BBC SPORT | Rugby League | Skolars set to make their mark



By Ray French BBC Sport rugby league commentator

For the first time in 67 years, two professional rugby league clubs will be playing in London next season.

Super League's London Broncos will be joined in the capital by the National Summer Conference's amateur side, the North London Skolars.

The Skolars' bid to enter the Second Division of the Northern Ford Premiership next year was accepted by the Rugby Football League's (RFL) Council members on Wednesday.

London gets second club

They will continue to stage their games at the New River Stadium in White Hart Lane, their home since 1997.

The Broncos' chief executive Nic Cartwright views the Skolars' arrival as partners rather than as rivals.

"Their presence can only be good for the game in London and between us we can really begin to take rugby league forward at both professional and grassroots level," he said.

"In recent seasons, many of our youngsters have had to leave the Broncos and move north to gain the necessary experience to play in Super League.

"Now, hopefully, the Skolars will have access to those young stars and many of the lads coming out of the schools who are keen to play rugby league," Cartwright said.

Not since 1935-36 has London been represented by two professional rugby league clubs.

London Broncos skipper Jason Hetherington

Under the management of sports promoter Sydney Parkes, two clubs - Acton and Willesden and Streatham and Mitcham - enjoyed a brief stay in the 13-a-side code.

The Streatham club, boosted by the presence of overseas stars like the great ex-All Black full-back George Nepia, attracted an average crowd of over 10,000 fans in their first season.

However, falling crowds forced the club to disband in March 1937.

The London Skolars are, however, an indication of the growing strength of rugby league in the South East.

Their presence in the RFL's newly designed five divisional structure for season 2003 will be a massive boost to the considerable work now being done in schools in London.

Hector McNeill, chairman and founder of the club in 1995, is well aware of the importance of the club succeeding.

Ambitious clubs like ourselves now have a clear path to aspire to

London Skolars chairman Hector McNeill

"Everyone involved in rugby league in London is aware of the importance of the club succeeding," said the former Scottish Students international.

"The Skolars are part of an expanding network and structure for rugby league development and we believe that the potential for rugby league in London is immense.

"In National League Two we will now have a platform for juniors to aspire to. The potential is vast.

"In Haringey alone there are over 250,000 people and we border boroughs with 1.4 million people within 20 minutes of our New River Stadium.

"It's a bold move forward by the RFL to bring in a second side in the capital into the professional ranks.

"But the game needs a strong profile and the new structure of the game means that ambitious clubs like ourselves now have a clear path to aspire to."


	Links to more Rugby League stories