Counties 5 Kent (formerly Kent 3) is an English Rugby Union league that is the lowest RFU league for clubs in south-east

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

. Promoted teams go up to Counties 4 Kent and relegation is to the Kent RFU merit leagues. 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.

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.

2023–24

2008–2023

League not contested

Original teams

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

Bexley Bexley is an area of south-eastern Greater London, England and part of the London Borough of Bexley. It is sometimes known as Bexley Village or Old Bexley to differentiate the area from the wider borough. It is located east-southeast of Ch ...

* Cranbrook * Deal Wanderers * Linton *

New Ash Green New Ash Green is a village in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located 8 miles south west of Gravesend. History Building of the village began in 1967, with Span as the developer and Eric Lyons as the designer. The architectural ...

* Old Gravesendians * Sheppey *

Sittingbourne Sittingbourne is an industrial town in the Swale district of Kent, southeast England, from Canterbury and from London, beside the Roman Watling Street, an ancient trackway used by the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons. The town stands next to th ...

Vigo Vigo (, ; ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of province of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest ...

Kent 3 honours

Number of league titles

Midland Bank Midland Bank plc was one of the Big Four (banks)#United Kingdom, Big Four banking groups in the United Kingdom for most of the 20th century. It is now part of HSBC. The bank was founded as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Union Street, Birming ...

(2) *

(1) * Brockleians (1) * Cranbrook (1) * Deal & Betteshanger (1) *

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north ...

(1) * Lordswood (1) *

Medway Medway is a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in the ceremonial county of Kent in South East England. It was formed in 1998 by merging the boroughs of City of Roche ...

(1) * Met Police Hayes (1) *

(1) * Old Gravesendians (1) * Old Williamsonians (1) *

Orpington Orpington is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross. On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Mary Cray, sou ...

(1) * Sheppey (1) *

Shooters Hill Shooter's Hill is a district of South East London, England, straddling the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north of Eltham and south of Woolwich. With a height of , it is the highest point in the Borough of ...

(1) *

Thames Polytechnic The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

(1) *

Tonbridge Tonbridge ( ) (historic spelling ''Tunbridge'') is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, south west of Maidstone and south east of London. In the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Mall ...

(1) *

(1)

Notes

References

{{Rugby union in England 11 Rugby union in Kent 2008 disestablishments in England Sports leagues disestablished in 2008 Sports leagues established in 2023 2023 establishments in England

2025-26

2024–25

2023–24

2008–2023

Original teams

Kent 3 honours

Number of league titles

See also

Notes

References