The Rugby Football Union is expected to approve a radical new structure for English rugby on Friday that separates the Premiership from the rest of the pyramid and ends traditional promotion and relegation.
Expansion plans to replace relegation
The governing body’s council is set to rubber-stamp proposals that will see the top flight expand from 10 to 12 teams by 2030.
Further expansion remains possible if aspirational clubs can satisfy strict criteria regarding their operations both on and off the field.
This major shift could pave the way for former powerhouses such as Wasps, Worcester Warriors and London Irish to return to the elite level.
All three historic sides went out of business during the tumultuous 2022-23 season but could re-enter the fold under this franchise-style model.
Barriers to entry
Under the current regulations, a mechanism for movement between the Premiership and the Championship technically exists via a play-off.
However, Ealing Trailfinders, who have consistently been the standout team in the second tier, have repeatedly failed to meet existing minimum standards regarding stadium capacity.
Consequently, there has been no relegation from the top tier since Saracens were demoted in 2020 following significant salary cap breaches.
The north Londoners were also the last team to gain promotion, returning immediately after winning the Championship in 2021.
New criteria for aspirational clubs
Under the proposed plans, ambitious clubs will still be able to apply for a place in the Premiership, but the requirements have evolved.
Applicants must meet a variety of revamped criteria covering financial sustainability and commercial viability alongside on-pitch potential.
Insiders within the English game expect this structure to collectively raise standards and make the sport a more attractive proposition for private investment.
“We are lifting the bar on what we want clubs to do across various areas,” a leading executive stated.
Sources suggest the application process remains open to ambitious Championship sides like Coventry, dormant giants such as Wasps – who plan to relaunch in Kent – or brand-new entities.
While second-tier clubs had previously rejected franchise-type models, leading figures insist the board has been consulted throughout and has endorsed the recommendation.
“It could be transformational for aspirational Championship clubs,” a senior source told the BBC.
Focus on sustainability
Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, has previously emphasised the need to make the league a “thriving” environment for investors.
“Part of that will be a model whereby you qualify for an expansion league in the Premiership, but based on criteria around financial sustainability, fanbase and stadium, not just performance on the field of play,” Sweeney said last year.
The council meeting on Friday represents a pivotal moment for the future structure of the professional game in England.
Team GB’s winter athletes have called for improved year-round broadcasting of their sports after returning home from their most successful Winter Olympics in history.
The squad touched down at Gatwick Airport on Monday carrying a haul of three golds, one silver, and one bronze from the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.
Following record-breaking viewing figures, the delegation is urging broadcasters to make winter disciplines easier to watch between Olympic cycles.
The athletes fear that without consistent exposure, the momentum generated in Italy will dissipate before the 2030 Games in France.
Capitalising on record viewership
Public support surged during the fortnight of competition, with the BBC recording 83 million streams and 26.3 million television viewers.
The favourable European time zone helped drive numbers significantly higher than Beijing 2022, with 5.5 million people tuning into BBC One for the men’s curling final alone.
TNT Sports reported triple-digit percentage growth in viewing hours, while streaming platforms saw engagement exceed the previous Games within just three days.
However, the competitors believe this enthusiasm is being wasted during the four-year gap between events.
Brad Hall, who piloted the four-man bobsleigh, insists that accessibility is the primary hurdle for potential fans.
“It is about televising it,” said Hall.
“A lot of the time it is only put on a YouTube channel. It used to be on the BBC Red Button.”
“The more easily accessible it is, a lot more people will tune into it if it is available. It is an interesting sport, so if it is on TV people will watch it.”
Modernising the coverage
The athletes argue that new audiences recruited during Milano Cortina should not be forced to wait until 2030 to see the sports again.
Greg Cackett, a key member of the bobsleigh crew, believes a savvy digital approach could replicate the success of mainstream football coverage.
“Kids now all watch YouTube, hardly anyone is watching telly anymore,” said Cackett.
“The YouTube stream could be massive if you invest a bit more into it. You could have a studio with a host and a pundit doing what Ski Sunday or Match of the Day does to get people interested.”
Cackett emphasises that the narrative needs to move beyond novelty comparisons to showcase the elite nature of the competition.
“Tell people the characters, the rivalries. It could be so much more than it is,” he added.
“It seems that people are really on our side and really understand the scale of what winter athletes are achieving.”
Conor Benn will fight Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s bout against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11 April.
The contest marks Benn’s first appearance since leaving Matchroom Boxing to join Zuffa Boxing, the new promotion led by UFC president Dana White.
The welterweight contender returns to the venue of his victory over Chris Eubank Jr to take on the two-time light-welterweight world champion.
