English level 8 Rugby Union League
London 3 South East is an English level 8 Rugby Union League involving club sides from Kent , East Sussex , West Sussex and the south-east London .[ 1] It is made up of teams predominantly from London , Sussex and Kent . The twelve teams play home and away matches from September to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Senior Vase , a national competition at level 8.
Promoted teams move up to London 2 South East , while demoted teams move down to Sussex 1 and Kent 1 . Although 2nd XV rugby is part of the Sussex regional system, only 1st XV sides are eligible to play in London 3 South East.
The teams competing in 2021-22 season earned their places in the league based on their performances in the 2019-20, Thus, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to the 2019-20 season, not the 2020-21 season.
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aylesford Bulls
Jack Williams Ground
Aylesford , Kent
8th
Bromley
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
3rd
Crawley
Willoughby Fields
Crawley , West Sussex
Promoted from Sussex 1 (champions)
Cranbrook
Tomlin Ground
Cranbrook , Kent
Promoted from Kent 1 (runners-up)
Dover
Crabble Athletic Ground
Dover , Kent
Relegated from London 2 SE (11th)
Gillingham Anchorians
Darland Banks
Gillingham , Kent
9th
Heathfield & Waldron
Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground
Cross In Hand , Heathfield , East Sussex
6th
Maidstone
William Davey Memorial Ground
Maidstone , Kent
Relegated from London 2 SE (12th)
Old Dunstonians
St. Dunstan's Lane
Beckenham , London
5th
Pulborough
Freelands
Pulborough , West Sussex
4th
Southwark Lancers
Burgess Park
Camberwell , London
Promoted from Kent 1 (champions)
Vigo
Swanswood Field
Vigo , Kent
7th
Locations of the 2021-22 London 3 South East teams in London
Locations of the 2021-22 London 3 South East teams in Kent, East Sussex & West Sussex
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced[ 2] 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 London 3 South East was not contested.
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Ashford
Kinney's Field
Ashford , Kent
Promoted from Kent 1 (champions)
Aylesford Bulls
Jack Williams Ground
Aylesford , Kent
Relegated from London 2 SE (11th)
Bromley
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
9th
Folkestone
New Burlington Ground
Newington , Folkestone , Kent
3rd
Gillingham Anchorians
Darland Banks
Gillingham , Kent
Promoted from Kent 1 (playoff)
Heathfield & Waldron
Hardy Roberts Recreational Ground
Cross In Hand , Heathfield , East Sussex
Relegated from London 2 SE (12th)
Old Dunstonians
St. Dunstan's Lane
Beckenham , London
6th
Old Williamsonians
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Rochester , Kent
8th
Park House
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
7th
Pulborough
Freelands
Pulborough , West Sussex
4th
Uckfield
Hempstead Playing Fields
Uckfield , East Sussex
Promoted from Sussex 1 (champions)
Vigo
Swanswood Field
Vigo , Kent
5th
Locations of the 2019-20 London 3 South East teams in London
Locations of the 2019–20 London 3 South East teams
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Beccehamian
Sparrow's Den
West Wickham , London
Promoted from Kent 1 (champions)
Bromley
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
3rd
Crowborough
Steel Cross
Crowborough , East Sussex
6th
Folkestone
New Burlington Ground
Newington , Folkestone , Kent
10th
Hastings & Bexhill
William Parker Lower School
Hastings , East Sussex
9th
Lewes
Stanley Turner Ground
Lewes , East Sussex
7th
Old Dunstonians
St. Dunstan's Lane
Beckenham , London
5th
Old Williamsonians
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Rochester , Kent
4th
Park House
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
8th
Pulborough
Freelands
Pulborough , West Sussex
Relegated from London 2 SE (11th)
Vigo
Swanswood Field
Vigo , Kent
Promoted from Kent 1 (playoff)
Locations of the 2018-19 London 3 South East teams in London
Locations of the 2018–19 London 3 South East teams
Team
Ground
Capacity
City/Area
Previous season
Aylesford Bulls
Jack Williams Ground
Aylesford , Kent
7th
Bromley
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
Relegated from London 2 South East (11th)
Crawley
Willoughby Fields
Crawley , West Sussex
Promoted from Sussex 1 (champions)
Crowborough
Green Lane
Crowborough , East Sussex
Relegated from London 2 South East (12th)
Folkestone
New Burlington Ground
Newington , Folkestone , Kent
4th
Hastings & Bexhill
William Parker Lower School
Hastings , East Sussex
Promoted from Kent 1 (champions)
Lewes
Stanley Turner Ground
Lewes , East Sussex
5th
Old Dunstonians
St. Dunstan's Lane
Beckenham , London
6th
Old Williamsonians
Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Rochester , Kent
Promoted from Kent 1 (playoff)
Park House
Barnet Wood Road
Hayes , London
9th
Sheppey
Stupple Field
Minster , Kent
8th
Thanet Wanderers
St Peter's Recreation Ground
Broadstairs , Kent
3rd
Locations of the 2017-18 London 3 South East teams in London
Locations of the 2017–18 London 3 South East teams
Teams for 2012-2013 [ edit ]
When this division was introduced in 2000 (as London 4 South East) it contained the following teams:
London 3 South East honours [ edit ]
London 4 South East (2000–2009)[ edit ]
Originally known as London 4 South East, this division was a tier 8 league with promotion up to London 3 South East and relegation down to either Kent 1 or Sussex 1 .
