London League (rugby league)
| London and South East Merit League | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Rugby league |
| Formerly known as | London League |
| Instituted | 1965 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Country |
 England
|
| Champions | Newham Dockers (2013) |
| Website | londonmeritleague.pitchero.com |
| Related competition | London Junior League, East Merit League, Rugby League Conference |
The London and South East Merit League is a rugby league competition founded in 1965. It is also known as the London League (LL), London, South and East Merit League, London Amateur Rugby League (LARL) and London Merit League (LML).
It is now one of four feeder leagues for the Rugby League Conference (RLC). There is also a London Junior League for youth teams.
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.
When the Acton & Willesden and Streatham & Mitcham clubs joined the Rugby Football League in 1935, a number of supporters and rejected trialists formed a number of amateur teams in London. There was no amateur competition in London at that time but leading teams were Acton Hornets, Park Royal Rangers, Hendon, Dagenham, and Harlesden All Blacks. None of these clubs survived the failure of the two professional clubs.
Amateur clubs were again formed in Morden, Brixton, Mitcham, Slough and Southampton; and a four-team Southern Amateur Rugby League existed in 1949–50 before folding. There was an attempt to revive the league in 1955, when a Mr Tim Wood, of Chigwell Row, Essex, wrote to the Rugby Football League to enquire about possible assistance.
Local rugby league enthusiasts began to train in the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in 1965; and twelve months later the London Amateur Rugby League Association was formed in Hackney Marshes, with Eddie Waring as its first president. It was soon renamed the Southern Amateur Rugby League as teams from outside London joined the league.
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