Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland

Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland, previously known as Durham/Northumberland 3, is an English rugby union league at the ninth tier of the domestic competition and is currently the basement league of club rugby in North East England. Any club in the north east wishing to join the rugby union club hierarchy must begin at the bottom so all new teams from the north east start in this division - although until 2005-06 there was relegation to the now defunct Durham/Northumberland 4. The champions and runner-up are promoted to Counties 2 Durham & Northumberland.

Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland
Current season or competition:
2022–23 Counties 3 Durham & Northumberland
SportRugby union
Instituted1987 (1987)
Number of teams11
Country England
HoldersRedcar (1st title) (2019–20)
(promoted to Durham/Northumberland 2)
Most titlesGuisborough, South Shields (4 titles)
WebsiteEngland RFU

Each season two teams from Durham/Northumberland 3 are picked to take part in the RFU Junior Vase (a national competition for clubs at levels 9-12) - one affiliated with the Durham County RFU, the other with the Northumberland RFU. Redcar won the league in 2020 with Seaham also promoted.

The division was split across two geographic areas (North & South) for the 2021–22 season as part of an RFU reorganisation of the Durham & Northumberland regional league.

Participating clubs 2022–23
  • Blyth
  • Gosforth
  • DMP Elizabethans
  • Houghton Seaton Carew
  • Jarrovians
  • Prudhoe & Stockshill
  • Seghill
  • Yarm

Participating clubs 2021–22

Jarrovians rejoined the (North) league having withdrawn from DN3 in 2019–20.

Ahead of the new season Newton Aycliffe RUFC (5th in 2019-20) and West Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B. (9th in 2019-20) withdrew from DN3 (South).

In November 2021 South Shields withdrew, meaning the (North) league was completed with 7 teams in 2021–22.

In January 2022 Richmondshire RUFC (10th in 2019-20) also withdrew, meaning the (South) league was completed with 4 teams in 2021–22.

The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the positions in brackets refer to that season not 2020–21.

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 DN3 was not contested.

Participating clubs 2019–20

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:

  • Billingham
  • Chester-le-Street
  • Darlington RA
  • Guisborough
  • Hartlepool TDSOB
  • North Shields
  • Seaton Carew
  • Washington
  • Wearside
  • Whitby

Durham/Northumberland 3 Honours

Durham/Northumberland 3 (1987–1993)

The original Durham/Northumberland 3 was a tier 11 league with promotion up to Durham/Northumberland 2 and relegation down to Durham/Northumberland 4 until the end of the 1991–92 season when that division was cancelled.

Durham/Northumberland 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1987–8810WhitbyBillinghamWashington[lower-alpha 1]
1988–8910Darlington Railway AthleticNorth ShieldsNo relegation
1989–9011Barnard CastleSeaton CarewPrudhoe Hospital, Wearside
1990–9111GuisboroughWest Hartlepool T.D.S.O.B.Civil Service Durham
1991–9211Chester-le-StreetWallsend[lower-alpha 2]No relegation[lower-alpha 3]
1992–9311Newton AycliffeHartlepool B.B.O.B.No relegation
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Durham/Northumberland 3 (1993–2000)

The creation of National 5 North for the 1993–94 season meant that Durham/Northumberland 3 dropped to being a tier 12 league. A further restructure at the end of the 1995–96 season saw Durham/Northumberland 3 remain at tier 12. The reintroduction of Durham/Northumberland 4, meant that relegation returned for the 1996–97 season.

Durham/Northumberland 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
1993–9410BillinghamRichmondshireNo relegation
1994–9510Barnard CastleSedgefieldNo relegation
1995–9612South Tyneside CollegeSeaton CarewMultiple teams[lower-alpha 4]
1996–978BillinghamSeghillWearside
1997–989GosforthHoughtonNo relegation
1998–99[2]10WallsendRichmondshireHartlepool B.B.O.B.
1999–00[3]9Guisborough[lower-alpha 5]Seaton CarewHartlepool Athletic, Seaham
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Durham/Northumberland 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 Durham/Northumberland 3 became a tier 9 league. Relegation continued to Durham/Northumberland 4 until that division was abolished at the end of the 2005–06 season.

