Counties 3 Yorkshire
English rugby union league
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Counties 3 Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition. Club rugby in Yorkshire operates without promotion play-offs meaning that the top two teams are automatically promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two teams are relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire. Each season a team from Counties 3 Yorkshire or Counties 4 Yorkshire may be picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a national competition for clubs at levels 9–12.
Current season or competition: 2023–24 Counties 3 Yorkshire | |
| Sport | Rugby union |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1987 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |  England |
| Holders | Hemsworth (2nd title) (2022–23) (promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire) |
| Most titles | Aireborough, Heath, Hemsworth, Leeds Corinthians, Roundhegians, Wetherby, Wath upon Dearne, Yarnbury, Barnsley (2 titles) |
| Website | England RFU |
Participating clubs 2025–26
Departing were Old Otliensians and Halifax, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire while Thirsk were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.
On the 18th February 2026 Dearne Valley RUFC withdrew from the league
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  Barnsley Burley Castleford Dearne Valley Hornsea Leeds Cor. Rotherham Phoenix Skipton West Park Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2025–26 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams
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Participating clubs 2024–25
Departing were Northallerton and Halifax Vandals, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire while Sheffield Medicals were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.
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Barnsley Burley Castleford Leeds Cor. Otliensians Rotherham Phoenix Skipton Thirsk West Park Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams
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Participating clubs 2023–24
Departing were Hemsworth and Ossett, both promoted to Counties 2 Yorkshire. Thornensians (10th), Knottingley (11th) and Leeds Medics & Dentists (12th) were relegated to Counties 4 Yorkshire.
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Barnsley Burley Castleford Northallerton Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Thirsk West Park Wheatley Hills Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams
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Participating clubs 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Yorkshire 3 with teams ranked 4th to 12th returning (1st to 3rd were 'promoted' to Counties 2 Yorkshire and the bottom two 'relegated' to Counties 4 Yorkshire) and supplemented by top 2 from Yorkshire 4 and one coming down from Yorkshire 2 so with five departing but only three arriving the league was reduced from 14 teams to 12.
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Burley Castleford Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds M & D Sheffield Medicals Skipton Thirsk West Park Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Yorkshire teams
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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.
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 Bramley Burley West Park Locations of the 2021-22 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Barnsley Castleford Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Otliensians Sheffield Medicals Skipton Wibsey Locations of the 2021–22 Yorkshire 3 teams
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Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced [1] 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 Yorkshire 3 was not contested.
Participating clubs 2019–20
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Aireborough Baildon Castleford Halifax Vandals Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Cor Otliensians Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Wibsey Locations of the 2019–20 Yorkshire 3 teams
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Participating clubs 2018–19
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Leeds Corinthians Leeds Modernians Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Aireborough Baildon Castleford Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Rotherham Phoenix Sheffield Medicals Skipton Wensleydale Locations of the 2018–19 Yorkshire 3 teams
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Participating clubs 2017–18
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Leeds M&D Leeds Mod Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 3 teams in Leeds Aireborough Baildon Castleford Harrogate Pythons Hemsworth Knottingley Leeds Northallerton Otliensians Sheffield Medicals Skipton Stocksbridge Wensleydale Locations of the 2017–18 Yorkshire 3 teams
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Participating clubs 2016–17
- Aireborough
- Baildon
- Castleford (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Goole
- Halifax
- Halifax Vandals (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Harrogate Pythons
- Knottingley (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Leeds Medics and Dentists
- Leeds Modernians
- Northallerton
- Old Otliensians
- Stocksbridge
- Wensleydale (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
Participating clubs 2015–16
- Aireborough
- Baildon
- Bramley Phoenix
- Goole (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Halifax (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Harrogate Pythons
- Leeds Medics and Dentists (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Leeds Modernians
- Northallerton
- Old Otliensians
- Rotherham Phoenix
- Stocksbridge
- Thornensians
- Wetherby (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
Participating clubs 2014–15
- Aireborough
- Baildon (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Bramley Phoenix
- Burley
- Castleford
- Harrogate Pythons
- Hemsworth
- Northallerton
- Old Grovians
- Old Modernians
- Old Otliensians (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Rotherham Phoenix
- Stocksbridge (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Thornensians
Participating clubs 2013–14
- Aireborough
- Bramley Phoenix
- Burley
- Castleford
- Goole
- Harrogate Pythons (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Hemsworth
- Leeds Medics and Dentists
- Northallerton
- Old Grovians (promoted from Yorkshire 4)
- Old Modernians
- Rotherham Phoenix
- Skipton (relegated from Yorkshire 2)
- Thornensians
Participating clubs 2012–13
- Aireborough
- Baildon
- Bramley Phoenix
- Burley
- Goole
- Hemsworth
- Hessle
- Leeds Medics and Dentists
- Northallerton
- Old Modernians
- Old Rishworthians
- Rotherham Phoenix
- Thornensians
- York Railway Institute
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
- Airebronians
- Baildon
- Bradford Salem
- Bridlington
- Heath
- Knottingley
- Leeds CSSA
- Marist
- Northallerton
- Rodillians
- Yarnbury
Yorkshire 3 honours
Yorkshire 3 (1987–1993)
The original Yorkshire 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Yorkshire 2 and relegation down to Yorkshire 4.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 11 | Bridlington | Marist | Northallerton, Bradford Salem | ||||||||||
| 1988–89 | 11 | Yarnbury | Old Otliensians | Heath, Leeds CSSA | ||||||||||
| 1989–90 | 11 | Leodiensian | Knottingley | Baildon | ||||||||||
| 1990–91 | 11 | Bradford Salem | Sheffield Oaks | Aireborians | ||||||||||
| 1991–92 | 11 | Wath upon Dearne | Old Modernians[a] | No relegation[b] | ||||||||||
| 1992–93 | 13 | Hessle | Halifax Vandals | Baildon | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Yorkshire 3 (1993–2000)
The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Yorkshire 3 dropped to become a tier 12 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season, which included the cancellation of National 5 North and the addition of North East 3 at tier 9, saw Yorkshire 3 remain at tier 12.
