Championship leaders Doncaster are set to appeal against RFU promotion decision

Championship leaders Doncaster are set to appeal against the decision to deny them the chance of promotion to the Premiership, for not meeting the minimum standards criteria.

The Yorkshire club and second-tier rivals Ealing Trailfinders applied to qualify for promotion, subject to finishing top of their division this season. The RFU announced yesterday that neither club’s application had been successful.

In both cases, the sticking point is ground capacity – which is required to be at least 10,001 for entry into the Premiership. Doncaster’s home, Castle Park, was deemed to hold around 5,183 people, with seating for 1,926, while Ealing’s Trailfinders Sports Park holds approximately 5,000, with seating for 2,115 fans.

Amid widespread up-roar about the ruling against these two ambitious clubs, there have been indications already that Ealing plan to appeal. Now, Sportsmail has learned that Doncaster will also launch an official challenge.

It is understood that the Knights will propose a short-term tenancy at rugby league side Hull Kingston Rovers’ ground, Craven Park, while work is carried out to bring Castle Park up to the necessary capacity. Doncaster are unable to put forward a ground-share at the town’s modern football arena, the Keepmoat Stadium, as that is a venue for the rugby league World Cup.

The RFU announced last June that there would be no relegation from the Premiership until at least 2024, but it was confirmed that the top division would expand to 14 clubs if the winner of the Championship fulfilled the criteria for promotion. However, as reported by Mail Online Sport in January, concerns have been raised about pressure being applied for any newcomer to pay for ‘P’ shares in the league, at an estimated cost of £25million.

It is understood the Knights will propose a short-term tenancy at rugby league side Hull KR

Back in 2012, London Welsh were initially barred from entry to the Premiership, only to successfully appeal against the verdict. They were permitted to ground-share with Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium despite not having ‘primacy of tenure’. Other established Premiership club’s were allowed to maintain a similar ground-share arrangement.

Last year, Saracens were given clearance to return to the top flight despite the capacity at their StoneX Stadium temporarily falling below the 10,001 threshold, while redevelopment work took place. Saracens are full Premiership shareholders.

However, after their season in the Championship, the north London club fully support the notion of upward mobility. Director of rugby Mark McCall said: ‘I’ve always felt that if a club has the resources and the ambition, and deserves to be in the Premiership, that should never be stopped.’

Doncaster are currently top of the Championship table with 67 points, pursued by Cornish Pirates on 63 and Ealing on 60 – with the teams in second and third places both having two games in hand. The Pirates have not applied for promotion, so if they finish top of the table, the Premiership will remain as a 14-club league next season.