criteria. The champion is the top team in the RFU Championship after the league season. A play-off system was previously in place to decide which team were crowned champions. It was hoped this would bring to an end a select number of clubs bouncing between the leagues. (For example, each season between 2005–06 and 2008–09 saw the club relegated to National Division One earning promotion to the Premiership the following season, and also either the promotion or relegation of Leeds Carnegie.) Debate still continues over the question of promotion and relegation, but with the strict criteria fears are reduced. Level 2: RFU Championship The new RFU Championship was formed in 2009–10 to provide a second tier of professional competition. The former National Division One was decreased from 16 clubs to 12 to accommodate the new fixture structure. For the first three seasons this included: a first phase of 22 regular season games for the top eight teams, a second group phase, with the teams split into two groups; the top two teams in each group advanced to promotion play-offs, with the winner earning promotion provided they met Premiership entry standards for the bottom four teams, a separate group phase, without a play-off, to determine the relegation place participation in a new British and Irish Cup with Irish, Scottish and Welsh clubs a minimum of 32 games per season Starting with the 2012–13 season, the second group stage was discontinued. The top four teams at the end of the home-and-away season entered play-offs to determine the league champion, which earned promotion providing Premiership entry standards were met. The bottom team at the end of home-and-away season was relegated to, and replaced by the champions of, the third tier National League 1. From 2017–18 through to 2019–20 and from 2021–22 the championship play-off was eliminated. The league-season champions earned automatic promotion (again, assuming that they meet Premiership standards). Relegation criteria did not change. However, there was a moratorium placed on relegation in both 2020–21 and 2021–22. Levels 3-4: National Leagues The new National League structure includes: Level 3: National League 1 The National League 1 was decreased from 16 to 14 teams. This resulted in a 28-game season on a home and away basis. The champions are promoted to the level 2 RFU Championship, and the bottom three sides are relegated to the level 4 National League 2 East, National League 2