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Saturday and Sunday should ideally introduce a transformative period. The traditional Championship, rugby union's second tier, has evolved into "the Champ" and, initially, the proposal appears bright. A newly named league, Worcester returning, an online platform in Clubber TV, gifted individuals raring to go. And for the title holders, assert the organisers, the grand goal of promotion to the top flight.

Possible Disintegration Before Important Discussion

Just try to embrace this optimistic outlook temporarily, particularly in the optimistic aftermath of a excellent international competition. Since, sadly, it is in some danger of collapsing, even before the governing body gathered on Friday to consider the top teams' pursuit of a closed league system that would restrict demotion for premier teams.

Additional specifics have been requested by officials with a full vote not anticipated for the coming quarter. A key figure, representative, is also insistent that the situation are not so simple as some Prem hawks are claiming: "The stance of the Champ board remains the same. The lifeblood of sport is hope and jeopardy and we need to have a structure that recognizes on-field achievements and penalizes failure."

Elevation Goalposts Could Change Another Time

What people truly desires to understand, however, is whether the promotion goalposts will yet again be adjusted midway through? On that front, the official is not yet able to be entirely clear. "The best-case scenario is that we’ve agreed dropping down ends for elite clubs and thus the champion of this season’s Champ playoffs is promoted," he states. "The worst-case scenario is we fail to get to an agreement and the present system stays in place, that is a playoff between the bottom elite club and the number one in the second division."

Interesting. It's widely understood that the Prem would aim to increase to a minimum of a dozen clubs and the return of a reborn Worcester, with their ground and support, would align perfectly into that vision. Yet further down the track? The chair makes clear that, in the revised system, even long-standing teams will have to enhance their operations quickly or potentially rivals replacing them. "We have a number of clubs who are must up their facilities so as to continue in the league," he warns. "It may be a few organizations feel they are unwilling to make the investment. They could withdraw."

Doubt Plagues Leaders and Athletes

These factors causes the majority of second-tier managers and players confronting additional contractual and funding instability. Take Bedford’s Mike Rayer, who has seen numerous new dawns over his two decades as manager at Goldington Road. "We’ve almost got to the stage where it appears we have some security and suddenly there’s the chance of the gate closing another time," says the former Wales international. "This has been the story at this level for a long time."

In another case recently they have been bemoaning the departure of a prospective new American backer who pulled out because of the lack of clarity surrounding future entry to the elite league. And listen to an ex-official, a past player a critic, who is still frustrated at the approach the Champ clubs have together been treated and at the notion of selected Prem wannabes being chosen: "The top division's and RFU plan is choose a specific group of teams to fit their commercial agenda. If the coming period are chaotic [for the Champ] they won’t really care."

Financial Divide Among Leagues

Reacting, various Prem owners will contend the commercial gap separating the divisions has grown so wide that adjustment has turned necessary. This is an easier argument to advance in the follow-up of Newcastle’s quick partnership with the corporate giant Red Bull – yet not at a different club who have an similarly confident investor and yet are nonetheless, to their frustration, excluded. After leading last season’s table and been informed confidentially they were eventually in the promotion frame, it is claimed they were subsequently "abandoned" over fears Newcastle would fold if they were dropped.

Different voices openly ask about the fairness of the reportedly iron-clad long-term agreement between the RFU and the elite league being amended so soon. Additionally, a past player Nick Easter, now his club's director of rugby, is still adamantly opposed to a closed system. "The background of athletics in the continent and the United Kingdom is about jeopardy and reward," he argues. "That’s what you’re competing for. This is why we have the most passionate supporters in the globe. It also attracts crowds and drives interest. Consider the French system who have the most successful club model in the sport. Certainly, there are differences in local support and TV income but it succeeds. It's popular."

Relegation Not Always Lead to Failure

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