Promotion/Relegation 2024-25

We would like to remind all Clubs of the ‘Cascade’ of teams being relegated from Regional 2 back into Counties 1 Leagues and the potential issue of a number of those teams being from the same Constituent Body. In extreme cases this could cause extra relegations down the same league ladder into Counties 1 and below. Information was contained in the RFU Pre-Season Briefing Document that ALL Clubs would have received in August.

Additionally, it has now been confirmed that the increase of the Championship (Tier 2) to 14 clubs will result in a reprieve from relegation at each level of the pyramid. That will be on ‘Best Playing Record’ down to Level 6 and follow on down through the Regional 2 reprieve club’s CB leg. Please see here the current situation which gives you a snap shot of where we currently stand.

Please note it is a 2-page pdf, one with the National and Regional leagues illustrating the relegation reprieve and the other any ‘cascade’ out of Counties 1. The potential numbers of relegated sides from Counties 1 include a worst-case scenario and should be taken in context with league standings as they are.

The 18 Counties League 1 winners will all be promoted with 6 runners-up from across the country. These runners-up places will be allocated in the first instance to 1st XVs that finish in second place to a Lower XV. Any remaining places will be decided on Best Playing Record (BPR) of the other second placed teams.

We will be publishing regular updates of this document so teams can gauge how any cascade may affect them.

Counties One Promotion
This will be the top placed 1st XV from each Counties One League and a further SIX clubs who finish in 2nd place with the Best Playing Record. The spreadsheet here provides the current situation and how this will be determined at the end of the season.

Your League Secretary should be able to help with any queries you may have.