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RFU statement: 14-team Championship agreed in principle for 2025/26
Rugby administrators in England have agreed in principle that the 2025/26 Championship should consist of 14 clubs, two more than will compete in the 2024/25 second tier.
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Promoted Chinnor will join the current 11 clubs in next season’s league but the decision on how the Championship would jump to 14 the year after – be it the revival of fallen clubs such as Wasps or the promotion of more teams from National One – won’t be taken until the next meeting in June.
A statement read: “The RFU council approved the principle that tier two will comprise 14 clubs for season 2025/26. Between the April and June council meetings further modelling around 12, 14, and 16 club league structures, balancing commercial and performance with player welfare, will take place.
“The precise mechanism for the selection of additional clubs will be worked on and presented at the June council meeting.
“Whilst a 14-team structure is preferable at this stage, a 16-team option is considered to be an aspirational goal for the league’s growth and development, and additional work is required to assess the future optimum number. Further recommendations will be brought to the June council meeting.
“Season 2024/25 will be a Championship of 12 clubs, comprising the 11 existing Championship clubs and the winner of National One (Chinnor RFC).
“Council approved a process for existing Championship clubs to validate and evidence their ability to meet the ‘essential’ minimum operating standards, and other matters, in order to participate in the new tier two league, which will ultimately be decided by the tier two management board.
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“Championship clubs, and Chinnor RFC, winner of National One, will be communicated with around the process for self-validation and provision of additional evidence.
“Discussions around promotion and relegation to/from the Premiership are ongoing as part of the Professional Game Partnership, which would require council approval and will be brought to the June meeting.”
The statement also explained how the management of the ruling tier two board will be structured. “The composition of a tier two management board will be three representatives from each of the RFU and Championship clubs committee with an independent chair.
“The objective for the board is to create a body with independent, club and RFU representation responsible for decision-making for certain decisions relating to the league, giving it the ability to respond to the new tier two specific context.
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“It will also streamline the interactions with the delivery functions and club representations to ensure the optimal running and commercialisation of the league. The tier two management board will be put in place at the earliest opportunity.”
The RFU council further agreed on “revised and enhanced” minimum operating standards. “Aligned to the growth ambitions for the league, the standards have been divided into three categories:
- Essential – Standards that must be in place by the start of the 2025/26 season in order to participate in the league;
- Phased essential – Standards will be introduced to the league as determined by the tier two management board;
- Aspirational – Standards linking to those for the Premiership, providing clubs seeking promotion with a benchmark to work towards.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Huge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
215 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
8 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
36 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
15 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
36 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
3 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
215 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
215 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
36 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
36 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
215 Go to comments