Newcastle may face play-off to retain status

Rob Andrew's

Rugby Union

Rob Andrew's Newcastle may be forced to play off against the fifth-placed Courage League Division Three team in order to retain their Division Two status if they remain bottom of the table.

Next season Division Two is being expanded from 10 to 14 clubs. But, instead of this guaranteeing Newcastle a place in Division Two, they may need to win a shoot-out in May.

The National Clubs Association have recommended a first-ever play-off in the Courage leagues and their suggestion will be debated by the competition's committee of the Rugby Football Union next month.

Whoever finishes bottom of Division Two looks like competing against a Yorkshire club as Morley, Otley and Harrogate fill positions four to six in Division Three.

In Andrew's first game for his new club last week, Newcastle beat Harrogate 51-5 and Andrew, knowing that this was one of the NCA's proposals, said: "It will be ironic if we have to meet Harrogate in a play-off," he said

The NCA propose that the top four in Division Three are automatically promoted. The decision is a compromise because there were suggestions that the bottom team in Division Two should be instantly relegated, with the top half of Division Three earning promotion.

"It's interesting, but I'm not going to react until someone tells us exactly what the decision is," Andrew said. "My view is let's just leave it and carry on playing and then see what happens."