Final league positions for professional and community game for 2019/20 season confirmedFollowing the early end of the rugby season in England as a result of COVID-19, we're announcing the final league positions for the Greene King IPA Championship, Tyrrells Premier 15s and men’s and women’s community game.

Proposals from the RFU governance committee to conclude the season for those leagues at both professional and community level were yesterday ratified by the RFU Council.

It was agreed that final standings for the Greene King IPA Championship and men’s and women’s community game would be calculated on a best playing record formula maintaining promotion and relegation for those leagues. The Tyrrells Premier 15s season has been declared null and void as there is no promotion or relegation in this league. 

RFU President, Peter Wheeler, said: “We believe that the decisions made provide fair and balanced outcomes for the game and maintain the integrity of the competitions. We have listened to recommendations from the heart of the game and the approach has been ratified by the RFU Council. 

“This has been a difficult decision to make in the most unprecedented of circumstances. There is no single solution that will suit every club, but the approach taken is one that we believe best reflects the nature of league rugby in England.

“With 80% of the season complete for the community game, we believe our approach is fair and the right one for our leagues. We have clubs that are clear league leaders and worthy of promotion, but also other clubs who have said they would benefit from relegation, to play more meaningful rugby.”  

Final league tables will be available on the  http://links.emails.rfumail.com/ctt?kn=7&ms=OTA3MzI4OAS2&r=MjY5ODA2ODE1MjU5S0&b=0&j=MTQ5MDEzODc3NgS2&mt=1&rt=0" rel="nofollow - England Rugby website  by 6pm, Friday 3 April. 

It'll be interesting to see what they do about play-offs - I'd guess they'd be scrapped completely, although there is the option to promote both teams and run with slightly larger leagues at the top and slightly smaller leagues at the bottom.  Having said that, could National One accommodate an extra two weekends?

Obviously no one on here has got access to the RFU's voodoo bones and chicken, but how does what they're doing actually work?

I'm guessing that they have to take a season average rather than last x games, so probably. God knows though.

In the National leagues I do not believe it makes a material difference.

Cinderford move above Cambridge and Old Elthamians

Sheffield and Tynedale move ahead of Huddersfield.

I suspect Tonbridge will be promoted. As they are on 98 points to Fylde's 90.

So Sarries should get relegated.

With extra long string to ensure social distancing

To me it's the best available option from a series of which none were perfect. If a match is abandoned due to unforseen circumstances it is a fairly well-established regulation that the result stands if more than 60 mins played. By the same token, with all clubs having played approx 80% of their seasons, applying a similar principle seems fair.

Ok, it's not the exact same principle, as some clubs have played more games, but don't think that can be helped. If there's a fairer scheme, I've yet to see it suggested. Good luck to clubs sweating on official confirmation & commiserations to those who are adversely affected, especially in PO match-ups...

Be great if they could but there are inevitably going to be appeals and lawsuits which will probably mean we get nothing until July. 

Plus the geography will also play into it I bet. For instance, N3LSE will again have the problem where someone will need to be level transferred because (I assume) both Guernsey and Rochford are going up but only S&E are coming down according to N2S, which means a Midlands club are going to be fighting to not get transferred. (In essance, more appeals to delay it)

I don't think any way could be fair on everyone but given the majority of the season had been played it seems the most appropriate option.

Some teams at the top who were losing form will get lucky and some teams at the bottom gaining form will be unlucky 

Probably similar to diciplinaries. But the lawsuit option isn't just a pipe dream as some people think it is. Some clubs do have the sugar daddies who can afford to fund it. 

Part of any reg system is a right of appeal I guess, but hope there aren't many cases like that, given the totally unprecedented nature of this and the lack (that I've seen) of a fairer alternative... 

My home club were 8th in a league of 10 from which 2 are relegated on Fri 13th, with the same average points but 2 more wins than the team below in 9th. That team had a rearranged game the following day against the team ranked 3rd, who I imagine may have been short of players as it was originally a free w/e. If anyone had been self-isolating, the fixture probably wouldn't have happened. It went ahead, the 9th-placed side won + got a BP, and went above us. Pretty tough, but no indication that we'll run to the authorities...

