If we want to expand, grow the sport and compete with the Aussies, then all Amateur and youth RL must be played in the summer. And this is from a bloke who played winter RL for 25 years.

You played Rugby League for 25 years?

You're right. It was a disposable comment. Though I do wonder why from a pure sociological point of view, why football and its associated variants from their origin were played in winter to begin with? It's dark, depressing, "less warm" than in the summer months, so why? Why has it taken 100 years in our game, at least, to go this is not working.

From a personal perspective, rugby in winter gives us something to do. It gives us activity and focus through barren months. A distraction from schooling and work - something to look forward to.

The summer by contrast is full of activity in and of itself; the lure of holidays, days out, resting, tranquillity, a casual kick about, I wonder how many amateur will miss out on playing rugby because of trips away, going abroad, or just basic desire to enjoy life without any obligation to anything? You can't have a lopsided social and activity demands all crammed into one half of the year. We can't abolish winter. It exists - boo hoo.

To be honest, whether the coach can teach you basic skills is down to the quality of the coaches - rather than environment (it's not like its perpetually slashing it down, or sub zero). The underrated reason why kids drop out, or why their parents feel reluctant to bring them to a local club is by and large because of the game itself: it's tough. brutal, in fact. You need certain level of bravery to play it, which is a largely absent trait required in other sports. The winter even compensates for this, boggy soft pitches are ideal to get collared in.

This is just my tuppence worth, as a fan, ex-amateur player.

I wouldn't argue with much of that - except the coaching aspect. As a coach right now and can tell you exactly how our winter seasons ALWAYS go: we meet up in late summer and have superb sessions twice a week in the daylight, often in glorious conditions. Everyone is enthusiastic and numbers are great. We can train for as long as we like and carry out any drill we like. The INSTANT the clocks change, all that goes to sh*t.

We're in a non-RL area (as are many clubs), and there are almost no floodlit grass facilities so we either train on a patch of grass using the ambient light from astroturf pitches where the light is barely sufficient, or we train on the astroturf pitches. Within 3-4 weeks that patch of grass is a bog; churned up and ankle deep in sticky mud. So we go on the astroturf - but you can't do physical drills or really throw yourself into some stuff for fear of hitting the concrete-hard ground. It's terrible. Numbers drop rapidly and the range of drills you can do is massively limited.

As for pitches being hard, I also made that argument but having played summer for 2 years and thinking back, I haven't played on a rock-hard pitch yet - and neither have any games been called off due to the weather, unlike winter. Since we formed we've missed on average SEVEN games a year due to the weather. It's demoralising and frustrating.

As for other pros for summer: again, as a non-RL area we struggle for players. We've a squad of 25-30 but increasing changes to peoples work patterns have meant loads more lads have to work weekends and we've seriously struggled at times. For summer I've got at least 4 Union lads, 3-4 footballers and a several Leaguies joining our squad - and I'm expecting more. We've secured excellent facilities for training and are now running kid's clubs.

At the end of the day, if someone wants to play winter League, they can. I doubt it's going to vanish. But for moving forward, recruiting new lads and improving conditions, it's the future. From a personal perspective, I prefer the mud, but that's just my age (and knees) talking.

See your point but unlike pro clubs the amateur teams don't share pitchs with soccer clubs, so they can let the grass grow to a decent length to hold moisture in the ground more, rather than playing on a pitch that's like a snooker table.

The debate we had in Bury... www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybronc ... 59538.html have a few who didn't want summer, majority did and a fair few calls recently enquiring about playing. Roll on Wednesday 4th May as our start night for summer training. Juniors at 6pm, Open Age at 7pm. Philips High, Whitefield, Bury/North Manchester. Anyone welcome.

The debate we had in Bury... www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybronc ... 59538.html have a few who didn't want summer, majority did and a fair few calls recently enquiring about playing. Roll on Wednesday 4th May as our start night for summer training. Juniors at 6pm, Open Age at 7pm. Philips High, Whitefield, Bury/North Manchester. Anyone welcome.

From 7 until I was 32, i'm sure that there is plenty on here that have done that.

Yep. I'd say the vast majority of players who stayed injury free (unlike me) played for over 20 years.

why stop? we've a 48 year old still going 80 minutes a week...

Winter for me anytime.

