The second division of the English domestic rugby calendar (below the Guinness Premiership), the RFU championship, is set to move into its second stage.

The competition, now fully professional, sees the teams essentially split into two groups.  The top eight will playoff to decide who will be promoted, while the bottom four forms a group to see who will be relegated to the National League 1 (the third division of English domestic rugby).

Currently Bristol and Exeter are all but unbeatable and are favourites to be promoted into the Premiership.

Bristol Rugby, coached by Paul Hull, is looking at mounting a return to the top flight, after being relegated last season.  The South West English club has had wildly fluctuating fortunes of late, actually finishing third in the Premiership some years ago and competing in the Heineken Cup.

With former Bath captain Alex Crockett part of the setup, alongside English stars Darren Crompton, Roy Winters and led by kiwi Jason Spice, the Bristol side has won 19 of 21 matches and are the best defensive side in the competition.

They will be pushed by the Exeter Chiefs, a perennial challenger in the second division.  Last season they finished second to Leeds, who were promoted.

The top eight, who will fight for promotion, are Bristol, Exeter, London Welsh, Bedford, the Cornish Pirates, Nottingham, Doncaster and Plymouth.

The bottom four are Moseley, Rotherham, Coventry and Birmingham & Solihull.

RFU Championship Stage 2

• top 8 teams progress to promotion Play-Offs
• teams 9-12 progress to relegation Play-Offs

Promotion Play-Offs

Please note that the fixtures for teams ranked 1 to 6 were decided after 21 Rounds at the request of the RFU Championship clubs

• 2 pools of 4 teams playing 6 matches (3 home & 3 away)
• teams ranked 1, 4, 5 & 8 play in Pool A
* teams ranked 2, 3, 6 & 7 play in Pool B
• after 6 pool matches, top 2 teams from Pools A & B progress to semi finals
* semi finals weekend of May 8
• semi final draw - 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B & 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
• final May 19 & 26 - the team with the best playing record in Stage 2 will have the choice of whether to be at home for the first leg or the second leg of the Championship final
• winner of Championship final promoted to Guinness Premiership subject to fulfilling entry criteria

Pool A

(1) Bristol Rugby
(4) Bedford Blues
(5) Cornish Pirates
(8) Plymouth Albion

Pool B

(2) Exeter Chiefs
(3) London Welsh
(6) Nottingham Rugby
(7) Doncaster Knights

Fixtures

Pool A

Round 1 - March 19-21
Plymouth Albion v Bedford Blues
Bristol Rugby v Cornish Pirates

Round 2 - March 26-28
Bedford Blues v Bristol Rugby
Cornish Pirates v Plymouth Albion

Round 3 - April 2-4
Bristol Rugby v Plymouth Albion
Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues

Round 4 - April 9-11
Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates
Plymouth Albion v Bristol Rugby

Round 5 - April 16-18
Bristol Rugby v Bedford Blues
Plymouth Albion v Cornish Pirates

Round 6 - May 1 (3pm)
Bedford Blues v Plymouth Albion
Cornish Pirates v Bristol Rugby

Pool B

Round 1 - March 19-21
Nottingham Rugby v Exeter Chiefs
London Welsh v Doncaster Knights

Round 2 - March 26-28
Exeter Chiefs v London Welsh
Doncaster Knights v Nottingham Rugby

Round 3 - April 2-4
London Welsh v Nottingham Rugby
Doncaster Knights v Exeter Chiefs

Round 4 - April 9-11
Exeter Chiefs v Doncaster Knights
Nottingham Rugby v London Welsh

Round 5 - April 16-18
London Welsh v Exeter Chiefs
Nottingham Rugby v Doncaster Knights

Round 6 - May 1 (3pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Nottingham Rugby
Doncaster Knights v London Welsh

Relegation Play-Offs

• 1 pool of 4 teams playing 6 matches (3 home & 3 away)
• after 6 pool matches played, lowest ranked team is relegated to National Division One (level three)

Pool

(9) Moseley
(10) Rotherham Titans
(11) Coventry
(12) Birmingham Solihull

Fixtures

Round 1 - March 19-21
Birmingham Solihull v Moseley
Rotherham Titans v Coventry

Round 2 - March 26-28
Moseley v Rotherham Titans
Coventry v Birmingham Solihull

Round 3 - April 2-4
Rotherham Titans v Birmingham Solihull
Coventry v Moseley

Round 4 - April 9-11
Moseley v Coventry
Birmingham Solihull v Rotherham Titans

Round 5 - April 17 (3pm)
Rotherham Titans v Moseley
Birmingham Solihull v Coventry

Round 6 - May 1 (3pm)
Moseley v Birmingham Solihull
Coventry v Rotherham Titans

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