Counties 3 Surrey is a rugby union competition covering the English county of Surrey and parts of south-west London. It sits at the ninth tier of the English rugby union system. The teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Promoted teams move up to Counties 2 Surrey and relegated teams move down to Counties 4 Surrey.
Each year some of the clubs in this division also take part in the RFU Junior Vase - a level 9-11 national competition.
Leaving the league were Worth Old Boys and Old Hamptonians, promoted to Counties 2 Surrey whilst London Media (10th) and Warlingham (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Surrey. Economicals (9th) elected to be re-allocated to Counties 5 Surrey ahead of the new season.
Leaving the league were Bec Old Boys and Met Police, promoted to Counties 2 Surrey whilst Old Emanuel were relegated to Counties 4 Surrey. In their place came Law Society and Warlingham, relegated from Counties 2 Surrey whilst Streatham-Croydon and Old Hamptonians were promoted from Counties 4 Surrey.
Ordinarily having finished 9th London Media would have been relegated too but owing to Old Freemans suffering a double relegation from Counties 2 Surrey to Counties 4 Surrey they earned a reprieve. Consequently the league will run with eleven sides.
Departing the league were Old Caterhamians and Old Wimbledonians, promoted to Counties 2 Surrey whilst Cranleigh were relegated to Counties 4 Surrey. Also departing were Old Wellingtonians (5th in 2022âÂÂ23) who withdrew from league competition.
In their place came Bec Old Boys and Old Georgians, promoted from Counties 4 Surrey whilst Effingham & Leatherhead and London Exiles joined having been relegated from Counties 2 Surrey. Old Emanuel re-joined the league structure after a sabbatical having most recently competed in London 3 South West in season 2021-22. With four leaving and five joining the league was made up of 10 sides having had 9 in its inaugural year.
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review. The league was substantially similar to Surrey 2 but while that league had been at level 10 of the English rugby pyramid the new league was at level 9.
Seven of the teams had previously competed in Surrey 2 and they were joined from the top two from Surrey 3 - Old Caterhamians and Old Johnians.
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.
Raynes Park withdrew from the league in October 2021, consequently it ran with nine teams instead.
On 30 October the RFU announced that a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues (National League 1 and below) for the 2020âÂÂ21 season meaning Surrey 3 was not contested.
When league rugby began in 1987 this division contained the following teams:
The original Surrey 3 was tier 10 league, with promotion up to Surrey 2 (initially Surrey 2A and Surrey 2B) and relegation down to Surrey 4.
The creation of National 5 South meant that Surrey 3 dropped from a tier 10 league to a tier 11 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion and relegation continued to Surrey 2 and Surrey 4 respectively.
The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season meant that Surrey 3 reverted to being a tier 10 league. Promotion and relegation continued to Surrey 2 and Surrey 4 respectively.
The introduction of London 4 South West ahead of the 2000âÂÂ01 season meant Surrey 3 dropped to become a tier 11 league. Promotion was to Surrey 2, while the cancellation of Surrey 4 at the end of the 1999âÂÂ00 season, meant that there was no relegation until Surrey 4 was reinstated from the 2005âÂÂ06 season onward.
Surrey 3 remained a tier 11 league despite national restructuring by the RFU. Promotion and relegation continued to Surrey 2 and Surrey 4 respectively.