"Champ Rugby" - RFU Confirms revamped Tier 2 - 14 team league includes Worcester Warriors

Friday, 16 May 2025 at 09:37

byTom Sansom

English rugby’s second tier is set for a major transformation starting in the 2025-26 season, with the launch of a new competition structure and a striking re-brand under the name 'Champ Rugby'. The revamped league will feature 14 teams and a high-stakes play-off format designed to enhance player development, club sustainability, and competitive integrity.

Following a thorough selection process, Worcester Warriors will return to the professional fold after their financial administration in September 2022. The Warriors are joined by Richmond, winners of National League 1 for the 2024-25 season, and the existing 12 Championship sides to form the inaugural Champ Rugby cohort.

New League Format

Each of the 14 teams will play home and away fixtures across 26 rounds. After the regular season, the league will move into an innovative play-off phase:

Teams placed 3rd to 6th will compete in quarter-finals, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals to face the top two ranked teams.
The semi-final winners will then face off in a final to determine the Champ Rugby champion.

Promotion hopes will hinge on a two-legged play-off between the Champ Rugby winner and the bottom Premiership club, with the victor securing a place in the top flight - subject of course to meeting the Premiership's minimum standards regarding facilities.

At the other end of the table, 14th place will face automatic relegation to National League 1. Meanwhile, the 12th and 13th-placed teams will battle in a one-off fixture. The loser will then face the winner of the National League 1 play-off in another single-leg 'Access Final', to decide who will compete in Champ Rugby the following season. Again, this is contingent on meeting Champ Rugby’s Minimum Operating Standards.

Leadership Perspective

Simon Gillham, Chair of the Tier 2 Board, expressed confidence in the changes:

“We are excited to announce the structure of Champ Rugby, which will bring a highly competitive and gripping conclusion to the season, providing both aspiration and jeopardy.

Gillham also highlighted the broader vision for the league:

“Building up English rugby’s second tier competition is critical to the transformation of the elite game in this country, and we are at the start of that journey. Delivering high quality event day experiences, gripping on-field drama at the conclusion of the season and more compelling digital and visual content will support our transformation aims for the league.

“We look forward to seeing the new brand roll-out across both central Champ Rugby channels as well as those of the clubs as preparation for the 2025-26 season starts in earnest.”

A detailed fixture list is expected to be announced in the coming weeks as the countdown to a new era of English rugby continues.