Ealing Trailfinders won the Championship and have now withdrawn their appeal against this decision deny them promotion to the Premiership.
Ealing Knights and Doncaster Knights were both the clubs that applied for promotion. They won the division.
However, an audit determined that neither club had met the minimum standards criteria regarding capacity.
Premiership stadiums should hold at least 10,001 people, while Ealing’s ground holds only about half.
Ealing expressed disappointment at not being awarded the Championship.
Ealing Trailfinders believe that spectators must increase steadily and over time in order to promote sides or those who want to be promoted.
The Rugby Football Union stated that it would “review standards related to minimum capacity” prior to next season’s audit process.
Doncaster’s request to join Premiership was also turned down, but they finished second in Championship this season, three behind Ealing.
This decision has ring-fenced Premiership as a competition for 13 teams next season. But, if either team was promoted, it would have been expanded to 14 clubs by 2022-23.