Championship clubs' exclusion from cup 'appalling'

Two Championship clubs person said it is "appalling" and "unfair" that they person been excluded from this season's Premiership Rugby Cup.

The title has been rejigged for nan 2024-25 play pinch only 10 of nan 12 second-tier sides competing against nan 10 Premiership clubs. Cambridge and newly-promoted Chinnor some miss out.

All Championship clubs were progressive successful nan competition past season, marking nan first clip successful 18 years that Premiership sides faced lower-tier teams successful a cup.

"It’s not awesome to beryllium honorable to person nan rug pulled retired from nether you," Chinnor head of rugby Nick Easter told BBC Radio Oxford.

A spokesperson for nan Rugby Football Union (RFU) told BBC Sport that nan format for nan Premiership Cup had been agreed by each parties.

The excavation stages of this season's title will person 5 location groups of 4 clubs competing against each different location and distant crossed six rounds.

The first 3 rounds, starting connected nan first play of November, return spot during nan Autumn internationals window, pinch nan last 3 group matches taking spot successful February during nan Six Nations.

The 5 excavation winners and nan 3 champion second-placed sides will suffice for nan knock-out stages successful early March, earlier nan last connected nan play of 15 March.

Chinnor, who are based successful Thame, Oxfordshire, won promotion past play from National One to nan Championship for nan first clip successful their history.

"[The cup] was thing we were looking guardant to past season, we’re very disappointed. I’d opportunity it’s a beautiful appalling decision," erstwhile England world and Harlequins guardant Easter said.

"The large rumor from my broadside is trying to put games pinch immoderate large gaps we’ll person from not competing successful nan competition. We person a play of 5 and 7 weeks wherever we won't person immoderate games."

An RFU spokesperson said: "The RFU, Premiership Rugby and Championship Executive worked together connected nan format for nan Premiership Cup for nan 2024-25 season.

"It was agreed that a 20-team title provided nan optimum title format arsenic nan title evolves, pinch on-going discussions connected early formats and qualification processes already happening.

"Last season’s format pinch 22 teams was felt by nan clubs to return spot complete excessively galore weekends and nan bottommost 2 teams did not play against Premiership sides."

Gloucester won past season's competition, pinch Championship broadside Ealing Trailfinders reaching nan semi-finals wherever they were beaten by Leicester Tigers.

Chinnor's promotion intends that nan Championship will return to a 12-team convention adjacent season, following nan demise of Jersey Reds past autumn.

Cambridge, who were promoted to nan 2nd tier for nan first clip successful 2023, vanished bottommost of nan array past season.

The nine said they are now seeking compensation for a nonaccomplishment of income caused by missing retired connected nan cup games.

"The determination was made based connected a seeding basis," Cambridge president Tim Hague said.

"Whilst this is logical, it’s not really fair. As specified we person asked for important compensation to offset important income nonaccomplishment from some missing retired connected bumper Premiership fixtures and nan consequent nonaccomplishment of location gates and hospitality income.

"The different rumor is simply a seven-weekend spread successful our fixture list, which intends a deficiency of continuity and momentum."

The opening information of matches will characteristic a number of derbies, including Northampton hosting Leicester.

Elsewhere, Cornish Pirates are astatine location to Exeter Chiefs, Hartpury return connected Gloucester, while Harlequins and Saracens recreation to London Scottish and Ealing respectively.