Amateur rugby league’s shift towards becoming a summer sport is gathering pace – but not in Bradford.

The Rugby Football League (RFL) has confirmed how the first fully integrated summer-based season for the whole sport will look when it kicks off in March 2012.

However, Bradford Dudley Hill of the National Conf-erence League (NCL) will continue to be the city’s sole flag-bearers for summer rugby.

The likes of West Bowling, Queensbury, Clayton and Wibsey have resisted making the switch and will continue to play throughout the winter in the Pennine League.

Other local clubs such as Bank Top Harriers, Birken-shaw, Wyke, West Bowling A, Odsal Sedbergh, Victoria Rangers and Undercliffe Wildboars will also remain in the same league.

Yet the RFL are keen to drive through a shift tow-ards making the amateur game a summer sport in line with the professional game.

Over 80 per cent of all rugby league teams in this country will be playing between March and Nov-ember in this newly-aligned four-tier pyramid structure.

Trevor Hunt, National Conference League chairman, said: “It’s a new dawn for rugby league and one that we all hope meets the demands of players, administrators and spectators intent on enjoying a sport for the 21st century.

“As far as the switch to summer for heartland clubs is concerned, all eyes will be on those 40 NCL clubs who have opted to make the switch, to see just how successful they will be in this whole new world.

“It’s as exciting a challenge at grassroots level as anything that has gone before and we will all be working flat out to make it a success, not just for 2012 but for the very future of rugby league.”

Dudley Hill’s first team will play in Division One of the NCL.

Their second string will compete in the Yorkshire Men’s League and the club’s junior sides will be in the Yorkshire Junior League.

* Dudley Hill will be in the hat when the draws for the preliminary and first rounds of the 2012 Carnegie Challenge Cup take place at Leigh Miners Rangers on Monday.

Andy Coley and Gareth Hock from 2011 Wembley winners Wigan Warriors will draw out the numbers.