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#Post#: 150195--------------------------------------------------
RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: February 26, 2026, 11:32 am
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A radical new structure for English rugby is expected to be
rubber-stamped at a Rugby Football Union council meeting on
Friday.
The Prem would separate from the rest of the pyramid, with
traditional promotion and relegation immediately scrapped.
Instead the Prem will look to expand from 10 teams to 12 teams
by 2030, with further expansion possible if ambitious clubs meet
criteria on and off the field.
This could mean clubs like Wasps, Worcester and London Irish -
who all went bust in the 2022-23 season - return to the top
flight in the future.
As it stands, there is a mechanism for promotion and relegation
to and from the Prem via a play-off with the top-placed side in
the Champ.
However, Ealing Trailfinders, consistently the best team in the
second tier, have failed to meet the existing standards -
especially around stadium size.
There has been no relegation from the Prem since Saracens went
down in 2020 after a heavy points deduction for salary cap
breaches. Sarries were also the last team to gain promotion
after winning the Championship in 2021.
Under the new plans, ambitious clubs would still be able to
apply for a place in the Prem, but would need to meet a variety
of revamped criteria - financial and commercial, as well as
on-pitch performance and potential.
English rugby insiders expect the new structure to collectively
raise standards across the clubs and make the game more
attractive to investors.
"We are lifting the bar on what we want clubs to do across
various areas," said one leading executive.
According to sources, any club would be able to apply for a
place in an expanded Prem.
They could be ambitious Champ sides such as Coventry, dormant
former powerhouses like Wasps - who plan to relaunch in Kent in
the coming seasons - or brand-new entities.
The Champ clubs had previously rejected plans for a
franchise-type model, but leading figures in the club game
insist their board has been consulted throughout the process and
have endorsed the recommendation.
"It could be transformational for aspirational Champ clubs," a
senior source told the BBC.
"We are looking at a range of different options to make the
Premiership thriving, exciting and a really interesting place to
invest in," RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney told BBC Sport last
year.
"Part of that will be a model whereby you qualify for an
expansion league in the Premiership, but based on criteria
around financial sustainability, fanbase and stadium, not just
performance on the field of play."
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cqj9ewdqjejo
#Post#: 150200--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Joaquin
Date: February 26, 2026, 2:08 pm
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"The Prem would separate from the rest of the pyramid, with
traditional promotion and relegation immediately scrapped"
About time too. This will give clubs back the incentive to drive
their club forward. As for the part about Trailfinders, anyone
who's been there will see there is nothing more that they can do
to increase the stadium size, albeit a lovely place to to visit.
#Post#: 150203--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Jimmy G
Date: February 26, 2026, 2:49 pm
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I wonder if any club coming into this setup would be subject to
the 27% that cvc take from top line income before distribution
to the clubs, as they wouldn't have benefited from the money
that cvc invested?
#Post#: 150205--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: February 26, 2026, 3:31 pm
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--- Quote from: Jimmy G link ---
>
> I wonder if any club coming into this setup would be subject
to the 27% that cvc take from top line income before
distribution to the clubs, as they wouldn't have benefited from
the money that cvc invested?
>
--- End Quote ---
CVC get 27% of PRL income/profit or whatever. So yes, any new
club joining PRL would.
But no details have been publicised regarding the new financial
arrangements and to what extent they will be different, if at
all.
#Post#: 150206--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Rigoletto
Date: February 26, 2026, 3:43 pm
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It’s no surprise but as a fan I really miss that element of
jeopardy that comes with the threat of relegation. If it happens
I will be seriously tempted to watch Scottish or Richmond
instead.
#Post#: 150208--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Banstead Quin
Date: February 26, 2026, 7:59 pm
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So the radical revamp is "Stay exactly as is"? These guys are
clearly the right people to make these decisions over a big
boozy lunch...
No one can join the boys club except Wuss, Not Nots and Pests
because we feel sorry for them and if they don't meet the
criteria, hell, we'll just let them in anyway
#Post#: 150209--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: The Absolute Quintet
Date: February 27, 2026, 1:43 am
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--- Quote from: Rigoletto link ---
>
> It’s no surprise but as a fan I really miss that element of
jeopardy that comes with the threat of relegation. If it happens
I will be seriously tempted to watch Scottish or Richmond
instead.
>
--- End Quote ---
….where the threat of relegation is a constant ;)
#Post#: 150213--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Fearless Fred
Date: February 27, 2026, 2:21 am
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Looks like there's already interest outside the usual suspects
when it comes to the Premiership expanding in a few years time:
Birmingham City’s owners explore moving into rugby union and
buying Prem franchise
HTML https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/26/birmingham-city-owners-explore-rugby-union-buying-prem-franchise
#Post#: 150215--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: February 27, 2026, 2:32 am
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--- Quote from: Fearless Fred link ---
>
> Looks like there's already interest outside the usual suspects
when it comes to the Premiership expanding in a few years time:
Birmingham City’s owners explore moving into rugby union and
buying Prem franchise
HTML https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/26/birmingham-city-owners-explore-rugby-union-buying-prem-franchise
>
--- End Quote ---
Well, well, well. Franchises you say? Not such a silly idea
after all then, eh? Mind you, it does seem to lean heavily on a
sugar daddy investor utilising investors money. I mean, I like
the idea of Birmingham being invested in, christ knows its well
overdue.
I have a chum who was a Director of Birmingham City when they
last got promoted. He told me they were delighted as they would
now be in the top flight for at least 4 seasons.
Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring.
#Post#: 150217--------------------------------------------------
Re: RFU set to confirm radical revamp for English rugby
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: February 27, 2026, 3:02 am
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--- Quote from: Joaquin link ---
>
> "The Prem would separate from the rest of the pyramid, with
traditional promotion and relegation immediately scrapped"
>
> About time too. This will give clubs back the incentive to
drive their club forward. As for the part about Trailfinders,
anyone who's been there will see there is nothing more that they
can do to increase the stadium size, albeit a lovely place to to
visit.
>
--- End Quote ---
Trailfinders could increase the stadium to hold 10001, and have
costed it at £14.1m, they would however not be able to obtain
the safety certification for that capacity because there is only
access via a single road.
It has a railway line on one side, a housing estate at the front
and two schools behind and partially to one side, and lots of
£1m plus houses to the rest of that side.
The local residents are also in the main not keen, although as
one, it does not cause any problems and expansion would not
bother me, the only way to have another access road would be
through the site of one of the schools.
The supporters are still pushing for it to happen, but having
spoken to the owner a couple of times, he was adamant that they
would only play at their current ground.
HTML https://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&page=eatrailfinders013.htm
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