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| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | 13 | Aireborough | Wibsey | Leeds YMCA | ||||||||||
| 1994–95 | 13 | Wetherby | Skipton | Burley | ||||||||||
| 1995–96 | 13 | Hullensians | Phoenix Park | Multiple teams[c] | ||||||||||
| 1996–97 | 10 | Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. | West Leeds | No relegation[d] | ||||||||||
| 1997–98 | 10 | Hemsworth | Stanley Rodillians | Hornsea | ||||||||||
| 1998–99[2] | 10 | York Railway Institute | Heath | Wibsey, Old Modernians, Wetherby | ||||||||||
| 1999–00[3] | 10 | Leeds Corinthians | Moortown | Stanley Rodillians, Baildon, Stocksbridge | ||||||||||
| Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Yorkshire 3 (2000–present)
Northern league restructuring by the RFU at the end of the 1999–2000 season saw the cancellation of North East 1, North East 2 and North East 3 (tiers 7–9). This meant that Yorkshire 3 became a tier 9 league.
| |||||||||||||||
| Season | No of Teams | Champions | Runners–up | Relegated Teams | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01[4] | 12 | Skipton | Malton and Norton | Hullensians, Sheffield Oaks, Moortown | |||||||||||
| 2001–02[5] | 12 | Heath | Malton and Norton | Hessle, Roundhegians, Barnsley | |||||||||||
| 2002–03[6] | 12 | Knottingley | Stocksbridge | Halifax Vandals | |||||||||||
| 2003–04[7] | 12 | Pocklington | Castleford | Leeds Corinthians, Wath upon Dearne | |||||||||||
| 2004–05[8] | 12 | Barnsley | West Leeds | Hemsworth, Bramley Phoenix | |||||||||||
| 2005–06[9] | 12 | Heath | York Railway Institute | Old Modernians, Castleford | |||||||||||
| 2006–07[10] | 12 | Yarnbury | Skipton | Stocksbridge, Northallerton | |||||||||||
| 2007–08[11] | 12 | Moortown | Castleford | York Railway Institute, Thornensians | |||||||||||
| 2008–09[12] | 12 | West Park Leeds | Hullensians[e] | Wath upon Dearne | |||||||||||
| 2009–10[13] | 12 | Roundhegians | Old Rishworthians | Garforth | |||||||||||
| 2010–11[14] | 12 | Wath upon Dearne | Goole | Old Otliensians | |||||||||||
| 2011–12[15] | 12 | Roundhegians | Sheffield Medicals | Halifax Vandals | |||||||||||
| 2012–13[16] | 14 | Old Rishworthians | Baildon | York Railway Institute, Hessle | |||||||||||
| 2013–14[17] | 14 | Goole | Leeds Medics and Dentists | Skipton | |||||||||||
| 2014–15[18] | 14 | Old Grovians | Castleford | Hemsworth, Burley | |||||||||||
| 2015–16[19] | 14 | Wetherby | Thornensians | Rotherham Phoenix, Bramley Phoenix | |||||||||||
| 2016–17[20] | 14 | Halifax Vandals | Goole | Halifax[f] | |||||||||||
| 2017–18[21] | 14 | Northallerton | Otliensians | Leeds Medics & Dentists, Stocksbridge | |||||||||||
| 2018–19[22] | 14 | Wensleydale | Thornensians | Leeds Modernians | |||||||||||
| 2019–20[23] | 14 | Leeds Corinthians | Baildon | Aireborough, Rotherham Phoenix | |||||||||||
| 2020–21 | 14 | Barnsley | Harrogate Pythons | Old Otliensians | |||||||||||
| 2024-25 | Green backgrounds are promotion places. | ||||||||||||||
Number of league titles
- Aireborough (2)
- Heath (2)
- Hemsworth (2)
- Leeds Corinthians (2)
- Roundhegians (2)
- Wetherby (2)
- Wath upon Dearne (2)
- Yarnbury (2)
- Barnsley (2)
- Bradford Salem (1)
- Bridlington (1)
- Goole (1)
- Halifax Vandals (1)
- Huddersfield Y.M.C.A. (1)
- Hullensians (1)
- Knottingley (1)
- Leodiensian (1)
- Moortown (1)
- Northallerton (1)
- Pocklington (1)
- Old Grovians (1)
- Old Rishworthians (1)
- Skipton (1)
- Wensleydale (1)
- West Park Leeds (1)
- York Railway Institute (1)
See also
Notes
- League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant seven clubs were promoted into Yorkshire 2 including Dinnington, West Leeds, Northallerton, Withernsea and Sheffield Tigers.
- League restructuring due to the cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1992–93 season, meant no clubs were relegated and nine clubs would be promoted from Yorkshire 4.
- Yorkshire league restructuring due to reintroduction of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1996–97 season saw nine clubs, including Marist, Ossett, Stanley Rodillians, York Railway Institute, Knottingley, Old Rishworthians, Mosborough, Heath, Leeds Corinthians, Baildon relegated from Yorkshire 3; Marist and Ossett, were relegated to Yorkshire 4, while the other seven relegated sides dropped into Yorkshire 5.
- No relegation due to cancellation of Yorkshire 6 ahead of the 1997–98 season.
- Only 1 team relegated at end of season meaning 13th placed Stocksbridge were safe.