RFU Championship

Despite a spirited Doncaster performance that saw the Knights narrowly emerge victorious on the night 34-32, Bristol, after seven years of exile, will return to the Premiership for the 2016-17 following their overall 60-47 aggregate win in this year’s Championship play-off final.

Bristol director of rugby Andy Robinson and first team coach Sean Holley are extremely delighted after their team made a promotion to the Aviva Premiership after nine years following their Championship clinching victory against Doncaster Knights.

Bristol have successfully managed to return to the Aviva Premiership after seven years, despite losing the second-leg final of the Championship against Doncaster Knights by 32-34 at Ashton Gate.

With the first-half of this season’s Championship final officially in the books, Lewis Hughes identifies the standout performers from Bristol's 28-13 win over Doncaster Knights.

Former England player and Yorkshire Carnegie captain has been pushed into retirement after suffering concussion during a league game against Nottingham last month.

A spirited performance from Bristol have taken them close to a Premiership return after they defeated Doncaster Knights by 28-13 in the Championship play-off final first leg.

Ealing Trailfinders have recruited three players from Leeds Beckett University ahead of their 2016-17 campaign of the Greene King IPA Championship.

Doncaster and Bristol prevailed in the second leg of their play-off semi finals to set up an extremely intriguing promotion decider writes Lewis Hughes.

Impressive away victories for both Bristol Rugby and Doncaster Knights on Sunday has put both in pole position to meet in the Championship play-off final, writes Lewis Hughes.

Championship title contenders Bristol, Yorkshire Carnegie and Doncaster have all met minimum standards criteria that would allow them to play in the Aviva Premiership next season.

After flirting with relegation all season long, the worst was all but confirmed for London Irish when they lost 13-6 to Newcastle Falcons in Round 20 of the Aviva Premiership.

Kevin Sinfield will finally bring his dual-code playing career to an end next month but says he could return to Headingley in an administrative capacity.

Former England assistant coach James Lowes, who quit as boss of Bradford Bulls at the weekend, has returned to rugby union as a consultant with his old club Yorkshire Carnegie.

London Irish are resigned to seeing their international contingent thinned if they are relegated from the Aviva Premiership, but head coach Tom Coventry believes the majority of the squad will stay.

Scotland centre Alex Grove has left Aviva Premiership club Worcester on loan for an unspecified amount of time, joining London Scottish in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Bristol captain Dwayne Peel's return to first team action has been deferred until March.

Alex O’Meara talks to Talking Rugby Union about his late start in rugby, coming back from injury and his move to Cornish Pirates.

Kevin Sinfield says he is ready to play this weekend should Yorkshire Carnegie head coach Bryan Redpath select the former Leeds Rhinos captain in his squad to face Bedford in the Championship.

Championship club Bristol have announced the appointment of former England captain Steve Borthwick as forwards coach.

Former Wales captain Ryan Jones has announced his retirement from professional rugby with immediate effect.