Make the decision, change the leagues to reduce travelling and then say there is no appeal process. 

Done 

From what I've been told by reliable sources this afternoon, the third promotion place is basically decided by which of the two runners-up has the most points ie the team which would have had home advantage in the play-off goes up.

Que sera sera. It'll make no difference to us but there may be a team or two who might have wanted to miss the opportunity to go up. Judging by that then Tonbridge Juddians will be the team to replace whoever comes down from Nat 1 then. Probably at the cost of Rov. 

Because not everyone has played the same number of games.  It would be unfair to promote a team because their closest rivals had had a postponement due to the weather.  Not sure how many leagues this actually affects, but you need a fair system, and this is one of a number of reasonable systems they could have applied.

https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/final-league-positions-for-community-game-confirmed-qazxsw" rel="nofollow - https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/final-league-positions-for-community-game-confirmed-qazxsw

Ha. It wasnt at 3.00pm. Someone must have pressed the wrong button. Wont spoil the suspense by listing promotion and relegation!!!

https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/1d/1d602337-7f0c-401d-89b3-4ea9b38fecb6/Levels%205%20-%207.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://www.englandrugby.com/dxdam/1d/1d602337-7f0c-401d-89b3-4ea9b38fecb6/Levels%205%20-%207.pdf

:-)

So far we've had links to L2 and 5-12. Is there anythng confirmed for L4-5? Feel free to spill them pulses...

Gives people those few extra hours to prepare their angry responses!

I also have Euro finals tickets BM - I wonder if they will attempt to roll the finals w/e over to 2021?

As for the Prem, it seems they are desperately holding out for some form of easing/solution that might enable them to finish the season, even if it's in July/August and involves closed doors. Personally I don't think that's realistic, but I guess they are going to hold on for as long as possible...

I think that the North require one from Midlands. 

Hopper, have you taken into account Sheffield, Doncaster Phoenix and Sandbach who are all Northern Prem teams playing in Midlands Prem last season? They first need to be returned to their 'home' league before level transfers are considered.

Not at all,  apologies? 

Sandbach, surely?

Let's just get through this pandemic first which makes all this league structuring pale into insignificance.

I’d hate to be a club treasurer just at the moment.

I’d hope that out of all this we’ve taken away the idea that welfare of people is more important than £££. By and large an extra one or two home games a year isn’t going to take a club from the red to the black. Considering which players are being paid and how much will be the big decision clubs need to make next season. We can’t have Level 5 players on upwards of £250 a game, then wonder why clubs are struggling financially. 

 The RFU is circulating all kinds of information aimed at helping clubs stay in business some of which involves loans which will have to be repaid. They could do their bit by not reducing the number of games played in upcoming seasons.

And who mentioned paying players? Clubs have less avoidable bills to pay such as utility bills, rates and pitch maintenance. 

The RFU should at least postpone the restructure for 2 years at least. Personally. I think what we have currently is actually fair in terms of distance and competition save for N2 and up but you have to go national with the leagues somewhere and gradually from N3 being Regional unions, N2 being North/south, N1 national is actually reasonable to me.

So sod player welfare, clubs have got bills to pay? It also seems fairly relevant to talk about one of, if not the biggest, outgoings clubs have. Pay players less and for fewer games and those loan repayments suddenly become a bit easier and has a knock on effect of reducing game day based overheads. 

Friendly prop, you are correct. I recall Lymm joining us for a season in National 3 Midlands (as it then was) a few years back. It gave them a nice local derby against Sandbach. A very hospitable club with great facilities.

So what is player welfare? Taking the definition literally we wouldn’t have a game as the chances of being hurt when a 20st prop lands on you is pretty high.

Players get knocks so another player gets a start. A player has to work or go to a wedding so another player gets a game.

Just because you star stand off only fancies playing 20 games a season shouldn’t stop everyone enjoying a Saturday’s sport.

Level 5 ?! This goes on in level 6 ! Hopefully this current situation will bring both clubs and players back to reality.