The Tier 2 Organisation
By Champ Rugby
August 31 2025
Tier 2, who are the members of the board and what is their interaction with Champ Rugby
Here are the members of England Rugby’s Tier 2 Board (also referred to as the “Tier 2 Board” for the Championship men’s game), as confirmed in November 2024:
Chair
Simon Gillham OBE – appointed as the independent Chair of the newly established Tier 2 Board in November 2024
Board Members:
Simon Gillham is joined by a mix of representatives from both the RFU and Tier 2 clubs:
Conor O’Shea – RFU Executive Director of Performance Rugby and Tier 2 Board member
Stuart Ramsey – RFU Commercial Director and Tier 2 Board member
Terry Burwell – RFU Council Member and Tier 2 Board member
Nick Johnston – CEO of Coventry Rugby, representing Tier 2 Championship clubs on the Board
Simon Beatham – former Nottingham CEO, also a Tier 2 club representative
Simon Cohen – former Leicester Tigers CEO and current Championship representative on RFU Council
The board is then an independent chair, 5 RFU reps and 2 Champ Rugby reps.
How Does the Tier 2 Board Interact with The Champ
The Tier 2 Board was created specifically to oversee and shape the future of England’s Champ Rugby (the rebranded second tier of English rugby) and ensure its alignment with the RFU’s wider strategic goals for the sport. Here's how it interacts with Champ:
1. Governance and Oversight
The Tier 2 Board acts as the main decision-making and advisory body for the second tier, ensuring it operates within the broader RFU framework.
It provides strategic guidance, sets objectives, and monitors performance both on and off the field.
It is tasked with balancing club interests and RFU objectives, especially around promotion, finances, and player development.
2. Financial Structure & Sustainability
Works on funding models and revenue distribution, including broadcast deals (like the current YouTube streaming arrangements) and sponsorship.
Coordinates with the RFU on central funding and ensures that Champ Rugby remains financially viable, with clearer pathways for Premiership promotion and relegation.
3. Promotion & Relegation Pathways
The board helps set the terms for promotion/relegation between the Premiership and Champ Rugby, including:
Minimum standards criteria (facilities, finances, governance).
Player welfare and squad size regulations.
Competitive balance to ensure a genuine “ladder” for clubs.
4. Player Development
Oversees initiatives to make Champ Rugby a feeder system for England’s elite game, including:
Academy link-ups between Premiership and Championship clubs.
Funding for player development programs.
Opportunities for emerging English-qualified players to gain experience at this level.
5. Brand & Commercial Direction
Was instrumental in the rebranding to “Champ Rugby”, intended to raise the profile of the league and make it more commercially attractive.
Works with marketing teams to increase visibility, including partnerships with streaming platforms and sponsors.
6. Club Representation
Through members like Nick Johnston (Coventry), Simon Beatham (former Nottingham), and Simon Cohen (Championship representative), the board directly incorporates the voices of Champ Rugby clubs.
This ensures that changes to the league structure or rules are informed by those most affected.
In Summary
The Tier 2 Board is essentially the bridge between the RFU and the clubs of Champ Rugby. It doesn’t run day-to-day operations (each club still does that), but it shapes the rules, funding, promotion, and commercial direction of the league.
Decisions that affect champ rugby
An overview of the key decisions made by the Tier 2 Board that directly affect Champ Rugby, shaping its structure, governance, ambition, and operations:
Key Decisions by the Tier 2 Board Impacting Champ Rugby
1. League Expansion to 14 Teams (2025–26)
The Tier 2 Board, in partnership with the RFU and Championship clubs, approved expanding the league to 14 clubs for the 2025–26 season
This included welcoming the newly reformed Worcester Warriors—who passed a rigorous financial assurance process—and the promoted National League 1 champions (e.g., Richmond)
2. Revamping Minimum Operating Standards (MOS)
The Board established essential, phased, and aspirational standards to be met by clubs to participate and eventually aspire to Premiership inclusion
Clubs must demonstrate financial stability, infrastructure, and sustainable growth plans
3. Promotion & Relegation Structure
Champ Rugby now features a clearer pathway to promotion:
The top six teams enter playoffs.
The playoff winner faces the Premiership's bottom side in a two-leg tie—but only if MOS are met
Relegation has returned:
The bottom-placed team drops automatically to National League 1.
