Counties 5 Kent
English rugby union league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Counties 5 Kent (formerly Kent 3) is an English Rugby Union league that is the lowest RFU league for clubs in south-east London and Kent. Promoted teams go up to Counties 4 Kent and relegation is to the Kent RFU merit leagues.
| Sport | Rugby Union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Most titles | Midland Bank (2 titles) |
Dwindling numbers of teams meant that Kent 3 folded at the end of the 2007–08 season, with all sides automatically promoted to what was then Kent 2. However, following a 15 year hiatus, and after the RFU's Adult Competition Review in 2022 - and the decision by Kent Rugby to allow reserve teams to participate in county leagues - from season 2023–24 it was resurrected and adopted its current name Counties 5 Kent.
2025–26
Departing were East Peckham & Paddock Wood, Sevenoaks III and Beckenham III, all promoted to Counties 4 Kent.
Ashford II (11th) did not return for the new season.
Greenwich (10th in 2024-25) withdrew from the league in early 2026 leaving 11 clubs to contest the outstanding fixtures.
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Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent
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2024–25
Departing were Canterbury III, Bromley II and Old Colfeians II, all promoted to Counties 4 Kent.
Joining were Lordswood, relegated from Counties 4 Kent and Sidcup III who finished 9th in Counties 4 Kent but elected to be relegated and in doing so gave Footscray (11th) a reprieve in the league above. New entries to the league were Beckenham III, Park House II, Old Alleynians III and East Peckham & Paddock Wood.
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Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent
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2023–24
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Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent
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2008–2023
League not contested
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Bexley
- Cranbrook
- Deal Wanderers[a]
- Linton[b]
- New Ash Green
- Old Gravesendians
- Sheppey
- Sittingbourne
- Vigo
Kent 3 honours
| ||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | League Name | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 9 | New Ash Green | Linton | Bexley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Met Police Hayes | Sittingbourne | Orpington, Thames Polytechnic | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Sheppey | Cranbrook | Darenth Valley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Midland Bank | Vigo | Footscray, Orpington | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1991–92 | 12 | Thames Polytechnic | NatWest Bank[c] | No relegation[d] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1992–93 | 10 | Cranbrook | Lloyds Bank | Greenwich, Old Olavians | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1993–94 | 10 | Old Gravesendians | Whitstable | Orpington, Footscray[e] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1994–95 | 10 | Lordswood | Old Williamsonians | Lloyds Bank, Greenwich | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | 10 | Tonbridge | New Ash Green | Darenth Valley | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1996–97 | 10 | Midland Bank | New Ash Green[f] | No relegation[g] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1997–98 | 6 | Erith[h] | Faversham[i] | No relegation[j] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 1998–99 | No Competition | |||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | No Competition | |||||||||||||
| 2000–01[2] | 6 | Bexley | Old Gravesendians | No relegation[k] | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2001–02[3] | 11 | Shooters Hill | Old Olavians | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2002–03[4] | 10 | Vigo | Dover | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2003–04[5] | 11 | Brockleians | Bexley[l] | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2004–05[6] | 9 | Deal & Betteshanger | HSBC | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2005–06[7] | 8 | Orpington | Foots Cray | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2006–07[8] | 6 | Medway | Bexley | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| 2007–08[9] | 5 | Old Williamsonians | Orpington[m] | No relegation | Kent 3 | |||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Midland Bank (2)
- Bexley (1)
- Brockleians (1)
- Cranbrook (1)
- Deal & Betteshanger (1)
- Erith (1)
- Lordswood (1)
- Medway (1)
- Met Police Hayes (1)
- New Ash Green (1)
- Old Gravesendians (1)
- Old Williamsonians (1)
- Orpington (1)
- Sheppey (1)
- Shooters Hill (1)
- Thames Polytechnic (1)
- Tonbridge (1)
- Vigo (1)
See also
Notes
- Deal Wanderers RFC would later merge with Betteshanger RFC in 2006 to form Deal & Betteshanger Rugby Club.[1]
- Now known as Aylesford Bulls RFC.
- Restructuring of the Kent leagues meant that the top six clubs were promoted from Kent 3 including Deal Wanderers, Bexley, Linton and Old Gravesendians.
- Restructuring of the Kent leagues meant there was no relegation.
- 8th place Kent Police would drop out of the league at the end of the season.
- Due to Kent league restructuring, the top nine teams were promoted from Kent 3.
- Kent league restructuring meant there was no relegation - with bottom side Canterbury Exiles the only team to remain in the division for the following season.
- The cancellation of Kent 3 and Kent 4 and restructuring of Kent 2 meant that runners up Faversham would also be promoted to the new Kent 2 East division while 3rd place Greenwich would go into Kent 2 South West. 4th place Darenth Valley would fold at the end of the season but would reform as Dartford Valley RFC in Kent 2 West.
- 3rd place Dartford Valley were also promoted.