Tier 2 Board respond to promotion knock back

The Tier 2 Board, which acts on behalf of the Championship clubs, has expressed its disappointment that only one of the three audited clubs has been deemed fit for promotion.

Championship leaders Ealing Trailfinders and third-placed Coventry were both knocked back because they didn’t have the necessary planning permission in place to develop their grounds to the required 10,000 capacity within the four-year timescale. In the case of Ealing, safety concerns were also cited as a reason for keeping the drawbridge pulled up.

Doncaster Knights did pass the audit but that is largely irrelevant because they are well off the pace in eighth place in the table, and have no hope of playing off against the Premiership’s bottom team for the right to play in English rugby’s top club competition.

The Tier 2 Board’s statement can be read in full below:

“The Tier 2 Board has been working over recent months to create a new and improved league, starting next season, with a vision to inspire and engage current and future generations of rugby fans, while also bringing commercial sustainability and growth to its clubs. We look forward to bringing updates on our plans in the coming weeks.

We were disappointed that the audit on minimum operating standards for the Premiership means that there will be no promotion or relegation between the Premiership and Tier 2 next season. Aspiration and jeopardy are the lifeblood of sporting competition and ensuring Tier 2 clubs always have a realistic chance of moving into the Premiership is key.

Financial stability is vital and everything we’re putting in place to develop the second tier is to drive us towards that through improved standards and a more commercially attractive product that will bring in new fans. We are working closely with the RFU, PRL and the MPRB to provide a joined-up rugby system to enable professional rugby in its entirety to thrive and prosper.”