Saracens' Premiership replacement revealed

NEWS: The Rugby Football Union (RFU) have announced Newcastle Falcons will be promoted from the Greene King IPA Championship to the Premiership next season.

According to Rugbypass Ealing Trailfinders director of rugby, Ben Ward floated the possibility last month of a legal challenge if Newcastle were promoted to the Premiership without the season playing out.

However, with Falcons sitting 18 points clear of rivals Ealing in second, the RFU called off the remainder of the Championship season due to the coronavirus outbreak and they have now decided to settle the promotion issue with a best playing record formula that will see unbeaten Newcastle take the place of relegated Saracens.

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Proposals from the RFU governance committee to conclude the season for leagues at professional and community level below the Premiership were ratified on Wednesday by the RFU Council.

It was agreed that final standings for the Championship and men’s and women’s community game would be calculated on a best playing record formula, maintaining promotion and relegation for those leagues. The Tyrrells Premier 15s season was declared null and void as there is no promotion or relegation in this league.

RFU president Peter Wheeler, said: “We believe that the decisions made provide fair and balanced outcomes for the game and maintain the integrity of the competitions.

“We have listened to recommendations from the heart of the game and the approach has been ratified by the RFU Council.

“This has been a difficult decision to make in the most unprecedented of circumstances. There is no single solution that will suit every club, but the approach taken is one that we believe best reflects the nature of league rugby in England.

“With 80 per cent of the season complete for the community game, we believe our approach is fair and the right one for our leagues. We have clubs that are clear league leaders and those who have said they would benefit from relegation to play more meaningful rugby.”

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