COVENTRY Rugby are not eligible for promotion to the Premiership this season after the club failed to meet the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU’s) minimum standards criteria.
The Butts Park Arena club submitted their formal application for promotion to the Premiership in December when top of the Championship table.
However, the RFU have confirmed Coventry failed to meet the ground requirements necessary to compete in the Premiership.
Premiership grounds must have a minimum capacity of 10,001 with promoted clubs able to phase the development of their stadiums over four seasons.
Coventry’s Butts Park Arena home currently holds a maximum of 5,250 spectators.
The RFU also rejected the application of current league leaders Ealing Trailfinders meaning there will be no promotion and relegation between the top two tiers.
Doncaster Knights are the only Championship team to meet the criteria but sit 29 points behind Ealing in the table.
Men’s professional rugby board chair, Mike McTighe said: “We are in a new era for the men’s professional game and there are ongoing and very live conversations about how we can build an investable framework that ensures that it is sustainable.
“While right now only one Championship club is meeting the requirements that would enable them to come into the league, we are working hard to ensure that is not always the case and that we apply the right flexibility and support where it’s appropriate.
“We know how hard those clubs with aspirations to join the Premiership are working both to generate the required investment to be sustainable within that league and to ensure they have the required infrastructure to support themselves.
“This forms a vital part of the ongoing discussion and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders from the clubs and organisations who run both leagues to many others because we recognise that in the future, new and innovative approaches are going to be required.”