London 4 South East Honours
Season
No of teams
Champions
Runners–up
Relegated Teams
2000–01[ 3]
10
Dartfordians
Old Dunstonians
Park House , Chichester , Heathfield & Waldron
2001–02[ 4]
10
Betteshanger
Eastbourne
Askean , Cranbrook , Uckfield
2002–03[ 5]
10
Chichester
Bognor
Heathfield & Waldron , Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital , Beccehamian
2003–04[ 6]
10
Aylesford Bulls
Folkestone
Uckfield
2004–05[ 7]
10
Old Dunstonians
Lordswood
Crawley , Ashford
2005–06[ 8]
10
Old Elthamians
Betteshanger
East Grinstead , Horsham , Sittingbourne
2006–07[ 9]
10
Eastbourne
Dover
Dartfordians , Brighton , Ashford
2007–08[ 10]
10
Bognor
Hove
No relegation[ a]
2008–09[ 11]
12
Tonbridge Juddians
Bromley
Beccehamian
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
London 3 South East (2009–present)[ edit ]
League restructuring by the RFU ahead of the 2009–10 season saw London 4 South East renamed as London 3 South East. Remaining as a tier 8 league promotion was to London 2 South East (formerly London 3 South East), while relegation continued to either Kent 1 or Sussex 1 .
Season
No of teams
Champions
Runners–up
Relegated Teams
2009–10[ 12]
12
East Grinstead
Brighton
Old Gravesendians , Whitstable , Hastings & Bexhill
2010–11[ 13]
12
Heathfield & Waldron
Charlton Park
Dartfordians , Cranbrook , Crawley
2011–12[ 14]
12
Crowborough
Medway
Eastbourne , Uckfield
2012–13[ 15]
12
Maidstone
Tunbridge Wells
Vigo , Pulborough , Park House
2013–14[ 16]
12
Thanet Wanderers
Ashford
Beccehamian , Burgess Hill , Sheppey
2014–15[ 17]
12
Horsham
Dartfordians
Hastings & Bexhill , Lewes
2015–16[ 18]
12
Bromley
Heathfield & Waldron
Uckfield , Burgess Hill
2016–17[ 19]
12
Pulborough
Haywards Heath
Ashford , Eastbourne
2017–18[ 20]
12
Aylesford Bulls
Thanet Wanderers
Crawley , Sheppey
2018–19[ 21]
11[ b]
Crowborough
Beccehamian
Lewes , Hastings & Bexhill
2019–20[ 22]
12
Ashford
Folkestone
Old Williamsonians , Park House , Uckfield
2020–21
12
Green backgrounds are promotion places.
Number of league titles [ edit ]
^ No relegation as league to increase from 10 to 12 teams for the following season.
^ Only 11 teams this season after Hellingly dropped out of the league.
Governing body National teams
International competitions
Competition divisions
European competitions National competitions London and South East competitions Midland competitions Northern competitions South West competitions County competitions Discontinued competitions Related articles Other