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RFU confirm Ealing Trailfinders won't be promoted to Premiership
By Ian Cameron
The RFU have confirmed that Ealing Trailfinders will not be promoted to the Gallagher Premiership after withdrawing their appeal of a decision that stopped the club from being promoted.
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Ealing finished top of the RFU Championship, but the RFU said they did not meet the criteria for promotion.
An RFU statement reads: “Ealing Trailfinders has withdrawn its appeal of the decision of the RFU Board that following an independent audit, the club’s facilities do not currently meet the Professional Game Board Minimum Standards Criteria required for promotion to the Gallagher Premiership.
“The RFU has reiterated it will continue to collaborate with Championship clubs on the development of a sustainable Championship as well as a commitment of the Professional Game Board to review standards relating to minimum capacity ahead of the audit process next season.”
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Ealing Trailfinders said: “We have decided not to continue the appeal with the RFU appointed panel. We are disappointed that having won the Championship, we will not be taking our rightful place in the Gallagher Premiership.
“We remain humbled and grateful for the enormous support we have received from the wider rugby public during this frustrating process. Rest assured that Ealing Trailfinders remain more committed and passionate than ever in becoming a successful Premiership club and strongly believe in the circumstances we are dealt this is our best route forward in achieving that at the earliest possible date.”
Ealing Trailfinders said that they are confident that the Professional Game Board, having reconsidered the matter, will want to reform the Minimum Standards Criteria to “make promotion a real and affordable option for any and all Championship clubs”.
“In Ealing Trailfinders’ view, the number of spectators for promoted clubs must be grown sustainably and over time so that promoted sides or those with ambitions for promotion are not forced either into speculative, rapid, unsustainable and unnecessary spending on unused stands or facilities or into expensive and over specified ground share deals which take them away from their core fan base, employees, volunteers and communities.
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“Ealing Trailfinders expects the PGB’s review carefully to consider the case for reducing the required minimum capacity as well as allowing it to be achieved by newly promoted clubs in staggered increments, before adopting the MSC for the 2022/23 season.”
Shame on the RFU denying Ealing Trailfinders the right to enter the Premiership after a hard fought campaign in the Championship that went down to the last match of the season. With superb facilities and a one club culture that embraces both professional and amateur teams, many Premiership clubs could learn a lot from Ealing Trailfinders…..
Ealing Trailfinders are showing the way forward here for a smarter more dynamic Rugby Premiership. Hope some of the common sense rubs off on the RFU by next season.