That's nothing, Stanley Gene still does it

Strangely, he looks a bit like Stanley.

Having twins and a business doesnt allow me the time anymore. Miss it like crazy though.

To be honest I think your quite stupid.

I added this poll to find out what people think and you're calling people that don't agree with you or have a different viewpoint.

I wanted to find out what most people think, not hear your one sided trash talk. The fact is people disagree with you and you need to accept it

You need to say why. If you're just saying which you prefer, just click the poll option.

Summer games and training gives far more scope for coaching and skills development. In most of our sports, we see that our skill levels don't match other countries. With the conditions we train in, it's no wonder - we have to run around at full speed in training, just to keep warm.
It's better for spectators, it seems to be more fun for the players.
Yes, we get a few players away in August, especially in junior teams where holidays are limited to the school holidays, but that can be worked around. In fact, we can even take advantage of it by running things like 9-a-side tournaments - which according to the current coaching philisophy does more for players than always playing 13 a side.

Summer rugby for me. Nice warm day, flowing rugby. Just more enjoyable for me personally. Not saying I didnt enjoy winter rugby Im just not a winter person.
As for playing rugby, as a kid i always remember them day when the pitch's were frozen and just making a tackle and your ear feels like its fallen off, can be discouraging as a kid or the other hand when the pitch's are just mud baths and 1 man drive rugby, yes rough and tough. But for me free flowing fast rugby for me anytime, but thats just me

Exactly, it's called a discussion or a debate. Rather than Bazza shouting anyone down who has any opinion different to his. Just do what most people do mate and add him to your ignore list and you don't have to listen to him.

Good call Jonny.

The mad dash for summer has begun....in February there were just a dozen teams thinking of summer merit league this year. that number has ballooned to 26 playing in the North West!!! The tables are online: www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybroncos/

The mad dash for summer has begun....in February there were just a dozen teams thinking of summer merit league this year. that number has ballooned to 26 playing in the North West!!! The tables are online: www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybroncos/

I have watched my 14-y-o stepson play his last three games in what could be described, in the recent heatwave, as "summer conditions",

As a spectator it was hugely enjoyable but the state of the pitches, all RL only,has convinced me that it isn't viable. All three were like concrete with a multitude of bare patches prevalent.There were a couple of serious injuries and both serious cuts and grazes, which will not have time to heal playing continuously in such conditions.I suppose the kids could play in skateboarding equipment rather than traditional kits as I would presume the majority of clubs don't have facilities to water.

You certainly get the free flowing rugby earlier posters alluded to as the three scores in these u15 games testify, 48-46, 52-36 and 44-38.The downside being a paucity of tackling.

Will it help improve skill levels as many people claim, I have my doubts. It is the coaching that needs looking at.The most prominent shout at junior level remains"give it to the big lad"

I play in the Pennine League, which is a played September to April/May, on some awful pitches.

We have a 10-team league, so 18 games, throwing in afew cup games if we're lucky, over a period of 8 months (or 34ish weeks). That gives us around 12 empty weeks (3 months) during our season, most of which are needed due to games being called off due to water-logged/frozen pitches.

Something which isn't thought about much is the training. We train twice a week on Tuesday & Thursday evenings on a field. We have to take our own portable floodlights (which often stop working), or be forced to play on the local park, avoiding dog poo. Summer rugby would mean floodlights aren't needed, we can train on our pitches, in better light (the shadow off the floodlights makes it hard to catch!).

More lads turn up to training when it's warmer too, coupled with the better training conditions I mentioned above. You can do alot more with the ball, make it more intense etc.

The grass will get better as the season goes on and it gets time to grow a bit.

The high scores probably tell us it was the weather that kept scores down in the past, rather than good defence.

I'm in with the summer camp. The future of our sport is always in youth and it's easier to attract people to come and try the game when they're more likely to be outside in the first place. Think of the parents during this past winter who had to take their kids out midweek in the freezing cold. Think how many parents couldn't be d when their kids said no because it was cold. A parent and kid is more likely to be enticed outside when the weather is lighter and warmer. It's simple common sense. Move to summer! Teams can live without the odd player whenever they're on holiday because the likelihood is that there'll be better cover with more people involved. Think also of the revenue potential for clubs with summer BBQs, fayres, car boot sales etc., as well.