Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders given hope of Premiership promotion as minimum standards criteria is relaxed
Last season, Doncaster and Ealing Trailfinders were told before the end of their nip-and-tuck title fight that neither would gain promotion to the Premiership were they to win the Championship because they did not have a ground capacity of 10,001.
The RFU on Friday loosened those regulations.
In a statement the Professional Game Board wrote: “It has been agreed that there will be additional time for a club to build up to a capacity of 10,001:
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Hide Ad“At the time of the audit in January 2023 a club must have a capacity of at least 5,000 plus planning permission to develop the ground up to a capacity of 10,001, with funding in place to achieve this. It would have to demonstrate an agreement with a contractor to carry out the work in due course;
“At the start of the season, 2023-24, the club must have a capacity of at least 5,000, if the ground is not a Designated Ground under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, it must have in place a non-statutory safety certificate from its local authority, and confirmation from its local authority as to its assurance and enforcement process;
“For the start of the 2024-25 season, the club must have a capacity of 10,001 and a full statutory general certificate. If these are not in place it will result in relegation.”
Doncaster’s stadium Castle Park, which has hosted England Women’s internationals in recent seasons, currently has a capacity of 5,000, with 1,650 seats.
Doncaster lost to Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship opener this week and travel to Hartpury RFC on Saturday.