Counties 4 Kent (formerly known as Kent 2 or Shepherd Neame Kent 2 for sponsorship reasons) is an English level 10
Rugby Union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
League and is made up of teams predominantly from 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 ...
. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Currently promoted teams move up to
Kent 1 and there is no relegation although until the 2007–08 season teams could drop down to
Kent 3 (now folded). Now a single division, in the past Kent 2 was divided into regional divisions - Kent 2 East and Kent 2 West. Relegated teams drop down to
Counties 5 Kent. Following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it adopted its current name Counties 4 Kent.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the
RFU Junior Vase
The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, altho ...
- a level 9-12 national competition.
Teams for 2025-26
Departing were
Canterbury III and Old Williamsonians, promoted to
Counties 3 Kent while
Medway III were relegated to
Counties 5 Kent.
Teams for 2024-25
Departing were
Beckenham II, Brockleians and Old Gravesendians, all promoted to
Counties 3 Kent. Sidcup III (9th) and Lordswood (12th) were relegated to
Counties 5 Kent.
Footscray had finished 11th and would ordinarily have been relegated but for Sidcup electing to drop down a division.
Joining were Faversham relegated from
Counties 3 Kent. Bromley II,
Canterbury III,
Old Colfeians II, all promoted from
Counties 5 Kent. Rye completed the line-up having re-joined the RFU leagues after an extended absence.
Teams for 2023-24
Departing were
Tonbridge Juddians III and Sittingbourne promoted to
Counties 3 Kent. Four clubs Beccehamian II (11th), Greenwich (12th) and Askeans (14th) were relegated to
Counties 5 Kent. Weavering Warriors (13th) elected to drop into the
Kent RFU merit leagues.
Joining were
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is a major teaching hospital and major trauma centre in Denmark Hill, Camberwell in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH". It is managed by ...
and
Footscray, both relegated from
Counties 3 Kent, together with
Beckenham II and
Medway III
Teams for 2022-23
This was the first season following the
RFU
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It prom ...
Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 4 Kent.
Returning were 7 of the 9 teams who competed in the previous season's league.
Departing were Dartford Valley and Whitstable, promoted to
Counties 3 Kent. There was no relegation.
Joining from
Kent 1 were Brockleians, Cliffe Crusaders and Old Willamsonians. The league was supplemented by the addition of
Tonbridge Juddians III, Beccehamian II, Dartfordians II and Sidcup III.
Teams for 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.
Bexley, who finished 8th in 2019-20, played several of the early fixtures but withdrew from the league in November 2021.
Swanley RFC, a new entry, competed until January 2022 before withdrawing from the league.
Season 2020–21
On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced
that due to the
coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (
National League 1
National One, up until 2023 known as National League 1 and previously known before September 2009 as National Division Two), is the third of three national leagues in the domestic rugby union competition of England. It was known as Courage Lea ...
and below) for the 2020/21 season meaning Kent 2 was not contested.
Teams for 2019-20
Teams for 2018-19
Teams for 2017-18
Teams for 2016-17
*Askean
*Bexley
*Dartford Valley
*Edenbridge
*Erith
*Faversham
*
Footscray
*Greenwich
*Lordswood (relegated from
Kent 1)
*Old Gravsesendians (relegated from
Kent 1)
*Orpington
*Royal Bank of Scotland
*Shooters Hill
*Whitstable
Teams for 2015-2016
*Askean
*Bexley (relegated from
Kent 1)
*Dartford Valley
*Edenbridge
*Faversham
*
Footscray
*Greenwich
*Orpington
*Shooters Hill
*Sittingbourne (relegated from
Kent 1)
*Snowdown C.W.
*Whitstable
Teams for 2014-2015
*Askean
*Brockleians
*Dartford Valley
*Edenbridge
*Faversham
*
Footscray (relegated from
Kent 1)
*Greenwich
*New Ash Green
*Orpington
*Shooters Hill (relegated from
Kent 1)
Teams for 2013-2014
*Ash
*Askean
*Bexley
*Brockleians
*Dartford Valley (www.dvrfc.com)
*Edenbridge
*Faversham
*Guy's Hospital
*Lordswood
*New Ash Green
*Orpington
*Whitstable
Teams for 2009-2010
*Askean
*Bexley
*Brockleians
*
Footscray
*
Kings Coll. Hospital
*Lordswood
*New Ash Green
*Old Williamsonians
*Orpington
*Shooters Hill
Original teams
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
*
Ashford
*
Betteshanger
Betteshanger () is a village and former civil parish. now in the parish of Northbourne, in the Dover district, in east Kent, UK, near Deal. It gave its name to the largest of the four chief collieries of the Kent coalfield. In 1931 the parish h ...
