RFU unveils plans for radical revamp of second tier of English rugby

The league formerly known as the Championship will grow to 14 teams, including a revived Worcester, and be known as ‘Champ Rugby’

A revived Worcester will be part of the revamped second tier (PA Archive)

A six-team promotion play-off for the right to play in the top flight will take place in the newly-rebranded Champ Rugby league from next season.

The second tier of English rugby will be known as Champ Rugby from the 2025/26 season and will consist of 14 teams, including the 12 current Championship sides, along with Richmond, who have been promoted from National League One, and Worcester Warriors.

Teams will play each other home and away over 26 rounds of the regular season.

Clubs who finish in the top six will qualify for the play-offs, starting with quarter-finals between the third to sixth-placed teams followed by semis for the winners of those against the top two ranked sides.

The winner of the final will be crowned Champ Rugby champion and will face the bottom team in the Gallagher Premiership in a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off. The winner will play in the top flight the following season, subject to meeting the minimum standards criteria.

Tier 2 board chair Simon Gillham said in a statement: "We are excited to announce the structure of Champ Rugby, which will bring a highly-competitive and gripping conclusion to the season, providing both aspiration and jeopardy.

"We have worked closely with the clubs and stakeholders on developing a compelling league format that rewards ambition and plays a key role in growing the sport, supporting both player and club development."

Despite finishing top of the Championship this season, Ealing Trailfinders were denied a shot at promotion after not meeting the minimum standards, but Gillham suggested the criteria could be revisited in future.

He told reporters at an online briefing: "There still will be minimum operating standards.

"Without telling tales out of turn, we've had discussions and an oral commitment that we will be revisiting those minimum operating standards for next year, because, quite frankly, the way things happened this year was not satisfactory as far as Tier 2 was concerned. We definitely need to revisit that."

When asked what could be done to help bridge the gap in funding between the Premiership and Champ Rugby, Gillham added: "That's something we're discussing right now.

"We've started exchanges with the RFU (Rugby Football Union) and Premiership. It's absolutely right that the current gap in funding makes it difficult for someone who goes up then to stay up.

"The way it's structured at the moment means it's a problem, but things can be renegotiated and we very much will continue to push forward the idea for a strengthened Championship. That means funding as well.

"I think one of the first things we've got to do as a Championship, and what we're doing now, is to make our claim stronger, get all the clubs together and work as a collective."

At the opposite end of the table, the team that finishes bottom of Champ Rugby will be relegated to National League One, whose champions will be promoted, subject to the Champ Rugby minimum standards.

The teams who finish 12th and 13th in Champ Rugby will meet in a one-off fixture, with the loser facing the National League One play-off winner over one leg for a spot in the second tier.

PA