Counties 3 Midlands East (North East) / (North West) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)) are level 9 English Rugby Union leagues and level 4 of the Midlands League, made up of teams from the northern part of the East Midlands region including clubs from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and the occasional team from Leicestershire, with home and away matches played throughout the season. Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-12 national competition.
Formed for the 2006âÂÂ07 season, the division was originally known as Midlands 5 East (North) but changed to its present name for the 2008âÂÂ09 season due to league restructuring.
Promoted teams tend to move up to Counties 2 Midlands East (North), while relegation is to Counties 4 Midlands East (West) or Counties 4 Midlands East (East).
The division was split across two geographic areas (East & West) for the 2021âÂÂ22 season as part of an RFU reorganisation of the Midlands regional league. Further restructuring followed in the wake of the RFU's Adult Competition Review, with the league(s) initially known as Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East / West. From season 2023âÂÂ24 a Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) was introduced before in 2024âÂÂ25 the East (North) league was split North East and North West.
Departing were Sleaford promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
East Retford (9th), Meden Vale (8th) and Worksop (10th) were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (West) while Lincoln II (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (East)
Departing were Tupton (champions), promoted to Counties 2 Midlands East (North). Amber Valley (10th), Chesterfield Panthers (8th), Mansfield II (11th) and Matlock II (9th) were all relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (West) while Paviors II (7th) were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (East).
Ahead of the new season the league was divided into two divisions, North East and North West.
Departing were Mosborough promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Grimsby, Lincoln II, Market Rasen & Louth II, North Hykeham, Skegness and Sleaford.
Joining were Ashbourne II, Belper, Paviors II and Rolls-Royce
Departing from the East league were Newark II and from the West, Departing were Derby II, both promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North. Nottingham Medics (3rd) withdrew from the league.
Moving on a level transfer to the newly formed Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) from the East league were North Hykeham, Nottinghamians, Paviors II, Sleaford and Southwell II; and from the West were Ashbourne II, Keyworth, Long Eaton II, Melbourne II, Rolls-Royce and West Bridgford II.
Joining were Mosborough, Bakewell Mannerians and East Retford.
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name(s) of Counties 3 Midlands West (North) East / West.
Departing were Gainsborough, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Meden Vale, Newark II, Nottinghamians, Nottingham Medics, Paviors II and Southwell II .
Departing were Nottingham Moderns, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Ashbourne II, Derby II, Dronfield II, Keyworth, Long Eaton II, Matlock II, Melbourne II and West Bridgford II.
Skegness, who finished 12th in 2019âÂÂ20, were placed in the East division for the current season but were unable to fulfil their fixtures and subsequently withdrew from the league.
The teams competing in 2021âÂÂ22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019âÂÂ20, the positions in brackets refer to that season not 2020âÂÂ21.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020âÂÂ21 season was cancelled.
When this division was introduced in 2006 as Midlands 5 East (North), it contained the following teams:
League restructuring ahead of the 2006âÂÂ07 season saw the introduction of Midlands 5 East (North) and its counterpart Midlands 5 East (South) at tier 9 to replace the discontinued East Midlands/South Leicestershire 1 and Notts, Lincs, Derbyshire/North Leicestershire leagues. Promotion was to Midlands 4 East (North) and relegation to either Midlands 6 East (North-East) or Midlands 6 East (North-West).
Further league restructuring by the RFU meant that Midlands 5 East (North) and Midlands 5 East (South) were renamed as Midlands 4 East (North) and Midlands 4 East (South), with both leagues remaining at tier 9. Promotion was now to Midlands 3 East (North) (formerly Midlands 4 East (North)) and relegation to Midlands 5 East (North) (formerly Midlands 6 East (North)) until that league was discontinued at the end of the 2017âÂÂ18 season.