An end to promotion play-offs ... what a smart idea

Scrapping the play-off for promotion to the Aviva Premiership is old school smart, writes James Harrington

One of the biggest handicaps facing clubs promoted from the Greene King IPA Championship to the Aviva Premiership will be lifted from next season.

The English RFU Council has rubber-stamped a three-season plan put forward by the organisers of the two leagues and the RFU to remove the end-of-season play-off system between the top four teams in the second tier to decide who will be named champions and promoted to the top flight assuming certain criteria, including stadium standards, are met.

The multi-million pound deal – part-financed by additional funding from the RFU and Premiership Rugby (PRL) – also features increased payments to each Championship club plus additional payments based on clubs’ final league positions to ensure competition throughout the season.  

In a statement, the RFU’s chief executive Ian Ritchie said: “The first-past-the-post system will allow the promoted club a greater amount of time to recruit ahead of the next season, which is important for their preparation in playing in the Premiership.”

With even greater honesty, Premiership Rugby’s chief executive Mark McCafferty, said: “It’s vital that any club being promoted from the Greene King IPA Championship is as prepared as it can be to compete, given the quality and intensity of Premiership Rugby.

“The current play-off system does not always help with that, whereas a return to first-past-the-post from next season will provide the potential for more advanced planning and recruitment.”

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The decision is a recognition that the promotion play-off system is a farce that serves no good rugby purpose.

Bristol won promotion via the play-offs last season, having finished top of the table in four of the five campaigns from 2011 to 2016. They finished the regular season 16 points clear of the chasing pack. For months, it was clear to anyone paying even the vaguest attention that they were the best side in the league.

But they still had to win a two-leg play-off, which they had failed to do in three previous attempts. As a result of that uncertainty, they were left way behind in the annual open season for the signatures of out-of-contract players when they could have started recruiting much earlier.

It has turned into a major problem, as they head into the closing six rounds of the Premiership at the foot of the table, with just three wins from their 16 matches so far.

They could yet pull off a great escape after newly arrived consultant Alan Solomons engineered a win over Bath last weekend. But the arrival of Pat Lam and Steven Luatua next season, and some key players agreeing to remain, regardless of the level of competition indicates that Bristol are hoping for the best and already planning for the worst.

As of March 3 this year, current Championship leaders London Irish had 15 wins from 15, with a points difference of +295; they had picked up 12 try-scoring bonus points and – with five matches of the regular season remaining – were 15 points clear of nearest rivals Yorkshire Carnegie. Yet, no matter how likely it seems that they will finish top of the table, they will still face that two-leg play-off.

They are in a slightly different position, after being relegated from the English top flight at the end of the 2015/16 season. They were able to keep the core of their side together, and – assuming they win the play-off – would be better prepared for any relegation dogfight in the immediate seasons to come.

Regardless, the RFU Council’s decision is to be welcomed. It’s old school, but it’s sensible.