The format of the 2012 Czech domestic rugby league season has been formalized following the governing body’s AGM. The campaign will kick off in April with nine clubs, four of them in the top division - Pardubice Jets, Lokomotiva Beroun, Vrchlabi Mad Squirrels and Prague Vikings – the latter having been awarded full membership, while the new second division will consist of five teams. Chrudim, Hradec Kralove, Usti Nad Labem, Mikulov and Havlíčkův Brod will all make their debuts, with Praslavice restructuring and an eleventh club currently in the process of formation.

Among other notable decisions made at the meeting was the election of Petr Šedina, the 2012 Czech national team captain and the founder of the Mikulov Rugby League Club, to the position of Secretary of the CZRLA. He replaces Paul Hooper who has sat on the Board for the last three years but will now, with the emergence of so many enthusiastic young locals, be able to take concentrate on his impressive work coaching juniors and operating as one of the Czech Republic’s leading Rugby League match officials. The CZRLA domestic season will kick-off with a domestic 9s tournament involving all clubs in March, followed by the second CZRLA international 9s in Pardubice over the

Easter long weekend, with the league fixtures then commencing. Czech Rugby League Development Manager Andrew Mulhall was full of praise for those responsible for the rapid development of rugby league in the polyglot central European country. “When I came into this post less than three years ago there was one established rugby league club here,” said Mulhall, a native of Australia. “In a comparatively short time the dedicated group of core individuals who were running the CZRLA laid the foundations for a short domestic competition involving three teams and the growth has continued.“ He added, “In 2012, we will also play our initial junior rugby league matches. This level of remarkable growth, all done on a minimal budget, is the result, purely and simply, of local communities - and key individuals within them - embracing the skill, athleticism and physicality of what is termed here ‘Rugby 13‘, and seeking to grow the game from the grassroots.” 2012 will also see the Czech Republic look to defend the Euro Bowl, against as yet unconfirmed opponents.

Pictured: the Czech competition extends its stride.