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Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Championship becomes Champ Rugby in overhaul
The Championship will be rebranded Champ Rugby from next season in an overhaul of English rugby union's second tier. It will feature 14 teams, with the division's top six at the end of the season entering play-offs to decide the title. The champions will then have the opportunity to earn promotion to the Premiership, via a play-off against the top tier's bottom side. There will be automatic relegation to third-tier National 1 for the 14th-placed Champ Rugby side. The 12th and 13th-placed side will also meet in a one-off game, with the losers playing National 1's runners-up for the final place in the second tier. Richmond, National 1 champions in 2024-25, and Worcester, who have been resurrected after going bust in 2022, will join the league in 2025-26 to make it up to 14. The announcement follows work done by the Tier 2 Board, chaired by Simon Gillham, who is vice-president of French Pro D2 side Brive. Gillam stressed throughout the Champ Rugby launch briefing that "aspiration and jeopardy" were at the centre of the new format. The Rugby Football Union hopes that Champ Rugby will become a stronger piece of its player pathway, and help to develop the next Henry Pollock, who spent some of last season with Bedford Blues. The league has new branding and a promotional video that comes with the strap line "Welcome to the proving ground". The play-off structures are similar but not identical to the movement between the Top 14 and Pro D2 leagues in France. After 26 regular-season games, the sides finishing in third to sixth will play quarter-finals. The winners of those games will go into semi-finals against the teams who finished first and second, before a final to crown a Champ Rugby winner. With no automatic promotion spot, the winner will then enter a two-legged play-off against the Premiership's bottom side if they meet the top flight's minimum operating standards. There was no play-off to be promoted from this season's 12-strong Championship after champions Ealing Trailfinders failed to meet the standards required to be admitted to the top flight. Sixth-placed Coventry also fell short, with Doncaster, who finished fifth, being the only club who would have been eligible to play off against Premiership bottom side Newcastle. Discussions are under way for a title sponsor and there are plans to stream the league's matches. RFU funding for Champ Rugby and parachute payments for relegated sides from the Premiership are still to be confirmed, with no timeline given on when this will be decided. The current Championship clubs saw their central funding cut from around £600,000 a year before the Covid-19 pandemic to about £160,000. This figure will remain the same for the 2025-26 season. How the plans will work, with the Premiership currently looking at a franchise model, is unclear. Nick Johnson, chief executive at Coventry, said closing the financial gap between Champ Rugby and the Premiership was "not a quick fix" but added: "We can sit back and whinge or we can get off our backsides and do something about it. That's what we're doing." "We've noticed a step change in how seriously PRL [Premiership Rugby] are taking us because we've got our act together and our house in order. We've just got to keep doing that." To help young players gain experience, Champ clubs will be permitted unlimited dual-registered players from Premiership sides. However, this will be capped at a maximum six in any matchday squad. The rule will be mirrored in the national leagues as well, but season-long loans will be excluded from the cap. Listen: Sport's Strangest Crimes - Bloodgate Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast
STV News
25-04-2025
- General
- STV News
Exams get underway at schools across Scotland
Over 132,000 pupils across Scotland are preparing for their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams. The tests start on April 25, with papers for computing science and psychology, and end on May 30 with exams for care. Over two million exam papers will be distributed across the 480 test sites around the country. Candidates will also be getting to the end of National 1 to 4 courses, QA Awards, Skills for Work courses, National Progression Awards and National Certificates. In total, more than 147,000 people will be expecting their results on August 5. Donna Stewart, Scotland's chief examining officer and director of Qualifications Development at SQA, said: 'I would like to wish the best of luck to everyone throughout Scotland who is about to sit exams and complete assessments in the coming weeks. As you move towards the next step in your education, training, or employment, this is your opportunity to show what you've learned after months of hard work.' John Booth, SQA Interim chief executive, added: 'I want to thank teachers and lecturers across the country for their dedication in supporting learners to get to this important milestone. 'I'm also grateful to the many thousands of them who work with us to set, invigilate and mark exams and assessments. 'The teaching profession is at the heart of delivering our qualifications and will have an even stronger role in the work of Qualifications Scotland.' Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: 'I would like to wish all pupils and students the best of luck with their exams this year. 'I know how hard they will have been working towards their qualifications during the year to get to this point today. 'This is also a big moment for all the parents, carers, teachers, lecturers and support staff who have done so much to help our young people prepare, and I would like to thank them all for their ongoing support and encouragement throughout this period.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
25-04-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
'Mix of emotions': Exam season begins for Glasgow pupils