Durham/Northumberland 3
Season No of Teams Champions Runners–up Relegated Teams
2000–01[4]12GuisboroughBarnard CastleDurham Constabulary
2001–02[5]12NovocastriansSeaton CarewNewton Aycliffe, Wensleydale
2002–03[6]12PontelandYarmWearside Samurai, Jarrovians
2003–04[7]12RichmondshireWhitbyWest Hartlepool Amateurs, Hartlepool Athletic
2004–05[8]10SunderlandWhitley Bay RockcliffSeaham, South Tyneside College
2005–06[9]10BlythYarmNo relegation[lower-alpha 6]
2006–07[10]13MedicalsBarnard CastleNo relegation
2007–08[11]11HartlepoolTeam NorthumbriaNo relegation
2008–09[12]11Seaton CarewBishop AucklandNo relegation
2009–10[13]12GuisboroughPrudhoe & StocksfieldNo relegation
2010–11[14]11North ShieldsWhitbyNo relegation
2011–12[15]11Prudhoe & StocksfieldSeahamNo relegation
2012–13[16]12Hartlepool B.B.O.B.WhitbyNo relegation
2013–14[17]12South Tyneside CollegeWinlaton VulcansNo relegation
2014–15[18]12WhitbyHoughtonNo relegation
2015–16[19]13South ShieldsSedgefieldNo relegation
2016–17[20]12Newton AycliffeRichmondshireNo relegation
2017–18[21]12South ShieldsHoughtonNo relegation
2018–19[22]10[lower-alpha 7]Seaton CarewBlythNo relegation
2019–20[23]11RedcarSeahamNo relegation
2020–2111
Green backgrounds are promotion places.

Number of league titles

See also

Notes
  1. Relegated side Washington would drop out of the Durham/Northumberland leagues at the end of the season, re-entering Durham/Northumberland 4 for the 1990–91 season.
  2. Due to restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4, runners up Wallsend were promoted to Durham/Northumberland 2, along with North Shields, Houghton, Billingham, South Tyneside College and Wensleydale.
  3. Due to restructuring caused by the cancellation of Durham/Northumberland 4, no clubs were relegated. The remaining eight clubs in Durham/Northumberland 4 were promoted into Durham/Northumberland 3 for the following season.
  4. Due to restructuring of the leagues, seven clubs including Prudhoe Hospital, Durham Constabulary, Washington, Hartlepool Athletic, Newton Aycliffe, Jarrovians were relegated to the reintroduced Durham/Northumberland 4 (Alston Moor folded at the end of the season). This was also done to decrease league sizes and begin home and away fixtures in order to inaugurate North East 3 the following season.
  5. Guisborough were not promoted despite being champions as the division was to increase from 9 to 12 teams for the following season.
  6. No relegation as Durham/Northumberland 4 to be abolished for the following season.
  7. Division reduced from 12 to 10 teams after Jarrovians and Chester-le-Street pull out.
  8. South Tyneside College changed their name to South Shields in 2015.

References
  1. "RFU Cancels Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020/21 Season". RFU. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. "1998-99 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  3. "1999-00 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. "2000-01 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. "2001-02 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  6. "2002-03 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. "2003-04 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  8. "2004-05 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  9. "2005-06 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  10. "2006-07 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  11. "2007-08 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  12. "2008-09 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  13. "2009-10 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  14. "2010-11 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  15. "2011-12 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  16. "2012-13 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  17. "2013-14 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  18. "2014-15 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  19. "2015-16 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  20. "2015-16 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  21. "2017-18 Northern Division". England Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  22. "2018-19 Northern Division". England Rugby. RFU. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  23. "Men's North Level 8 and below leagues 2019–20" (PDF). England Rugby. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
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