Worcester Warriors confirm application to play in new Tier 2

Worcester Warriors have confirmed they will be applying to play in the RFU’s new Tier 2 league in 2025/26. It was last Friday when the latest English rugby council meeting outlined that additional teams wanting to take part in the revamped 14-team Championship had until October 13 to fill out their application.

The Warriors' last Gallagher Premiership game before their financial collapse took place in September 2022 when they defeated Newcastle at Sixways, and their demise was followed by Wasps and London Irish going out of business, reducing the English top flight from a 13- to a 10-team league.

Jersey Reds, the 2022/23 Championship champions, also folded in September last year and while the English top-flight will continue with its 10-team format, the RFU are looking to add an additional two clubs to the current 12-team Championship and relaunch the league as Tier 2 next season.

Last Friday’s RFU statement read: “It has also been considering how additional teams might enter the league following council’s approval in principle of a 14-team league structure for season 25/26.

“Council today approved a tender process for additional places in the league, starting with an expression of interest, that will be issued to the whole game on September 30.

“Once expressions of interest are received, interested parties will receive a formal submission request and responses will be assessed against the criteria which are:

• Ability to meet the minimum operating standards;
• Ability to demonstrate financial viability – this includes, where applicable, repayment of rugby creditors (as per RFU regulation five);
• Ability to align with the league’s central objectives which will be assessed against three areas: player base and competitiveness; commercial and geography. This will enable the Tier 2 board to review in detail the clubs’ strategies to ensure that clubs’ ambitions are backed by careful and realistic planning and that they can demonstrate an alignment with the league’s central growth strategy.

“Expressions of interest must be received no later than 5pm on Sunday, October 13.”

Worcester have now confirmed they will be submitting an application to join. A LinkedIn statement from Christopher Holland, the Junction 6 Ltd owner, read: “Worcester Warriors can confirm that we have received the formal invitation from the RFY to submit our expression of interest to return to the second tier of the professional game in England.

“The deadline for submission is Sunday, October 13. The Warriors will be submitting their expression of interest next week.”

It was September 10 when Junction 6 lodged a planning application with Wychavon council for the development of a mixed-use proposal at Sixways, including new/refurbished north and west stands, a hotel, medical/sports rehabilitation/research/office accommodation, multi-storey car park, golf driving range with associated leisure and office uses, solar farm, sports pitch, associated landscaping and flood/biodiversity net gain mitigation.

A statement at the time explained: “Junction 6 are aware of the application on the Wychavon District Council planning portal that relates to a screening opinion that is required to determine whether it is necessary to undertake a full environmental impact assessment for any planning application.

“It is no secret that Junction 6 are committed to return Worcester Warriors to professional rugby and to ensure that Sixways is the centre of excellence for sport, conferences, and events in the area.

“To ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past we are reviewing the enabling development options around the stadium to remove any single point of failure in the future.”