Counties 3 Hertfordshire (formerly Counties 3 Herts/Middlesex and before that Herts/Middlesex 1) is a tier 9 English Rugby Union league. It is organised by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union for clubs in Hertfordshire and parts of north-west London that traditionally was encompassed by the historic county of Middlesex. Promotion is to Counties 2 Hertfordshire relegation is to the Hertfordshire RFU merit leagues.
Historically the league was a level 8 league but following the RFU's Adult Competition Review, from season 2022-23 it became a level 9 competition and adopted the name Counties 3 Herts/Middlesex, however ahead of the 2025-26 season a decision was taken to split out Hertfordshire RFU and Middlesex RFU clubs.
Participating clubs 2026-27
Departing were Hitchin II (champions), Old Grammarians (runners-up) and Harpenden II (3rd) all promoted to Counties 2 Hertfordshire.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Biggleswade II Langford Road Biggleswade, Bedfordshire New entry Bishop's Stortford III Silver Leys 1,600 Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire 7th Cheshunt II Rosedale Sports Club Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire 5th Cuffley Botany Bay Cricket Club Botany Bay, London 6th Fullerians II Coningsby Drive Watford, Hertfordshire 8th Hemel Hempstead II Chaulden Lane Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire New entry Hertford III Highfields Ware, Hertfordshire New entry Hitchin III King George V Playing Fields Hitchin, Hertfordshire New entry Stevenage North Road Stevenage, Hertfordshire 10th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire 4th Welwyn II Hobbs Way Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire 9th
Participating clubs 2025–26
This was the first season with the league containing only Hertfordshire RFU clubs.
Royston (champions) and Chess Valley (3rd) were promoted to Counties 2 Hertfordshire. Also leaving as part of the division of Herts and Middlesex clubs were Actonians (4th), Finsbury Park (5th) and Kilburn Cosmos (6th) all promoted to Counties 2 Middlesex. Thamesians (runners-up) moved on a level transfer to Counties 3 Surrey.
Chess Valley II were initially placed in the league but subsequently withdrew leaving eleven clubs to contest the remaining fixtures.
Hatfield started the season but did not complete it withdrawing in early 2026.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bishop's Stortford III Silver Leys 1,600 Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire New entry Cheshunt II Rosedale Sports Club Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire New entry Cuffley Botany Bay Cricket Club Botany Bay, London Re-entry Fullerians II Coningsby Drive Watford, Hertfordshire New entry Harpenden II Redbourn Lane Harpenden, Hertfordshire New entry Hatfield Briars Lane Hatfield, Hertfordshire New entry Hitchin II King George V Playing Fields Hitchin, Hertfordshire New entry Old Grammarians Green Dragon Lane Winchmore Hill, London New entry Stevenage North Road Stevenage, Hertfordshire 8th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire 7th Welwyn II Hobbs Way Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire New entry
Participating clubs 2024–25
Departing were UCS Old Boys and Verulamians promoted to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex. Three clubs did not return for the new campaign - Bank Lane (9th) disbanded in Summer 2024 and merged with London Cornish RFC, Berkhamsted (10th) joined Herts RFU Merit South 1 and Uxbridge (13th) dropped to Middlesex RFU Merit 2. Joining were Mill Hill who re-entered the RFU league system for the first time since 2021–22.
Hendon began their league campaign but withdrew in October to join the Middlesex RFU Merit leagues. Mill Hill, a re-entry, also subsequently withdrew leaving only eight clubs to contest the remaining fixtures.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London 7th Chess Valley Croxley Guild of Sports Croxley, Hertfordshire 5th Finsbury Park Downhills Park West Green, London 3rd Kilburn Cosmos Gladstone Park Kilburn, London 11th Royston The Heath Sports Centre Royston, Hertfordshire 4th Stevenage North Road Stevenage, Hertfordshire 12th Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London 6th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire 8th
Participating clubs 2023–24
Departing were Old Millhillians and Brunel University promoted to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.
Joining were Royston, relegated from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex, together with Berkhamsted, Stevenage and Finsbury Park.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London 8th Bank Lane Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London 3rd Berkhamsted Lockhart Field Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire Joined from H&M Merit 2 (Runners-Up) Chess Valley Croxley Guild of Sports Croxley, Hertfordshire 11th Finsbury Park Downhills Park West Green, London Joined from Middlesex Merit 2 Kilburn Cosmos Gladstone Park Kilburn, London 9th Royston The Heath Sports Centre Royston, Hertfordshire Relegated from Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex (11th) Stevenage Town North Road Stevenage, Hertfordshire Joined from H&M Merit 2 (4th) Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London 6th UCS Old Boys UCS Sports Ground Cricklewood, London 5th Uxbridge Uxbridge Sports Club Uxbridge, London 10th Verulamians Cotlandswick London Colney, Hertfordshire 4th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire 7th
Participating clubs 2022–23
This was the first season following the RFU Adult Competition Review with the league adopting its new name of Counties 3 Herts/Middlesex.
Returning were five of the ten teams from the previous season. Bank of England RFC changed their name to Bank Lane RFC during Summer 2022.
Departing were the top five from the previous season - London Scottish Lions, Barnet Elizabethans, Ealing Trailfinders 1871, Wasps FC and Saracens Amateurs - all promoted to Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex.
