The Championship clubs have warned the RFU risks turning England’s second tier into a “zombie” division.
The RFU wants to launch a new Premiership 2 competition from next season, but the second-tier Championship clubs are refusing to accept current proposals.
Championship bosses have called on the RFU and Premiership Rugby to delay signing off the new Professional Game Partnership (PGP) that will start next season.
The level two competition club chiefs believe the RFU have ignored their alternative proposals, claiming union bosses have appeared uninterested in meetings.
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney warned the Championship clubs they would lose union investment without signing up to the new second-tier proposals.
But the Championship clubs fear being effectively blocked from the Premiership in the long-run under current proposals.
“What Bill said before Christmas is unacceptable,” said Championship boss Simon Halliday. “It is just binary, why does that need to be the outcome?
“I think the outcome is easily found and we collectively wish to find that solution. There’s been no lack of communication and consultation – but in the big issues, they’ve ignored us.
“We've presented some ideas, partly conceptual, to the board, and they don’t want to know. The RFU could end up with a zombie league.”
The Championship clubs say the RFU has offered £4million funding for the proposed Premiership 2 division – but £1.4million would be retained by the RFU for initiatives like marketing and £1million for player development.
The Championship clubs believe the new division would only actually receive £1.6million in total, leaving what they consider too big a shortfall.
Precious few Championship clubs currently meet the criteria for Premiership entry, with only Doncaster even applying for ratification this season. The Championship clubs want Premiership entry requirements revised, to help the entire club game thrive.
“Technically the new tier-two competition is 50 per cent less funded than we are today,” said Nottingham chairman Alistair Bow. “We are happy to continue investing but we want other people to come on board and invest with us. At the moment the RFU are the smallest investors in the league by some distance.”
Bow lamented what the Championship clubs perceive as a dismissive RFU attitude.
“It gets extremely frustrating, especially when the chief executive will sit there and spend the whole time on his phone,” said Bow. “We are doing out utmost to engage but it’s very difficult when you’ve got some people who obviously don’t want to engage.”
Former Leicester Tigers chief executive Simon Cohen is now advising the Championship and he warned the RFU not to undervalue the second-tier clubs’ importance to producing and developing England players.
“If you are talking about leverage, the Premiership will reduce squads to 37 players plus 12 transition players, so they are going to cut squads significantly,” said Cohen.
“England are lacking players coming through in certain positions. To select the best possible England team they need the Championship clubs.”
The RFU still remains hopeful that the Championship clubs will apply to Premiership 2.
“The RFU has been consulting with Championship clubs for more than a year,” read an RFU statement.
“We have researched and produced a commercial strategy and provided the clubs with confirmed funding at at least existing levels for 24/25 season and proposals for increased funding from 25/26 season.
“We will continue to consult with Championship clubs and very much hope that they choose to be part of what could become a more thriving and sustainable second professional tier.”
