Extra golf equipment wanting to participate within the new 14-team Tier 2 league in 2025/26 have been set an October 13 deadline to ship their purposes to the RFU.
There was a lot debate in current instances about how finest to reimagine the present 12-team Championship beneath the Gallagher Premiership in England and the newest improvement – the launch of a young course of with a swift utility deadline – emerged following Friday’s newest council assembly.
In concept, the tender course of supplies a window for the likes of the collapsed Wasps to return to enjoying in September 2025. They went bust in October 2022 simply weeks after Worcester has additionally folded.
London Irish later went bust, decreasing the Premiership from 13 to 10 golf equipment in a matter of months. Jersey Reds, the 2022/23 Championship champions, additionally folded in September final 12 months and opted out of their second-tier title defence.
An RFU assertion learn: “Over the previous 18 months the RFU, Championship membership committee and Premiership Rugby have been working to develop a reimagined Tier 2.
“The goal is to create a second tier that helps the English system by growing younger English expertise, while supporting the golf equipment to turn out to be financially sustainable, by rising native audiences and rising the worth within the league.
“In April 2024, council authorized the ideas of a brand new governance construction, the minimal working requirements and the precept of Tier 2 comprising 14 golf equipment from 2025/26.
“The brand new Tier 2 board has been operational since July 1 with representatives from the Championship and RFU and is driving plans for the revamped league within the 2025/26 season. The method to recruit an impartial chair is underway.
“The Tier 2 board is continuous to develop each the industrial development technique, competitors construction and participant improvement technique for the brand new league, in addition to overseeing the self-assessment course of for present Championship golf equipment towards the minimal working requirements for the brand new league.
“It has additionally been contemplating how further groups may enter the league following council’s approval in precept of a 14-team league construction for season 25/26.
“Council as we speak authorized a young course of for extra locations within the league, beginning with an expression of curiosity, that might be issued to the entire sport on September 30.
“As soon as expressions of curiosity are obtained, events will obtain a proper submission request and responses might be assessed towards the standards that are:
- Means to satisfy the minimal working requirements;
- Means to display monetary viability – this consists of, the place relevant, compensation of rugby collectors (as per RFU regulation 5);
- Means to align with the league’s central targets which might be assessed towards three areas: participant base and competitiveness; industrial and geography. This can allow the Tier 2 board to overview intimately the golf equipment’ methods to make sure that golf equipment’ ambitions are backed by cautious and lifelike planning and that they will display an alignment with the league’s central development technique.
“Expressions of curiosity should be obtained no later than 5pm on Sunday, October 13.”