Joining were Old Millhillians, Brunel University, Watford, Uxbridge, Chess Valley and UCS Old Boys, all promoted.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London 10th Bank Lane Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London 7th Brunel University Brunel University Sports Park Uxbridge, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners-up) Chess Valley Croxley Guild of Sports Croxley, Hertfordshire Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (5th) Kilburn Cosmos Gladstone Park Kilburn, London 6th Old Millhillians Mill Hill School Mill Hill, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions) Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London 8th UCS Old Boys UCS Sports Ground Cricklewood, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (7th) Uxbridge Uxbridge Sports Club Uxbridge, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (4th) Verulamians Cotlandswick London Colney, Hertfordshire 9th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (3rd)
Participating clubs 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.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners-up) Bank Of England Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London 7th Barnet Elizabethans Byng Road Chipping Barnet, London 3rd Ealing Trailfinders 1871 Trailfinders Sports Ground 4,000 West Ealing, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions) Kilburn Cosmos Gladstone Park Kilburn, London Relegated from London 3 NW (11th) London Scottish Lions King's House Sports Ground Chiswick, London 5th Saracens Amateurs Bramley Sports Ground Cockfosters, London 6th Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London 8th Verulamians Cotlandswick London Colney, Hertfordshire 9th Wasps FC Twyford Avenue Sports Ground Acton, London 4th
Season 2020–21
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 Herts/Middlesex 1 was not contested.
Participating clubs 2019–20
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bank Of England Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London 7th Barnet Elizabethans Byng Road Chipping Barnet, London 9th Hendon Copthall Playing Fields Hendon, London 3rd London Scottish Lions King's House Sports Ground Chiswick, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions) Mill Hill Champions Way Mill Hill, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up) Saracens Amateurs Bramley Sports Ground Cockfosters, London 8th St Albans Boggymead Springs St Albans, Hertfordshire 4th Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London 10th Verulamians Cotlandswick London Colney, Hertfordshire Relegated from London 3 NW (12th) Wasps FC Twyford Avenue Sports Ground Acton, London 6th
Participating clubs 2018–19
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bank Of England Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London 3rd Barnet Elizabethans Galley Lane Chipping Barnet, London 6th Finsbury Park Downhills Park West Green, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions) Hendon Copthall Playing Fields Hendon, London 9th Hitchin King George V Playing Fields Hitchin, Hertfordshire Relegated from London 3 NW (12th) Old Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London 7th Saracens Amateurs Bramley Sports Ground Cockfosters, London 5th St Albans Boggymead Springs St Albans, Hertfordshire Relegated from London 3 NW (11th) Staines The Reeves Feltham, London 4th Thamesians Twickenham Green Twickenham, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up) UCS Old Boys UCS Sports Ground Cricklewood, London 10th Wasps FC Twyford Avenue Sports Ground Acton, London 8th
Participating clubs 2017–18
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season Bank Of England Bank of England Sports Centre Roehampton, London Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (champions) Barnet Elizabethans Galley Lane Chipping Barnet, London 7th Hendon Copthall Playing Fields Hendon, London 8th London French Barn Elms Barnes, London 3rd London Welsh Old Deer Park 5,850 Richmond, London 5th Old Actonians Old Actonians Sports Ground Acton, London 9th Royston The Heath Sports Centre Royston, Hertfordshire 4th Saracens Amateurs Bramley Sports Ground Cockfosters, London 6th Staines The Reeves Feltham, London Relegated from London 3 North West (12th) UCS Old Boys UCS Sports Ground Cricklewood, London 11th (not relegated) Wasps FC Twyford Avenue Sports Ground Acton, London 10th Watford Radlett Road Watford, Hertfordshire Promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2 (runners up)
Participating clubs 2016–17 Barnet Elizabethans Hendon (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2) Hillingdon Abbots London French London Welsh Amateur Old Actonians (relegated from London 3 North West) Old Streetonians Royston Saracens Amateurs (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2) U.C.S. Old Boys Old Verulamians Wasps (relegated from London 3 North West)
Participating clubs 2015–16 Bank of England Barnet Elizabethans Cheshunt Hillingdon Abbots (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2) London French (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2) London Welsh Amateurs Old Millhillnians Old Streetonians (relegated from London 3 North West) Royston U.C.S. Old Boys (relegated from London 3 North West) Verulamians
Participating clubs 2014–15 Bank of England Barnet Elizabethans Cheshunt Feltham (promoted from Herts/Middlesex 2) Haringey Rhinos Kilburn Cosmos London Nigerian (relegated from London 3 North West) London Welsh Amateurs (relegated from London 3 North West) Old Actonians Old Millhillians Royston Verulamians
Participating clubs 2013–14 Bank of England Barnet Elizabethans (relegated from London 3 North West) Belsize Park Cheshunt (relegated from London 3 North West) Hackney Haringey Rhinos (relegated from London 3 North West) Imperial Medicals (relegated from London 3 North West) Kilburn Cosmos Old Actonians Old Millhillians Royston Verulamians
Participating clubs 2012–13 Bank Of England Belsize Park Hackney Harlequin Amateurs Harrow Hendon