RFU announced before Christmas that there would be NO relegation from the Championship so

1 up from Nat1 to make 12 in the Champ

Therefore

Only 2 Down from Nat1, 3 promoted from Nat 2 to give 14 in Nat1

And

Only 5 relegated from the 3 NAT2 leagues (best placed 13th survives - currently a bun fight between Wimbledon, Hull Ionians, Newport (Salop) and Dudley K only 1 of whom will remain at Level 4

And so on thereafter down the leagues (1 survivor at every level - all due to the demise of Jersey) 

That is the plan of record.

However, I understand that the negotiations about the Championship are ongoing.

It looks like the worst of the RFU's ideas have been avoided, but nothing is settled.

And at least some of the Championship clubs wanted a 14 team league from next season.

14 makes sense if only for value for money for members and sponsors - and treasurers

12 teams is just foolishness. For those of us who cannot travel, that's 11 home games to watch - about every 3 weeks. You end up supporting another club if only to see some rugby.  In my case Bury St Edmunds

Having said that, for the supporter, 16 teams is best

16?

Far too sensible.

.. and in a 35 week season it still leaves room for bad weather catch up and R&R

Exactly.

Still far too sensible.

The national leagues just went from 16 down to 14 - there are probably plenty of people who'll claim this was 'imposed from on high by the RFU because they don't give a damn about the national leagues', but that's not accurate, is it? I recall it being more of a reflection of feedback from coaches/DoRs/players that the impact of 30 games (before pre-season fixtures + any representative games were counted) on p/t & amateur players was too great... 

As this is in N1 I will leave the 'optimum size of Championship' discussion for now - that's been done to death as well, and I'm certain the actual figure won't be changing between now and September...

Mea culpa 

Based on the accounting numbers published by the Telegraph last week (which I haven't seen discussed on RM), the Prem clubs need every penny they've got. Hard to draw proper conclusions without seeing the balance sheets, but those clubs' P&Ls all look like potential candidates for the bankruptcy courts.

Just noticing, and I hate to be a prophet of doom for Chinnor, but the bottom two clubs in the Championship table are the the two most recently promoted sides.  It really is a big step up and needs to be taken seriously with financial backing.

All the same, best of luck to them.

Currently in Bedford local media, including BBC 3CR are fawning over Real Bedford a ninth tier (promoted to 8th tier) Wendyball club. Having recently received £3.6m funding from two US cyber businessmen after a cyber currency chap took over a club, called it Real, and said his billion dollars of bitcoins will send Real to Football/Premier league.

Real can offer football once or twice a week. Get attention of BBC Local non league football show.

Bedford Rugby can have 3 or 4 week gaps between fixtures, little or no coverage on BBC3CR (Ampthill same boat). The RFU can say they want to grow the game, have professional (or ambitious amateur teams). Yet over Christmas/New Year/Easter, have little or no fixtures. 

Blues loyal fans will turn up, but I think if one of our local football clubs reaches National League (5th tier) they will struggle as families loyalties are tested. Dad wanting to go to rugby, but sons want the football.

Currently in Bedford local media, including BBC 3CR are fawning over Real Bedford a ninth tier (promoted to 8th tier) Wendyball club. Having recently received £3.6m funding from two US cyber businessmen after a cyber currency chap took over a club, called it Real, and said his billion dollars of bitcoins will send Real to Football/Premier league.

I heard about this. It's the Winkelvoss twins.

I assumed it was an April fools.

Cinderford need 5 points at home to Bishops Stortford...........not impossible they are useful at home.

Taunton need to win at Blackheath.........this could really go either way

Leicester Lions need to win at Sale FC, but any points could save them

Bishops Stortford can be overtaken by two clubs, so they have to beat Cinderford.

No clubs can relax, will the break have helped or hindered sides, will some momentum still carry on for those who won last week?

Wow this is tight

Especially when all bitcoin is is worthless code that people have decided magically has value.

Indeed but it has a great deal of value to the electricity company owners due to the ridiculous amount of energy required to mine it. 

I'm no economist but is this not true for all currency although not the worthless code bit!

LEICESTER LIONS        50      (SALE A)

---------------------------------------------------------------

TAUNTON TITANS        48       (BLACKHEATH A)

CINDERFORD              46       (BISHOPS STORTFORD H)

Any final thoughts on how this will conclude?

Four great clubs in that mix, and it’s hard on any of them to be in this position. I  think both Cinderford and Titans will win their final games (5-2/1-4)but I also think both Lions and Stortford will get full bonus points at their respective games and will stay up. However it’s going to be tight, very tight indeed. 

But what do I know? Have you seen where I am in the prediction league.

Best of luck to all four clubs and all the rest of the teams in the league for serving up one hell of a season. 

Brilliant 

Enjoy your summer 

All the best 

ST