London League Structure 2015

[Jasper]

Just came across this on another website, so thought I would stick it on here in case anyone wants to contribute any ideas on how the London League should be structured for next year.  I suppose the ideal is to have a more evenly balanced raft of teams, but not sure how this would be achieved.  Any ideas? :-

 

 

HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE 2015 LEAGUE STRUCTURE:

The London Rugby League management group are currently in discussion for the 2015 season.

They have announced an open survey for anyone who wishes to contribute their thoughts towards how the league should be structured next year, as well as any other comments towards how the league is managed.

This is your chance to have a say - please follow the link below to partake in the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6NR7293

[Pie tries]

Good luck down sarf boys !

[bbfaz]

Unless clubs have enough players on the field and enough people working off the field, no league structure will work sadly.

[bowes]

Generally I think bigger divisions is the way forward but I don't know whether they should keep a London premier or just have expanded east and London/South East premiers. Also a lot depends on what happens with Conference League South

[bowes]

St Albans dropping to East Premier appears to have killed London premier stone dead so I'm presuming that and London division 1 collapsing and South East having 2 clubs struggle to fulfil fixtures seems to have caused this.

I reckon an expanded east premier and a combined London/South East premier with underpinning entry leagues or local mini leagues is the only workable solution. Skolars A may need to consider CLS.

[bowes]

https://twitter.com/WealdWarriors/status/555293009651437569/photo/1

 

Reading between the lines of this it looks like Southampton and Portsmouth have been transferred to another competition (West of England seems the only option which would keep that league going) and the remaining South East division teams will join the London sides in a combined competition

 

Why Eastern Rhinos would even be allowed in a competition stretching to Sussex when it is no higher a standard than their own region is a question that remains to be answered

[bbfaz]

Any word from London Skolars?  Just because they've decided to bin the idea of an A team, doesn't mean they still don't have a community base.  Could we see something from them, i.e. a mixture of A and B players from last season?

[TaxiEgg]

What about juniors in London do they have any ?

[bowes]

What about juniors in London do they have any ?

Yes it's just the junior and open age clubs are separate apart from London Skolars and Newham Dockers.

There are 2 small divisions each at under 17s, 15s and 13s but this includes neighbouring counties plus some kind of minis

[bbfaz]

The London Junior (and Youth) League spans all three regions (East, South East and London) and has a large geographic footprint. Southampton Spitfires have been driving a small sided league in Hampshire, although most of the teams are actually from outside Hampshire. The east are trying with juniors next season.

[bbfaz]

It was announced last week that Beckenham Bears will now go by just "The Bears" and are moving outside the Greater London border to Warlingham RFC.

[Jasper]

I see Hammersmith Hills Hoists have announced they will be moving into the 'Southern Prem League' this season.  It was only last season they were struggling to get 13 players out to play in the Merit League.   And I believe they are still looking for a ground for this season as well.  I just hope they are up to this step up and haven't been 'pushed' just to make up the numbers.  Good luck to them.

[bowes]

I see Hammersmith Hills Hoists have announced they will be moving into the 'Southern Prem League' this season.  It was only last season they were struggling to get 13 players out to play in the Merit League.   And I believe they are still looking for a ground for this season as well.  I just hope they are up to this step up and haven't been 'pushed' just to make up the numbers.  Good luck to them.

Whoever has survived from last season's London premier, London division 1 and the South East League plus the better entry league teams are all combined into one division with just the exception of St Albans and the Hampshire clubs (the latter I think are going to West of England) if the last plan I heard is still correct (I don't know the final line up). Eastern Rhinos really don't know what they're doing with regard to league choice

[Jasper]

It was announced last week that Beckenham Bears will now go by just "The Bears" and are moving outside the Greater London border to Warlingham RFC.

Are they also going to move up to the Premiership as well bbf?

[bbfaz]

I discussed this with the chairman (I'm no longer involved now I'm in Madrid) and I was told they were looking at a larger league, of which the Bears would be members.  TBH, had they retained last year's format, it might have made more sense for the Bears to be in the SE League.

 

Massive explosion in size of the club this year.  Reserves, ladies team, minis, maybe some juniors too.

 

EDIT: Regarding Hammersmith, if they had one (JUST ONE) committed administrator, who doesn't play and isn't involved in the coaching, it'd make the absolute world of difference.

[SouthernRLfan]

https://twitter.com/WealdWarriors/status/555293009651437569/photo/1

 

Reading between the lines of this it looks like Southampton and Portsmouth have been transferred to another competition (West of England seems the only option which would keep that league going) and the remaining South East division teams will join the London sides in a combined competition

 

Why Eastern Rhinos would even be allowed in a competition stretching to Sussex when it is no higher a standard than their own region is a question that remains to be answered

 

I'm hoping to try out for Southampton this year, so interesting if that is the case - I do quite like the West Country.

[bbfaz]

Seven team premier:

The Bears

Eastern Rhinos

Hammersmith Hill Hoists

London Skolars A

Medway Dragons

SW London Chargers

Wests Warriors

April to August, same schedule as they wanted to do last year but with the Bears, Wests and Medway instead of St Albans, Staines and Hemel A. Heard the rest would be in the Entry League, though that'd be a large and broad league.

[bowes]

Actually looks much better than I expected standard wise. Surprised Weald are in the entry league.

[bbfaz]

This would also put Sussex and Surrey in the entry league.

[bowes]

This would also put Sussex and Surrey in the entry league.

To be honest I think that might do them some good though would be better perhaps to have a mini league of them, Elmbridge and Weald.

[bowes]

I'm hoping to try out for Southampton this year, so interesting if that is the case - I do quite like the West Country.

Edit: looks like the west of England will struggle for a division

[London Drifter]

I hear it as a South East League:

Elmbridge

Portsmouth

Surrey (Guildford)

Southampton

Sussex

London & South East Entry League

Eastern A

Newham

SW London A

The Bears A

Weald

& any other start ups / 2nd teams

The Premier looks a great comp, good to see Hammersmith back, Bears & Wests stepping up, & Medway will do well too.

See why Rhinos chose this over the East now!

[bbfaz]

So, from last year: (EDITED):

LML Prem
Hemel A (folded, players reassigned within East League), Staines (unknown, though need a different strategy for recruitment), St. Albans (moved to East region), Eastern Rhinos, London Skolars A and SW London Chargers (all at same level)

LMLD1
The Bears (moved, renamed and promoted), Esher (likely dead, the coach is now playing for Skolars), Chargers A, Newham (to Entry League), Elmbridge (to SERL)

SERL
Medway Dragons (promoted), Weald Warriors (entry league), Sussex Merlins, Guildford Giants (now Surrey Sharks), Southampton Spitfires, Portsmouth Navy Seahawks (all remain here)

LSEEL
Wests Warriors, Hammersmith Hill Hoists (both promoted), South West London Chargers B, London Skolars B (both unknown), Eastern Rhinos A (still in Entry League), St Albans Centurions A, Billericay Rangers (both joining East Entry League), Fleet Mustangs (still in Entry League)

[bowes]

A new Hemel A team have entered the East Entry League but they won't use any players from the first team. Looks like South East has had Medway step up and Weald drop down whilst Elmbridge move sideways to the South East

[bbfaz]

I was going to say that Surrey seemed to have hitched their wagon to Southampton a little.  If you follow the Southampton-led Hampshire Youth Rugby League, Surrey have entered a u12s team in the league for 2015.