Promotion and relegation between the Zurich Premiership and the First Division will remain on the basis of one automatic promotion and relegation place from season 2003/04 onwards it was decided on Monday 16 June.

A Panel of three from Premier Rugby, three from First Division Rugby and one from the RFU has been reviewing promotion and relegation as specified in the long form agreement between the RFU and Premier Rugby.  The only options open to the Panel were whether this should take place on an automatic basis or via a play-off.

The decision was made, by four votes to three, that automatic promotion and relegation will continue.  It was agreed by both PRL and FDR that the simple choice which the Panel had to make between a play-off and automatic promotion and relegation was not ideal.

RFU Chief Executive, Francis Baron, said, “It has, unfortunately, not been possible to reach agreement between PRL and FDR on the promotion and relegation arrangements going forward.  As a result I had to use my casting vote.

“This was not an easy decision to make as each side presented good arguments in support of their own position.  Having carefully considered the representations from both sides, however, I do not believe that the case has been made to change the promotion and relegation arrangement to that of a play-off.  I will set out the reasons for my vote in writing to PRL and FDR Panel members and this will be made publicly available.

“I believe that there are better solutions to this issue than the two choices available to the Panel. Some of these options are covered in the draft 10 year England Rugby Strategic Plan recently tabled. I hope that both parties will engage in debate over these options and that these discussions will start soon.”

The Panel was made up of: Charles Jillings, Peter Wheeler and Howard Thomas representing PRL; David Hammond, Peter Bulless and Geoff Cooke representing FDR and Francis Baron, RFU Chief Executive.

For a full explanation of the Chief Executive's Decision, please click here (PDF Download 100kb)