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| Tried... denied: London Welsh have failed to meet promotion criteria |
London Welsh have had their ground audit for Oxford United's Kassam Stadium
turned down and will not be allowed to play Premiership rugby should they
earn "promotion" from the Championship.
They play the Cornish Pirates in the first match of a two-legged final in
Penzance tonight when we will have the perverse spectacle of neither side
being eligible for promotion to the top flight.
The Exiles have 14 days to appeal against the decision and have, in the past,
hinted that they would consider legal action if their application was turned
down.
As it stands now, however, Newcastle Falcons will not be relegated from the
Premiership, a cause of some celebraton in the North East.
The decision was made this lunchtime by the RFU board. In a statement, the RFU
said: "The Rugby Football Union’s Board of Directors has considered the
findings of the independent audit report requested by London Welsh, which
determines a club’s eligibility for promotion to the Aviva Premiership in
line with the Minimum Standards Criteria (MSC).
"The report, carried out by independent auditors, found that London Welsh
has not met the MSC for the Aviva Premiership. The independent auditors
identified various failures, including not having Primacy of Tenure at their
nominated ground.
"This states that a club must demonstrate that they can host home fixtures at the time stipulated by Premiership Rugby and/or the host broadcaster.
"The RFU Board ratified the findings and agreed, should London Welsh win the RFU Championship final following the second leg on May 30, they would not be eligible for promotion and Newcastle Falcons would remain in the Aviva Premiership.
"Cornish Pirates did not choose to have an independent audit of the Mennaye Field and so do not fulfil the criteria for promotion should they win the final. As a result, there will be no promotion from the RFU Championship this season."
The Exiles knew the decision was due today and have tried to prepare themselves mentally for both scenarios during the long trip down to Penzanceeg.
"It won't affect our players one way or another," said London Welsh coach Lyn Jones. "The two legs over the next week is the culumination of nine months hard work from a great set of lads and winning the Championship is incentive enough.
"That will be our motivation when we cross the whitewash. Everything else, the politics, will take care of itself. It always does.
"Our backroom staff have done a great job putting our application together, our sole task is to produce two top level peformances against talented and respected opponents."
Newcastle's commercial director Duncan Edward added: “To be given the lifeline of playing in the Aviva Premiership next season and keeping top-class rugby in the region is unbelievable."
The Exiles lock horns with Cornish Pirates tonight in the first leg of the Championship play-off final.
"This states that a club must demonstrate that they can host home fixtures at the time stipulated by Premiership Rugby and/or the host broadcaster.
"The RFU Board ratified the findings and agreed, should London Welsh win the RFU Championship final following the second leg on May 30, they would not be eligible for promotion and Newcastle Falcons would remain in the Aviva Premiership.
"Cornish Pirates did not choose to have an independent audit of the Mennaye Field and so do not fulfil the criteria for promotion should they win the final. As a result, there will be no promotion from the RFU Championship this season."
The Exiles knew the decision was due today and have tried to prepare themselves mentally for both scenarios during the long trip down to Penzanceeg.
"It won't affect our players one way or another," said London Welsh coach Lyn Jones. "The two legs over the next week is the culumination of nine months hard work from a great set of lads and winning the Championship is incentive enough.
"That will be our motivation when we cross the whitewash. Everything else, the politics, will take care of itself. It always does.
"Our backroom staff have done a great job putting our application together, our sole task is to produce two top level peformances against talented and respected opponents."
Newcastle's commercial director Duncan Edward added: “To be given the lifeline of playing in the Aviva Premiership next season and keeping top-class rugby in the region is unbelievable."
The Exiles lock horns with Cornish Pirates tonight in the first leg of the Championship play-off final.
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