How rugby's new Championship will work

NEW CHAMPIONSHIP STRUCTURE LEAGUE PROGRAMME (22 MATCHES) * all teams playing 22 matches (11 home & 11 away) *  four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for either a) scoring  four or more tries or b) losing by seven points or less * top eight teams from league progress to promotion play-offs * teams 9-12 from league progress to relegation play-offs

PROMOTION PLAY-OFFS (EIGHT MATCHES)

* two pools of four teams playing six matches (three home & three away)

* teams ranked 1, 4, 5 & 8 from league play in Pool A

* teams ranked 2, 3, 6 & 7 from league play in Pool B

* after six pool matches, top two teams from Pools A & B progress to semi final and then the winners to the final

* semi-final draw - 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B & 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A

* promotion play-off matches scheduled March 13 - April 17

* semi-finals May 1 & final May 8 at Twickenham

* winner of Championship final promoted to Guinness Premiership subject to fulfilling entry criteria

RELEGATION PLAY-OFFS (SIX MATCHES)

* one pool of four teams playing six matches (three home & three away)

* relegation play-off matches scheduled for March 13 - April 17

* after six pool matches played, lowest ranked team is relegated to newly-named National Division One (level three)