The Scottish Qualifications Authority diet, which includes National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses, starts on Friday (April 25) and ends on May 30. Councillor Christina Cannon, Glasgow's education convener, said: 'I know that the start of this year's exam diet will bring a mix of emotions for our young people, their families and school staff. 'I remember the feeling well. Best wishes to all our young people taking SQA exams this year and those on other learning pathways including vocational routes.' Councillor Christina Cannon (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) She added: 'Our schools are very experienced at supporting young people at this anxious time – and young people need to be kind to themselves, take time to relax as well as revise, and they will get through it.' Around 132,000 learners will sit exams in schools and colleges across Scotland, with two million question papers being distributed to more than 480 centres. Results will be delivered on Tuesday, August 5 by text, email, post and online via the SQA app. Candidates will sit exams in subjects ranging from biology and mathematics to physics and accounting. For those taking subjects such as music, drama, practical cookery and PE, the performance and practical elements of the assessments have been taking place throughout the academic year. In addition, many learners will be in the final stages of completing National 1 to National 4 qualifications, SQA Awards, Skills for Work courses, National Progression Awards and National Certificates which are continually assessed throughout the year. In total, more than 147,000 candidates are expected to get their results on August 5. READ NEXT: The story of why this famous North Glasgow area had a different name for decades READ NEXT: School near Glasgow leading way on dyslexia support praised by inspectors Donna Stewart, Scotland's Chief Examining Officer and Director of Qualifications Development at SQA, said: 'I would like to wish the best of luck to everyone throughout Scotland who is about to sit exams and complete assessments in the coming weeks. As you move towards the next step in your education, training, or employment, this is your opportunity to show what you've learned after months of hard work.' John Booth, SQA Interim Chief Executive, added: 'I want to thank teachers and lecturers across the country for their dedication in supporting learners to get to this important milestone. I'm also grateful to the many thousands of them who work with us to set, invigilate and mark exams and assessments. The teaching profession is at the heart of delivering our qualifications and will have an even stronger role in the work of Qualifications Scotland.' SQA offers a range of support services, including an exceptional circumstances service for pupils who can't sit an exam or are affected by personal situations; a free, direct appeals service - available after results day for anyone who wants a review of their marked exam; and revision materials, past papers, and the MyStudyPlan app. Learners can also sign up for a MySQA account to receive results by text and/or email - registration is open at and must be completed by 5pm on Wednesday, July 16. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: 'I would like to wish all pupils and students the best of luck with their exams this year. I know how hard they will have been working towards their qualifications during the year to get to this point today. 'This is also a big moment for all the parents, carers, teachers, lecturers and support staff who have done so much to help our young people prepare and I would like to thank them all for their ongoing support and encouragement throughout this period.'
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Worcester told to prove funds ahead of Championship ‘franchise' offer
A reformed Worcester Warriors must provide significant financial guarantees if they are to be offered a place in an expanded Championship next season. Telegraph Sport understands that Worcester, who collapsed into administration when they were in the Premiership in 2022, are the frontrunners to be offered a place in the Championship when the Tier 2 board meet next week. The other place in the expanded second tier will be given to the winners of National 1 where there is a three-way fight for promotion between Richmond, Rotherham and Rosslyn Park. Worcester are already in the process of assembling a team for next season with Matt Everard, the highly-rated former Leicester Tigers defence coach, lined up to take over as head coach. They boast the best facilities of any side outside the Premiership with the 12,000-capacity Sixways Stadium as well as having a captive fanbase in a rugby-loving city. Should they be readmitted, they would have to settle their debts with their rugby creditors, including former coach Steve Diamond, who is now director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons. However, the Tier 2 board are mindful of the risks of Worcester collapsing again, leaving a trail of new creditors which would also damage the credibility of the league, hence the demand for proof of funding from owner Chris Holland. They are also mindful of the controversy that will be created by parachuting a phoenix club back into the second tier whereas previous clubs who have gone into administration have had to work their way back up from the bottom of the pyramid. 'It is also about risk versus reward,' a source said. 'The pluses are that rugby creditors will be paid who would not have been paid otherwise, we are reviving a club who would not otherwise have been revived and their proposition with their fanbase and infrastructure would enhance the Championship like no other team. However, we also do not want to see them go bump again which is why we are asking for the guarantees.' Other clubs who have made applications to join the Championship include Plymouth Albion, Birmingham Moseley and Sale RFC after the Rugby Football Union invited expressions of interest. It is understood fellow phoenix clubs Wasps and London Irish were not part of the process. Holland, who also owns Wasps, made clear in an interview with Telegraph Sport last year that should Worcester return then they will do so on a sustainable basis. 'I won't bring a club back unless it is financially stable and the easiest way to do that is to have an enabling development plan that creates revenue and income that supports the rugby club,' Holland said. Everard would be a huge coup Bringing on board Everard would be a huge coup for the club despite the strange nature of his status at Leicester. Technically, Everard is still employed by the club but Telegraph Sport understands that he was asked to step away by Australian head coach Michael Cheika while he was on his way to a Premiership Cup match against Northampton on February 1. Despite finishing eighth last season, no club conceded fewer tries than Leicester under Everard and he was highly popular among the playing group. However Cheika wanted him to employ a different defensive system and the pair did not appear to see eye to eye. His departure came as a shock to the squad and Telegraph Sport understands one senior England international complained directly to the board about his treatment. Leicester have since brought in David Kidwell, the former New Zealand rugby league player, as an assistant coach. With Cheika departing at the end of the season, Leicester are still in a holding pattern over his replacement with Stade Français prepared to play hardball over the release of their preferred target Paul Gustard, the former England defence coach.
