BBC Rugby Union News: Championship Clubs Rejoice Over Premiership Promotion Opportunity
In a significant development for English rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has approved the introduction of promotion into the Premiership starting from the 2025-2026 season. This move has been welcomed with enthusiasm by the Championship clubs, who now have a realistic chance of ascending to the top flight.
The new system will see the winner of the Championship facing off against the worst-placed Premiership side in a home-and-away play-off series to determine who secures the coveted spot in the top division. This marks the first time there has been such team movement between the two leagues since Saracens were promoted in 2021 following their salary cap breach-related relegation the previous season.
Notably, the RFU council has also voted to relax the minimum operating standards for promotion, which had previously denied Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders the opportunity to progress in 2022 due to their stadiums not meeting the 10,001-capacity requirement. This change will now allow ambitious Championship clubs to realistically aspire to reach the Premiership.
“This development allows every club to ‘realistically dream of promotion to the Premiership’ and that the Championship can now utilize its commercial potential to fund the growth needed at that level.”
- Simon Halliday, Championship chair
This significant move comes at a time when English rugby has faced a challenging period, with several clubs, including Worcester Warriors, Wasps, London Irish, and Jersey Reds, succumbing to financial concerns over the last two years.
The decision to introduce promotion into the Premiership has been widely celebrated by the Championship clubs, who now have a tangible pathway to the top tier of the sport, further enhancing the competitiveness and fairness of the English rugby landscape.
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