Ealing shut out of Premiership again, door open for Doncaster

LONDON : Ealing Trailfinders, currently top of English rugby's second tier championship, have again been told that they cannot be promoted to the Premiership due to the limited capacity of their ground, though Doncaster were approved by the RFU on Monday.

Last year Ealing and Doncaster fell foul of the rule that said their ground must have a capacity of over 10,000. A change of rules to enable phased development has allowed Doncaster to go up, should they win promotion, after they showed they would have a capacity of 5,000 by the start of next season, with planning permission to double that by the start of the 2024/25 season.

Ealing, however, could not demonstrate to an independent audit that they would reach the 10,000 mark and so their application was rejected.

"Ealing Trailfinders were not able to evidence the necessary licensed capacity, supported by a safety certificate or planning permission to achieve a capacity of over 10,000 and are therefore not eligible for promotion at the end of 2022/23," the RFU said in a statement.

The RFU said Ealing could have nominated an alternative ground at which to play should they be promoted but elected to nominate the current Vallis Way base, around three miles from the Brentford Stadium shared by Premiership club London Irish, as their principal home ground.

Ealing are top of the Championship after winning 12 of their 14 games, one point ahead of Jersey, while Doncaster are fifth after eight wins.

The future make up of the Premiership, which started the season with 13 clubs, remains uncertain after Worcester and Wasps were both kicked out for going into administration.