A return to familiar ground
Benn expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the north London stadium where he believes he previously made history.
“April 11 can’t come soon enough, returning to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium again, where I made history against Eubank Jr means everything to me,” said Benn.
“My last fight there showed the world exactly who I am and what I’m about.”
The 29-year-old insists he is ready for the challenge presented by the experienced American southpaw.
“Fighting on the biggest stages, in the biggest shows, I fear no one! I’m fully locked in and ready to deliver another statement performance.”
Prograis looking to correct UK record
Prograis holds a professional record of 30 wins and three defeats, with 24 of those victories coming by way of knockout.
However, the New Orleans native has struggled on British soil previously, suffering world title losses to Josh Taylor in 2019 and Jack Catterall in 2024.
“Last time I fought in London, Conor Benn was on my undercard, so this is a full-circle moment for me,” said Prograis.
“But this circle will close with me teaching him a lesson on April 11.”
Prograis dismissed suggestions that weight issues would play a factor in the bout.
“He’s not fighting some weight-drained super middleweight. I am in shape and will bring home this victory.”
The bout serves as the chief support for Tyson Fury’s heavyweight clash with Arslanbek Makhmudov.
The UFC will spend around $60m (£44.3m) on a unique event at the White House to mark 250 years of American independence, according to TKO Group Holdings chief Mark Shapiro.
The mixed martial arts promotion is scheduled to host the unprecedented show on 14 June as part of the celebrations for the United States’ semiquincentennial.
Plans for the spectacle were first announced by US President Donald Trump last year and have since been ratified by the organisation’s parent company.
‘Investment for the long term’
Despite the significant expenditure, the event is not designed to generate immediate profit for the sports entertainment giant.
Shapiro, TKO president and chief operating officer, described the venture as an exercise in “earned media” rather than a traditional revenue driver.
The company is currently collaborating with corporate partners with the aim of offsetting approximately $30m (£22.2m) of the total outlay.
“I want to be clear about something: we will not profit from the White House event independently. We will not be making money on America’s 250th anniversary.”
Mark Shapiro, TKO Group Holdings chief
Shapiro admitted the budget remains a “moving target” but insisted the organisation is confident of covering half the spend through sponsorship.
A monumental setting
While the full schedule remains under wraps, UFC president Dana White has outlined the logistical scale of hosting fights at the executive mansion.
Approximately 5,000 spectators are expected to be seated on the White House South Lawn for the historic card.
A further 80,000 fans are set to watch via screens at the Ellipse, a park located just south of the presidential residence in Washington DC.
Star-studded potential
President Trump, a close ally of White, has previously promised the event will feature the “biggest fights they’ve ever had”.
Although no bouts have been officially confirmed, several high-profile names have linked themselves to the card.
Former two-weight champion Conor McGregor and current heavyweight king Jon Jones are among those to have expressed interest in competing.
Other potential participants mentioned include light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram smashed a magnificent unbeaten 82 to guide his side to a commanding nine-wicket victory over West Indies and maintain their perfect start to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The skipper struck seven fours and four sixes in Ahmedabad as the Proteas chased down a target of 177 with 23 balls to spare.
This comprehensive result moves the 2024 finalists two points clear at the top of Group 1 in the Super 8s phase.
Victory has firmly placed South Africa with one foot in the semi-finals following their fifth consecutive win of the tournament.
Dominant batting display
Markram brought up his half-century off just 27 deliveries in a masterclass of controlled aggression.
The 31-year-old shared a blistering 95-run opening stand with Quinton de Kock before the wicketkeeper was removed by Roston Chase.
De Kock’s dismissal for a rapid 47 in the eighth over did little to stem the flow of runs for the unbeaten side.
Ryan Rickelton joined the fray at number three, chipping in with a quickfire 45 not out off 28 balls to keep the pressure on the bowlers.
The chase was eventually sealed when Markram struck his 11th boundary to cap a flawless performance.
Windies recovery in vain
West Indies had earlier threatened to post a massive total after taking 17 runs off Keshav Maharaj’s opening over.
However, the two-time champions suffered a dramatic collapse as they lost four wickets in the space of 11 balls.
Pacemen Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi claimed two wickets apiece as the Caribbean outfit slumped from 29-0 to 43-4 inside the powerplay.
The situation deteriorated further as they were reduced to 83-7, seemingly out of the contest before the halfway mark.
Late fireworks offer hope
A spirited rescue act was mounted by Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder, who combined effectively for the eighth wicket.
The pair added 89 runs off 57 deliveries to drag their side beyond the 170-run mark.
