Want to carry on playing this summer?

Feeling at a lose end this summer? Touch rugby not quite cut it? Missing the impact of the real game? In that case there may be an alternative to watching the grass grow. As predicted in recent months, the Rugby Football League is launching a London & SE Merit league.

Where last year there was a single London club, there are now (at least) four, with an invitation to enter more. Hertfordshire supplies one of these new teams - St Albans Centurions - managed by someone called Tony Bottomly (TBotto3982@aol.com or 07876143566). In addition there will be teams in south London (South London Storm) and North London (London Skolars, in Wood Green) who will join the existing West London Sharks. Each of the four teams will be running festivals in June and July, with the teams with the best record competing in a Grand Final in August.

The RFL are throwing a lot at this. For example, all players and club officials/volunteers attending the first festival at West London Sharks on 12th June will get free tickets for that afternoon's Harlequins/London Rhinos game, as well as referees and match officials for the festival itself.

Although these are adult clubs, "adult" in RL terms seems much more flexible than it is with RFUW - from reports I have seen 16 year olds are playing for some clubs, and even if you are under 16 the more demand the more likely it is that girls teams will be formed. For general information about specifically girls RL contact aran@quinsrl.co.uk.

Obviously Rugby League is a bit different to Union - the tight five in particular may find adapting to it a shade difficult - but most back row and backs should not find switching codes too difficult, and as the calendar for the RL season does not overlap with the RFUW season at all (unless you are in a TDG or HPA maybe) it will not interfere with any winter club rugby. More information from the above contacts, or Steve Davis (steve.davis@rfl.uk.com or 07703105381).

• Or why not form your own team? The festivals - while part of a wider competition - are all separate events, so you only have to enter one. Pretty much anyone currently in a a U18 team, or any former U18 players, could play - and its all FREE! . Festival dates are:

Sat 12th June @ West London Sharks

Sat 26th June @ St Albans Centurions: TBC

Sat 10th July @ South London Storm

Sat 31st July @ Harlequins RL