Counties 5 Kent

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.

Counties 5 Kent

Sport	Rugby Union
Instituted	1987; 38 years ago (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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Askeans Rectory Field 6,000 Blackheath, London 6th Beccehamian II Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 8th Blackheath III Well Hall Eltham, London New entry Bromley III Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London New entry Edenbridge Coomb Field Edenbridge, Kent Re-entry Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 10th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent 5th Medway III Priestfields Rochester, Kent Relegated from Counties 4 Kent (12th) Old Alleynians III The Common Dulwich, London 4th Old Elthamians II Hospital Ground Chislehurst, London New entry Park House II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London 9th Sidcup III Crescent Farm Sidcup, London 7th

Askeans Beccehamian II Blackheath III Bromley III Greenwich Alleynians III Elthamians II Park House II Sidcup III Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Edenbridge Lordswood Medway III Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent

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.

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Ashford II Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent 6th Askeans Rectory Field 6,000 Blackheath, London 5th Beccehamian II Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London 7th Beckenham III Balmoral Avenue Beckenham, London New entry East Peckham & Paddock Wood Putlands Sports & Leisure Centre Paddock Wood, Kent New entry Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London 8th Lordswood Lordswood Sports & Social Club Chatham, Kent Relegated from Counties 4 Kent (12th) Old Alleynians III The Common Dulwich, London New entry Park House II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London New entry Sevenoaks III Knole Paddock 1,000 Sevenoaks, Kent 4th Sidcup III Crescent Farm Sidcup, London Requested drop Counties 4 Kent (9th)

Askeans Beccehamian II Beckenham III Greenwich Alleynians III Park House II Sidcup III Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Ashford II EP & PW Lordswood Sevenoaks III Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent

2023–24

Team Ground Capacity City/Area Previous season Ashford II Kinney's Field Ashford, Kent New entry Askeans Rectory Field 6,000 Blackheath, London Relegated from Counties 4 Kent (13th) Beccehamian II Sparrow's Den West Wickham, London Relegated from Counties 4 Kent (11th) Bromley II Barnet Wood Road Hayes, London New entry Canterbury III Marine Travel Ground 1,500 (75 seats) Canterbury, Kent New entry Greenwich Plumstead Common Plumstead, London Relegated from Counties 4 Kent (12th) Old Colfeians II Horn Park Lee, London New entry Sevenoaks III Knole Paddock 1,000 Sevenoaks, Kent New entry

Askeans Beccehamian II Bromley II Greenwich Colfeians II Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 5 Kent teams in Greater London Ashford II Canterbury III Sevenoaks III Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 5 Kent teams in Kent

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

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

• London & SE Division RFU
• Kent RFU
• English rugby union system
• Rugby union in England

Notes

1. Deal Wanderers RFC would later merge with Betteshanger RFC in 2006 to form Deal & Betteshanger Rugby Club.^[1]
2. Now known as Aylesford Bulls RFC.
3. Restructuring of the Kent leagues meant that the top six clubs were promoted from Kent 3 including Deal Wanderers, Bexley, Linton and Old Gravesendians.
4. Restructuring of the Kent leagues meant there was no relegation.
5. 8th place Kent Police would drop out of the league at the end of the season.
6. Due to Kent league restructuring, the top nine teams were promoted from Kent 3.
7. 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.
8. The cancellation of Kent 3 and Kent 4 and restructuring of Kent 2 for the following season meant that champions Erith would be promoted to the new regional Kent 2 East division.
9. 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.
10. The cancellation of Kent 4 meant that there was no relegation - bottom two sides Meopham and Canterbury Exiles would drop out of the leagues.
11. No relegation as Kent 4 abolished at the end of the season.
12. 3rd place Dartford Valley were also promoted.
13. As this was the final season of Kent 3 all teams in the division were automatically promoted to Kent 2.