Championship say no to clubcall plan

The clubs voted to copy Super League’s eight-team play-off, replacing the six-team format following an increase in the number of clubs from 12 to 14, but stopped short of giving one club the right to select their semi-final opponents.

RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer said: “Whilst the consensus was that clubcall has worked well in Super League, the clubs were keen for the newly-expanded Championships to develop its own feel and sense of identity.”

The clubs ratified a proposal for a five-team play-off in Championship One to determine the second promotion place, with the team finishing top going up automatically.

The play-offs start on the weekend of September 5-8 and climax with the Grand Finals on Sunday, September 29, with the venue still to be confirmed.