Crusaders receive Championship 1 invite
The RFL has invited Wrexham-based Crusaders to submit an application to play in Co-operative Championship One next season.
The club, which is planning to re-form under new ownership following the liquidation of the old Super League club, were today asked to apply to join a 10-team Championship One competition by the RFL Board of Directors.
Crusaders had applied to enter the Co-operative Championship in 2012 but that application failed to win the support of the RFL Board, who expressed reservations about their ability to be competitive at Championship level.
“The Board were very clear that they would be delighted to see professional Rugby League continue in Wrexham in 2012,” said RFL Chief Executive Nigel Wood. “However it recognised that the previous club has entered into liquidation, as a consequence of which its membership of the RFL has lapsed.
“It is therefore entirely appropriate that any new club enter the sport’s playing structure at Championship One level.
“The business plan submitted was extremely encouraging given the limited time the consortium had to prepare it. The RFL is happy to work with the consortium over the next two weeks to help establish the club in Championship One.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the Crusaders to build on the great strides made during the last three years in Super League and we believe a new start in Championship One is the key to that.
“The offer allows everyone involved with the consortium to realise their goal of retaining professional Rugby League in North Wales.”
As the application is from a new entity that does not intend to make provision for payments to the creditors of the old Super League club, the proposed new club does not have automatic entitlement to entry at Championship level.
A second application from a Wrexham-based club, Glyndŵr Chargers to play in Co-operative Championship One was withdrawn earlier today by the consortium involved because of the animosity towards their application from supporters of the Crusaders’ application.
Crusaders have been given 14 days to respond to the RFL Board’s offer to apply for membership of Co-operative Championship One, at which point the offer will be withdrawn.
