London and South East Merit League

Current season, competition or edition: 2009
Sport	Rugby league
Founded	1965
No. of teams	10
Country	England
Official website	londonarl.co.uk

The London League (LL) is a rugby league competition founded in 1965. It is also known as the London Amateur Rugby League (LARL).

Structure

The merit system, which gives its unofficial name to the league as the London Merit League, came about as a way to accommodate the needs of as many of clubs as possible. The “merit table” system gives teams, freedom to arrange as many or few games amongst the other league participants as they wish. The results of fixtures worked out between the teams are compiled into a league table based on average scores. The top six teams then go through to a play-off system to determine the champion club. The London League participants also have the opportunity to arrange games with clubs participating in the RL Merit League or Midlands Rugby League.

History

A four-team Southern Amateur Rugby League existed in 1949-50; teams taking part were Brixton, Mitcham, Slough and Southampton. The London League was founded in 1965.

The Southern Conference League, founded in 1997, was the fore-runner of the Rugby League Conference. It included some of the top teams in the London Amateur Rugby League (LARL). As the best of the London League was gradually included into the Conference, the rest reformed as a summer merit league for new clubs, police/prison sides and second and third teams.

The Gordon Anderson Memorial Trophy knock-out competition was established in 1997 and ran for two seasons. It was named after Gordon who ran the London League from 1965 to just before his death in the mid 90s.

Throughout most of its history the league ran throughout the traditional winter season, with a switch to a summer league in 2000 following the lead of the Super League which made the switch in 1996. The competition now works as a development league or merit league, whose purpose is now to nurture teams in the first years of operation along with various armed forces, police, and prison sides who for various reasons are unable to commit to a full fixture list.

Participating teams

In 2009 the following teams are scheduled to participate:

• Bedford Tigers 'A'
• Eastern Raiders
• Feltham Eagles
• Guildford Giants
• Hammersmith Hills Hoists
• Hemel Stags 'A'
• Metropolitan Police
• St Albans Centurions 'A'
• St Ives Roosters 'A'
• South London Storm 'A'
• Southgate Skolars
• West London Sharks 'A'

Participating teams by season

• 2000: Crawley Jets 'A', Huntingdon Town, Newmarket, North London Skolars 'A', Oxford Cavaliers 'A', St Albans Centurions 'A', South London Storm 'A', West London Sharks 'A'
• 2001: Crawley Jets 'A', Finchley, Luton Vipers, Newmarket, North London Skolars 'A', St Albans Centurions 'A', St Ives, South London Storm 'A', West London Sharks 'A'
• 2002: Crawley Jets 'A', Finchley, Greenwich Admirals, Luton Vipers 'A', North London Skolars 'A', St Albans Centurions 'A', St Ives, South London Storm 'A', South Norfolk Saints, West London Sharks 'A'
• 2003: Essex Eels 'A', Feltham YOI, Finchley, Greenwich Admirals 'A', Kingston Warriors 'A', Luton Vipers 'A', Metropolitan Police, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, St Albans Centurions 'A', South London Storm 'B', West London Sharks 'A'
• 2004: 36th Engineering Regiment Maidstone, Bedford Tigers, Croydon Hurricanes, Dover Parachute Regiment, Feltham YOI, Greenwich Admirals 'A', Haringey Hornets, HMP The Mount, Ipswich Rhinos 'A', Kent Ravens, Kingston Warriors 'A', Luton Vipers 'A', Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, St Albans Centurions 'B', West London Sharks 'A'
• 2005: Broadstairs Bulldogs, Colchester Romans, Feltham YOI, Greenwich Admirals 'A', HMP The Mount, Ipswich Rhinos 'A', Kent Ravens, Metropolitan Police, West London Sharks 'A'
• 2006: Bedford Tigers 'A', Eastern Raiders, Feltham YOI, Kentish Tigers, Luton Vipers, Smallford Saints, South London Storm 'A', Southend Seaxes, West London Sharks 'A'
• 2007: Bedford Tigers 'A', Eastern Raiders, Farnborough Falcons, Feltham Eagles, Hadleigh Hawks, Hainault Bulldogs, Kent Ravens 'A', London Griffins, Metropolitan Police, Northampton Casuals, St Albans Centurions 'A', Smallford Saints, South London Storm 'A', Southampton Spitfires, Southgate Skolars, Southgate Skolars 'A', West London Sharks 'A'
• 2008: Bedford Tigers 'A', Eastern Raiders, Farnborough Falcons, Feltham Eagles, Hainault Bulldogs 'A', Hemel Stags 'A', Kent Ravens, London Griffins, Metropolitan Police, Norwich City Saxons, St Albans Centurions 'A', St Ives Roosters 'A', South London Storm 'A', Southampton Spitfires, Southgate Skolars, West London Sharks 'A'

Teams joining the Rugby League Conference

The league has also proved popular with clubs in the Rugby League Conference (RLC) providing players or teams to the London League. Since adopting its current format the London League has provided fifteen teams to the RLC:-

• 2001 Luton Vipers
• 2002 Greenwich Admirals, London Skolars A, South London Storm A, South Norfolk Saints and St Ives Roosters
• 2003 St Albans Centurions A
• 2004 Haringey Hornets, Luton Vipers 'A' (who failed to complete the season) and Bedford Tigers
• 2005 Kent Ravens, Colchester Romans and Broadstairs Bulldogs
• 2007 Northampton Casuals and Hainault Bulldogs
• 2008 Hainault Bulldogs 'A', Norwich City Saxons, Kent Ravens (again), Farnborough Falcons and Southampton Spitfires

Winners

Plate Winners

• 2004 Greenwich Admirals bt West London Sharks (title awarded to Greenwich by default)
• 2005 Kent Ravens 30 - 18 Feltham Eagles
• 2006 Feltham Eagles 50-18 Southend
• 2007 Feltham Eagles 72 - 10 Kent Ravens A
• 2008 Metropolitan Police 24- 18 Farnborough Falcons

Challenge Cup

• 1970 Ealing
• 1971 Ealing
• 1972 Hillingdon
• 1973 Ealing
• 1974 ?
• 1975 Hackney 7 Peckham 11

7s (Keith Macklin Trophy)

• 1970 Parachute Regiment
• 1971 Parachute Regiment
• 1972 ANZACs

7s (Ealing Plate)

• 1971 Portsmouth
• 1972 Peckham