*
Dover
Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
*
Folkestone
Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...
*
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...
*
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank plc is a major British retail banking, retail and commercial bank with a significant presence across England and Wales. It has traditionally been regarded one of the "Big Four (banking)#England and Wales, Big Four" clearing house ...
*
Met Police Hayes
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
Snowdown C.W.
*
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 ...
Kent 2 honours
Kent 2 (1987–1993)
he original Kent 2 was a tier 9 league with promotion up to
Kent 1 and relegation down to
Kent 3.
Kent 2 (1993–1996)
The creation of
National 5 South meant that Kent 2 dropped from a tier 9 league to a tier 10 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to
Kent 1 and
Kent 3 respectively.
Kent 2 (1996–1998)
The cancellation of
National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that Kent 2 reverted to being a tier 9 league. Promotion continued to
Kent 1 and
Kent 3 respectively.
Kent 2 East / West (1998–2000)
The cancellation of
Kent 3 ahead of the 1997–98 season saw Kent 2 restructured into two regional division - Kent 2 East and Kent 2 West - both of which were tier 9 leagues. Promotion continued to
Kent 1 and there was no relegation until Kent 3 was reintroduced.
Kent 2 (2000–2009)
Kent 2 was restructured back into a single division for the 2000–01 season, although the introduction of
London 4 South East meant that it fell to become a tier 10 league. Promotion continued to
Kent 1, while the reintroduction of
Kent 3 meant that there was relegation until this league was cancelled at the end of the 2007–08 season.
Kent 2 (2009–present)
Kent 2 remained a tier 10 league despite national restructuring by the
RFU
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby (WR) in 1886. It prom ...
. Promotion continued to
Kent 1 and there was no relegation.
Number of league titles
*
Ashford (2)
*
Aylesford Bulls (2)
*
Betteshanger
Betteshanger () is a village and former civil parish. now in the parish of Northbourne, in the Dover district, in east Kent, UK, near Deal. It gave its name to the largest of the four chief collieries of the Kent coalfield. In 1931 the parish h ...
(2)
*
Brockleians (2)
*
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 ...
(2)
*
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 ...
(2)
*
Old Gravesendians (2)
*
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 ...
(2)
*
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 ...
(1)
*
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
(1)
*
Cliffe Crusaders (1)
*
Folkestone
Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...
(1)
*
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...
(1)
*
Guys' Kings' & St Thomas' Hospital (1)
*
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc ( zh, t_hk=滙豐; initialism from its founding member The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, with historical and business li ...
(1)
*
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is a major teaching hospital and major trauma centre in Denmark Hill, Camberwell in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH". It is managed by ...
(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)
*
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 ...
(1)
*
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 ...
(1)
*
Old Elthamians (1)
*
Old Shootershillians (1)
*
Old Williamsonians (1)
*
Park House (1)
*
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a town in Kent with a population of 29,506, situated south-east of London, England. Also classified as a civil parishes in England, civil parish, Sevenoaks is served by a commuter South Eastern Main Line, main line railway into Lo ...
(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)
*
Whitstable
Whitstable () is a town on the north coast of Kent, England, at the convergence of the The Swale, Swale and the Greater Thames Estuary, north of Canterbury and west of Herne Bay, Kent, Herne Bay.
The town, formerly known as Whitstable-on-Se ...
(1)
Notes
See also
*
London & SE Division RFU
*
Kent RFU
*
English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England consi ...
*
Rugby union in England
Rugby union in England is one of the leading professional and recreational team sports. In 1871 the Rugby Football Union, the governing body for rugby union in England, was formed by 21 rugby clubs, and the first international match, which invol ...
References
External links
Kent Rugby Football Union
{{Rugby union in England
10
Rugby union in Kent