Tier Two teams agree play-off compensation

CHAMPIONSHIP clubs are ready to agree a £900,000 compensation package with Premiership Rugby that will see the division’s controversial play-offs scrapped from next season.

The Rugby Paper understands tier two clubs have informally voted in favour of accepting Premiership Rugby’s offer, worth £75,000 per club, and will meet this Wednesday to discuss the matter further, when they also expect to hear more details of the RFU’s controversial plans to ‘buddy-up’ level two teams with topflight clubs.

Premiership clubs have been desperate to see an end to the Championship playoffs, which were introduced in 2009-10 as a means of generating additional interest in the league but have proved counter-productive in holding back ambitious clubs like Bristol.

Nine Championship sides voted to support Premiership Rugby’s compensation proposal, while Cornish Pirates, London Welsh and Doncaster have reservations.

Meanwhile, TRP understands plans are being hatched to scrap automatic promotion and relegation between National League One and the Championship, with level three winners instead being forced to play-off against the bottom placed Championship team.