Bester: We know we must win to keep our dream alive

The deadline for applications passed at the start of the month and those that made their interest known have been fully audited over the last few weeks.

A group carry out the audits on behalf of Premier Rugby, while the Rugby Football Union are the body tasked with confirming which clubs can go up to the top flight, a decision they are expected to ratify in June in the wake of the RFU Championship play-off final.

Of the three Yorkshire clubs currently contesting the promotion play-offs, Leeds meet the strict entry criteria, Rotherham hope to do likewise, but Doncaster, it is understood, are not in a position to do so this season.

The Knights are currently bottom of their play-off pool and all-but eliminated from the promotion race.

The club declined to comment yesterday about whether they had applied for a PRL audit.

Leeds Carnegie were subject to a matchday audit last Sunday, which was the third and final part of the process.

Leeds have yet to receive any feedback on the process, but having already spent eight seasons in the top flight, they have a share in the Premiership and have already proven they are capable of hosting elite rugby.

Rotherham Titans are the intriguing club, not least because they would have to leave the town to play Premiership rugby.

They are still very much alive in the promotion race, with a positive result in today’s game against Cornish Pirates vital to their chances.

Should they get that and then qualify for the two-legged semi-final and the two-legged final beyond that, then club officials are confident they have put a package in place that would meet the RFU’s requirements.

The minimum standards criteria comprises six categories, including ground tenure and ground move, which include a requirement for Premiership clubs to have a minimum ground capacity of 10,000.

Other categories cover administration and management, facilities, medical and safety.

To meet those, particularly the ground issues, Rotherham would have to leave their traditional home of Clifton Lane to move to Sheffield.

“Don Valley Stadium is the only possibility,” said club director Alan McHale.

“We just cannot play Premiership rugby at Clifton Lane, so we had to look at which grounds tick the box, and Don Valley Stadium does that.

“We would have primacy of tenure because Rotherham United move out in early July.

“There are some attractions to being in that area, particularly commercially, but there are drawbacks.

“We are working very closely with Don Valley Stadium and Sheffield International Venues (operators) to make it more of a rugby ground experience.

“They have been very accommodating.”

McHale also confirmed that the club had been subject to the auditors’ procedure.

He said: “We have applied and the team that the PRL send in have already audited the stadium.

“We have not had any feedback as yet, other than they seemed very pleased.

“There was a very small issue about the width of some of the doors, but otherwise, it’s a 25,000-seater stadium and it ticks a very big box.”

The Titans could leave Rotherham as early as May.

Because they are tenants at Clifton Lane and do not have primacy of tenure due to the town’s cricket club taking priority, Rotherham would have to play the play-off semi-final and final at Don Valley Stadium.

They have already got the green light to do so from Sheffield International Venues, and have also explored the prospect of moving to Don Valley Stadium even if they remain in the Championship next season.

“We would be happy to stay at Clifton Lane but we are going to assess the viability of Don Valley Stadium,” said McHale.

“If we get into the semi-finals this season – or should I say when – we would have to play at Don Valley Stadium.

“That has already gone through the process and has been approved.”

Andre Bester’s side already use Don Valley Stadium as a training base through the season.

Pat Smith, general manager of Don Valley Stadium, said: “SIV already has a training agreement with the Rotherham Titans giving them regular access to the gym and indoor track at Don Valley Stadium.

“We have been in ongoing discussions with the club regarding future use of the stadium and have made an offer to the Titans to play at Don Valley next season should they make the Premiership.”

The other teams who are understood to meet the Premiership criteria are Nottingham and Bristol, who at the midway stage of the play-off pool phase are the favourites to win the division.

Cornish Pirates have put their promotion plans on ice while they consider options for a new ground, while Bedford are exploring a groundshare option and London Welsh are confident they can meet the criteria.

All issues over box ticking will be rendered irrelevant unless Rotherham beat Cornish Pirates at Clifton Lane today.

With this in mind, Bester has recalled hooker Dan Baines, who is one of the players to have committed his future to the club for next season, while Semisi Taulava returns at No 8.

Peter Homan comes in on the wing and Neale Patrick earns a call-up in the second row.

Bester said: “We know this is a must-win game if we want to keep the dream alive – that point is not even negotiable.

“We understand that and if we don’t win this match the dream is over and we will be working for the future.”

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