Championship clubs want more talks on game's future

Cornish Pirates say they cannot bring in new investment until the future of the professional game is agreed

Championship clubs have called for more talks with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to try and solve the impasse over the future of the professional game in England.

New proposals that are due to start from 2025 have yet to be agreed to.

The clubs are opposed to ringfencing the top tier and want more funding to ensure a professional second tier can remain viable.

They have also been against plans for a franchise-based system saying they want to ensure there is promotion and relegation.

"We continue to seek urgent meetings with the Board to discuss our solutions, which we believe are deliverable and realistic," the clubs said in a joint statement.

"In that regard, the RFU Council, which is mandated to be guardians of the whole game and meets later this month, should intervene, request a review of our position, and help facilitate a whole-game solution, particularly in the matter of promotion and relegation."

Jersey Reds went bust without being able to defend the Championship title they won last year

Championship winners Jersey Reds went into liquidation in September leaving an 11-team competition.

They followed Premiership clubs Wasps, Worcester and London Irish, who all folded last season.

Earlier this year Cornish Pirates said they were not able to bring in new investment due to the ongoing uncertainty over the future of the second tier.

All the club's players have a break clause in their contracts at the end of 2024 should sufficient funding not be available for the second half of next season.

Championship clubs have had their central funding from the RFU cut from £645,000 in 2019 to £150,000 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They claim the current proposals will share £4m between the second-tier clubs in comparison to £33m between the 10 Premiership clubs.

"We understand and support the need to stabilise the top tier of the game, but our clubs must properly be part of the structure," the statement added.

"We have supplied a pathway for 200 players many of whom are now household names (as well as numerous coaches, referees and administrators) to the very top of the game.

"That pathway must not be lost, because it underpins the game."

The statement continued: "The only route to that stability and sustainability is for the whole game to move forward together.

"The PGP (Professional Game Partnership) is about the next eight years at a time when the game globally and nationally is changing rapidly, so this is a pivotal moment.

"If there are not changes now, it will be too late."

In response the RFU said it would be "disappointed if Championship clubs chose to disengage in the process".

“A paper co-authored by the RFU and the Championship was submitted ahead of the April Council meeting and the Championship clubs and its executive had agreed it would comply with the proposals to work towards a new league structure, competition format and governance model that could be presented to the RFU Council on 14 June," the statement said.

"[We] will continue to work with key stakeholders ahead of next week’s RFU Council meeting.”