Chapter 20. Summer Amateur Rugby League

A push from the RFL for the amateur game to switch to a summer season to come into line with the professional game, which had made the change in 1996, was to have many repercussions. The advantages of training in the summer, especially for youngsters, were stressed, and though many warned of summer counter-attractions and raised plenty of other concerns, consecutive harsh winters in 2009-10 and 2010-11, with consequent widespread postponements, concentrated minds. A survey of players, coaches and administrators was said to have shown that almost 70% were in favour of a switch.

In 2011 the flagship Conference League voted 28-10 to accept an invitation from the RFL to become the third tier of the summer game behind Super League and the Championship. Other leagues quickly followed.

Locally the Pennine League chose to stay with the traditional season, and continue to do so. However their membership was to decline rapidly over the following seasons – not necessarily because of the timing of the seasons. A new league emerged from an amalgamation of various others, which became the Yorkshire Men’s League, playing in summer. It was heavily promoted by the RFL, who almost sidelined the BARLA-organised Pennine League. Some Halifax clubs took the opportunity to join both to enable all-year-round rugby league, but over the years more and more opted for the Yorkshire Men’s League. It became self-perpetuating – once a majority of clubs had joined, it became by default the league that provided more local fixtures.

Summer rugby for the amateur game remained a contentious issue. Families had summer holidays to take and the fine weather encouraged alternative activities to rugby. In winter, rugby was something to do and somewhere to go when there was little else.