Teams finishing 12th and 13th must fight for survival via additional playoff matches
4. Flexible Infrastructure Requirements
The Board and Simon Gillham criticized overly stringent rules—like the 10,001 stadium capacity rule—and introduced a phased runway: clubs can commit to expansion over several years with proper planning permission
5. Financial Structure & Central Support
They acknowledge the funding gap between Champ Rugby and Premiership clubs, and now there’s a centralized resource in development to support the Championship's commercial sustainability
Ongoing dialogues with sponsors and stakeholders aim to bolster revenue and competitiveness
6. Governance Reformation & Transparency
Tier 2 governance was streamlined via the Board, comprising equal RFU and club representation plus an independent chair, to enhance responsiveness and strategic alignment
The Board issues league statements and communicates with clubs on standards, audits, and league changes
Summary Table: Tier 2 Board’s Decisions & Their Impact on Champ Rugby
| Decision Area | Impact on Champ Rugby |
| League Expansion to 14 Teams | More competitive depth with new clubs added (Worcester, National 1 promotion) |
| MOS Framework | Clear structure for entry, participation, and progression pathways for clubs |
| Promotion & Relegation System Elements | Reintroduced merit-based movement, with playoffs and relegation as season-defining |
| Phased Infrastructure Rules | More realistic, achievable requirements allow clubs to build sustainably |
| Financial & Commercial Support | Intent to create central funding and commercial frameworks to enhance viability |
| Governance Structure | More balanced representation and streamlined decision-making |
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Quote:The Board and Simon Gillham criticized overly stringent rules—like the 10,001 stadium capacity rule—and introduced a phased runway: clubs can commit to expansion over several years with proper planning permission
No they didn't. That was introduced in 2022 by the RFU/PGB.
BB
Historically, Championship clubs aiming for promotion to the Premiership had to have a stadium capacity of at least 10,001, a figure designed to ensure they met specific safety legislation thresholds and standards.
The 2022 Rule Change
In September 2022, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Professional Game Board introduced a more flexible, phased approach:
• September 2022 (for the 2023/24 season): Clubs needed a minimum capacity of 5,000, plus planning permission, funding, and a contractor agreement to develop to 10,001.
• Start of 2023/24 season: Clubs still needed at least 5,000 capacity, along with either a non-statutory safety certificate (if not a designated ground) and confirmation of local authority assurances.
• Start of 2024/25 season: The full requirement of 10,001 capacity had to be met, along with a statutory general safety certificate—or face relegation.
Further Flexibility: The 2024/25 Update
In June 2024, a more gradual build-up was agreed upon:
• A four-season runway for reaching the full 10,001 capacity:
• Year 1: minimum 5,000
• Years 2 & 3: increase to 7,500
• Year 4: reach 10,001 capacity
All contingent on having planning permission at the time of the audit.
From the 2024/25 season onward, this phased model officially came into effect.
Date
Policy Change
Pre-September 2022
Required capacity: 10,001 to be eligible for promotion
September 2022
Introduced: 5,000 capacity, plus planning/funding to reach 10,001 by 2024/25
Start of 2023/24
Minimum: 5,000 capacity with safety compliance measures
Start of 2024/25
Full requirement: 10,001 capacity + statutory safety certificate
June 2024
Updated to phased model: 5,000 → 7,500 → 10,001 over four seasons
2024/25 onwards
Phased runway model in effect
In effect it came in then went out for 24/25 season but is now a more sensible phased growth approach
The decisive change came in September 2022.
Before this, Championship clubs needed to meet the full “Minimum Standards Criteria” (MSC) — including a 10,001-capacity stadium — before being promoted. This effectively blocked several clubs (like Ealing Trailfinders and Doncaster Knights) because their grounds did not meet that standard at the time of audit.
What Happened in 2022?
In September 2022, the RFU and Premiership Rugby introduced a phased promotion criteria for Championship clubs:
1. Capacity lowered to 5,000 as a starting point.
2. Clubs only needed:
• Planning permission,
• Funding, and
• A signed contract with a builder to expand to 10,001.
3. The expansion to full Premiership standard (10,001 capacity) had to be completed within a set time frame (originally by 2024/25).
Further Refinement in 2024
In June 2024, the RFU extended this to a four-year runway for newly promoted clubs:
• Year 1: 5,000
• Years 2–3: 7,500
• Year 4: 10,001
This made it more realistic for ambitious Championship clubs to progress without needing instant massive investment.
In Summary
• The criteria changed in September 2022 for clubs being promoted from the Championship.
• This change did not apply to existing Premiership clubs — it was only for those seeking promotion.
Quote:RFU Rule and Regulations
The MSC have developed in recent years to help meet the needs of clubs aspiring to be in the Premiership, by giving more flexibility to meet those standards. Under the MSC for season 2024/25, a club which has the ability to reach a capacity over 10,000, with planning permission and a funded plan, now has until their fourth year in the Premiership to achieve that capacity. This has extended the runway by a further year compared to the previous version to give additional flexibility. Clubs are able to develop their own grounds while continuing to play there, they can move temporarily to allow works to take place, or clubs can move permanently to a new ground.
BB