Promotion to the Premiership could return after a play-off between the league’s bottom-placed aspect and the winners of the Championship was introduced by the RFU.

Nevertheless, the sport will solely happen if the staff that wins the Championship meets the RFU’s minimal requirements standards. Jersey Reds received this 12 months’s second-tier competitors however weren’t promoted. Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders, who got here second, utilized for approval final 12 months with solely the previous, who completed sixth, receiving approval.

The final aspect to win promotion to the Premiership was the league’s reigning champions Saracens, who bounced straight again as much as the highest flight in 2021 after being demoted for breaching the wage cap.

The 2-legged Premiership promotion play-off fixture is scheduled to happen on the weekends of 31 Could-2 June and 7-9 June.

The RFU confirmed the Championship might be a 12-team league when asserting the fixtures for 2023-24, with the season getting underway on 21 October.

Associated: Rugby Fixtures

RFU director of efficiency rugby Conor O’Shea added: “The 2022-23 season finale went down the wire with solely two factors in the end separating the highest two groups within the desk, showcasing the drama of the Championship, and we are able to anticipate extra of the identical within the upcoming season.

“We’re actually happy to welcome Cambridge, who had a implausible season in Nationwide 1, and might be a fantastic addition to the Championship.”

Championship committee chairman, Simon Halliday, stated: “This can be a vastly necessary 12 months for all Championship golf equipment, and I want every of them the easiest for the approaching season.

“I’d notably prefer to welcome Cambridge who achieved an exquisite promotion and I do know that they are going to add drastically to the league as did Caldy final 12 months.

“Because the incoming chairman I stay up for serving to construct on the work already completed because the English recreation seems to be in the direction of the longer term and a sustainable restoration.”

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