Champ Rugby, The Proving Ground

[Which Tyler]

Welcome to The Proving Ground | Rugby Football Union

English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season.

www.championshiprugby.co.uk

 

[Which Tyler]

English second tier gets Champ Rugby rebrand in new 14-club league

English rugby union’s second tier will be rebranded as Champ Rugby from next season in a move designed to raise standards and add greater aspiration and jeopardy for clubs

www.theguardian.com

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sounds like a good move all round

 

[McTallshort]

English rugby’s second tier reveals new competition format and brand as it gears up for the 2025-26 season - Coventry Rugby

New competition structure includes the introduction of both champion and relegation play offs – see competition format video Introduction of a bold new brand identity: Champ Rugby, The Proving Ground –view launch video and brand imagery A transformed competition format for the second tier of...

www.coventryrugby.co.uk

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Awful marketing. Anyway…..

Chair of the Tier 2 board saying that the aim is to create a "seamless" two tier professional game in the next three to five years. All for aspiration and I'll be delighted to eat my hat in 2030 but this is cloud cuckoo land stuff…..not to mention that Prem and RFU don't really seem to agree.

Intended format (for now) is that top 6 teams play off for a spot in (you've guessed it) a play off against the bottom Prem team for a Prem place. So based on this year's table you could hypothetically have Cov with 8 Championship defeats out of 19 playing off - I'd still back Falcons every day of the week. Play off team should be the highest finisher in the 'Champ' regular season who meets whatever criteria are in place (currently I think only Doncaster).

That will come across as Eeyore-ish - hey, play to your strengths - but while I'd love to see a fully pro vibrant second tier with promotion / relegation etc, I just can't envisage it. The current situation can be improved, but for all the brave words I just can't see it getting where they want to go.