Newcastle Falcons’ promotion back to the Gallagher Premiership has been confirmed with Saracens relegated to England’s second tier.
The Falcons are at the top of the Championship, 18 points clear of second-placed Ealing, and following the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) decision to call off the rest of the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, it confirmed Newcastle’s promotion.
In a statement, the RFU said the finished tables would be calculated on a “best playing record formula” which has left Newcastle top of the Championship and Yorkshire at the foot.
It was later confirmed Newcastle would be promoted pending they passed the minimum standards criteria necessary to gain a place in England’s top flight. This was approved, after the Professional Game Board took last year’s audit as evidence to formally confirm Newcastle’s promotion.
The decision means Saracens will be playing in the Championship next year.
The champions were hit with a 105 point deduction for salary cap breaches and relegation was confirmed in January.