An RFU Council meeting was held on Friday 14 June with updates outlined on the following topics.

• Men's Professional Game Partnership
• Tier 2
• Community Game Future
• Adult Male Competition 3-year review
• 2024/25 regulation changes

Outcomes are detailed below:

Men's Professional Game Partnership

Following extensive collaboration with Premiership Rugby, Premiership clubs and Rugby Players Association (RPA) over the past 18 months, the key elements of a co-created deal have been agreed for the Men’s Professional Game Partnership (MPGP), representing a transformation of the professional men’s game that will set it up for a successful future. 

Through the agreement, we are:

• Improving the men’s performance system, providing better access and management of top players to enhance performance, while increasing playing opportunities for developing talent. 
• Establishing a new aligned governance structure, the Men's Professional Rugby Board, reducing conflicts and improving decision-making.
• Stabilising the professional club game while safeguarding the RFU's financial position through a funding agreement comprising two four-year terms.
   

Today, Council approved the mechanism for promotion and relegation which will be a two-match home and away play-off between the bottom placed Premiership club and the winner of the Championship/Tier 2, provided that that latter club meets the Minimum Standards Criteria in place at the relevant time. This continues to allow for promotion and relegation, better provides a mechanism to determine on-field competitiveness and takes into consideration the financial challenges of clubs in both leagues.  Council also approved the delegation of specified regulatory decisions to a new Men’s Professional Rugby Board, following RFU Board approval of the same, as well as the financial commitments under the agreement.

The RFU, Premiership Rugby and RPA will formally announce the signature of and detail of the full Men’s Professional Game Partnership together after the summer tour.  .   

Tier 2

Since February 2023, and as part of our transformation of the men’s professional game through the MPGP, the RFU, Championship Club Committee and Premiership Rugby Limited have been working to develop a reimagined Tier 2. The objective is to create a second tier that supports the English system by developing young English talent, whilst supporting the clubs to become financially sustainable by growing local audiences and increasing the value in the league.

In April 2024, Council approved the principles of a new governance structure, the Minimum Operating Standards, and the principle of Tier 2 comprising 14 clubs from 2025/26.

Since April, we have been working with the extended Championship Executive team to reach final agreement on the following components of the league:

1. Funding
2. Delegation to a new Tier 2 Board
3. Timeline to complete the MOS self-validation process
4. Competition structure

Today, Council was updated on the progress made since its April meeting and members approved the revised Minimum Operating Standards self-validation timeline and final delegation of authority to the Tier 2 Board. The final decision on the exact format of the 14-team league will be made by the Tier 2 Board. The final decision on the exact format of the 14-team league will be made by the Tier 2 Board no later than the 1 August 2024, with the mechanism for any new teams in the league to be decided by Council and announced ahead of the new season. This timeline preserves the commitment that we have made to ensure that all clubs have at least 12 months’ notice of any major changes to the RFU leagues. 

Community Game Future

Council today endorsed a four-year community game investment and prioritisation plan. The Community Game Future sets out the direction and focus for our work in the community game for at least the next four years. Council also endorsed the establishment of Regional Bodies to drive the promotion and growth of the game with work on this to continue over the next 6 months aiming for implementation from July 2025.

This four-year investment and prioritisation plan shows clear intent to take a longer-term approach to supporting the community game. It sets out a clear framework of priorities whilst also giving enough flex to accommodate what continues to be changing landscape both inside and outside of our sport. It creates an exciting blueprint on which to sustain and grow participation and to sustain and develop our club infrastructure.

Adult Male Competition three-year Review

The Community Game Board tasked a review group to assess four aspects of the original Future Competition Structure (FCS) implementation:

1. Structure (number of leagues by level)
2. Papa Johns Cup and its place in the new structured season
3. Participation of LXVs in the leagues and nine Constituent Bodies that opted out of national policy for inclusion of LXVs in the RFU Leagues
4. Ceiling for LXVs (currently at Counties 1)

The review was conducted to ensure the core principles behind FCS remained true where possible; a reduction in travel time/distance; prioritising the interests and experience of the player; competition integrity and club sustainability (protecting revenue from home fixtures and travel cost).

An outcome of FCS was the national entry of LXVs into RFU Leagues. Circa 150 teams joined in September 2022 (214 LXVs in total played in RFU Leagues as of the 2023-24 season). Their introduction has contributed to reduced travel time, which has positively impacted on player experience and club sustainability. This provided LXVs with access to a full season of competitive rugby (18-20 fixtures), which was not always possible in merit leagues.

To highlight the positive impact of the implementation of FCS on RFU Leagues we now have:

• More teams (1157)
• More leagues (106).
• More matches (over 450 additional matches in RFU Leagues and over 228 in merit leagues).
• Higher match completion rate (92% completion in 23/24 in RFU Leagues and 72% in merit leagues - both increases on 22/23 and 21/22)
• Narrower margins of victory (leagues are more competitive with one exception)
• Less travel (reduced for 60-93% of teams)
• The number of players needed to complete a league season has stabilised for the first time in five seasons.

Council approved the recommendations listed below following the review:

1. Constituent Bodies that currently do not permit LXVs to play in the RFU Leagues will be required to reconfirm their exclusion of the national policy (approved by Council in April 2021), by 31st December 2024. A vote to confirm the exclusion must be held if the minimum threshold (4 eligible clubs or 10% of eligible clubs – whichever is greater) requesting a vote is achieved.

2. Raise the current ceiling for LXVs from Counties 1 to Regional 2.

3. No significant changes to the league structure.

4. No change to the Papa Johns Community Cup (PJCC), but it is recommended that Adult Competitions Management Sub-Committee determine the structure of the PJCC cup for the 2025-26 season.
    

Regulation changes

Council approved a number of regulation changes. All new regulations will be available online ahead of the start of next season.