Shepherd accelerated from 21 to finish unbeaten on 52, while Holder contributed 49 before a run-out on the penultimate ball of the innings.
Despite the duo adding 58 runs in the final five overs, their recovery was ultimately overshadowed by South Africa’s clinical chase.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup generated an economic impact of nearly £300m according to new reports released following the record-breaking tournament in England.
Financial boost and record crowds
World Rugby has confirmed the event contributed a total of £294.7m to the UK economy.
The tournament concluded with the Red Roses lifting the trophy in front of a historic crowd at Allianz Stadium.
A world-record attendance of 81,885 watched the final, marking the first time the Twickenham venue had sold out for a women’s fixture.
Alongside ticket sales, the competition delivered a massive 330% increase in sponsorship revenue compared to previous editions.
Partners also benefited from media value estimated at £201m throughout the expanded 16-team spectacle.
Building a legacy
Governing body officials insist these financial results must serve as a launchpad rather than a final destination for the sport.
Two separate impact reports have been published to analyse how the showcase has reshaped the landscape of the women’s game globally.
Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s chief of women’s rugby, is currently leading discussions in London to ensure this success continues.
Horrox emphasised the need to use this momentum ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2029 World Cup in Australia.
“We can remember the euphoria of the sold-out Allianz Stadium with more than 81,000 fans, England crowned as champions,” Horrox said.
“It wasn’t just a moment in time, it has given us and continues to give us the opportunity, for us and our unions, to convert that interest into real lifelong engagement.”
New audiences and participation
Ticket sales reached over 444,000 across the tournament, demonstrating a significant appetite for elite female rugby.
Crucially, data indicates that more than 44% of those attendees were watching the sport live for the first time.
The global governing body is now focused on converting this casual interest into active participation.
Fifty-three member unions have pledged to increase playing numbers significantly over the next four-year cycle.
World Rugby has set an ambitious target of rising from 2.2 million to 3.4 million female players worldwide by 2029.
Saracens are assessing their position regarding the 2019 salary cap scandal following allegations of an undisclosed conflict of interest involving the disciplinary process auditors.
The north London club were relegated to the Championship and fined £5.36m after a disciplinary panel found they had breached spending limits across three seasons.
New reports allege that an accounting firm advising Premiership Rugby (PRL) on the case was simultaneously acting as the auditor for Sale Sharks.
The alleged conflict
According to reports in The Telegraph, Saffery Champness provided "impartial expert advice" regarding Saracens’ financial breaches.
It is alleged this occurred while the firm was working for Sale, a rival Premiership side that stood to benefit financially from sanctions against Saracens.
Sale Sharks reportedly received more than £350,000 as their share of the fine paid by the disgraced champions.
The advice provided by the firm specifically related to the valuation of Maro Itoje’s image rights and the contract of former winger Chris Ashton.
There is currently no suggestion of deliberate wrongdoing by Saffery Champness.
Saracens respond
The StoneX Stadium outfit issued a statement confirming they are looking into the matter closely.
"The allegation has been made that Saffery Champness had a conflict of interest in this matter due to providing ‘independent’ expert advice to PRL on seven out of the nine charges.
"[This occurred] at the same time as being a service provider to other parties, who benefited financially from the outcome of the panel’s determinations."
The club claims these potential conflicts were disclosed neither to the independent panel nor to Saracens themselves during the proceedings.
"The club will consider its position once those affected by this allegation have had an opportunity to respond."
A dominant era ended
Before the scandal broke following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the club had established themselves as the dominant force in English rugby.
They had secured the Premiership title in four of the previous five seasons before their enforced relegation.
When approached for comment regarding the latest allegations, a Premiership Rugby spokesperson remained tight-lipped.
"PREM Rugby is unable to comment on matters of a confidential nature."
New Zealand have eliminated co-hosts Sri Lanka from the T20 World Cup with a commanding 61-run victory that significantly boosts their own chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Black Caps stifle home side
The tourists successfully defended a total of 168-7 by restricting the Sri Lankans to a struggling 107-8 in reply.
It was a disciplined bowling performance from the Black Caps that silenced the home crowd and effectively dismantled the run chase before it could gain momentum.
Defeat ensures the co-hosts exit the tournament at the Super 8s stage after suffering losses in their opening two fixtures of the round.
Semi-final permutations
The result leaves the Kiwis in a strong position to progress, though they face a crucial final group match against England this Friday.
Qualification is not yet mathematically guaranteed, as Pakistan could still overhaul them on net run rate should they secure a heavy win over the now-eliminated Sri Lankans in their final game.
England have already booked their place in the knockout stages following impressive victories against both Pakistan and Sri Lanka.