Championship latest: 'There's definitely going to be a competition'

Mark McCall has admitted Saracens will have to win their way back into the Gallagher Premiership on the pitch, explaining that a Championship will definitely go ahead at some stage this year in some shape or form. There has been speculation that the automatically relegated London club could be handed a free pass back into the 2021/22 Premiership if the much delayed second-tier Championship doesn’t go ahead.

McCall, though, believes his team’s route back to the top-flight will be via on-pitch success, even if he is not certain the currently proposed Championship format – two conferences of six teams each with matches to start on March 6 – will go ahead as planned. 

“It’s more a case of will all 12 clubs take part,” said Saracens boss McCall when asked what the latest outlook was for the much delayed Championship season. “There’s definitely going to be a competition. 

Referee JP Doyle joins Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson on RugbyPass Offload

Referee JP Doyle joins Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson on RugbyPass Offload

“It’s just whether that competition is in the current format with two conferences and six teams in each or if a couple of teams for some reason can’t take part what it looks like. That is not up to us. It’s up to the Championship committee. 

“As far as I know promotion is going to be decided on the field, so that is the most important thing. Whether that is a first-past-the-post system or a playoff system, at the moment it is up to other people.”

"Cornish Pirates want you to get changed in a f***in’ two-metre square portakabin in the wet, wind and rain and the ground is a quagmire as it is"#ChampRugby https://t.co/Xoy4NXUddc

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 14, 2021

There has also been speculation that when Saracens return to the top-flight that an end will be put to relegation from the Premiership. McCall, though, isn’t in favour of a total ring-fencing of the top flight, believing exception much always be made for clubs with the resources to match their ambition.    

“If there is ring-fencing, it shouldn’t be closed,” he speculated ahead of Saturday’s London derby at Ealing in the opening round of the Trailfinders Cup, Saracens’ first competitive match since an October 4 draw with Bath in their last Premiership game before relegation.   

“So if there is a club who have got the resources and the wherewithal to come into the Premiership they should be allowed to do that. What I mean is there doesn’t have to be a 13-team ring-fenced Premiership. It can be more than that, can’t it? There’s no reason to stop a club with ambition coming into a competition with no relegation.”

"Hands down, he is one of the most engaging coaches I have ever worked with"@TheRugbyPod #GallagherPrem https://t.co/LHBo4ukW9H

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 14, 2021