The London and South East Rugby League is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in London and the surrounding area. The competition was formed in 2005 as the RLC Southern Premier.[1] Its name changed following the 2012 restructure of amateur rugby league in Great Britain.
The Premier Division was set up in 2005 for teams who had achieved a certain playing standard and were able to travel further afield to find stronger opposition. The new Premier Divisions included the North Premier, the South Premier, the Central Premier and the Welsh Premier.[2]
Prior to the 2005 season National League Three side South London Storm announced that they were joining the South Premier; the other founder members came from the Conference regional divisions.
After the 2006 season with other teams withdrawing from National League Three, St Albans Centurions also decided to join the Premier South.
In 2012 it became a standalone league run by the RFL with the introduction of Summer Rugby in the amateur ranks. St Albans Centurions returned to playing nationally in National Conference League division three
It has a merit league attached to it enabling smaller clubs to develop before entering the league to see if they are able to meet the demands of player numbers and competing fixtures throughout a regular season. Some larger clubs have fielded an A team in this league to bolster numbers and create opportunities for less experienced players to play.
