Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders given hope of Premiership promotion as minimum standards criteria is relaxed

Last season, Doncaster and Ealing Trailfinders were told before the end of their nip-and-tuck title fight that neither would gain promotion to the Premiership were they to win the Championship because they did not have a ground capacity of 10,001.

The RFU on Friday loosened those regulations.

In a statement the Professional Game Board wrote: “It has been agreed that there will be additional time for a club to build up to a capacity of 10,001.

“At the time of the audit in January 2023 a club must have a capacity of at least 5,000 plus planning permission to develop the ground up to a capacity of 10,001, with funding in place to achieve this. It would have to demonstrate an agreement with a contractor to carry out the work in due course.

“At the start of the season, 2023-24, the club must have a capacity of at least 5,000, if the ground is not a Designated Ground under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975, it must have in place a non-statutory safety certificate from its local authority, and confirmation from its local authority as to its assurance and enforcement process.

“For the start of the 2024-25 season, the club must have a capacity of 10,001 and a full statutory general certificate. If these are not in place it will result in relegation.”

Doncaster’s stadium Castle Park, which has hosted England Women’s internationals in recent seasons, currently has a capacity of 5,000, with 1,650 seats.

The club submitted a planning application to Doncaster Council to double their stadium capacity earlier this summer.

Doncaster lost to Ealing in their Championship opener last weekend and travel to Hartpury RFC on Saturday.