 at the end of the 2005–06 season meant that relegation was now to the newly introduced Midlands 5 East (South).

Midlands 3 East (South) (2009–present)
League restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 3 East (North) and Midlands 3 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 8. Promotion was now to Midlands 2 East (South) (formerly Midlands 3 East (South)) and relegation to Midlands 4 East (South) (formerly Midlands 5 East (South)).

Number of league titles

 * Leicester Forest (2)
 * Lutterworth (2)
 * Market Harborough (2)
 * Rushden & Higham (2)
 * Stamford (2)
 * Aylestone St James (1)
 * Biggleswade (1)
 * Bugbrooke (1)
 * Coalville (1)
 * Dunstablians (1)
 * Ilkeston (1)
 * Kettering (1)
 * Long Buckby (1)
 * Luton (1)
 * Market Bosworth (1)
 * Northampton BBOB (1)
 * Northampton Men's Own (1)
 * Oadby Wyggestonians (1)
 * Oundle (1)
 * St Ives (Midlands) (1)
 * Stewarts & Lloyds (1)
 * Vauxhall Motors (1)
 * Vipers (1)