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Search forPirates set to play in new Championship
Thursday, November 20, 2008, 12:29
The Council backed recommendations from the RFU Management Board for the Championship to form the new tier below the Guinness Premiership, voting against an amendment deferring its formation until 2010/11.
In the new structure, the Championship will sit above a new National League One, National Two North and National Two South, and four divisions in the National Three tier. And the Pirates, who last week revealed they will need an extra £300,000 to compete in the Championship, have every intention of being in the new competition.
Chief executive Rod Coward said: "it is our firm intention that the Cornish Pirates will be both invited and playing in the Championship next season, but to do that two equally important elements must be achieved; firstly we must finish this season in the top 11 and secondly we must have addressed how we will bridge our projected budget shortfall.
"The first priority of a top 11 finish is down to the club and the second priority will require the help of all our supporters, locally, nationally and internationally."
It is proposed that the Championship will comprise the relegated team from the Guinness Premiership, the winners of National Two, currently Redruth, and teams finishing second in places second to 11 in the current National One.
Five teams will be relegated to the new National One.
The proposals, though, have come under fire from both National One leaders Redruth and the Cornish All Blacks.
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