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 2006–07 season, the division was originally known as Midlands 5 East (North) but changed to its present name for the 2008–09 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 2021–22 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 2023–24 a Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) was introduced before in 2024–25 the East (North) league was split North East and North West.
2026-27
North East
Departing were Boston promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North while Skegness were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (North East)
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bingham The Pavilion Bingham, Nottinghamshire 7th Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 8th Gainsborough Roses Sports Fields Gainsborough, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North (12th) Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire 5th Market Rasen & Louth II Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 2nd Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 4 Midlands East (North East) Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire 4th North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 9th Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 3rd Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North (11th) Southwell II Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire 6th
North West
Departing were Belper promoted to Counties 2 Midlands East (North) while Castle Donington were relegated to Counties 4 Midlands East (West)
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire 9th Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire 11th Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 10th Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire 3rd Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 7th Leesbrook Asterdale Sports Centre Spondon, Derby, Derbyshire 4th East Leake Costock Road Playing Fields East Leake, Nottinghamshire Promoted from Counties 4 Midlands East (West) Long Eaton II West Park 1,000 Long Eaton, Derbyshire 8th Melbourne II Cockshut Lane 2,000 Melbourne, Derbyshire 2nd Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire 5th Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 6th West Bridgford II The Memorial Ground West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (10th)
2025–26
North East
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)
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bingham The Pavilion Bingham, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Boston Princess Royal Sports Arena 2,000 Boston, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North (8th) Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 5th Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire 3rd Market Rasen & Louth II Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire 4th Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North (11th) North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 6th Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 2nd Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire 7th Southwell II Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central)
North West
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).
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire 6th Ashfield Polly Bowls Sports Ground Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (12th) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 5th Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire 2nd Castle Donington Spital Park Pavilion Castle Donington, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands East (North) (10th) Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 3rd Leesbrook Asterdale Sports Centre Spondon, Derby, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Long Eaton II West Park 1,000 Long Eaton, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Melbourne II Cockshut Lane 2,000 Melbourne, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 4th
2024–25
Ahead of the new season the league was divided into two divisions, North East and North West.
North East
Departing were Mosborough promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Grimsby, Lincoln II, Market Rasen & Louth II, North Hykeham, Skegness and Sleaford.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 8th East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire 9th Grimsby Springfield Grimsby, Lincolnshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Lincoln II Longdales Park Lincoln, Lincolnshire New entry Market Rasen & Louth II Willingham Road Market Rasen, Lincolnshire New entry Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 4th North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (8th) Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 7th Skegness Wainfleet Road Skegness, Lincolnshire Re-entry Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (3rd) Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 11th
North West
Joining were Ashbourne II, Belper, Paviors II and Rolls-Royce
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 12th Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (10th) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire 3rd Belper Strutts Playing Field Belper, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 5th Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 10th Mansfield II Eakring Road 1,000 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire New entry Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire 6th Paviors II The Ron Rossin Ground Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (5th) Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire Level transfer from Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) (7th) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 2nd
2023–24
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.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 12th (West) Bakewell Mannerians Lady Manners School Bakewell, Derbyshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 4th (West) Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 11th (East) Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire 9th (West) East Retford Ordsall Road Retford, Nottinghamshire Relegated from Counties 2 Midlands (East) North Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire 6th (West) Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire 2nd (East) Mosborough Mosborough Miners Welfare Club Mosborough, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Level transfer from Counties 4 Yorkshire (4th) Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 9th (East) Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 3rd (West) Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 10th (East)
2022–23 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.
East
Departing were Gainsborough, promoted to Counties 2 Midlands (East) North.
Joining were Meden Vale, Newark II, Nottinghamians, Nottingham Medics, Paviors II and Southwell II .
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Cleethorpes KGV Playing Fields Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 3rd Meden Vale Elkesley Road Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Midlands 4 East (North) West (runners-up) Newark II The Rugby Ground 1,000 (60 seats) Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire New entry North Hykeham Ruston Sports and Bar North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 4th Nottinghamians Adbolton Lane Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire Level transfer from Midlands 4 East (North) West (5th) Nottingham Medics Weir Field Recreation Ground Beeston, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Ollerton Boughton Sports Field Boughton, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire 5th Paviors II The Ron Rossin Ground Nottingham, Nottinghamshire New entry Sleaford David Williams Pavilion Sleaford, Lincolnshire 2nd Southwell II Pentelowes Southwell, Nottinghamshire New entry Worksop Stubbing Lane Worksop, Nottinghamshire 6th
West
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.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Amber Valley Lower Somercotes Alfreton, Derbyshire 6th Ashbourne II Recreation Ground Ashbourne, Derbyshire New entry Chesterfield Panthers Dunston Road 2,000 Chesterfield, Derbyshire 3rd Derby II Haslams Lane Derby, Derbyshire New entry Dronfield II Gosforth Fields Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire New entry Keyworth Willoughby Road Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire Re-entry Long Eaton II West Park 1,000 Long Eaton, Derbyshire New entry Matlock II Cromford Meadows Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire New entry Melbourne II Cockshut Lane 2,000 Melbourne, Derbyshire New entry Rolls-Royce Moor Lane Derby, Derbyshire 7th Tupton North Side Tupton, Derbyshire 4th West Bridgford II The Memorial Ground West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire New entry
2021–22