(Marvin Dangerfield photo)

The American National Rugby League has released the schedule for its 12th season, which is due to kick off in June.

Summer 2009 will also mark an expansion of the AMNRL with the launch of the Boston 13s RLFC.

Drawing on the natural athletic talent of the Greater Boston Area, the 13s will seek to demonstrate, in their inaugural year, the strength of Boston’s rich sporting heritage.

The management team behind the business is Mikhael Shammas, Noel Christopher, Mehran Khaghani, and Jonathan Gay. Shammas comes with a highly cultivated rugby acumen having played a decade in England and another decade in Lebanon.

In 2006, he was capped on the domestic national team of Lebanon, and in 2007 was appointed as tour manager to Lebanon’s national team the Cedars during the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers.

Shammas is concurrently obtaining two masters degrees at Harvard and Northeastern Universities, although his true passion is solidly grounded in the sport of Rugby League Football.

“I really look forward to embarking on this new opportunity to root this sport in Boston, not only to aid the development of the sport domestically in America, but internationally as well,” said Shammas.

“Rugby League has a fantastic product and I know that once exposed to all the excitement and intensity of the sport, America will love it.”

The Boston 13s club takes its name from the 13 original colonies that founded America, and also from the number of players who take the field in a rugby league match. Furthermore, it will actually be the 13th club in the history of American Rugby League, although there are only 11 active in season XII.

All interested athletes should contact info@boston13s.com as preseason training will begin in May. Details on preseason training, competition schedule, team kits, and team website www.boston13s.com will be forthcoming soon.

The AMNRL’s schedule is highlighted by the annual War at the Shore weekend event on the Jersey Shore in early August with the playoffs set to start later that same month.

This year, because there will be 11 teams competing in the league, seven sides will qualify for the postseason which will start on August 15 and run for three consecutive weeks.

The AMNRL Championship Final is scheduled for Saturday, August 29 at a venue yet to be determined.