(Reuters) – England’s Premiership Cup will include Championship sides from next season in a new and expanded format, the country’s rugby union (RFU), the Premiership and second-tier clubs said on Monday.
The 2023-24 season will have 24 teams — more than double the number this season — and they will be split into four pools of six based on league standings at the end of the current campaign.
The move comes after criticism of the RFU’s lack of support for championship clubs and when no championship club will be promoted.
Premiership clubs traditionally use the competition as an opportunity to field teams mixed from young squad members and established players returning from injury.
“It is many years since the Premiership and Championship clubs clashed in a Cup competition,” Premiership Rugby’s director Phil Winstanley said in a statement.
“The Championship performs a crucial role within the English game and we’re looking forward to renewing some rivalries of old.
“This competition will no doubt provide the best, young English talent with an opportunity to stake a claim in squads before the start of the Gallagher Premiership campaign.”
Next season’s cup will kick off on Sept. 8, with a draw for the pool stages to be held in due course. Exeter Chiefs are the defending champions after beating London Irish in the final last month.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
