Championship Starts on 6 March

[fivepointer]

Saracens' England internationals will not play a competitive game before the Six Nations after the new Championship season was delayed until March.

It leaves players including captain Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and the Vunipola brothers without a game before England face Scotland on 6 February.

Saracens were relegated from the Premiership earlier this year after breaching salary cap rules.

English rugby's second tier has not had a game since March due to Covid-19.

To counter the lack of preparation, Saracens have confirmed they are negotiating with fellow clubs to establish a separate cup competition format as part of the pre-season build up, sanctioned by the Rugby Football Union.

"These continue to be extremely difficult times for professional sports clubs and we are sensitive to the different positions that Championship clubs find themselves in," the Sarries statement said.

"We will continue to work hard with other Championship clubs and the RFU to deliver this proposed season which guarantees a competition and the opportunity to earn promotion into the Premiership."

It had been suggested that the 2020-21 Championship season would start in January, but it will now not get under way until the weekend of 6 March.

The 12-team league will be split into two conferences with the winners of each playing a two-legged final for the right to earn promotion to the Premiership.

Saracens will be in Conference A and will face Cornish Pirates, Ampthill, Jersey Reds, London Scottish and Hartpury University.

Conference B is made up of Ealing Trailfinders, Coventry, Nottingham, Bedford Blues, Doncaster Knights and Richmond - who come up from National One in place of relegated Yorkshire Carnegie.

Each side will play their opponents in their respective conferences on a home and away basis.

[twitchy]

Feels so wrong that the 6 nations is coming up again.

[16th man]

Feels so wrong that the 6 nations is coming up again.

Just asking for problems. Could have put it back a couple of months to give the vaccine roll out time, and to let the weather get a bit better for some better rugby.

[Timbo]

I read that the vaccine is unlikely to begin being rolled out in South Africa until June/July, which seriously begs the question as to how the Lions tour can go ahead.

Makes sense to move 6 Nations to the Summer, when we may get a significant number of fans in the stadiums and delay the Lions for a year.

[Mellsblue]

Saracens' England internationals will not play a competitive game before the Six Nations after the new Championship season was delayed until March.

It leaves players including captain Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and the Vunipola brothers without a game before England face Scotland on 6 February.

Saracens were relegated from the Premiership earlier this year after breaching salary cap rules.

English rugby's second tier has not had a game since March due to Covid-19.

To counter the lack of preparation, Saracens have confirmed they are negotiating with fellow clubs to establish a separate cup competition format as part of the pre-season build up, sanctioned by the Rugby Football Union.

"These continue to be extremely difficult times for professional sports clubs and we are sensitive to the different positions that Championship clubs find themselves in," the Sarries statement said.

"We will continue to work hard with other Championship clubs and the RFU to deliver this proposed season which guarantees a competition and the opportunity to earn promotion into the Premiership."

It had been suggested that the 2020-21 Championship season would start in January, but it will now not get under way until the weekend of 6 March.

The 12-team league will be split into two conferences with the winners of each playing a two-legged final for the right to earn promotion to the Premiership.

Saracens will be in Conference A and will face Cornish Pirates, Ampthill, Jersey Reds, London Scottish and Hartpury University.

Conference B is made up of Ealing Trailfinders, Coventry, Nottingham, Bedford Blues, Doncaster Knights and Richmond - who come up from National One in place of relegated Yorkshire Carnegie.

Each side will play their opponents in their respective conferences on a home and away basis.

Edit: ignore this. Stopped being lazy and asked google.

[FKAS]

Feels so wrong that the 6 nations is coming up again.

Just asking for problems. Could have put it back a couple of months to give the vaccine roll out time, and to let the weather get a bit better for some better rugby.

You'd need the clubs approval to change the international windows. They are already pissed about the extended international window in the Autumn. Now the suggestion they should have small crowds at the climax to their season so the unions can coin it won't go down well.

Tigers have openly said they are losing a million a month because if lost revenue from games, other clubs will be in similar positions. They won't want to devalue their product, they'll want big games with the internationals in the side so they can attract big crowds.

[Mellsblue]

In the latest in a flurry of announcements, Richmond have confirmed that they will be playing this season. With little research, in true RR fashion, I believe these are the teams that have confirmed they will definitely be playing:
Sarries
Ealing
Doncaster
Bedford
Cornish Pirates
Jersey
Nottingham
Richmond
Coventry

Nothing, that I could find, from Hartpury or London Scottish; though, LS are in training so you’d assume will be playing.
Ampthill have started a go fund me page...

[Mellsblue]

Saracens 26 v 39 Ealing

[fivepointer]

Fixtures announced. London Scottish not participating.
11 clubs, 11 rounds starting 6 March and finishing with a play off final on 19 June.
Fingers crossed they dont have many postponements, though there are reserve weekends in the schedule.

[Mellsblue]

Shame LS had to drop out but they’ve confirmed they’ll be back next season. 11 out of 12 clubs is a good result given the lack of income, extra outgoings and loans, not grants, from govt.
I believe the clubs are planning to livestream all the matches for a few £££££.