It’s now official – the Rugby Football League has dropped the Super 8s planned for Championship and League One clubs.
It had been hinted at when the format for next season’s Tiers Two and Three was discussed by the clubs.
Now it has been revealed that the RFL has officially notified the clubs that it will not take place.
The idea was that the bottom four teams in the Championship and the top four in League One would compete in the old-style end-of-season competition which used to be used to decide promotion and relegation between Super League and the Championship.
But with restructuring of the game below Super League being agreed there becomes no need for that kind of selection.
There are two plans being considered with either two regional conferences or one merged 21-team league.
Sources have indicated to the Cumbria Crack that the one big League seems to be the favoured option.
It doesn’t mean 20 each home and away fixtures but it seems there are plans for a 26-game season with 13 games apiece home and away with the fixture list possibly prepared on this season’s finishing positions.
But, of course, that means there is no need to decide promotion and relegation between the Championship and League One.
The current bottom four in the Championship can rest easy while the top four in League One know the season will end in a fortnight.
Workington Town still have a chance of finishing as league champions.
One scenario hasn’t been lost on local fans. North Wales Crusaders play at Whitehaven in 10 days’ time when a win could give them the title – but a Whitehaven win could hand the title to Workington.
