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.
Teams for 2026–27
Leaving the league were champions Thamesians and runners-up Effingham & Leatherhead, both promoted to Counties 2 Surrey whilst Old Glynonians (11th) were relegated to Counties 4 Surrey.
Locations of the 2026–27 Counties 3 Surrey teams in Surrey
Teams for 2025–26
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.
Locations of the 2025-26 Counties 3 Surrey teams in Surrey
Teams for 2024–25
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.
Locations of the 2024-25 Counties 3 Surrey teams in Surrey
Teams for 2023-24
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 2022–23) 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.
Locations of the 2023-24 Counties 3 Surrey teams in Surrey
Teams for 2022-23
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.
Locations of the 2022-23 Counties 3 Surrey teams in Surrey
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.
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 2020–21 season meaning Surrey 3 was not contested.
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 1995–96 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 2000–01 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 1999–00 season, meant that there was no relegation until Surrey 4 was reinstated from the 2005–06 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.
↑Harrodians would be renamed Barnes RFC from the 1992–93 season onward.
↑Changes to the Surrey leagues for the following season, including the restructuring of Surrey 2 and creation of Surrey 5 meant that champions Battersea Ironsides were not promoted.
↑Not promoted due to restructure to Surrey league - Surrey 4 re-instated. Bec Old Boys would remain in division along with teams dropping from Surrey 2.
↑Despite finishing second London Media would be victims of league restructuring due to the reinstatement of Surrey 4 - dropping down to the new division.
↑Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Streatham Croydon RFC". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rded.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p.577.
↑Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Streatham Croydon RFC". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rded.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p.577.
↑Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Streatham Croydon RFC". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rded.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p.577.
↑Tony Williams and Bill Mitchell, ed. (1990). "Streatham Croydon RFC". Courage Official Rugby Union Club Directory 1990–91 (3rded.). Windsor: Burlington Publishing Co. Ltd. p.577.
England
